The C Word Podcast with Bec Hughes

Traditionally there is a hard line between brand design and brand strategy. But I don't believe this should be the case at all. In fact, you have no business designing brands if there isn’t a strategic element to what you do. In this episode I share why I think designers should not only offer brand strategy but why it's an enormous opportunity.   Work With Me If you’re ready to connect with me on...

I’m craving simplicity in my design business, which made me think maybe you are too. So I put my thinking cap on and pulled out what I think are the 4 simple premises for a good, solid business that has growth: ~ Big Fish Offer ~ Visible Value ~ Conscious Connection ~ Repeatable Experience   Find more resources and insights here... My Website...  https://bechughes.com/ Instagram... https://www.ins...

This episode of The C Word is a reflection on:   1) My word for the year in 2023 and 2022 2) My word for 2024 3) What my choice means for how I want 2024 to shape up 4) My mantra for 2024 and how it aligns with my word choice   Things are going to get spicy!   Work With Me If you’re ready to connect with me on a deeper level and work together, there are 4 ways you can do that. Just visit my Mentor...

On this episode of the C Word podcast I cosy up with the energetic marketing firecracker Bec Chappell. We talk about marketing as an energetic resource and our chat covers:   ~ Where people might be squandering too much of their marketing energy ~ The most effective ways to invest your energy for marketing results ~ Switching your focus to the things that give rather than sap your energy resources...

One of the most common questions I get asked is where do I find clients. In this episode I share where my first 6 clients came from and what that’s taught me about where to find clients. Hopefully it will give you some inspiration to help build your client list no matter what stage you're at as a designer.   Work With Me If you’re ready to connect with me on a deeper level and work together, there...

Passive income for designers is equal parts misconception and great opportunity. First, let’s not call it passive income.  Passive implies no action and I haven’t come across any income that doesn’t require action. In this episode I share 8 things to build or consider when creating a 'one-to-many' income stream.   Work With Me If you’re ready to connect with me on a deeper level and work together,...

Have you been over-thinking and over-investing in your studio systems? In this podcast I talk about: ~ Why apps and systemisation have become a status symbol ~ When over-engineering your systems might be holding you back ~ What to consider when choosing how you systemise in your business ~ What you actually need at different stages in your design business The biggest take-out I hope you get from t...

Imagery is a crucial part of your brand, even more so as a creative.  In this episode of The C Word I have a super informative chat with Grace Costa, photographer, podcaster and mentor, about using a curated image library to amplify both your brand and personal brand story. Grace shares some really actionable advice about: ~ How to choose the right photographer ~ What image categories you should c...

As a designer, should you put your prices on your website? It’s a very common question.   In this episode of The C Word I chat about:   ~ My own changing perspective on this. ~ The reasons why you might not want to be quite so transparent ~ Your options and the benefits   All just to give you some food for thought. Bec x   Work With Me If you’re ready to connect with me on a deeper level and work...

SEO for designers is just as important as any other industry. It's time to take it out of the too hard basket.   Whether your SEO's a bit S.H.I.T. or you and Google are besties from way back, you’ll want to listen to this episode.   Karlie Plowman and I talk about:   ~ SEO basics and what it’s all about ~ The foundations for getting started with SEO for designers either if you’re a noob or if thin...

How many design concepts should you present?    Designers often want to know what's the perfect number? What's best-practice? What's everyone else doing?   The truth is I’m not sure there’s a hard and fast 'right answer' to this question.    In this episode of The C Word podcast, I share my view on the pros and cons of 3 approaches: ~ The 'One and Done' Concept ~ Multiple Concepts ~ My own 'Diamon...

On this episode of The C Word podcast I have a fab chat with Nikki Hamilton from Seedling Digital. We dive onto the opportunity for designers to create a web development revenue stream.   We cover: ~ The pitfalls for designers starting in web dev ~ Why it's such a big opportunity ~ How to get started   Nikki also shares her personal story as a self taught brand and web designer, and the impact of...

There’s almost no point in focusing on building your brand to stand out if you can’t be found, seen or heard. In the previous episode (#68), I shared my insights on standing out in a crowded market, focusing on the 4 key opportunities to leverage. For the next 2 episodes, #69 and #70, I'm sharing the magic little framework I refer to when it comes to being seen and 'standing up'. It’s made up of 3...

In episode 68 of The C Word, I shared my insights on standing out in a crowded market, focusing on the 4 key opportunities to leverage. But there’s almost no point in focusing on building your brand to stand out if you can’t be found, seen or heard. So in episode 69 I shared the first part of my 3 'V' framework to 'stand up' and be seen... visibility. In this final episode in the mini-series, I di...

How do you stand out in a crowded industry? That’s probably one of the most crucial questions for any business owner.   Surprisingly the answer is not post more on social media.   In this episode of The C Word Podcast I'll explore 4 key learnings designers can take from brands that stand-out across different industries to apply to our own creative business:   1. Innovation... the magic in your uni...

Self-concept, also called self-image, self-identity or ego, is at the centre of just about everything we do. It's a powerful force and can propel you forward or it can hold you back and stop you from being and doing what you want. In this episode of the C Word Podcast I look at: ~ The 3 aspects of self-concept ~ How self-concept can adversely affect designers in their business ~ How you can use se...

There are lots of way to create an income from brand strategy related services, it doesn’t have to be an all in brand strategy process.   In this episode of The C Word podcast, I share 6 potential revenue streams that will allow you to create income from brand strategy and other brand related services:   1) Branding Audit 2) Brand Audit (not a typo, they are different!) 3) Naming 4) Consultancy In...

Brand strategy as a core part of your offer in a brand design business has so many benefits including: ~ Increased revenue  ~ More impactful creative outcomes ~ More fulfilling client relationships   In this episode, I share 6 essentials that will strengthen and elevate your brand strategy offer as a creative in business so you feel confident delivering and charging for it: 1) Your brand strategy...

I read a rare, 'stop-me-in-my-tracks', good enough to want to share in my stories piece of content recently.   So I ran a little diagnostic on it and pulled out 5 strategies that will help you create more impactful, growth delivering content of your own:   Strategy 1: Get out of the studio and into your client’s office Strategy 2: The so what...? story Strategy 3: The BBQ chat principle Strategy 4...

Networking needs a rebrand!   It can feel particularly awkward for designers. We're most at home in a creative bubble. So getting out and meeting people with an agenda of business growth feels cringey and unauthentic.   But I think your network is more important than your portfolio, and would love to see more designers feeling inspired and aligned to the idea.   In this episode, my aim is to refra...

In this episode I take a deep-dive into the Consultant Mindset:   ~ What it is and how it's different to the producer mindset ~ The value of cultivating your consultant mindset in your design business ~ Some of the signs that your consultant mindset might need work ~ 9 attitudes and behaviours of a creative consultant ~ What it looks like in action in your business and how you can implement it   T...

In this episode of The C Word Podcast I take a deep dive into discovery calls:   • What a discovery call actually is and what it isn't! • How it fits into the discovery process and why it's an important distinction • The biggest secret to success when it comes to discovery calls • My tips for a great discovery call and what works for me • The 5 phase framework for a well-managed call: pleasantries...

To celebrate 1 year of The C Word podcast, I invite you to join me for a fun Q&A.  In honour of the tradition started in Episode 1 of The C Word Podcast , I'm interviewing myself on how things are going as a podcaster 1 year on.  I share my learnings from the podcast and business in general, and look ahead to what the next 12 months has in store. Listen in for a bit of a giggle, more about me and...

In this episode of The C Word Podcast I get super practical and dive into what makes for the perfect lead magnet.   I chat about: ~ The purpose of a lead magnet and getting that clear ~ 5 ingredients of a great lead magnet ~ 8 steps to create and share an effective lead magnet   At the end of the episode I mention my blog with 10 Lead Magnet Ideas for Graphic Designs which you can check out via th...

Being consistent is something many solo creatives and small business owners wrestle with. In this episode of The C Word podcast I talk about some ideas and strategies to help you be more consistent: ~ 3 golden rules for choosing the right places to invest your efforts ~ Why consistently isn't just about your social media posts ~ The concept of a consistency practice and why it's useful ~ 7 strateg...