How to stay in touch with your illustration clients without being annoying - part 2 of our @MadebyJames interview

James Martin (aka @MadebyJames) is baaack! Part one was your starter, and this week is the chonky main course. James did promise to come back with something v useful, and he kept his word.

Buckle in for a step-by-step formula to help you build relationships with the people you'd love to work with. 

There is absolutely NO cold emailing or cheesey self-promotion involved. 

Timestamps, for the timestamp fans:

00:00 – Welcome back James, and why part two is all about the practical stuff
 01:00 – A brand is really just a way of getting more opportunity
 02:00 – What James means by "opportunity design"
 02:45 – The book Obvious Adams
 04:00 – Why you should ask your clients for feedback, not other creatives
 06:00 – Why complicated marketing advice makes us feel silly
 07:30 – Good business relationships take time (you can't skip straight to "here's my work, give me money")
 09:00 – Sandboxes: pressure-free 20-minute conversations
 10:45 – Introvert? Start your first sandbox with a friend
 11:50 – Everything good in your life started with one conversation
 13:30 – Physical mailers and the "effort heuristic"
 15:45 – The 5-3-1 framework: five existing clients, three strategic relationships, one aspirational one
 19:00 – Focusing on just nine people, and starting a relationship journal
 21:30 – The time exchange library
 23:30 – What to send when you're following the seven email rule
 26:30 – Asking for a sandbox
 28:00 – The "second portfolio": gifting a scrappy idea that solves their problem
 30:45 – Reciprocity
 33:30 – Getting ready for when they look you up: your bio, profile pic and a "how to work with me" PDF
 37:00 – Cold emails are gross and they don't even work

Links mentioned:

• Part one of our chat with James was last week (we'll add the link here when we have it)
 • James's Substack: https://madebyjames.substack.com
 • James's free Super Duper Mentorship for emerging creatives: https://madebyjames.substack.com/p/join-my-free-mentorship-program
 • James on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/made_by_james
 • James's new book, No Bullsh*t Branding: https://www.quarto.com/books/9781577159452/no-bullsh-t-branding
 • Obvious Adams by Robert R. Updegraff
 • Hype Yourself by Lucy Werner: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/hype-yourself-a-no-nonsense-pr-toolkit-for-small-businesses-lucy-werner/b3b30df91155c107?ean=9781788601238&next=t&affiliate=11858&ref=hypeyourself.com
 • Our episode with Kira Matthews (the seven email rule): https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/the-7-email-rule-pitching-your-work-to-illustration/id1526470404?i=1000757654276 

Byeeee for now!

x The Good Ship Illustration (Helen, Katie & Tania)

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🌏 www.thegoodshipillustration.com

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