In the midst of a slow freelancing season? Short on client projects? Not sure what to do when business is slow?
It’s totally okay and completely normal to have slow seasons in your online business, love. Because even if your freelance business is slow, you can still work hard, be productive, and move your business forward!
Here are four steps to take to help you stay positive, be resilient, and keep pushing forward while your freelance business is slow!
1. Make Internal Improvements
In the midst of busy seasons, being fully booked, or working on client projects, it’s so easy for freelancers to put off improving their own internal business systems.
So, now that you have a little extra room in your schedule, I encourage you to devote some time to making a few internal improvements.
Here are a few ideas:
- Smooth out your client on-boarding process
- Organize your Asana projects
- Improve your customer service guide
- Create templates for frequently used documents
Utilize this extra time during your slow season to transform your business from the inside out. Your new and improved systems will help your freelance business run smoothly when your client projects start pickin’ back up!
2. Get Ahead of the Game
Creating content for your blog, website, or social media is an excellent thing to do when your freelance business is slow. That way, when your client work picks up and you get back to being busy, you have content archives to pull from!
During this time, don’t be afraid to get out of the box and be creative! Read books to inspire your creativity, look to what other freelancers are writing about, and spend time brainstorming about new and unique content ideas.
Use this slow time to your advantage. Not only will your content archives help you to have consistent content when you get back to being busy, but your new content will also be fresh, creative, and totally on point! 😉
3. Reflect + Refocus
While business is slow, it’s the perfect time for a little extra self-care and relaxation. If you’ve hit a dry spell with your workload, take a step back, reflect, and refocus. Embrace the opportunity to recharge your batteries.
Get outside, exercise, meditate, sleep in, spend time with friends and family, read a book, watch a movie… just simply rest. Do whatever brings you joy and helps you to relax!
While you’re recharging, be sure to also reflect on this adventure you’re on. Think about how far you’ve come in your freelancing journey. What went well during the last few months? What didn’t? How can you improve? This is the perfect time to reflect and figure out new ways to grow your freelance business!
Not only will you feel refreshed, but you’ll also be able to set new goals, celebrate wins, and help your business transform!
4. Network + Connect
While making internal system improvements, creating content, and relaxing, you should also focus your efforts on booking your calendar back up!
Here are a few strategies:
- Network in Facebook groups (Check out our best tips here!)
- Pitch potential clients (Here’s how!)
- Reconnect with past clients
- Ask for referrals
- Talk to friends and family
- Take steps to become a client magnet machine (We show you how here!)
If you want to break free from your slow season, it’s absolutely essential that you take action and get back to promoting your freelance business!
And don’t forget, love! Business being slow isn’t always a bad thing. Use this opportunity to improve your business, get ahead, have a little “me time,” and start filling your calendar back up. Stay positive, be resilient, and keep pushing forward! You’ll be back to crushin’ client projects before you know it 😉
