Here's how Mariana pitched and booked $6,700 worth of her services in just 4 days!
GATHER ROUND HUNNIS because I’ve got some amazing news to share with you!
If you’ve been following this space or keeping up with me on Instagram, you might remember that I recently launched Pitching your Web Design & Development Services. It’s a digital product that teaches web designers & developers how to pitch their services through a 22-page How-To Guide, customizable email templates, and a tracker spreadsheet to organize their pitch process.
It’s been flying of the figurative shelves since then and I have been THRILLED to hear all the (seriously impressive) results that are already rolling in! Nothing makes me happier than people purchasing my products and getting fantastic results from them. I work very hard to create high quality, useful resources for my audience (through both free and paid content) and when this particular email landed in my inbox, I nearly fell off my chair with excitement.
So, I’m going to take a moment to proudly share Mariana’s story because her results truly blew me away and I’m bursting with pride! If she can do it, so can you.
Oh what’s that - you want more success stories?
Here’s how Sarah pitched & booked thousands of dollars of her web design services with just 1 email!
Alright, let me set the stage and fill you in on how it all went down.
Meet Mariana, the gal who booked $6,700 in new business within 4 days by pitching her services
- Mariana Durst, DESK & DESIGN
Introduction time: internet, meet Mariana.
Mariana Durst runs the DESK & DESIGN studio. She predominantly works with creatives and offers Squarespace design, branding strategy and conversion copywriting services.
About a week ago, Mariana purchased my Pitching your Web Design & Development Services Guide and WOW, her results have already blown me away!
Here’s what Mariana’s process looked like:
She bought the Pitching your Web Design & Development Services Guide
She researched and identified her ideal clients in her target industry/niche
She sent out her pitches
SHE BOOKED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF NEW BUSINESS WITHIN DAYS!
Mariana invested in herself, learned a new marketing strategy, and grew her business.
Mariana booked $6,700 worth of her services with DREAMY clients in 4 days, with an investment that was less than $100 - my Pitching your Web Design & Development Services Guide.
When I heard this, I knew I had to share her results and story with you so here’s a fun Q&A we did together so you can learn more about how it all happened!
Q. Have you ever pitched your services before?
I've never cold-pitched my services before, and to be honest, I never though I would!
Q. What marketing strategies have your previously used to promote your web design & development services and grow your business?
I think I've tried a little bit of everything: blogging + Pinterest, lead magnets, offering brand, Squarespace and copywriting mini-audits, posting on social media...
Q. What made you decide to try pitching your services?
I had heard about Charlotte’s Pitching your Web Design & Development Services Guide in a Facebook group of Squarespace designers I'm in. At first, I didn't think it was for me, but when I actually had a minute to slow down and re-evaluate where I was putting the energy I had for marketing, I realized that it made sense to try pitching because I could directly target my dream clients.
Q. How did you find out about Charlotte's Pitching Your Web Design & Development Services Guide?
I first heard about how Charlotte had successfully grown her web design & development business by pitching her services when I took Paige Brunton's Square Secrets Business course, where Charlotte and other guest experts were interviewed about marketing strategies. After that, I found out about Charlotte’s Pitching your Web Design & Development Services Guide in a Facebook group where some fellow designers brought it up. I eventually landed on Charlotte’s website after Paige emailed us saying how one of her students had used the guide successfully.
I took it as a sign that I needed to move forward with this pitching strategy.
Q. What initially held you back from pitching? Fear of rejection? Not sure what to say in the pitch emails? Unclear about the “right” process? Not sure if it would actually work? Hadn’t thought of it as a marketing strategy for your business?
I thought that blogging, Pinterest and social media would be more efficient.
I also felt really nervous about sending out cold emails and sounding spammy. I had to reframe my thoughts around this before I was ready to pitch. I had to remind myself that I know my ICA (ideal client avatar) really well, and how amazing my past clients have felt about my work and their investment. I had to remind myself that I AM providing a solution to their website problems!
Q. How soon after purchasing the “Pitching Your Services guide” did you send out your first pitch emails?
I got the Pitching Guide on a Sunday and immediately used the spreadsheet to make a list of people who I wanted to work with. I work with creatives and artists who are ready to take that next step. I sent the emails on Tuesday, just 2 days after purchasing the Pitching Guide!
Q. Did you follow the email template exactly or customize it?
I customized the words but kept the general structure. I'm a copywriter and I know the value of talking to my ICA's pain points. I used all my research to craft the perfect words in order to customize the template. I also personalized the email for each client. I addressed specific areas in their branding, Squarespace design, and website copy which needed attention in a non-judgy, super respectful way.
Q. How did you feel when you sent out those pitch emails? Confident in the process? Open to trying a new marketing strategy? "What the heck, why not?” Nervous about hearing “No” or “Not now” or being ignored entirely? Anticipating rejection? Excited to serve potential clients through your services?
I felt like an excited nervous wreck, to be honest. I made sure to really be mindful of my mindset and remind myself that only the people who I could really serve, who'd be the most willing to receive my services, and be the most satisfying to work with would respond. I think having this on my mind when I was getting ready to send the email helped me be ok with the possibility of rejection or not hearing back.
Q. How did you decide who to pitch to? Research potential clients or drill down on the type of businesses you wanted to work with?
I already had a super-specific ICA that I just love working with, so when researching/mining for clients to add to the pitch tracking spreadsheet, I would scope out their website and if they met the description of my ICA, I added them. This gave me the confidence I needed to pitch my services.
Q. How did you stay organized during the pitch process?
I used the spreadsheet included with the Pitching Guide. It's perfect! I also installed Boomerang which helped me schedule the emails to go out when I wanted them, and then send the ones who didn't reply back to me so that I could send the next follow up. I also used Google docs to write out the emails for clients who I didn't have an email for and needed to use their website's contact form. I had the emails ready to copy/paste on the day I wanted them to go out, and I set a reminder on my phone to follow up with them as well.
Q. How soon after sending out your first pitch emails did you book your first client from those pitches?
The emails went out at 10:30am on Tuesday and by 3:45pm that same day, I had a booked client! The second client that I booked from those same pitches signed on Friday!
Q. Was this digital product worth the investment?
Absolutely! I booked $6,700 worth of my services with DREAMY clients in 4 days, with an investment that was less than $100.
LET ME REPEAT THAT
Mariana booked $6,700 worth of her services in just 4 days after purchasing the Pitch you Web Design & Development Services Guide
Mariana is a queen who took inspired action and followed real steps to grow her business. She invested in herself and her business by purchasing my Pitching your Web Design & Development Services Guide but again, this was less than $100. From here, Mariana did the work, sent out the pitches, and successfully booked out her services to dream clients.
She didn’t sit around waiting for her business to grow at a snail’s pace or for her dream clients to somehow find her on their own - SHE TOOK ACTION and made the results happen!
To say that I’m proud of her would be an understatement.
But the best part of this whole story is that her same results can work for YOU!
It’s $97.
If this Pitching Guide helps you to book just ONE new client, it will have paid for itself - and then some.
GET THE PITCHING YOUR WEB DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT SERVICES GUIDE HERE
Now it’s your turn to tell me, have you ever pitched your services? Are you blown away by Mariana’s results? What marketing strategies do you currently use to grow your business? Do you want a done-for-you strategy and email templates you can use today? I’d love to know so leave me a note in the comments below!
