3 Feminine Business Models For Creative Freelancers

Exploring effective business models for creative freelancers is crucial for sustainable growth and success in today’s competitive market

Growth of the Freelance Economy: According to a report by Upwork, the freelance economy in the U.S. contributed $1.2 trillion to the economy in 2020, a 22% increase from 2019. This statistic highlights the growing significance of freelancing as a viable business model. Source: Upwork’s “Freelance Forward: 2020” report

As a creative female freelancer, scaling your business and managing operations can be overwhelming. As you begin to take on more and more clients working toward becoming booked out, you quickly start to realize there is too much to do for one person.

Then the self-doubt starts to creep in.

You start spinning in your head and asking yourself things like:

• How will I ever scale my revenue and services without working 24/7/365?
• Will I have to hire a team even if I don’t feel competent as a leader?
• Do I really have what it takes to grow a real business or am I fooling myself?
• Should I just keep raising my freelance rates (even if it doesn’t feel good)?

As a freelance content marketing strategist with a decade of freelancing experience in the bank, I will be the first to tell you that the 10K thoughts running through your mind are valid.

Those fears that threaten to grip the heart of your entrepreneurial journey? They’re so fucking real!

I went through many of the same doubts and fears that you’re facing right now which tells me one very important thing about you…

With desire and potential, you can transform your freelance business in a year. But that won’t be possible without a sustainable business model for your freelance business that celebrates the ebbs and flows of energy and productivity we experience as women.

Today’s epic post goes deep into explaining:

1. Why Custom Projects Are Killing Your Creative Freelance Business?
2. How To Create In-Demand Service Packages In Your Niche
3. The Virtual VIP Day Business Model
4. The Digital Product Based Business Model
5. The Membership-Based Business Model For Creatives & Service Providers
6. How To Translate Your Business Model Into An Actionable Plan You Will Stick To

If you know in your heart that you’re not living up to your full potential with your business right now and you’re determined to scale without burning out you’re in the right place. Please make sure you subscribe and pin this epic in-depth blog post for later. Pinning my blog posts empowers me to keep creating valuable-in depth guides like this for free and it means the world to me to have your support in that way!

From Custom Proposals To Prepackaged Projects

One of the most difficult lessons for many freelancers and service providers to learn is that custom is the biggest enemy of scale.

Cliché or not its true; the more you customize your packages and products to the client, the harder it will be for you to grow beyond where you are now. When you’re first starting out it can be especially tempting to tailor yourself to the client and the project because you’re so eager to get paying clients.

In fact, if you’re anything like most new freelancers, you probably think customizing your packages and proposals is either what everyone does or you think you’re providing a better customer experience.

I’m guilty of believing it was a better customer experience myself and I allowed this mistake to hold me back for years as I was building my freelance content writing business. But once I woke up and realized that clients actually prefer the comfort of having me tell them what they should be purchasing and why I knew I had to create pre-defined services and packages.

How Are Custom Project Proposals Holding Back Your Success As A Freelancer?

When you’re a solo service provider like most freelancers are, your number one job is to protect your time, energy and attention. Your time, energy and attention are not only the very asset you’re selling in addition to your expertise, they are what you need to operate every aspect of your business and you have a limited supply.

Creating pre-defined service packages saves you time spent on client negotiations and scope changes.

Think of all the time, energy and attention you’re currently spending on common tasks like:

• Auditing your prospects’ entire business in an attempt to find opportunities you can help them
• Asking strangers in Female Freelancing groups what they think you should charge for what the client wants done
• Researching competitors and drafting custom project proposals
• Anxiously awaiting replies for your project proposals
• Guessing and second-guessing your way through what needs to be completed for client projects
• Missing deadlines because you underestimated how much work the client really needed

I have audited and coached countless female freelancers and service providers that were spending 10-20 hours per week of time, energy, and attention on tasks like this. Tasks that dull your brilliance and take you away from what matters most.

Reclaim your assets by designing pre-packaged services with a strategic offer suite.

How Can You Create In-Demand Freelance Service Packages Clients Will Purchase On Repeat?

Your new bullet-proof offer suite requires you to first develop two soothing tools: Your behavioral-psychology-based buyer profiles and their corresponding customer journeys.

I can’t wait for you to experience the liberating feeling of clicking publish on your new services page of your website with clearly defined packages that set client expectations and pricing that fills you with pride and the financial security you deserve.

The more time you spend learning about the behavioral psychology of the clients you’re meant to serve, the more effortless it will become for you to identify exactly what services will be bestsellers for you.

Bundle services into packages considering the client’s journey from need realization to referrals.. This means going into detail to examine the thoughts, feelings and behaviors that will drive them through every phase, stage, and step of the purchase process.

Mapping your customer journey helps craft precise service menus for predictable profits.

Now that we have firmly established that you must eliminate your scarcity-based approach of creating a custom project proposal for every freelance prospect let’s shift our focus to the three most popular feminine business models that will make it even easier for you to scale this year.

The Virtual VIP Day Business Model For Freelancers

Burned-out freelancers are switching from long-term projects to Virtual VIP Day Packages. In this business model, you break down your best-selling larger packages into valuable, single-focus projects that you can compete in a single day for a premium.

For example, let’s say you’re a freelance blog writer targeting the Rebel Maiden archetype and you’re looking to step away from working with retainers because they’re exhausting and overwhelming for you. So you decide you want to convert your most commonly requested retainer services into 1-day projects. Your Rebel Maiden retainer clients typically use their retainer hours to have you write blogs but that back-and-forth process is daunting.

Here is an example of what I would create as VIP Day service menu to pivot from retainers in this scenario:

1. SEO-Optimized Quarterly Content Strategy Development VIP Day
2. Epic Evergreen Blog Post Bundle VIP Day (4 Pillar Pieces of Content)
3. Blog Post Repurposing VIP Day

Notice how those three options each cater to a different stage in the customer journey? First you work with them to develop the strategy that needs to be followed, then they can book you again to execute that strategy as needed. This gives clients the illusion of flexibility while maintaining structure and setting reasonable expectations for you both. It’s also a brilliant downsell for your existing retainer packages!

I have been truly stunned at how easy it is to sell a VIP day over the phone to a client that booked a discovery call for a retainer they were considering because it gives us both a chance to see if we want to work together long-term.

What Are The Pros Of Virtual VIP Days vs. Retainers?

There are both tangible and intangible benefits I have experienced since adding VIP Days to my freelance service menu including:

1. Higher Immediate Revenue: VIP day packages often command a higher price for a day’s work compared to what might be earned in a day under a retainer agreement. This can lead to a significant immediate cash influx.
2. Clear Scope and Boundaries: These packages usually have a well-defined scope, which can prevent scope creep and ensure that the freelancer is compensated for the exact work done.
3. Time Efficiency: VIP days are compact and focused, allowing freelancers to complete a project or deliver significant value in a short period. This can be more time-efficient compared to extended engagements.
4. Attracting High-Value Clients: Clients willing to pay for VIP day packages are often more serious and value the freelancer’s time and expertise more. This can lead to higher quality client relationships.
5. Flexibility: VIP days offer more flexibility in scheduling. Freelancers can block out specific days for these packages and have other days free for different projects or personal time.

What Are The Cons of Pivoting To Virtual VIP Days?

Just like with anything in business there are some drawbacks to consider before going all-in on this switch in your services. In the interest of full-transparency, here are some of the most commonly experienced cons of Virtual VIP Days:

1. Less Client Relationship Depth: Since VIP days are short-term engagements, they may not allow for the development of deep, long-term client relationships, which can be valuable for understanding client needs and providing customized solutions.
2. Scope Limitation: The limited time frame of a VIP day might restrict the depth and breadth of work you can do for a client, potentially leading to less comprehensive solutions compared to what could be achieved under a retainer.
3. Income Ceiling: There’s a limit to how many VIP days you can realistically book and fulfill, which can cap your potential income. In contrast, retainers can sometimes offer scalability, especially if you can manage multiple clients simultaneously.
4. Client Hesitation: Some clients may be hesitant to commit to a high-cost, intensive VIP day, preferring the perceived security and ongoing support of a retainer model.

Are VIP Days Significantly More Profitable Than Retainers?

Once you know you want to implement VIP Days into your freelance business model, the question becomes “but how much more can I really make with VIP Days?”. So let’s examine a few examples of how VIP Days financially stack up against the consistency of a retainer. For these scenarios, we will continue with our earlier example of the freelance blogger.

Scenario 1: Retainer Model

• Retainer Details: A freelance blogger charges $500 per month for a retainer. This includes writing 4 blog posts per month (1 post per week).
• Annual Income: If the blogger maintains 5 clients on retainer, her monthly income is $2,500 (5 clients x $500). Annually, this amounts to $30,000 (12 months x $2,500).

Pros: Stable, predictable income; ongoing client relationships; less pressure for constant client acquisition.

Cons: Limited income growth potential unless more clients are added; potential for scope creep; less flexibility in scheduling.

Scenario 2: VIP Day Model (Strategy or Blog Posts)

• VIP Day Details: The freelance blogger offers two types of VIP day packages for $1,000 each:

1. Content Strategy Creation: She spends a day creating a comprehensive content strategy for a client.
2. Blog Post Writing: Alternatively, she spends the day writing 4 blog posts for a client.

• Monthly Income with Limited Bookings: If she books 3 VIP days a month (either type), her monthly income is $3,000 (3 days x $1,000). This is more than the retainer model with less time commitment.
• Annual Income with Limited Bookings: Annually, this amounts to $36,000 (12 months x $3,000), assuming she only works 3 days a month.

Pros:

• Higher Income Potential: More income per day compared to the retainer model.
• Flexibility: She can choose which type of VIP day to offer based on her skills and client needs.
• Control Over Workload: She decides how many and which type of VIP days to book, allowing for better control over her schedule.
• Diverse Services: Offering two types of VIP days can attract a broader range of clients.

Cons:

• Income Variability: Her income depends on the number of VIP days booked.
• Marketing Efforts: Requires consistent marketing to attract clients for either type of VIP day.
• Work Intensity: VIP days can be more intensive, requiring focused effort to deliver a lot within a single day.

What Is The Number One Thing You Can Do To Succeed With VIP Day Offers?

There are many steps you can take to ensure your success with the VIP day business model but my biggest tip is to create a waitlist and nurture the fuck out of it.

Your goal with that VIP Day waitlist is to ensure you have financial freedom and that starts with spoiling your waitlist and always keeping them in a value surplus. In other words, they should almost feel guilty or in-debt to you at all times for all the value you provide while they are on that list.

The biggest concern and cost you are likely to face in transitioning to this business model is not having predictable income which can trigger you into a scarcity mindset and cause you to start making emotional decisions to self-sabotage the business.

Studies show that entrepreneurs that keep their day job while building their business are more than 30% more likely to succeed as a result of this. Therefore, building up your waitlist of clients that are eager to hire you for a VIP day provides tremendous security that you’re otherwise giving up when you fire your retainer clients.

The Digital Product-Based Business Model For Freelancers

Even VIP days don’t allow you to scale to your full potential because they require you to be present in your business to make the sale just like with any 1X1 service.

There are only 168 hours in a week and you can’t sell them all. That means you can only scale your services so far before you become booked out. As someone who was once booked out for nearly three years in advance I promise you don’t want to chase this hollow goal. It will burn you out and for me it led to significant financial and business trauma as well.

The key question is how to scale revenue without more time investment.

One strategic answer to this is by converting your bestselling services into digital products like planners and templates that can be sold at scale!

What Are The Benefits of Converting Your Freelance Services Into Digital Products?

When I sat down to brainstorm these I came up with more than 20 answers which means I need to write a whole separate post but for now I want to share the top 6 biggest benefits of converting your freelance services into digital products this year:

1. Passive Income: The ability to earn income repeatedly from a single effort is highly appealing. Once a digital product is created, it can continue to generate revenue without the need for continuous hands-on work, providing a sustainable income source that doesn’t exacerbate burnout.
2. Time Freedom: Digital products free up time by reducing the need for active, ongoing work. This is crucial for someone feeling burned out, as it allows for rest, personal pursuits, and a better work-life balance.
3. Scalability: The scalability of digital products means that income can grow without a corresponding increase in working hours. This is key for someone eager to scale their business without the additional workload.
4. Reduced Workload Stress: Selling digital products can significantly reduce the stress associated with client work, such as meeting tight deadlines, managing client expectations, and handling scope creep. This reduction in stress is vital for someone already experiencing burnout.
5. Diversification of Income Sources: By diversifying income sources, freelancers are less vulnerable to the fluctuations and pressures of client-based work. This diversification can provide a sense of security and reduce anxiety about income stability.
6. Automation and Efficiency: The ability to automate the sales and delivery process of digital products means less day-to-day management and fewer repetitive tasks, which is ideal for someone looking to reduce their workload.

If you’re already convince that converting your active services into passive digital products that can be sold on autopilot via sales funnels stay tuned because I am going to show you how to optimize this strategy even further in this post. But first, let’s make sure this business model is for you by considering the potential drawbacks.

What Are The Drawbacks Of The Digital Product-Based Business Model For Freelancers?

Although this business model is far more sustainable that your freelance services alone, there are some legitimate potential downsides you need to be aware of before making a logical decision:

1. Upfront Time and Effort: Creating digital products demands a significant initial investment of time and effort. This can be particularly challenging for freelancers who are already managing a full workload. The process of conceptualizing, creating, and refining a product like a template or planner can be time-consuming and may require a period of trial and error before the product is market-ready.
2. Market Saturation and Competition: Many markets for digital products are highly competitive and saturated. Standing out in a crowded marketplace requires not only a high-quality product but also effective marketing strategies. For freelancers new to this space, understanding the nuances of the market and finding a unique selling proposition can be daunting tasks.
3. Skills and Knowledge in Product Creation: Transitioning from providing services to creating digital products often requires new skills. For instance, a freelance writer or designer might need to learn about digital product formats, e-commerce platforms, or digital marketing. This learning curve can be steep and might necessitate additional training or the hiring of external experts.
4. Initial Financial Investment: While lower than the investment required for physical products, creating digital products still often involves some upfront costs. These can include software subscriptions, marketing and advertising expenses, and potentially hiring other professionals for aspects like design, editing, or marketing. This financial outlay can be a hurdle, especially for freelancers used to service-based models where the initial expenses are typically lower.

However, there is nothing on this list that I can’t help you to overcome and there are no challenges here that I believe outweigh those of being a solopreneur without a digital product suite.

To be blunt about it – taking the step to convert your active services into passive products isn’t an option if you want to live up to your full potential.

What Is Most Important Thing To Know About Converting Your DFY Services Into Digital Products?

My biggest tip for overcoming your fears that you will invest all of your resources into this process and not making enough sales is to pre-sell your products to your audience before you even create them.

Referring back to our freelance blogger example, she could brainstorm a series of templates and a planner that walks her target audience through the process of creating a content strategy. To ensure that it will sell, she can email her list, reach out to existing clients and prospects and poll FB groups to validate there is demand for her product before she invests in creating it.

Imagine that she has decided to pivot to VIP Days with a digital product suite to match and she has a prospect that needs both the strategy and the blogging VIP day services but only has the budget for one. She can sell the VIP day and either gift the templates for the other process to the client or she can bundle them for a higher price. This gives the client the desired result at a reasonable rate and ensures that our freelance blogger is maximizing the lifetime value of the customer while delivering a better experience with less effort.

Now let’s take things one step further and explore the most scalable business model for female freelancers; membership websites.

The Membership-Based Business Model For Freelance Content Creators

As soon as the pandemic metastasized onto something I realized would last longer than a couple of months I knew that the freelance market would be flooded with amateur competition that would spark a rate race to the bottom.

Add AI like ChatGPT into that mix and fuckin fogetaboutit! (I’m from NY remember?)

I was also well aware of AI long before the public so I had plenty of time to prepare my positioning for this mostly existential threat to the market.

Research led me to pivot to a membership-based model, scaling impact and revenue with less work.

I made that decision in 2020 and because I was still booked out for a couple years in advance, it took me three years to launch my first membership site filled with elevated digital products that replicate my consulting services. During those three years, I also built and launched numerous digital product stores and membership sites for my clients.

Along the way, I learned a lot about the ups and downs of pivoting to this model and I’m so thrilled to share them with you now!

Membership Sites Growth: According to the Membership Economy author Robbie Kellman Baxter, membership sites are seeing an annual growth rate of 5-10%. This growth rate suggests a strong and growing interest in membership-based models, making it a viable option for freelancers. Source: Robbie Kellman Baxter’s book “The Membership Economy”

What Are The Benefits of Pivoting From Freelancing To Hosting A Membership Site?

To be fair, there are far more benefits than this which I will assemble in a separate post but these are the most commonly experienced and the most meaningful for a woman like you:

• Income Predictability: Traditional services often provide predictable income per project, while membership sites offer more stable recurring revenue but with potential variability in membership numbers.
• Workload: Direct services typically involve a linear workload (more clients mean more work), whereas membership sites can serve many members without a proportional increase in effort.
• Flexibility: Membership sites offer more flexibility and control over your time compared to client-driven deadlines in service models.
• Scalability: Service models are often limited by the number of hours you can work, while membership sites have higher scalability potential.
• Customer Interaction: Direct services involve intensive one-on-one client work, while membership sites focus on broader community engagement.

Needless to say if you are introverted, struggle with social anxiety, or are just plain sick of constant customer service, a membership site is a brilliant business model you should adopt to scale.

But as always, we also need to look at the whole picture; including the downsides.

What Are The Drawbacks Of the Membership-Based Website Model For Freelancers?

Remember, everything in life and business will cost time and/or money. It is how you choose to allocate those resources (one is limited while the other exists in infinity) that will determine your success. That said, here are the most common complaints of freelancers that became membership owners.

1. Initial Time and Resource Investment: Setting up a successful membership site requires a significant upfront investment in time and resources for content creation, platform setup, and marketing.
2. Content Creation Pressure: You need to consistently create and update content to keep members engaged and subscribed, which can be time-consuming.
3. Marketing and Member Acquisition: Continuously attracting new members and retaining existing ones requires effective marketing strategies and can be challenging in a competitive market.
4. Technical Maintenance: Running a membership site involves dealing with technical aspects like website maintenance, security, and payment processing, which might require additional skills or outsourcing.
5. Community Management: Building and managing a community requires effort and engagement. You need to moderate discussions, respond to member queries, and foster a positive environment.

The question you have to ask yourself is if you are willing to put up with these potential cons for the chance at the freedom you were chasing when

What Is Most Important Thing To Know About Converting Your DFY Services Into A Membership?

Do NOT…

I repeat, DO NOT reject this idea on the basis of tech overwhelm.

A membership site filled with stunning digital products and trainings all branded to you is NOT hard to build but it will require some combination of time & money on your part.

This is about being willing to do something tedious up front to collect the best possible ROI for your work vs. taking the “easy way” now and cheating yourself and profits forever.

So which kind of woman are you?

The type that has zero impulse control and is completely controlled instead by her short term desires? Or are you an empowered woman who takes control of her life by delaying gratification to pursue her passion and purpose knowing the rewards will be greater for playing the long game?

Are you the woman that makes a calculated decision to make her dreams work or are you the one that sees herself as a victim to everything with no ability to do anything about her own circumstances?

I know you’re the one that takes a stand for herself by choosing the longterm path because you trust that even if you don’t know all the exact steps to take right now, you will fulfill your purpose and potential. That si the only reason I am spending so much of my own irreplaceable time to write this post for you right now.

Because I believe in you and your ability to make this decision for yourself and your future no matter how uncomfortable the challenge may seem at first.

So now that we’ve acknowledged you have the ability to pivot and profit at scale from your freelance skills, let’s explore which of these business models is best for you based on your behavioral archetype.

Which Feminine Business Model Is Best For You Based On Your Behavioral Archetype?

If you’re anything like my Secret Society of Femme Fatale Freelancers, the idea of choosing the right business model for you can quickly become daunting. Therefore, I have broken down my recommendations for the best feminine business model for female freelancers determined to scale. Don’t forget to take the free assessment to discover your Jungian Wild Woman Archetype first.

The Best Freelance Business Model For Sage Dreamers:

1. The Sage Dreamer

• Your Driving Fears: You may fear the unknown and making the wrong decisions.
• Your Deepest Desires: You seek knowledge, understanding, and truth.
• Your Typical Weaknesses in Business: You might over-analyze and hesitate to take action.
• Your Most Relatable Strengths: Your wisdom, insight, and strategic thinking stand out.

Best Model for You: Membership Websites

Why: Your love for knowledge and understanding aligns well with the educational and community aspects of a membership site. You can share your insights and learnings in a structured, ongoing way, catering to your strength in strategic thinking and continuous learning. The predictable nature of this model also helps mitigate your fear of the unknown.

The Best Freelance Business Model For Rebel Maidens:

The Rebel Maiden

• Your Driving Fears: You fear conformity and losing your identity.
• Your Deepest Desires: You aim to challenge the status quo and embrace individuality.
• Your Typical Weaknesses in Business: You may be impulsive and tend to reject structure.
• Your Most Relatable Strengths: Your creativity, innovation, and boldness are your hallmarks.

Best Model for You: Virtual VIP Days

Why: You thrive in environments where you can express your creativity and boldness. Virtual VIP Days allow for intense, focused bursts of innovation and unique solutions, aligning with your desire for non-conformity and your strength in bringing fresh, unconventional ideas to the table.

The Best Freelance Business Model For Matriarchs:

The Matriarch

• Your Driving Fears: You fear instability and not being able to provide or nurture.
• Your Deepest Desires: You aspire to lead, nurture, and ensure stability and security.
• Your Typical Weaknesses in Business: You might be overprotective and resistant to change.
• Your Most Relatable Strengths: Your leadership, reliability, and nurturing abilities are key.

Best Model for You: Membership Websites

Why: Your desire to lead and nurture makes the membership model ideal for you. You can create a stable, nurturing community where you provide continuous guidance and support. This model also aligns with your need for stability and your strength in building and maintaining reliable systems.

The Best Freelance Business Model For Wild Enchantresses:

4. The Wild Enchantress

• Your Driving Fears: You fear being trapped or stifled.
• Your Deepest Desires: You yearn to express creativity and experience freedom and transformation.
• Your Typical Weaknesses in Business: You may face inconsistency and a tendency to chase new experiences.
• Your Most Relatable Strengths: Your charisma, adaptability, and transformative ideas are your assets.

Best Model for You: Digital Product Stores

Why: You will find the freedom and creativity you crave in creating digital products. This model allows for flexibility and the expression of transformative ideas without the constraints of a fixed schedule or format. It also caters to your charismatic nature, as you can infuse your personality into your products.

Scrolled Straight To The Bottom? Here’s Today’s Big Business Planning Takeaways:

From Custom to Prepackaged: You’ve learned that customizing every project is a significant barrier to scaling. It’s time to embrace pre-defined service packages. This shift not only saves you time but also streamlines your operations, allowing you to focus on what you do best.

Strategic Offer Suite: You now understand the importance of designing service packages with a clear scope and predictable results. This strategic move is about reclaiming your most valuable assets: your time, energy, and attention.

Understanding Your Market: Delving into the behavioral psychology of your target market is crucial. By developing buyer profiles and customer journeys, you’re positioning yourself to create service packages that resonate deeply with your clients’ needs and desires.

Virtual VIP Day Model: You’ve explored the Virtual VIP Day business model and recognized its benefits, including higher revenue per day, clear boundaries, and greater flexibility. However, you’re also aware of the potential drawbacks, such as limited client relationship depth and an income ceiling.

Digital Products: The idea of converting your services into digital products like templates and planners has opened your eyes to the possibilities of scalable, passive income. You’ve weighed the benefits, such as time freedom and reduced workload stress, against the challenges like the upfront time investment and market competition.

Membership Sites: You’ve considered the membership-based business model, appreciating its potential for stable, recurring revenue and scalability. While it offers flexibility and broader community engagement, you’re mindful of the initial time investment and content creation pressure it entails.

As you stand at this crossroads, ready to transform your freelance business, remember that your journey is unique. Your decisions should align with your personal and professional aspirations. Whether it’s embracing the Virtual VIP Day model, venturing into digital products, or building a membership site, choose the path that resonates with your goals and strengths.

You’re not just a freelancer; you’re a creative force ready to scale your business on your terms. Trust in your ability to make informed decisions and embrace the model that aligns with your vision. Remember, your business plan is your North Star – let it guide you to a year of growth, fulfillment, and success.

Suggested Resources (Next Steps) For Creative Freelancers Ready To Scale: