As you stumble into the hospital emergency room, you try your best not to panic. At the check-in, the nurse notices you and asks, “What’s the problem?”
You reply, “Business is slow. My bank account is dropping faster than a thermometer in Kapuskasing. I need more clients and projects. And I need them now!”
The nurse responds sympathetically, “I’ll have a doctor see you as soon as possible.”
Fortunately, you don’t have to wait long. Within a few minutes you are guided to the physician’s cubicle where she examines your situation and then, finally, writes you a prescription. “Get this filled right away,” she says reassuringly as she hands you the piece of paper. “Follow the instructions and your business will start improving soon.”
What did the good doctor write on that prescription form? Let’s take a look:
1. Contact your past clients.
Phone, mail a letter or send an email to every client you’ve ever worked with, even if that was several years ago.
Say hello. Update them on any additional qualifications and project expertise you’ve acquired. Let them know that, schedule permitting, you’d be delighted to work with them again.
(A friend of mine did this last year and filled her schedule in just two weeks.)
2. Contact your past leads.
Dig into your email inbox or contact management system. Pull out every “lead” that didn’t go anywhere — quotes you didn’t win, projects that didn’t materialize, etc.
Although these prospects never did give you any paying work they did, at the very least, have a modicum of interest in your services. Contact them again. Situations change and a dead-end lead from last year could very well become a new client for you today.
3. Contact your referral sources.
Contact everyone who has ever sent potential work your way. Those “referral sources” could include consultants, suppliers, virtual assistants or even other freelancers.
Phone or email and say hello. Thank them for their support in the past and let them know that you’re available should they know anyone else who needs the type of service you provide.
Compared to any other type of lead, a referral has the highest chance of becoming a new client.
4. Do what you did before.
The biggest mistake that freelance professionals make when business is slow is to try something new. “Direct mail letters worked for me before but I want to give Google advertising a try now.”
Huh? If business is slow you can’t afford to experiment. Do something you already know works for you, whether that’s letters, calls, networking or some other marketing action.
Even in a down economy the above strategies are the quickest ways to generate new business. So if things are slow for you, try the above four-step prescription for fast relief from a dearth of good-paying projects. Doctor’s orders!
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Steve Slaunwhite is the co-founder of this blog and author of Pricing Your Writing Services.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Good advice here, Steve! I’ve been thinking about doing #2 – contacting past leads. What’s the best way to approach them without sounding desperate?
Thanks!
Excellent advice. The temptation to “try something new” always is alluring when money is becoming scarce. But its siren song can lead to disaster. The time to try something new is when you’re hip deep in cash and feeling bored.
–Duncan
Lexi – I’ve come up with an approach that works well. It’s very effective when you suddenly find yourself with a big opening in your schedule (either because the work dried up or because a big project got pushed off). Rather than let that availability go to waste, I will often contact another client about this unexpected opening in my schedule and ask if I can help complete a project in the queue.
Upcoming vacations can also present an opportunity to fill idle time. A couple of years ago, I took two weeks off in July. Rather than wait until early July to let my clients know, I contacted them all in early May. I gave them plenty of notice and encouraged them to look at their project queues to see if I could get started on something.
This resulted in three projects that kept me very busy until I left for my vacation, which was great because work was a bit light at the time. I avoided the stress of dealing with new project requests coming in a few days before leaving town. And my clients benefited by getting the work on time.
To make this work, try not to sound like your begging for work (as you suggested). And don’t sound like you’re on some sort of fishing expedition. Position your request in a way that benefits the client. You’re not asking for a favor. You’re bringing an opportunity to the table — an opportunity for the client to get ahead on some work that will need to be completed anyway.
Also, use a soft approach. Don’t come across as pushy. Keep it low key. In fact, spend some time practicing your delivery. Record what you’re going to say, and make sure that it sounds sincere and well-intentioned.
Just as important, make sure to explain the reason for your sudden availability. As long as they’re true, reasons such as the ones mentioned earlier (upcoming vacation, a current project put on hold, etc.) are effective and keep you from sounding like you’re begging for work.
Hope this helps!
We have found our business a bit slow and we have been doing this for the past week and so far it is still a bit slow with a possible lead. We do this everytime works slows and it does work. Thanks for sharing this with others.
Hi Steve,
Great inputs that help us get more work. In fact, I imagined myself as the panic stricken patient who went for check up
. I really liked the way you dissected the problem.
The other day, I went to refill my cartridge. I had so much time to wait. I just started asking the shop owner some questions on how things are happening and he was so pleased to explain his business and problems. At last he gave me so many suggestions how to find work.
Likewise, if we talk to everyone to make friendship, probably, we may find some solutions.
Thanks for the wonderful article. I’m your permanent patient till the pain is eased :0)!
Thank you so much for the blog!
Solomon
The first week of January, my schedule was looking a little too light. I emailed past clients and referral sources, telling them I was planning my schedule out for the first quarter, and did they have anything I could help with. Within 10 days, I was totally booked through the end of March. That includes a new client with lots of potentially exciting projects. I am on track for a record setting first quarter. Note to self: do this often!
Great post Steve!
Putting together a short talk on growing businesses and giving that talk to groups of business owners (say at a Chamber of Commerce meeting) gives you a solid “conversation starter” with business owners to write ads or brochures for them etc…
Just got the book today (The Wealthy Freelancer)…and I’ll be reviewing it on my blog.