I used to wake up and check my inbox like it was a slot machine. Some days, there was a surprise: a new client inquiry. But most days? Crickets.

I called it “marketing,” but let’s be real—it was just hoping.

And if you’re a freelance designer, a creative studio owner, or an agency founder, I’m guessing you’ve done the same. Your portfolio’s polished, your skills are sharp, but the projects aren’t showing up the way they should.

The problem isn’t your work.
It’s your system—or lack of one.

This post isn’t about marketing hacks or social media gimmicks. It’s about building a marketing engine that matches the way creative businesses actually grow: through relationships, consistency, and clarity.

Here’s how to stop hoping and start acting.

Why creative marketing breaks down

Let’s start with the hard truth:

Hope is not a strategy.

Most designers treat their business like a waiting game. They build a shiny website, post a few case studies, and wait for clients to stumble upon them. It might work for a bit, but when the leads slow down, the panic sets in. So…

They re-design their website. Again.

They tweak their Instagram bio. Again.

They play pretend marketing because real marketing feels awkward, vulnerable, and a little scary.

But here’s the deal: inaction is poison.
And the antidote? Daily action.

If you do one thing after reading this, make it this:
Every single day, do one thing related to sales.

That’s it. One message. One follow-up. One connection.
Not 100 emails, not a funnel, not a paid ad strategy.
Just one real action that moves you closer to a client.

How to build a system that replaces hope

Step 1: Track your touchpoints

Marketing doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does have to be consistent. That’s why I recommend building what I call a:

Staying Top-of-Mind Spreadsheet

It’s simple and wildly effective. Here’s how it works:

  1. List every contact you’ve worked with or connected with professionally in each row of the first column.
    Past clients, collaborators, friends from school, DMs you’ve exchanged with—everyone.

  2. Add columns for each week of the year.
    All 52 of them.

  3. Track your touchpoints.
    Did you send a DM? Leave a comment? Grab coffee? Send a resource? Mark it in the appropriate week column with the date and the touchpoint.

The goal here isn’t to sell—it’s to stay visible to your contacts. Because when people are ready to hire, they don’t search. They remember. And they reach for who is top of mind.

Cold outreach doesn’t have to suck

Step 2: Embrace Cold Outreach

Cold email has a bad reputation—and for good reason. Most people do it wrong. They send generic, desperate messages and wonder why no one replies.

But cold outreach can work when you add one thing: warmth.

Here’s how:

  1. Create a landing page just for the audience you’re targeting.
    Want to work with food and beverage brands? Build a page that showcases your relevant work, features a testimonial, and directly addresses their goals.

  2. Find the right contact (LinkedIn is your friend).
    Marketing managers, brand directors—whoever makes decisions.

  3. Make at least 2–3 warm-up touchpoints before you email.
    Like a few posts. Leave a thoughtful comment. React to a story.

  4. Send a short, specific email with the landing page link.
    Keep it about them, not you. Make it easy to click.

  5. Follow up with more touchpoints.
    Cold emails don’t convert on their own. It’s the follow-up actions that build trust.

Remember the Rule of 7 in marketing:
It takes at least seven meaningful interactions for someone to trust you.

Relationships > reach

Step 3: Create more touchpoints

You don’t need to go viral. You need to be remembered.

The best clients? They don’t come from hashtags or explore pages.
They come from people you’ve already met.

That designer you collaborated with last year?
They might refer you to a client who’s outgrown their studio.
The creative director you DM’d six months ago?
They might be hiring freelancers for a new campaign.

Think of this as the 1-degree-of-separation principle:
Everyone you know knows someone who could hire you.

But only if you stay visible.

So here’s a challenge:
Make a list of 50 people you’ve connected with in the past 2 years.
Comment on something they’ve posted. Send them a DM. Ask how they’re doing. Then track it in your Top-of-Mind Spreadsheet.

No pitching. Just presence.

Pick one channel. Build authority.

Step 4: Share your expertise

Authority builds trust before you ever get on a call.

When someone finds your work, they’ll Google you. They’ll check your LinkedIn, your Instagram, your YouTube, and wherever else your name pops up. And if those places are silent—or worse, outdated—you’ve just lost momentum.

But if they see:

Videos where you explain your process

Posts that break down your thinking

Testimonials that sound human and real

Work that feels alive and recent

…then they don’t need convincing. You’ve already done the hard part.

You don’t need to be everywhere.
You just need to be somewhere consistently.

Start here:

If you love writing, use LinkedIn. Post once a week.

If you love visuals, use Instagram. Keep your grid active.

If you love talking, consider using YouTube or starting a podcast.

If you hate all of it, commit to producing and updating your case studies once a quarter.

The content doesn’t have to convert. It has to confirm that you’re the real deal.

What to do if you’re stuck right now

If you want more clients, do these five things:

  1. Every day, take one action toward sales.
    A DM. A follow-up. A message. Small steps lead to big moves.

  2. Build your Staying Top-of-Mind Spreadsheet.
    And use it. Every week. Track your visibility like you track hours.

  3. Join one face-to-face networking group or creative community.
    Local meetups, online groups, Slack channels—get in the room.

  4. Pick one platform to show your work consistently.
    Let it become your highlight reel, your authority builder.

  5. Make your cold outreach warmer by adding a human touch.
    Personalize. Follow up. And make it about them.

You don’t need more marketing knowledge.

You need consistency, clarity, and action.

This isn’t about launching a campaign or building a funnel.
It’s about creating a system that matches the way creative work actually spreads: through trust, timing, and relationships.

Your next client is one touchpoint away.
You just have to take action.