Amy Hayes Proves Referrals Beat Social Media Marketing

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Show Notes: How to Build Premium Services Without the Premium Headaches

What if everything you've been told about raising your rates is backwards?

Amy Hayes, founder of The Global Creator, spent a decade building a design business that runs almost entirely on referrals—and she's never touched social media marketing for her client work. In this conversation, she reveals why most creatives are focusing on all the wrong things when trying to command premium prices.

You'll discover why that expensive camera or fancy software isn't what's keeping you from high-end clients. Amy breaks down the real difference between high-end and high-touch services, and why the latter matters more than you think. She also shares her unconventional approach to client boundaries—one that actually strengthens relationships instead of creating friction.

If you've ever felt trapped in the feast-or-famine cycle, constantly chasing new clients, or wondered why your perfectly polished portfolio isn't attracting the clients you want, this episode will shift how you think about service-based business entirely. Amy's insights on the relationship-first approach might just save you years of spinning your wheels on strategies that don't actually move the needle.

In This Episode:

• Why accumulating more skills and certifications won't fix your client pipeline problems

• The "self-concept" shift that transforms how clients perceive and treat you

• How Amy built a decade-long business without social media marketing (and why referrals don't actually "dry up")

• The counterintuitive approach to client boundaries that creates stronger relationships, not weaker ones

• Why high-end services require high-touch experiences—and what most people get wrong about this

• The real reason clients become demanding (hint: it's not about your pricing)

• How to price projects with built-in margins for creativity and collaboration

• Why saying yes to smaller projects from existing clients can be your most profitable decision

• The energy shift from "creative gun for hire" to strategic partner that changes everything

Connect with Me:

• Instagram: @racheal.cook
• TikTok: @rachealcookmba
• LinkedIn: @rachealcook
• YouTube: @the_ceo_collective
• Website: The CEO Collective

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🎤 Thanks for listening! I'll see you next week!