As the holiday season approaches, there are many freelance marketing opportunities that will present themselves to you. And though marketing can be a pain throughout the rest of the year, it can be surprisingly fun during the holidays. Injecting a bit of holiday spirit into your customer interactions helps you nurture your business relationships by spreading some of that end-of-the-year joyfulness. So, let’s take a look at a few ideas for this festive season!
- Freelance holiday tips for work
- 1. Consider giving gift certificates and special offers
- 2. Community events
- 3. Little website touches
- 4. Share your end-of-the-year thoughts
- 5. Wish your clients happy holidays
- 6. Give your clients plenty of notice
- 7. Complete projects before you go
- Holiday tips for a more balanced festive season
Freelance holiday tips for work
1. Consider giving gift certificates and special offers
The winter holidays are a time for giving. So, in that spirit, you might want to provide some extra benefits to your clients. Here, relatively straightforward marketing techniques (e.g. 5% off until the end of the year or any other kind of discounts), are meant to increase your sales during the holidays.
For most freelancers, the festive season is a time when they don’t usually work too much and the little extra incentive could go a long way. But you can also choose options like gift certificates if your services allow for that.
For example, it can be the case if you make and ship specific products, which by the way can also be great presents. Look at your services, think about what makes sense and go for it!
2. Community events
One of the best things about the winter holiday season is the general sense of joyfulness around. There are gifts, family reunions and all kinds of things that can make you happy.
Which is why it’s a good idea to build your marketing strategy around your community. Whether you have a blog, site or an active social media presence, ask the community surrounding it to come together to create something special.
This can be a donation to a charity organisation, a gift list for a specific field (like tech) or even a competition. All of that does two things – it increases engagement and reminds people that you’re more than just a bunch of posts that appear regularly on their timeline.
3. Little website touches
Are the steps above a bit too much for you? Don’t worry, there are also smaller things that you can do, which can have quite a bit of impact. For example, consider freshening up your website.
Maybe create a version of your logo with some snowflakes, gift boxes or anything related to the festive season. That might seem too small of a detail to change anything, but it actually does. It provokes positive emotions and reminds your customers that you are a real person with feelings and emotions, thus paving the path for a better relationship.
4. Share your end-of-the-year thoughts
If you are one of those freelancers that has built up their reputation upon their personality and being transparent, the end of the year is a great time for you to openly interact with your clients. Whether it is via Facebook or email, talk to them about what you have achieved this year and where you are headed in the next one.
You’ve probably already thought about it anyway, but sharing it can be invaluable. Your clients will see an engaged freelancer who reflects upon their past and plans their future – this is a person who they can trust with the next contract.
5. Wish your clients happy holidays
Take the occasion to be nice to your clients. Remind them that you’re there. Tell them that you’re glad to have worked together in the past year and are looking forward to the next. Make it short, but personal and nice. Whether it is a postcard, an email, a Facebook post or a tweet, you can’t go wrong with genuinely wishing somebody.
6. Give your clients plenty of notice
Clients need to be told in advance if you’re planning on taking time off for a week or two. Make sure you communicate clearly with them and give them plenty of notice before you leave.
Consider informing them a month in advance. That way, you’ll have plenty of time to finish up any work they might assign you instead of rushing to finish it a few days before your break.
7. Complete projects before you go
As mentioned above, it’s important to finish up all of your work before you break for the holidays. In the weeks leading up to the holidays, remind clients that any additional work will only be completed upon your return.
Another thing to consider in prioritising your workload. Make a list of all your projects and sort them out according to when they are due. This way, you’ll be able to manage them effectively and won’t have to work overtime during your break.
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Freelance holiday tips for a more balanced festive season
1. Plan ahead
The best way to stay on top of your work (and sane) during the holiday season is to plan out everything as best as you can. This means making sure you complete all your projects before you go and also saying no to new ones.
Also consider setting aside a specific amount of time each day to check your email or work messages. Doing so allows you to relax the rest of the time and gives you a chance to actually enjoy the holidays.
2. Prepare your finances
Finances can get a bit shaky during the holidays and so it’s important to save up a bit of money before your break. Try working extra hard in the weeks (or even months) leading up to the season and save as much as you can. This way, you’ll be compensated for the days you won’t be working.
3. Hire a VA
If you don’t want to check up on any of your work while you’re away, consider hiring a virtual assistant to do it for you. They’ll be able to screen all your calls, messages or emails and only reach out to you if it’s of the utmost importance.
4. Utilise your break
The festive season is a great way to take a step back and look at all the things that you’ve accomplished over the course of the year.
Use your break to go through and analyse your goals and achievements. This will have you feeling fresh and ready for the New Year!
5. Recharge your batteries
Last but not least, take the time to give your mind the rest it deserves. Switch off your phone when you can and take the time to just be present in the moment.
Spend time with your friends and family and try to take in every opportunity that you can to recharge so you don’t start the new year feeling all burned out.
Do you have some freelance holiday tips?
