The number one search result, when you search for “what to do when freelancing is slow,” on Google also gives the best advice. I’d know because I read it, and found enormous comfort in it, during a week when the perfect soundtrack, for what my inbox was like, was cricket sound effects.
I actually followed a lot of the advice it gave me, especially the stuff about building up skills, and contacting current and previous clients, and the results were excellent. Not only did I attend a continuing education open house, at Ryerson University, but I also enrolled in one or two digital marketing workshops, and emailed a bunch of current, former, and prospective clients. By Saturday I had three new clients, a couple of projects, with tight deadlines, and all of my social media profiles had a major, highly satisfactory makeover.
The thing about freelancing is that it moves in waves. You’re always either swamped with work, or experiencing a slow period. It takes a lot of resilience, patience, and the ability to be extremely frugal with money. As I reach the point, where the two year mark, is only seven months away I’ve began to see patterns. I typically have the least amount of new work during national, provincial, international, and local holidays, and weekends.
Today is a day of intense deadlines. As I write this blog entry I’ve successfully met a noon deadline, for a newsletter, where I had no other choice but to start writing, as soon as I got my acceptance email. It’s only 12:3o in the afternoon, and I’m more than halfway through my deadline crunch filled Monday.
Deadlines have always helped me, which is why, from the very beginning, of my freelance journey, I’ve found the freelance life comfortable. Everyone, even if they don’t give a specific deadline seems to really like quick turnarounds, and quick responses. When I was in school, I would be much more likely to get things done, if I had the excuse of an impending deadline. I’m known as someone with an incredible work ethic but deadlines profoundly enhance my overall work ethic. I guess that’s why I seldom fail at meeting a deadline.
