Strategic Switch: 5 steps to find premium leads consistently

Today we’re diving into the topic that determines whether your design business thrives or barely survives: Lead Generation.

And when it comes to lead generation, there’s one thing that’s never quite made sense to me.

Why is it that some of the most talented designers out there are constantly stressed about where their next client will come from - even though they’re only charging $500 for a logo?

Meanwhile, the brand designers charging $5k–$15k per project seem to have clients knocking down their door.

Well, it’s not design skills. In fact, you could argue their technical abilities aren’t even that different.

Instead, it all comes down to how they approach finding and attracting clients (the kind who are willing to pay serious money).

Let’s break it down 👇

Most designers approach lead generation like throwing spaghetti at the wall - hoping something sticks, but never really knowing what works.

So before we talk about what does work, let’s look at:

3 reasons why designers struggle to generate leads (and hit consistent revenue months):

Reason 1 – You don’t do anything.

It sounds harsh, but I’ve seen this more times than I can count.

You assume that just existing online is enough to attract clients. So you:

• Post your work on Instagram… and wait

• Update your portfolio… and wait

• Maybe even list yourself on Fiverr or Upwork… and wait

But sitting around and hoping clients will find you is one of the biggest mistakes you can make.

Leads aren’t out there searching for you - they’re busy running their businesses (just like you’re running yours).

If you want to grow, you have to take ownership.

Think like the CEO of your business and start showing up like one.

Reason 2 – You take passive action, but nothing else.

Here’s the second mistake I see designers make all the time:

• “Abi, I post on Instagram 2–3 times a week, but I never get any leads.”

• “I go to networking events, but I always end up being sold to, not the other way around.”

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When I hear that, I always ask:

“Did you DM someone who engaged with your post?”

“Did you start a conversation?”

“Did you educate anyone about what you do and how you help?”

Most of the time, the answer is no.

Posting on Instagram and going to events are great starting points. But they’re passive actions. They create opportunities, not results.

If you want leads, you have to follow up.

That means DMing people, starting conversations, and taking the first step.

Passive actions build visibility.

Active actions, (like reaching out 1:1), are what turn that visibility into actual leads.

Reason 3 – You take active action, but without a strategy.

Here’s the third mistake: You’re taking action, but your messaging is off.

Let’s say you post on Instagram about your services, and someone engages.

Then you reach out with something like:

“Hey! I saw you liked my post. Want to hop on a quick call?”

Now put yourself in their shoes:

• Do they understand what problem you solve?

• Do they know how you can help them?

• Do they see a clear reason to say “yes” to that call?

If they don’t, then even your active outreach falls flat.

They might be polite. They might even become a casual connection.

But they won’t convert into a lead - because you didn’t communicate the value clearly.

Leads need clarity.

You need to clearly show what you do, who it’s for, and what outcome it creates. Otherwise, the conversation fizzles before it ever starts.

You: So what is the “right way?”

Answer: Finding Premium Leads.

“What do you mean by ‘Premium Leads’?”

Premium Leads vs. Average Leads

Let’s define the difference:

Premium leads ($$) → Prospects who understand the value of strategic design, respect your time, and see why brand transformation matters for their business.

Average leads ($) → Prospects who think design is just “nice to have”, don’t value your time, and aren’t willing to do the collaborative work required for real results.

As you can see, average leads make business hard. They’re often unmotivated, quick to negotiate on price, and tough to get meaningful results for.

That’s why Strategic Brand Designers know: If you want to work on projects that make a difference, charge what you’re worth, and build a business that actually supports your life, you need premium leads.

With that in mind, the next question becomes:

“How do I spot premium leads?”

It comes down to pattern recognition.

Talk to enough prospects (and work with a few premium ones), and you’ll start to notice the signals that say, "This is the right client". Those signals vary by niche, so you’ll refine your own checklist over time.

But here’s the catch: You can’t spot patterns without volume.

Right out of the gate, it’s almost impossible to tell who’s premium and who’s not.

That’s why you need a well-defined lead-generation system.

When you have a step-by-step process that consistently brings in leads and books calls, you create the volume (and abundance) you need to:

• Say no to average leads without fear.

• Be ready the moment a premium lead shows up.

Systems create the pipeline; volume reveals the patterns; patterns help you land the best clients.

Alright, now that you know why a system matters, let’s talk about how to build one that attracts premium clients on repeat.

Step 1: Crystallize your value proposition

First step is clarify your offer statement:

I help [X Business] who is facing [Y Situation] by solving [Z problem] to achieve [A outcome]

Strategic Brand Designers know EXACTLY what they bring to the table.

Step 2: Identify prospects who have the problems you solve

With this clarity, start creating a list of prospects.

Here are some places you can search for them:

• Your warm network (highly recommended)

• People you’ve met at events

• Groups and communities you’re a part of

• People who’ve liked/engaged with you on Instagram

Remember: prospects have a painful problem you can solve. So it’s your duty to help them!

Step 3: Start a targeted conversation with prospects

When you reach out, start with the problem/outcome, not your services.

Instead of:“Hi, I’m a brand designer. Need any design work?”

Try:“Hi Sarah, Congratulations on the product launch! I just went through your launch journey and it absolutely hit home. What an exciting milestone! Just wanted to check-in with you: Are you finding it challenging to differentiate from established brands in such a competitive market?”

That’s a targeted opener.

Now, when the prospect replies, you can start educating them on the transformation!

Step 4: Nurture with education (give away the strategy, they’ll come to you for implementation)

So, how do you turn a curious prospect into a booked call?

By teaching, not pitching.

The whole point of nurturing is to educate the prospect:

Where are they now? What’s not working? Where could they be? And how do they get there?

Ask yourself: “What would I tell them if they’d already paid me?” then share exactly that.

The more value you give upfront, the more they’ll think:

“Wow, this person really knows their stuff. Do I want to figure all of this out on my own? Probably easier to just hire them.”

Once they reach that point, the call practically books itself.

Step 5: Pitch an irresistible offer on the discovery call

Now it’s time to present your offer.

“Discovery calls” (or sales calls) is a whole topic I’ll cover in a future newsletter - but for now, here’s the core principle:

Your job on this call is to help the prospect make a clear decision.

You do that by guiding them through three things:

1. Where they are right now (Point A)

2. Where they want to be (Point B)

3. And the bridge that gets them there (your offer)

   
   

That’s it.

If this feels intimidating, don’t stress. Like anything else, it gets easier with practice.

Run through this process 5, 10, maybe 15 times, and soon, it’ll feel second nature.

As I’ve said before, the hardest part is just getting started.

Follow these steps. Show up with confidence. And soon, you’ll have more leads than you know what to do with.

Chat soon,

Abi 😊

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