13 Things To Do In Your Freelance Business Before The New Year
I know you’ve probably heard the phrase, “2020 is approaching quickly,” a million times already. This phrase is annoying, yet highly accurate because we get into the Roaring 20s in a few short days.
The first few weeks of the year are stressful for everyone. We are coming down from the holiday rush and trying to tame our inboxes. While outreach might be sparse in January, there are a few things you can do to get ready for the new year.
1) Thank your clients for a fantastic year.
You’ve built an amazing relationship with your clients this year, and now it’s time to thank them for being the stellar clients they are. If you can add some personal touches to this communication, that’s amazing. You could create a fancy card like the ones on Minted, or you could send a friendly email. Either way, let your clients know how much you appreciate them and that you would love to work with them again in the new year.
2) Ask for testimonials from clients you worked for this year.
If you are like me, asking for testimonials can feel strange. If you can’t work up the nerve to regularly ask for testimonials, consider the end of the year the best time. If you haven’t gotten a testimonial from a client yet, send them a quick email to wrap up the year and ask for a testimonial.
For example, you might send:
“Hi Client,
I’ve had so much fun working with you to create _____ this year. I am wrapping up for the year, and I’d love to get a testimonial from you that I could display on my website and social media platforms.
I am looking forward to highlighting the amazing work I did for your business on my website. Could you take a few minutes to let me know how I’ve impacted your business this year?”
Keep it simple. Your testimonial page doesn’t need to be full of long-winded mini-articles. As long as your testimonials prove how you positively impact businesses, you’ll be just fine.
3) Update your freelance website/profiles on freelance websites.
While I am all about continuously refreshing your website, I know that some people don’t make this a priority. While client work is simmered down, you have the perfect opportunity to dig in and update your freelance website. You also want to spend a little time updating your profiles on freelance websites or social media platforms if you use places like Upwork, ClearVoice, or LinkedIn to get clients. Focus on updating the copy and pricing on your sites. What can you add to describe your work better and get more clients to discover your freelance business? If you have some time, you could also focus on refining the packages you offer and getting rid of stuff that isn’t selling or doesn’t make sense.
4) Clean out the random junk in your computer and email inbox.
We collect so much digital clutter, and we don’t think about what this does to our sanity and computer load times. I know I need to do a deep clean of my inbox and unsubscribe from some companies as well. It takes time, but since we live so much of our lives online, it makes sense that this is a bigger problem than it used to be. If you haven’t put some focus on digital clutter, you need to.
5) Update your computer’s software and make sure you are running the latest system.
Nothing kills productivity faster than a huge computer software update. Your computer needs to stay up to date, but doing that can be a challenge when you work from home. Taking the time to update your system gets in the way of the work you can do, so you keep pressing remind me later. Updating your computer when your freelance business is slow is the perfect compromise. No one likes updating their computer, but doing it now lets you focus later.
6) Figure out who to follow up with and who to reach out to in the new year.
Connecting with clients right now isn’t the best thing to do. Everyone is busy hanging out with friends and family. No one is reading your emails, even if that’s annoying. So, figure out who you want to follow up with or reach out to when the new year comes around. You might not be able to reach out right now, but you can start collecting companies and contacts you want to make in the new year. When you are going through your inbox, you can also pick which promising leads you want to check back in with in the new year.
7) Create some goals for the new year.
The beginning of the year is the perfect time to start creating some goals. Everyone loves to set new goals at the beginning of the year, and I think having goals is extremely important as a freelancer. You can use my journal, The 90-Day Ambitious Freelancer Planner to set incredible goals for the first quarter of the new year. Start the new year off with a bang by working towards your goals every day for a quarter. You’ll likely find that you are dreaming too small if you consistently put work into your business.
How To Create SMART Goals For Your Freelance Business via The Happy Arkansan
Do you want to take this list with you? Click the button below to download a high-quality PDF version of this list. You can print this version off or use it digitally. Keep this list and reference it every year around this time so you can grow your business, even when your freelance business is slow.
The best part about all of this? I am giving away this PDF for free. All you need to do is press the button.
8) Get real about what went right/wrong in your business. How can you improve?
We all need a come to Jesus meeting sometimes. Moving forward in your freelance business is going to be tricky if you can’t be candid with yourself about what you did right and wrong. Praising yourself for one good day when the rest of your week was unproductive isn’t smart. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy, and that can take the form of being too hard on ourselves or too light. Yes, celebrate the positives, but set yourself up for future success by addressing the negatives also.
Write down a list of what went wrong and what went right. Spend some time going over what you want to implement in the new year, and include some new things you want to try. Also, be honest about why things didn’t work out. Did they fail because you didn’t truly invest your time or energy, or did they fail because it wasn’t the right fit for your business?
9) Start digging into tax info for the new year if you haven’t already.
Getting taxes set up can be a challenge for everyone. Sorting through business expenses and getting everything ready to pay your tax bill can be a challenge. If this is a problem for you, get started now. Most expenses for the year are already paid, so you might as well take the time to invest in your future sanity by starting now.
10) Take a day or three off to relax.
I am a workaholic. I am always at my computer, writing something, or creating a new graphic. It’s challenging for me to turn my work brain off. There is always something to do, so I find myself feeling antsy and ready to tackle more projects. If you can identify with that, you’ve got to force yourself to take a few days off. Go somewhere without your computer, take a lot of naps, and just chill. Your clients are likely taking a holiday break too, so use this time to do the same.
11) Create a personal development plan for the new year, so you are learning continuously.
I am all about learning. I’m always reading books or taking mini-courses to expand my knowledge. I always loved the cadence and excitement of school, so I enjoy learning about something as an adult. There is always something to learn. We aren’t masters of our crafts yet.
If you want to take some time to learn in the new year, join me for the content marketing boot camp I am hosting in January in my freelancing Facebook group. From January 6th-31st, I’ll be teaching you how to use content marketing to propel your freelance business. We’ll be talking about a variety of content marketing ideas like video, podcasting, blogging, and social media marketing. Each week will have a theme, so you’ll want to join the group ASAP to take part in the boot camp. If you want to learn how to use content marketing as a freelancer, this boot camp is for you.
12) Make one investment in yourself or your business.
In Episode 40 of The Ambitious Freelancer Podcast, we talked about the five investments you should make in your freelance business. At a glance, these investments were:
Professional Development: Courses, books, podcasts, planners, etc.
Technology And Software: Computers, software like Adobe, Cameras, etc.
Space: Computer desks, office/coworking spaces, new office decor, etc.
Branding: Domain names, professional websites, fonts, etc.
The Time Savers: Outsourcing freelance tasks, hiring someone to put together a desk, getting your groceries delivered, etc.
These investments can make a huge difference in your business, and it’s the perfect time to take the leap and make an investment in your business. For example, I just bought a new iMac computer for my freelance and blogging business. It was the best decision I’ve made.
13) Do a deep clean of your workspace.
Like digital clutter can get in the way of our happiness, physical clutter also causes issues. It can be challenging to find the time needed to deep clean your space during the year. Since there is always something that needs to be done, cleaning your office can feel daunting and tiresome. Since your freelance business is slow, taking some time to clean up will make you feel better when business is booming again.
Conclusion
The new year is almost here, which means you are bound to see a dip in your freelance business. Instead of fretting about this dip, fill your time with other activities that set you up for success and help you get some rest. Your future self will thank you for it.