So, you’ve lost all your clients. Now what?
It’s the stuff of freelance nightmares; a chain of events that leaves you sorely lacking in the client department and wondering how the hell you’re going to pay the bills. Sure, it’s rare. But it happens and when it does, it feels a lot like this whole self-employed thing you’ve put your sweat and tears into might just come crashing down around you.
So, what are you going to do about it?
Give these tips a go before you give up the goose, hit the bottle and turn up at your old office with your pride in one hand and your begging cup in the other.
Take a long, hard look at your business
It’s a hard pill to swallow but chances are there’s a reason why clients have dropped right off to nothing. It’s time to man up and assess where you could have done better on the old business front, whether that means admitting you’ve been slack with communicating with clients on progress or are just guilty of not shouting loud enough about your services to keep them interested.
Think of it as an opportunity, not a failure
Sure, losing clients royally sucks. But it happens and when it does, you’ll feel far less ‘end of the world as we know it’ about the whole thing if you think of it as an opportunity, not a failure. You’ve now got a ton of free time on your hands that you’d have killed for when things were busy AF. They’ll be busy as AF again, we promise, so make the most of this short interval and market the hell out of yourself instead of moping.
Scope out the competition
We’re talking inspiration, not impersonation here. If you haven’t got two clients to rub together and they’re bursting at the seams with work, what are they doing that you aren’t? Once you’ve established where they’re smashing it, do more of that but do it better.
Tidy up shop
Sort that website you never needed when all your work came via word of mouth. Up your game on Twitter. Give your blog the TLC it deserves and needs to show clients you know your stuff. Market the hell out of your business, relentlessly and unashamedly.
Do all of the above, with a fire in your belly, a determination to crack on and the odd brew (ahem, beer) to get you through the times of doubt, and just watch those clients come flooding back. And when they do, look after them yeah?
