How to Deal With Dry Spells as a Solopreneur

According to a 2018 NPR/Marist poll, almost half of contract workers (49%) have incomes that vary from month to month or seasonally. This comes with the territory and, in my experience, applies even more to newly established freelancers.

Make the most of dry spells

Most freelancers will usually experience periods of 'feast or famine' throughout the year. There will be times where you are extremely busy and have to turn away work, and there will be quiet spells where your inbox is empty, and you may worry that you'll never receive another project offer ever again.

First of all, it's important to recognise that such dry spells are entirely normal. During the holiday season, things can get quiet for a while, your existing clients may simply not require any services for a couple of months, or the economic climate may mean that things are simply slowing down for a bit.

So what can you do to deal with those periods of 'famine'?

1) Don't panic!

It can definitely be a bit worrying if your inbox stays silent for days on end, but rest assured that this is normal when you are first starting out and that things will soon pick up again. Don't let that unsettle you - just keep calm and carry on! It's easy to start doubting yourself: Was there something wrong with that last project I delivered to my regular client? Did someone leave me a poor rating or review somewhere? Has the service I offer become obsolete over night and AI has taken over?? Try not to let your imagination run away with you, but remind yourself that every solopreneur experiences quiet periods at times, and that's completely normal and to be expected.

2) Market your services continually!

Even if you're currently busy, it's crucial to allocate some time (e.g. 30 minutes a day) to marketing your services to prospective clients. This will ensure that you will get enquiries continually, and you thus decrease the chance of experiencing extensive dry spells. In fact, when you're busy is precisely the right time to approach new clients. That's because you'll feel more confident to negotiate with clients than during quiet times when you might be desperate to secure any job that comes your way – no matter how low the pay or how unenjoyable it may be.

3) Use any quiet time wisely!

Rather than dipping into the local swimming pool or lounging in the garden with a novel, use any quiet spells to take care of administrative tasks you have been putting off, check that you have invoiced all your recent projects, chase late payments, attend networking events, complete CPD activities in the form of webinars or an online course, check if your website or marketing collateral can be improved, write an article for a trade publication, etc. As you can see, there's always a lot to do, even when you're not 'working'!

4) Put away savings!

Try to put away some spare cash whenever you can so you don't panic during a dry spell and can resist the temptation to accept low-ball jobs offers just to make ends meet. This can be easier said than done, but every little counts and can help in quiet times.

5) Polish up your portfolio!

If you don't have a portfolio yet, this is the perfect time to put one together. Look through your old projects and see what best showcases your skills. If you already have a portfolio, review it and see how you can improve it to make it even more interesting to new clients. Make sure it contains any skills you may have acquired since you first created your portfolio. An amazing site for creating your free and aesthetically appealing portfolio is Contently.

Always bear in mind that once you are established, such spells will be rarer and you'll be wishing for things to calm down for a bit every once in a while!

*** Originally published on Medium ***