Securing High-Paying Retainers and Avoiding Low-Paying Clients

Jul 21, 2024

Securing High-Paying Retainers and Avoiding Low-Paying Clients

Introduction

  • Main Goal: Teach how to land high-paying retainers, particularly $5,000/month.
  • Common Problem: Struggling to get past $2,000/month in freelancing.

Key Issues Affecting Income

  1. Crappy Retainers: Low-paying contracts, e.g., $500 for 50 videos.
  2. Project Hopping: No fixed-term contracts, paid per video or per minute, leading to inconsistent income.

Why Crappy Retainers Occur

  • Targeting Bottom of Barrel (BOB) Clients: Clients who pinch pennies and have limited cash.
  • Targeting Vanity Clients: Creating content for the sake of vanity, not as an investment for sales. These clients don't see content as part of a larger business funnel.

Ideal Client Profile

  • Clients with Products: Especially digital products with high margins.
    • Examples: $5,000/year Mastermind.
    • Mindset: See content as an investment for sales, not just an expense.
  • Business-Oriented Clients: Already spending money on ads and understand the value of content.

Steps to Improve Income

  1. Shift Client Focus: Stop targeting vanity clients and start targeting clients who have businesses and sell products.
  2. **Retainer Strategy: ** Offer more services (long-form, short-form content, testimonials, ads).
    • Outcome: Clients may increase your pay as part of the retainer due to additional services.

Case Studies and Testimonials

  • High-paying retainers: Clients seeing increased sales and willing to upgrade packages.
  • Content as Investment: Genuine cases where content increased client sales significantly.

Recap and Strategies

  1. Avoid Vanity Clients: They offer low-paying, inconsistent projects and see content as an expense.
  2. Focus on Business Clients: They already spend on ads and require consistent, high-quality content.
  3. Engage in Long-Term Contracts: Iron out project hopping by securing clients who value long-term engagement.
  4. Educate Clients: Help them understand that content is a part of their sales funnel, thus justifying higher pay.

Final Thoughts

  • Join VP Plus: For more training and a community that supports freelancers in securing high-paying clients.
    • Resources: Free training and interviews with successful students.

If you've been stuck at a low income level, it's likely due to targeting the wrong types of clients. By focusing on business-oriented clients who view content as a sales investment, you can break through the $2,000/month barrier and secure retainers worth $5,000/month or more consistently.

[Free training link and additional resources mentioned in the talk]