Posts Tagged ‘how’

Over the last couple of months, I have seen a few other freelancing and small business blogs talk about things to do when work dries up.  I guess maybe this is a common topic because the economy is still suffering (so I am told).

My problem with such lists is that they are all painting around the edges with suggestions such as “catch up with filing” or “tidy your storage system” – which is all fine, but I imagine that most freelancers, contractors and small business bods would rather be doing productive work earning cash than taking time to “spruce up your office plants”.

So may I present:

an alternative top 20 list of things to try when things turn quiet:

1. Setup or refine adwords – If you don’t have an adwords account, set one up to advertise your services.  If you do have adwords in place, try some new ad variations and A/B split test the adverts.
2. Refresh your web site – Bring it up to date, and create landing pages for your core skills – linking them to your adword (or other) adverts.
3. Create marketing material – Create a brochure, flyers and other material for sales presentations, networking and meetings
4. Create client case studies – Case studies create a strong story and you can never have too many.  Have them in both printed and web based formats.
5. Update your CV – Bring your CV up to date with your latest activities, skills and training
6. Scour the contracts boards – There are plenty of web boards with both contract and freelance positions available.   Search them every morning and the phone will start ringing.
7. Start an a/b split test on your web content – You web site may be good, but could it be better?  Use A&B testing to see if your visitors agree. I am going to talk about A&B testing tomorrow.
8. Write to previous customers – Use your list of contacts, and send them a (good) mailshot asking if they need more work done.
9. Make contact with other freelancers for any off shoot work – Use your outlook, Gmail or Linkedin contacts list and make contacts with your social peers in case they need a helping hand
10. Send a mailshot to likely local customers – People love to buy local.  Hit the yellow pages and send a mailshot to local companies who could use your services
11. Lean a new skill through a 30 day teach yourself book – There are lots of great books available to teach you new skills.  Take the time to add to your skill set.
12. Streamline your business processes – Look at all the aspects of your business from quotation, to invoicing to support.  Are there any parts that can be improved, streamlined or automated.
13. Invent a value add to your service – Can you take the slack time to add a new feature of benefit which would make you or your product more sellable?
14. Create an off line revenue generation idea – Do some brain storming and start a bolt-on enterprise to generate money whilst you sleep.
15. Look for more LinkedIn contacts, and tell all contacts of your availability – If you haven’t updated your LinkedIn contacts for a while, time to see who else is worth adding
16. Review your company spending costs – If times are lean, maybe it’s time to review your company spending and see what costs can be cut to increase profit
17. Think about taking on a short term Contract – You may prefer working from home on a freelance basis, but when times are tough, don’t rule out taking a short contract through an agency.  Very short (day or week length) contracts sometimes pay very well.
18. Spend time doing a technology refresh – Look at the tools that you use – can they do with a clean up or upgrade?
19. Investigate (R&D) on new products – Things are always changing.  Take some time to do some web research or attend open events.  What new products are out there, what are suppliers launching?
20. Clean your environment and do filing whilst you wait for work to come on – And of course the office clean.  But only when you have done everything else and are waiting for the phone to ring.