Clueless freelancer to 7-Figure Agency owner: How strategy rewrites the Story

It took me a week to think…and assemble all my struggles and emotions into this content piece which is hardly 800 words.

?It's 100% capable of making Neha Kakkar cry if I was an IGT contestant, lol.

So the story starts on the afternoon of a not-so-perfect day when I was trying to suppress my anxious thoughts about my career and guilt of not having any plan. So all that thought process came to an end when I decided that by the end of this month, I wanted to set out on the journey of financial independence, without a plan but a lot of hope and an urge to prove myself.

The primary goal at the time was - I simply wanted to earn some pocket money.?

My mindset was limited which led me to start with a limited approach. I was targeting only family and friends to offer services like Web designing.

As you might expect, my first-ever offer came from a family member who had a Pest-control business. It was a small step, but it gave me a sense of hope and a kickstart.

Back then, terms like "lead generation" and "freelancing" were like foreign languages to me. I had no industry connections to look up to for advice or tips. Hence I was still in first gear with no clients.

To bridge this knowledge gap, after a couple of months, I decided to enroll in local institutes. This was my way of taking the first tentative steps towards learning the use of all the platforms that can confirm my presence in the industry. Little did I know that this journey would evolve drastically with time.

I made my first move - and it failed badly.

My initial strategy can be best described as haphazard just like a cupboard overflowing with piles of cloths. I started by posting random content on Instagram, often copying ideas from industry experts.

Cold emails were a major part of the plan.

I used to send 4-5 emails a week with almost similar content. I followed this for almost 6 months.

The results were far from what I had hoped for. Most of the prospective clients simply ignored my outreach efforts. Worse still, I had no way of knowing whether my cold emails were even being opened. It was a time of uncertainty, and my vision was cloudy at best.

Grabbing a New Job: A Pivotal Moment

Looking at the results, I knew moving ahead with the same strategy would end up terminating my career forever.?

So, I landed a job in a firm. This job helped me understand fundamental concepts like inbound and outbound leads what lead generation is, and how to nurture the audience to get leads. More importantly, it introduced me to someone with a similar vision and goals as mine, who is now my co-founder.

Their wisdom reshaped my mindset.?

I went for the 2nd Move - closed 1st high-ticket client for 20,000 INR

We collaborated and formed a venture after leaving that job.

Based on recent learnings I crafted my next strategy. which represented a significant shift in approach.

?On Instagram, I began focusing on genuine and to-the-point content. While this shift didn't immediately bring a flood of inbound leads, I still closed my first High-Ticket client.

On the other hand, the use of email tools added a tech-savvy touch to our outreach efforts.

Personalization became the sharp sword of our strategy. We started addressing specific pain points, analyzing the prospect's current marketing strategy, and identifying gaps that we could help bridge.?

The results were moderate but not entirely satisfying. We managed to get some prospects on discovery calls, but often received the universal rejection statement: "We will let you know" or polite deferrals or postponement in signing the deal due to their busy schedules.

Felt Like the End of the World:

Despite cracking deals and working with clients, I found myself dissatisfied with the numbers. It felt like I was doing everything I had learned from successful lead generation experts, yet there was a hidden bottleneck in my strategy.

Found the Bottleneck: Volume, Refinement & Tracking

The breakthrough came when I realized that volume was the key. I started pitching to 40 prospects every day for 15 days a month. This revealed the mistake I had made earlier—putting more people at the top of the funnel was essential.

I also made strategic moves to leverage prominent platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram, strengthening my content game. Testing, tracking, and analyzing became routine.

I implemented A/B testing in each of the cold emails I sent and introduced new, interactive ways of conducting discovery calls without appearing desperate.

This refined approach minimized gaps in my strategy and, at long last, produced positive results. I began setting up more and more calls, relentlessly overcoming obstacles. There came a time when I was fully booked for months ahead.

In conclusion:

My journey from a clueless start to making more than 7,000 USD/month was a rollercoaster ride. I began with no knowledge of the industry, targeting only family and friends.

But through learning, collaboration, and persistent refinement, I ultimately achieved my goal, proving that determination and adaptation & a solid strategy can lead to success even in the most challenging of journeys.

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