As you learn about seasonality within your preferred corner of the writing world, what changes do you need to make? How can you make your writing better — more profitable, less stressful, and more fun — by accounting for seasonal differences in your prospects and clients?
For me, one of the first lessons I learned (the hard way, of course) was that summer in my content writing business was capital D-E-A-D. Prospects were scarce. Clients were unresponsive. My bank balance plummeted and my anxiety skyrocketed. I was certain I had done something to poison my own career.
Then fall would come, and I’d be so busy I needed help to keep up. My fingers would fly over the keys until the next summer when suddenly, everything would go cold again. What had I done?
If I’d taken a minute to step back and think, I’d have clued into the seasonal trends of my clients well before Year 3 in the space! I’d have done a better job of managing cash flow, taking on long-term contracts, and setting myself up for success in the fall when my clients — at that time, agencies primarily based in Europe — returned from their long, lazy summers away from their desks.
You have the chance to “get smart” long before I did!
Use this month to take that step back and consider about the seasonal trends in your space. What financial or cultural norms govern how and when contracts are assigned? What business imperatives shift your market from hot to cold? When is it the time to market aggressively, and when is it time to unplug for your own vacation?