“I never could have anticipated the rapid growth of my business... Since implementing intensives, everything has changed for the better.”
DIMT Case Study
Aja, Adoro Secco Design
@adoroseccodesign
Q: Where was your business at before offering intensives and taking DIMT? How much were you charging for projects? What did your income look like? What did getting/working with clients look like?
A: “Just getting around to this, I've been busy with intensives (HECK YEAH!). Super excited to see the growth happening in my business because of intensives! Before I started offering intensives, I was really struggling to book clients. It was a one-person show, so I found myself wearing all the hats. Unfortunately, in the first two years of my business, I only managed to book three projects, all within the $5k range. I was on the verge of giving up. I knew I had to make a change - either lower my rates or work even harder to attract clients (maybe even both!). However, the pressure from the online world, insisting that design services should be priced between $5k and $10k to truly reflect their worth, was overwhelming. It became exhausting to constantly hear those voices. The problem was that my clients simply didn't have the budget for those high-end services, which meant I was missing out on countless opportunities. I realized that not having a lower-priced offering was a big mistake. Even when I did manage to secure a client at $5k, the project turned into a never-ending nightmare, dragging on for months instead of the intended four weeks. Both the client and I found ourselves bored and disenchanted by the end. Once it was finally over, I would find myself scrambling to find another client, trapped in an endless loop of overwhelm and frustration. It was a situation that made me question my love for my own business.”
Q: What did your business look like immediately following? How long did it take for you to gain traction and start booking intensives?
A: “After completing your course, I landed my first intensive client just a month later. While I could have secured more clients sooner, I took my time to set up all the necessary systems. Working with my first intensive clients was a breeze! I was pleasantly surprised by how effortlessly the collaboration flowed, leaving both parties happy and excited. It was clear to me that this approach was the key to transforming my business. I began by offering a one-day intensive for social media templates at $650. As I gained more confidence, I raised my prices to $1500 for a comprehensive brand suite in a week (which included 2 logos, color schemes, typography, mood board, and mini brand guidelines). By my third project, I felt self-assured enough to charge $2k for a website in a week project, and the client didn't hesitate to agree to the price! At this point it was still only myself working on these projects and I was booking around 2-3 a month!”
Q: Where is your business at today? How much are you charging for projects? What does your income look like? What does getting/working with clients look like? How has it affected your personal life?
A: “I never could have anticipated the rapid growth of my business. For the longest time, I felt trapped in a cycle of scarcity, always chasing after the next $5k - $10k client. However, since implementing intensives, everything has changed for the better. Not only have I been able to expand my team (from just me to now a team of 5 incredible women!), but I've also managed to double my income without even actively promoting myself on social media. Remarkably, the majority of my new bookings come from referrals by clients who absolutely loved their intensive experience. Nowadays, we're taking on brand/website intensives weekly, and the best part is, they practically sell themselves. The simplicity of intensives was so enthralling to me that I decided to discontinue offering custom projects, except for those rare occasions when we align perfectly with a client. While we initially charged $2500 for our intensives over the past year, we will soon be raising our rate to $2650 in order to accommodate our growing team. What's truly awesome is that I haven't encountered a single nightmare client since implementing intensives. The straightforward process has left all my clients delighted, which, in turn, brings me immense joy. I love that I can now focus on one project at a time, rather than juggling multiple ones simultaneously. Additionally, with the lower investment point of intensives, I've been able to attract and book more clients than ever before! My goal for this year is to ramp up our social marketing efforts and secure at least 2 intensives per week (since I now have a team that can handle multiple projects simultaneously), which would bring our monthly revenue to an astounding $20k.
I’m still pinching myself that I've grown my business into an agency and we get to work with such amazing clients!
Can't wait to see how intensives help me expand my business this year!”