I know the last thing you’re going to think about right now is going on an actual vacation. But that doesn’t mean you’re not taking a vacation from your WAHM business. All WAHMs need to follow these four tips.
Whether you’re a writer, a photographer, or you run a product-based business, there are going to be steps you need to take to make sure your business can still run. If you’re running a product-based business then this article https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2022/02/08/how-to-patent-a-product-with-inventhelp/ can help. This is especially the case if you’re on your own you need some body that help you with all the tech jobs that you would have in company. I take these four steps before any planned break, even if it’s a “staycation” with the kids. The idea is that I get to step away from the business without worrying too much.
Let your clients know
This sounds obvious, but you’ll be surprised by the amount of WAHMs who don’t actually think about this. You may assume that you won’t have any clients getting in touch while you’re off because it’s not the norm for them. However, you want to let them know.
When you let them know will depend on who the clients are and how long you’re taking off. When I’m going away for a week, I tend to let the most frequent clients know in advance. The others, I’ll put up an email alert to catch the attention of those who email so infrequently that I can’t plan around them. If I’m away for two weeks or more, I send out a mass email (with the bcc function to protect all clients’ details) to make sure everyone is aware. You should then have a look at getting a business number for Whatsapp, as this makes it extremely easy to communicate with your clients or customers and keep those separate from your personal Whatsapp. There are services for a Whatsapp business number like https://www.yourbusinessnumber.com/en-GB, so it’s very easy to get.
There are some clients that I’ll let know a few weeks extra in advance. This s because I know they can start planning ahead and may want me to start work earlier than initially planned. I need them to know that I may not be available, so they can either wait or they need to get details for projects to me sooner.
The only time I don’t let any clients know is when I’m going away for less than a week. Usually, it’s just a day or two off or for a long weekend—and usually follows a federal holiday. The clients aren’t going to miss me for one or two extra days.
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Get your own blogs scheduled
You want to have content going up on your website frequently. Whether you’re a writer or not, you likely have a blog. I recommend all WAHMs have one. So, you’ll need to make sure there’s new content on the planned schedule.
This means writing and scheduling in advance. I do a lot of this to make sure I’m not caught out at the last minute.
Don’t forget about your social media channels. Are they ready so you don’t’ go silent for the whole time that you’re there?
You’ll want to check in now and then to see how things are running. Make sure your posts haven’t missed their schedules. This is basic maintenance that can be done with a morning coffee.
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MORE: Top tips for building trust with a client
Set up your email alerts
I once went away for two weeks without autoresponders set up on my emails. I came back to people annoyed that I hadn’t replied to them. And boy did I feel guilty!
Now I make sure that I always have autoresponders set up for while I’m away. I don’t want to be answering emails the whole time. The odd one isn’t too bad, but I don’t want to deal with questions and queries. I also don’t want to lose out on potential clients getting in touch.
You don’t need a long, detailed email. Just set out why you’re not responding and when you’ll return.
You’ll want to say in the email whether you intend to reply while you’re away or you’re going to wait. I usually put a line of “I’ll get back to you on [date]” to make it clear that I’m not replying right away.
Plan your first days back
My diary is always set out for my return. The first two days back will be spent catching up on a few emails and getting back into the daily life of my business. I’ll get work from clients after that.
It’s important to plan before you leave. The last thing you want on your return is to look at where to start. Your mind won’t be in work mode. But you don’t want to plan the night you get back or while you’re away. Get it all ready so you don’t have to worry too much about it.
Go on vacations. Book a flight with Jettly. Stay with Chania resort. Visit the amazing places that you’ve never been before such as the ones at https://www.anantara.com/ar/veli-maldives. You really can as a WAHM. Just take steps to plan ahead before you go on vacation. You won’t regret it!
