Build Business Momentum by Avoiding This “Speed Trap”
By Cindy Cyr

Today I want to talk about the one simple thing you can do to build momentum in your business …

 … So your freelance career is no longer full of bumpy stops and starts.

Do you know what I’m talking about?

Where one month you have lots of work or a big success but the next you struggle. It’s a common problem with freelancers. However, there’s a simple solution you can put in place immediately and it will only take you about five minutes each day.

First, let me tell you about something that happened to me …

A few weeks ago, I drove from the east coast of Florida where I live to the west coast of the state to watch my niece run in a cross-country meet.

To get there, I had to drive through Waldo, one of those small “speed trap” towns. You’re zipping along at 65 mph and then very quickly you have to slow down to 55, then 45, and so on all the way down to 25 mph … with friendly officers conveniently hidden just beyond the change of speed limit — waiting to give you a speeding ticket.

The speed limit ascends and descends a few times as you drive through the town. It’s their way of trying to double their chances of collecting money from you. And, it really hampers your trip.

Your freelance business can operate like that. Where you finally get it going full speed only to be forced to slow down — costing you valuable time in reaching the writer’s life you dream of.

Do you ever feel like that?

You get a great client and work your tail off and do a good job. But then, the project is over and you have no money coming in and no project on the horizon. So, you step on the “client-getting gas” and work towards getting that next client.

The problem with this method is that it creates inconsistent income and makes it very difficult to gain momentum.

There’s one simple thing you can start doing today to change that …

Develop the habit of doing one client-getting activity every day.

Make this part of your routine, and you’ll soon find yourself on the expressway to the writer’s life. And, it doesn’t have to take up too much time.

In five minutes’ time, you could:

• Print out an already created direct-mail letter and put it in the mail to a prospect.
• Send a follow-up email to a hot prospect or past client you are pursuing work from.
• Make a phone call to a good client and ask for a referral.
• Gather the contact information from three to four websites of clients you’d like to work with to add to your prospect list.
• Write up an outline of an idea for a proposed project you have and send it to a past or current client.
• Direct a prospect to your website which includes your samples and other materials.

(For even more ideas, check out my article: “How to Build a Steady Stream of Clients in 5 to 10 Minutes A Day.” I’ll dispel common myths to client attraction and give you five solid strategies for getting clients when you’re short on time. Jan Schochet also chips in with another great way to “make” more time with her article on hiring a virtual assistant.)

If you want to gain momentum and move toward consistent freelance income, take time each day to do just one thing to generate a lead, follow up on a hot prospect, or make progress on landing a client.

When you do, you’ll be able to get out of the freelance “speed trap” and put your career on cruise control. You’ll watch your calendar fill with projects and your bank account will be consistently fed with checks moving you towards the writer’s life.

How do you make sure you do one client-getting activity each day? Share your tips below.