Hey there {{ subscriber.firstName | default('friend') }},
After a few really slow summer months, it feels like my business has picked back up again. Things have normalized back to a workload and an income where I feel fairly comfortable.
But I also know freelancing is fickle—which means I can't get too comfortable over here.
And even with the uptick in assignments,
one trend I talked about before still holds true for me: I need to ask for work a lot more frequently than I used to.
With that in mind, I thought I'd use today's newsletter to share a super simple tip that's been really helpful in sustaining my own workload:
I set one day each month to check in with my clients. As in, I literally mark “check in with clients” on my calendar.
I'm fortunate in that I work with a good chunk of my clients on a recurring basis—like doing two blog posts for a client each month, as just one example.
But even with that supposedly steady, standing agreement, I've had to be fairly proactive about getting those assignments in my inbox and lined up. My clients get busy or deal with a lot of internal chaos given everything (*waves arms frantically*), so sending my briefs easily falls down the ol' to-do list.
For a while, I worried about seeming like a pest. So, I'd let a week or two of a new month slide by before checking in with a friendly, “Hey, do you have anything for me this month?”.
That usually led to a mad scramble for everybody. My clients frantically pulled together something to send over while I looked at my schedule and tried to figure out how I'd fit that month's worth of work into only a couple of remaining weeks.
Needless to say, it wasn't a solid strategy. Hence my recent tactic of setting a designated day to check in.
Now, I put an appointment on my calendar toward the end of the month—usually around the 25th-ish, depending on how things line up—to check in with:
- Existing, recurring clients that haven't sent me upcoming assignments yet (here's the email I use to do this)
- Past clients that I want to reconnect with to see if they have any current needs (here's the email I use to do this)
- Potential clients that I want to start a relationship with (usually this just involves sending some personalized LinkedIn connection requests to get the ball rolling)
Honestly, the whole thing only takes an hour or so every month and it feels like a way more strategic and structured approach to business development than my old method of feeling panicked and then chasing down work.
And even better, it means I now get the bulk of my work assigned and set to go before the new month even kicks off—which also helps mitigate a lot of those, “Oh $#!+ where is the money coming from this month?” fears that can easily creep in.
Plus, for all of my worries about seeming overly eager or obnoxious, I've found that my clients actually appreciate this level of organization and the friendly nudges to send assignments over. I've even had clients thank me for staying on top of things and keeping them on track.
So, if you've been struggling with slow starts each month in your own freelance business, go ahead and steal my strategy of setting a designated day to reach out.
It's one of those things that's a rare combination of super simple and super effective. Gosh, I love that. 👍🏻
My Favorite Reads and Resources This Week:
Here are a few things I sunk my teeth into these past few days. If you're looking for some advice or commiseration, go ahead and give these a peek!
Noteworthy Freelance Writing Gigs:
Looking for some new freelance writing gigs and opportunities? You're in luck, because I've rounded some up for you.
Non-Writing Freelance Gigs:
I don't just show love to the writers. Here are some non-writing freelance gigs you can check out.
Find More Tips, Tools, and Resources:
Want to know where else you can find me and learn from me? I've got you covered.
You know I always try to be honest with you, so I'll just say it: I've been giving a lot of thought to what the future holds for this newsletter.
I don't say that to scare you—I don't have any answers or even inklings yet. But, I've been writing this thing almost weekly (save for a few vacations and two maternity leaves) since November of 2016 (🤯🤯🤯) and I think it's only natural that I'm reaching a point when I'm wondering about the end game.
Like I said, I have no firm decisions. Maybe everything will stay the same. Maybe it won't. Either way, it felt inauthentic to keep popping into your inbox like it's business as usual without at least mentioning some of the things that have been on my mind these last few months.
You know me—I'm an open book. Or at least I try to be.
With all of that said, I'm off to enjoy a weekend where I hopefully don't have to think about content or the internet at all. That's the best.
Hope you get some well-deserved relaxation time too and, as always, happy freelancing! 😊
