It’s time to think about how to plan your year, especially if you are a freelancer. It’s hard enough working for yourself without having a plan to make sure that you have work throughout the upcoming year. There’s no time like now to begin planning.
A) Plan to Succeed - Of course none of us plan to fail. But the fact of the matter is that more small businesses fail after the first year. Regardless of whether you think so or not, your decision to be a freelancer means you’ve made the decision to be a small business! Today (January 1) is the day you want to plan your work for at least the next three (3) months if that’s at all possible.
B) Develop relationships – if you have only a few long term clients, it’s time to start nurturing new relationships. Contact former clients and find out if they might need your services. Sometimes, until you ‘remind’ them that they need just the type of work you provide then they just don’t think about it;
C) Budget – one of the most deadly things that happens to many of us as freelancers is not being able to depend on our income. Let’s face it, some months it’s really good and others it’s not so good. Right now is the time to take a look at your game plan to get through those lean months. Take a look at your 2008 income statement (monthly) and see which months were especially lean. Create your 2009 budget accordingly;
D) Upgrades in technology – are you keeping up with the needs of your clients? Is it time to start looking at new and innovative software, computers, accessories? Right now is a great time to buy some of these things (if you’ve got the resources) since so many sales are going on!
E) Schedule – Too many times we’ve heard folks complaining about not being able to take time off during holidays. If you plan your schedule now you can email your clients a link to your calendar. Set up a free calendar in ZOHO or Google and clearly mark your availability. If you’re taking full days off say so! Send a link of your calendar to all of your clients. Another thought is if you have a blog, post a slug to your calendar to that blog and email your blog to your clients and/or leads!
Your plan needs to be flexible to allow for changes, but if you start today, you can get a head start over many freelancers! Happy New Year!
About Doreen Martel
Well-rounded freelance writer who contributes to various blogs, paid to write sites and revenue sharing sites. Doreen is legally blind and has worked at home for more than 10 years. She uses the lessons learned from this experience to enhance her writing and share information with others.
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