Back in the beginning when you were starting out as a freelancer did you ever imagine you would get too busy one day?
Well it’s finally happened. It’s probably taken you by surprise and you’re wondering what to do about all this new work coming in. We’ve put together some tips to help you manage this busy period effectively.
Outsource
Outsourcing work can help you take on more but give you the breathing room you need.
If you do outsource your client work make sure you’re careful to pick someone who can create work in line with your style and experience.
If you are hesitant to outsource client work, there’s nothing stopping you from outsourcing admin tasks, bookkeeping or other tedious bits that are slowing you down or getting in the way.
Turn down clients
A lot of freelancers have trouble saying no to new clients. This is probably because they’ve been in a position where they’ve had to say yes to everyone to make ends meet.
It doesn’t always have to be that way. You are allowed to turn work down and should if you feel like you’re unable to give each new project 100%.
Offer to work at a later date
If you don’t already book clients well in advance you can offer this to clients who are willing to wait to work with you. The good thing about being too busy is that clients will see you’re in demand and are worth waiting for.
Become more efficient
If you find you don’t have a lot of time for client work it could be that you’ll benefit from tightening up your business system. Look for new ways to save time and you’ll be able to maximise your capacity.
For example, write blog posts or send query emails in batches. This can save you the time lost from jumping from one task to another during the week.
Try to automate as much as you can, e.g. social media posting, bookkeeping, sending payment reminders.
Raise prices
Starting with new clients, try raising your prices. You’ll naturally book fewer clients in but you’ll receive more money for your time. This can help to make client lists more manageable and also can help you grow.
Have you reached your working capacity? How are you dealing with it? Let us know!
