How much time should you spend marketing your freelance business?
Two months ago, I hosted a 3-part series on how to market your freelance business. (Interested? You can purchase it here.) We had 3 sessions over 3 weeks on how to create an audience, build an audience, and pitch effectively.
But one question after the first session really got me thinking.
"How many hours a day should I spend marketing?"
I spent a few days looking back on my own marketing, my students, and I came up with a pretty good point of reference, something more tactical depending on what your situation is.
I broke it down in the following training and here’s your chance to take a peek depending on where you are on your journey.
🤔 No clients but want to go full-time freelancing = 4 hrs/day
This means you have no other responsibilities – no full-time job, no clients. This is perfect for those who might have recently quit their job or been laid off and want to give freelancing a shot. This is also for those that have a partner they can rely on for income and possibly health insurance while they aim to make freelancing their full time career.
💼 No clients, working full-time = 2-4 hrs/day
Working full-time will exhaust you and you have other responsibilities, so I like to suggest working on your marketing in the early morning hours, the evening hours or both. When I was working full-time and had no kids, this is what I would do. Every morning, I scheduled social posts and every evening I worked on another arm of my marketing. (I wouldn't do both morning and evening now as I have kids. Too tiring.)
😏 Side hustle = 1.5 hrs/day
This means that you are content to have it as a side hustle. You do WANT the extra income, but it’s not a make or break it for you. You need to market to still get clients, but you can be more selective and only need to show a presence online.
🎉 Full-time freelancer, booked roster = 1-1.5 hrs/day
Spending an hour a day, even if you are booked out, is vitally important. It’s better to refuse clients, or have a waitlist, or scale to have subcontractors... then to not have any options at all if clients leave you and you have to start from scratch. If you don’t want to do it, and you’re booked out, maybe it’s time to think about hiring someone to take on the majority of the work.
🤗 Side hustle, no need for income = ½ hr/day
This is something where you are just dipping your toes into the water. You might be a parent with children and clients have been referred to you, it may be something you are doing on the side but honestly, you are fine, for whatever reason, without clients as well. Earning income is not a priority.
Did I hit every situation/walk in life?
Marketing is super-duper important. I can't stress it enough. Even those who are completely booked out should not stop.
But, and here’s the big BUT, you don't need to go all in if you don't need to. It depends on your situation and what you want from freelancing, amiright?
Use this as your guide when you market your freelance business.
If you want to really jump into marketing your freelance business and learn how to not be on social media 24/7, you can access the training here.
