The four steps you need to master in your content marketing strategy to see results, get in-demand, and stay booked out as an online creative or web designer. 

Marketing FOMO got you dancing on TikTok, pinning on Pinterest, and applying for keynote speaking gigs all at once? 

Girl, stop. Let’s get a strategy in place first. 

And believe me, I know the word ‘strategy’ can be more intimidating than any of the legal and financial stuff in your online creative business. But the best news is you don’t need to be on all the platforms, doing all the things, all at once. 

Instead, I’m dropping:

→ Why your content marketing is a funnel

→ The only four elements you need in your marketing strategy

→ Why you need to focus on them (and them alone)

→ How to apply them to your business 

So you can:

→ Get out of the weeds of your business

→ Finally see results from your content marketing

→ Spend less time on content creation and lead generation, and 

→ Find more time to send in your creative zone of genius

 

Your content marketing strategy is a funnel

…and it looks something like this:

1. COLD LEADS
2. WARM LEADS
3. HOT LEADS
4. CLIENTS

 

From cold leads to loyal clients, it’s your content marketing strategy’s job to guide your audience through the funnel. The best way to do it? With content that does the heavy lifting for you.  

And it all begins here…

1. Reach

Well, here’s a statement you might not like…

Instagram is not enough. 

It may be in your marketing comfort zone, but it sure as hell isn’t enough to get you the kind of leads that $10k wealthy web designers get. It’s time you reached beyond that (literally) and found new people. 

That’s why ‘reach’ is at the top of the funnel – it’s all about getting new eyes on your business to pull through the marketing lifecycle. 

TikTok is a great place to start. With one billion monthly users and a whole lot of viral potential, this platform is the perfect way to reach a high volume of the right people with quick content. I mean… Some of my TikToks have surpassed 130k views alone, connecting me with thousands of cold leads to draw back to my ‘home’ – whether it’s my website, podcast, or Instagram. 

You don’t need to be everywhere and spread yourself too thin. All you need is to be consistent and connective with your content. Find a platform and the type of marketing you enjoy, then embrace it with both hands. 

 

Depending on your unique business, other content marketing strategies to boost your reach include:

• Expert keynotes
• Masterclasses
• Webinars
• Lead magnets
• Facebook ads
• Youtube videos
• Instagram carousels

Choosing one to two of these is all you need to bring in more cold leads than ever before.

2. Engaging

Step two? You’ve already got this, girl. Engaging with their current audience is where most creatives are comfortable, no matter their key platform. You’re always in the comments, connecting in the DMs, showing up on your stories, sharing, saving, and liking other content. You know how to show your audience a good time, build community, provide value and nurture them so they feel special. 

Forget just being ‘nice’ – how strategic are you being with your posts, comments, and DMs? 

How can you convert your audience?

How can you turn them from onlooker to buyer? 

After all, turning those lurkers into leads is the whole point of engaging (not simply to have a chat). 

The most obvious way? 

Create a high-value lead magnet such as a:

• Services guide
• Checklist
• Webinar
• eBook
• Mini training
• Case study
• Design portfolio
• FAQs or how-to 
• Application form

 

To create the right lead magnet for your audience:

• Lurk around in the comments of your most recent post, or take note of the conversations you have in the DMs to find the first signs of a qualified lead.
• Capture their details, particularly their pain points, desires, and frequently asked questions. 
• Create a lead magnet that solves one of the above problems and place it behind an opt-in page requiring their email address and name (at a minimum)
• Then, you can delve deeper into your audience’s needs, using the opt-in to subtly uncover who is snooping around your page already. 

 

PLUS! Use your freebie to warm up your leads even more with extras. You could include:

• Your professional bio and expertise
• Your services and a call to action
• A special discount or hidden offer
• Testimonials, case studies, and/or your portfolio 

 

BONUS: The big benefit of a lead magnet in your content marketing strategy

You don’t own your social media audience. But you DO own your email marketing audience. When you collect email addresses that data is yours to market to, and can’t be taken away. 

We know year on year, email remains content marketing king, with an estimated $42 x ROI on every $1 spent. Because once you’ve got that holy-grail email address, you can continue the conversation, hyper-engaging with specific leads, and meeting their needs with consistent communication.

Even a simple five-part introductory sequence off the back of your freebie is a great place to start, including:

1. Who you are
2. How you help
3. Testimonials
4. Services
5. Offer/discount

 

Again, you don’t have to be everywhere at once. When we were first starting our website design business, Bold x Boho we were going hard on Pinterest to build our waitlist. This was the turning point for our success because, by the time we launched, we had a captive email audience primed to buy. We focused all our energy here and saw an instant return. 

You can do the same.

Go all-in on one platform (specifically one you love), master it, and promote your lead magnet like everybody’s watching. 

 

3. Conversion

This stage is what business is all about, right? 

And the only way to convert is to ASK for the sale. And it’s all down to three words:

 

Call to action. 

How can you integrate a compelling and clear call to action into your content that says, “I need it now”? 

Add your CTAs everywhere. Including your:

• Stories
• TikToks
• Instagram bio
• DM conversations
• Youtube videos
• Lead magnets
• Webinars

Call to action ideas:

• Fill in the application form
• Subscribe for videos or podcast episodes
• DM for more information
• Visit website 
• Comment below

 

The purpose of a call to action is to always provide an answer to the question “what next?”. Otherwise, you’re leaving hollow and empty content on the table. 

This extends to ways people can work with you. 

Tell them often and show them why. You don’t just exist in an expensive hobby, you’re a business owner and people want to work with you. 

How are you sharing your services daily?

It could be via a:

• Services or ‘work together’ Instagram story highlights section
• A series of Tiktoks 
• A link to your application or website
• A pricing guide lead magnet

And before your audience is ready to jump on a call, it’s time to find your preferred sales method. 

 

Nail your sales strategy

Some people hate sales calls, others thrive on the phone. Your sales method should be anything that makes you feel most comfortable and confident. 

Sales strategies can include:

• Instagram voice messages or DMs
• Sales calls
• Live events sales calls
• Emails 
• A $97 ‘clarity call’ to provide 1:1 value straight up (and if they decide to go ahead, discounting their investment). 

Then dive into your numbers and KPIs. 

 

Find your numbers

Use an income stream and launch calculator to reverse engineer from your big quarterly targets. The best calculators will help you answer these questions:

• What would happen if I increased my prices or upskilled in my sales strategy?
• How many people do I need to convert per month? 
• How can I break a big income goal (like a $10k month) into a few simple offers
• What would introducing a new offer do for my income?
• Where are the gaps in my current service suite? 

Grace DeBruin has a great free template to help you answer all these questions. DM her on Instagram for a copy. 

Once you’ve converted those dream clients? It’s time to keep them. 

4. Retention

It takes five times more energy to acquire new clients than retain existing ones. 

Are you a little too ‘one and done’ when it comes to projects ending, then constantly on the hunt for new one-off clients? Chances are, you’re missing out on easy income from people who already love you. You can easily keep your clients coming back to you by getting creative with new offers, templates, and support that goes beyond a one-time project. 

There are so many opportunities to be agile in what you offer next, such as:

• Assisting with a new project
• Supporting them in another area of business
• Upselling them to a higher ticket offer
• Encouraging them to jump into a retainer or management service
• Offering a passive product like templates

 

Or better yet, you could offer them a discount on another service in exchange for a testimonial, or provide exclusive, discounted access to a new beta program. For example, if you delivered strategy and branding to a client, you could easily upsell them into a brand new website, whole-of-business coaching, or a mastermind. 

Whatever you do to retain them, be agile in what you offer and meet your clients where they need you next. 

Reach

Engage

Convert

Retain

…Repeat

It’s the circle of content marketing strategy breathing new lead-generating life into your business. Implement these elements into your current approach and you’ll be sure to entice a multitude of dream clients. 

 

And true to my word, I’m telling you where to go next.

Set aside an afternoon, and give yourself three hours to play with your strategy. Lock your door, brew some tea, turn up the Spotify playlist and spend your afternoon deep in creative content planning. Even if it feels messy, it’ll give you neat clarity.  

Just sit down.

Just plan. 

Just start. 

Get even more inspired with the Wealthy Creative Collective membership. Join like-minded creatives across the world to upskill, collaborate, and uplevel your 

online business. 

 

Framework and tips courtesy of expert content marketing and business strategist, Grace DeBruin.