Getting a "yes" is only half the battle. To make sure a prospect actually shows up ready to do business, I focus on momentum and preparation. Here’s my process:Reduce the Friction: As soon as they express interest, I send a direct booking link (like Calendly) immediately. I don't want to go back and forth for three days over time zones; I want to strike while the iron is hot and get it on their calendar while they’re still thinking about the value I offered.The "Pre-Meeting" Value Drop: About 24 hours before the call, I send a short, personalized note—sometimes with a quick mockup or a specific observation I’ve made since our last message. It proves I’m already working for them before the clock even starts. It transforms the meeting from a "sales pitch" into a "strategy session."Set a Clear Agenda: Nobody likes an open-ended meeting. I send a bulleted list of exactly what we’ll cover (e.g., "Reviewing your current visual feed" or "Mapping out 3 quick wins for your Q3 content"). If they know exactly what they’re getting out of the 15 minutes, they’re much less likely to ghost.Human Reminders: Automated calendar invites are easy to ignore. I usually send a quick, manual "Looking forward to our chat tomorrow" message. That small personal touch makes it harder for a busy professional to cancel last minute.The Bottom Line: I treat the time between the "Yes" and the "Meeting" as an opportunity to build trust. By the time we actually hop on the call, they already view me as a peer who has done the homework, not just another vendor.

I look for "buying signals" rather than just pulling a random list of names. A high-potential prospect isn't just someone with a big budget; it’s someone who actually has a problem I can solve right now. My approach involves:Tracking Growth Triggers: I look for companies that are currently "in transition"—things like recent funding rounds, new leadership hires, or aggressive hiring in their marketing department. These changes usually mean they have a new budget and a mandate to improve their current systems.Analyzing Digital Gaps: I do a quick "health check" of their current content. Using my background in photography and visual storytelling, I look for brands that have a premium product but lackluster social media or outdated creative. If their visuals don't match their price point, that’s a massive opportunity for me to step in.Social Listening: I pay attention to what decision-makers are actually talking about on platforms like LinkedIn or in industry forums. If a VP is complaining about a specific bottleneck or asking for recommendations, they’ve already self-identified as a high-potential lead.The "Ideal Customer" Filter: I don't chase everyone. I prioritize companies that fit a specific profile where I know I’ve had success before. For me, that’s usually brands that rely heavily on their visual identity to build trust with their customers.The Bottom Line: I’d rather spend an hour researching ten "perfect" prospects who are actively looking for a change than ten minutes emailing a hundred people who aren't.

I focus on research over reach. Busy people can tell within two seconds if an email is a template, so my goal is to prove I actually know who they are before they even open the message. My process usually looks like this:Ditch the generic subject line: I start with a specific observation about their company like a recent launch or an insight from an interview they gave. It shows right away that the email was written specifically for them, not a list of 500 people.Provide immediate value: Instead of asking for a 15-minute call right away (which is a big ask for a stranger), I send over something they can actually use. For example, I’ll record a 30-second video audit or a quick creative mockup. I want to prove I can do the work before I ask for their time.Identify a specific gap: I look for one thing they could be doing better. Drawing on my background in automotive content, I might point out how a specific shift in their visual style or color grading could help their brand feel more premium and stand out in a crowded feed.The bottom line: I try to show up as a problem solver rather than just another salesperson. By doing the 20 minutes of homework that most people skip, I can offer a solution that’s actually relevant to their current goals.