So it’s 2025, I’m sitting here with a baby on my lap taking stock of 2024, thinking WTF now?
I’m always harking on about how the way to move forwards with clarity is to look back.
Finlay changes everything in my business and life going forwards.
The standard model of working vs parenthood is absurd,
so I’m throwing the rulebook out the window.
Instead of the standard 2 weeks (wtf btw?) I’ve taken a full month off work, with another month phased return.
In truth, a part of me just can’t wait to get back to projects.
It’s tricky when your identity is tied in with your work.
You may also be tempted to just dive back into your old work habits,
But those emails can wait one more day.
Too many freelancers are hamsters spinning a wheel,
& spend a whole year stuck in place.
If you were too busy before you broke for Xmas,
working the same way this year won’t fix anything.
Instead of repeating the same old patterns,
I encourage you to spend your first day back at work with emails OFF.
Plan where you should be spending a year of your time,
reflecting, planning and eliminating.
From freelancers I speak to, it’s been a whirlwind year.
The most comment frustration has been leads and sales.
I feel fortunate that I’m still getting more enquiries than I can handle through my automated enquiry system
If you’re struggling to get leads, you can set up a stable pipeline with my walkthrough of my lead generation system for freelancers.
One thing I have noticed is that my close rate is lower this year.
I get more pushback on pricing.
Usually when this happens, freelancers start dropping rates, and everyone loses.
So I want you to do the opposite:
If you haven’t already, raise your prices.
If you don’t know how, here’s how to charge more.
But many have raised their prices already, and still feel like they are pinched at both ends, flagging behind soaring inflation rates, and cost of living. Clients have higher expectations, particularly when it comes to comms.
To combat that, I plan to spend time streamlining my process so I can achieve the same results with less time.
We can’t afford to cut our profit on excessive hand holding,
so setting client boundaries are going to be more important than ever.
(I don’t use them often, but a strict policy is a powerful shield against those “tricky client situations“)
It’s not all doom and gloom,
my coaching students have given me some really inspiring stories of success and breakthroughs in income and lifestyle.
Opportunities are there if you know how to spot and use them.
Building a strong offer is the way to escape trading time for money.
A packaged offer will take you from selling a service, into a more nuanced solopreneur selling a result.
Start 2025 thinking about the life you want to build first.
figure out the lifestyle you want,
build a simple plan around that,
and work it into a schedule you can stick to.
I hope some of this helps,
if you’re struggling with a particular problem in your freelance business, reach out and talk to me about it.
You can reply to this email, I’ll do my best to help.
