Almost every business goes through an off-season. When you’re a freelancer who relies on gigs, these lean months can have a big impact on your finances. But, if you get ready for it ahead of time and take advantage of your free hours, you can make it through the slow season without the overwhelming stress.
Start and keep an “off-season” budget.
Preparing your finances far in advance is the first step. Having to rely on freelance work for your income usually means that money can be sporadic. But you can avoid the droughts and be in better shape if you regularly put aside savings, even a small amount, and learn to follow spending limits. Ideally, you should have at least a few month’s income tucked away to keep you and your family secure over a slow season.
Develop more promotional materials.
Make good use of the additional time in your workday by updating your professional profile across all social media sites and EventKickstart, as well as your personal website. Work on creating even more marketing materials as well!
Connect with past clients and ask them for reviews. Verified reviews are still a very powerful way to bring in new clients! Aside from creating new media such as photos and videos, advertising your gig more on social media can boost your brand as well. Live videos on Facebook or Instagram are very popular since they’re interactive, fun, and create a sense of urgency.
Work on your skills.
Actively performing or working often takes up so much time that freelancers aren’t able to practice or improve their skills. With more time during the lean months, you can work on your craft or learn new material! Studying your competitors or reviewing footage of your current work helps a lot. Think about what you can add to enhance your business. Seek inspiration by looking at what the competition is offering. Let’s face it, you can almost always learn something from your competitors, whether it’s a new technique or something you should never attempt on your own!
Get involved with your community.
Giving back and connecting with your local community not only helps the people around you, but it also gives you an opportunity to make new connections in the process. Participating in community events, performing for free at local hospitals or charities, or contributing to a non-profit’s local event are just some of the many ways you can volunteer your talents.
If you haven’t connected with like-minded freelancers lately, it’s the perfect time to do so! It’s always an uplifting experience when you can join a local or online group of people who know exactly what you’re going through. You might even be able to glean new ideas from your peers!
Focus on you and your family.
With unwanted time off, we often make the mistake of stressing ourselves out or failing to practice self-care. You deserve it. Cut back on the stress and refocus your energy. Take a break and get away from the regular grind — it’s actually good for your health!
Self-care means something different for everyone. For one person, this may mean spending more time with friends and family, but for others this may be the best time to start a new hobby or revisit an old one. As long as it leaves you feeling renewed and it’s not related to your regular work, knock yourself out. Once you’re back to your regular gigs, you’ll be refreshed and face work with a brighter outlook — and maybe even a new talent!
Searching for more gigs and events? Join EventKickstart and connect with your future clients!
