Marketing: Do It When You're Busiest

[Jeff Stephens]

One thing that I learned as a freelancer was one very important rule...and it's a little counterintuitive. The marketing rule of thumb is that it's most important to market yourself when you're at your busiest.

Why?

Because marketing is like planting seeds, watering them and watching them grow into plants that you can harvest later. In other words, it doesn't happen overnight. The problem with waiting until you're slow to start your marketing efforts, is that you'll find yourself without much work for an extended period of time while your new marketing programs getting planted and grow.

The net result of this pattern is that you create a series of peaks and valleys in your work flow. You'll swing from feast to famine regularly. You'll have more work than you can handle, and then you'll be completely without work.

How? Hello, I'm BUSY now, I don't have time!

This is a tough question, and a very real concern. It's the main marketing conundrum you will face. But if you set aside 2 hours each week--regardless of how busy you are--you will stay in a regular, consistent marketing rhythm. In other words, at any given moment, you'll have several leads that are newly planted seeds, several that are little saplings, and several that are just about ready to harvest. That's the pattern you want to be in, and will create a much more even workflow for you.

After all, you probably became a freelancer so you can have control and flexibility. Remembering to market when you are busiest--and consistently even when you're not--will give you that flexibility and control...and much less stress.