One of the issues of running your own business as a WAHM can be finding work. Whether you’re a writer, a social media expert, a VA, or something else, freelancing can by a twisty road that has drought periods.
You’ll find that during times of global recession or national struggle, your clients disappear. You can struggle to find work and it leaves you worrying about keeping the roof over your head. I’ve had these dry patches before. For the last 24 months, I’ve not struggled with a dry patch.
Try not to panic! With the following WAHM tips, you can find work right now.
Always keep marketing
One of the things I do is to market or keep feelers out there. If I feel like some work may dry up, I look at other places to write or I’ll keep working on getting new clients.
At the moment, my diary is full. I have retainer clients that I’m happy with. That’s not always going to be the case, though.
So, try not to stop marketing.
If you need work right now, you need to immediately start marketing. I know this is probably something that you’re already doing, but keep working at it. You’ll hear nos or nothing at all, but that doesn’t mean you should give up. Even when you get some clients, don’t stop. Get your diary filled for weeks and possibly months in the future.
But how can you get work right now?
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Get in touch with previous clients
This is the number one reason I advise any WAHM not to burn bridges. You may need your past clients again.
I’ll have clients that just seemed to disappear. They didn’t say anything and I just didn’t get back in touch for one reason or another. Now is a good time to get back in touch with those clients. You may find that they’ve been looking for someone with your skills but didn’t think you’d still be interested. You never know when you’ll get a positive message.
The previous client may not have any work just yet. That doesn’t mean your message was a waste. Ask them if they can refer you onto someone. Word of mouth is a powerful form of marketing, even now.
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This can be when freelance bidding sites can be worthwhile
I know there are some people who will tell you to avoid the freelance bidding sites like UpWork or Freelancer like the plague. I’m not one of them. They could be just what you need right now.
When I’ve desperately needed work, I’ve turned to the content mills and bidding sites. I’ve accepted work at a lower amount than I’d like. Anything is better than nothing, right?
I’m still a member of a few content mills. I don’t use them at all anymore—haven’t actually touched them in about three years—but I’m not just going to forget about them. They’re there when I desperately need the money.
However, I do focus on clients who pay me a reasonable amount. The freelance bidding sites are only places I go when I’ve exhausted other options.
Get on social media
You’ll be surprised by the people who turn to social media for help with their projects. They may put a tweet or Facebook message out or they may turn to LinkedIn. You need to start using social media to your advantage.
Even if you don’t find clients, you’re not wasting your time here. This is a great way to market your service for others to share. It’s a great option for a WAHM to sell books or crafts. This is the place to turn if you want advice on getting new clients. Use the reviews from vinylcuttingmachineguide as guidance and invest in a vinyl cutter suitable for your business.
Set out time to market and time to build other parts of your business
You need to set out some time in your day to market your services. I spend an hour marketing what I offer and making sure my work it out there should I need to start finding new clients. If I lose a client, I’m straight onto finding a replacement.
But as a WAHM, you also need to spend time on other parts of your business. You need to make sure there’s time to work with current clients. It’s important to spend time on creating products or on adapting your business. You’ll want to spend time creating a course or building on another revenue stream. And, of course, you need time to spend with your family.
Don’t panic if your clients leave right away. Take the time to market and assess your options as a WAHM.
