Madiha Yaqoob
Seems scary, isn’t it?
Well, it’s not that bad.
I’m here to tell you that you’re going to get back on track.
Because it happened to me many times, and I got back on my feet.
You’re worried, desperate, and anxious at the moment.
I know because I have been there.
It’s understandable because every freelancer goes through this situation at some point.
What if I tell you that you can cope with this situation?
What if I tell you that I also lost clients, but I’m still winning?
What if I tell you that you’re going to win too?
Look, I’m a freelance writer who started content writing back in 2012. I remember working for four clients in the first three years; from 2012 to 2014, it was a sheer struggle. It still gives me goosebumps because once I went to a bank ATM to withdraw my last 300 Rupees from the bank account, and it refused because the minimum amount required for the withdrawal was Rs 500.
I cried a little on my way back home.
Then, a few months later, everything changed.
I was forwarding my prospects to other freelance writers because the number of inquiries was overwhelming.
So that’s why I’m telling you that everything would be just fine if you really want to win as a freelancer.
If you’re one of those who are here to try out stuff because others did it, then I can’t help you.
You can either go all in and make a clear decision on pursuing your freelancing career or save your time and do what makes you happy.
Here’s what you need to do if you lost a freelance client:
#1: Convert Adversity into Opportunity
It’s clear that anyone in your position who lost a freelance client would be desperate and anxious to get back on their feet. So the number one thing you should do is convert adversity into opportunity. It may seem bookish and not practical, but that’s the only way around it. The other option is somewhat a combination of tension, headaches, stress, anxiety, and panic attacks. Please don’t tell me you want to try these things. Kidding!
When you lose a client, you have some extra time. Instead of worrying, you can use that time to do something positive and constructive. Let me spill the beans. Here are a few suggestions to try out if you’re in that mess, meaning, you lost a client:
- If you’re a freelance writer, start writing your blog or put out great content on Medium and LinkedIn
- If you’re a graphics designer, design your visiting card or a marketing pamphlet for a friend’s company
- If you’re a web designer, re-design your dad’s business website. Remember he asked for a new website?
- If you’re a teacher, teach on Skillshare, Udemy, or PluralSight
- If you’re a WordPress developer, create a couple of free plugins and put them out
- If you work in data entry, try finding new clients on Fiverr
- If you’re an SEO, try out seoclerks and Zeerk
- If you’re a speaker, consultant, or even a plumber, go create an Instagram account and post-industry-related pictures with relevant hashtags.
You never know if you end up finding a new customer on Instagram or Facebook. Sure, you’d have to be smart to use Instagram or any other social media platform to get a customer. For Instagram, you must be adding local hashtags and tag the location so that people could locate you if they want to hire you.
The whole point is that you can’t sit on your couch holding your TV remote just because you lost a client.
Get up, grab your phone, and open your laptop to get going.
What’s stopping you now?
Let me know in the comments.
#2: Read or Watch
Your emotions are all over the place; I get it.
You might not feel motivated at this point. It’s normal and you’d get out of this situation. All you need is a small distraction that refuels your energy. So go and grab the book you left reading. Not only would you feel better, but you’d also learn something new.
If you aren’t a bookworm, don’t worry because a lot of people don’t read books. You can read blogs about your favorite things such as:
- Tech
- Food
- Pets
- Virtual Reality
- Blockchain
- Hollywood
- Netflix Series
The best thing about blogs is that there are hundreds of blog categories. Please do a few searches on Google, and voila!
If you aren’t interested in reading blogs, this means reading isn’t your thing, which is fine.
You could watch YouTube or Netflix. Spend a couple of days binge-watching Netflix documentaries or YouTube videos. When you watch documentaries or movies, it opens up your mind and you see things from others’ perspectives.
Once I watched a documentary called “Cooked” on Netflix. Not only did it help me get through some stress, but I also started liking food preparations afterward.
So watch some video content and clear your head. I promise you that you’d be pumped up to get back on track in a few days.
#3: Publish Guest Posts
I’ve developed a unique instinct and it might sound strange: I like adversity.
It doesn’t mean I want it — of course, no one wants it.
Perhaps, I don’t like to quit and walk away so when any kind of adversity hits me, I get pumped up and try my best to get back on my feet.
And, this blog post’s topic is also relatable to what I’m trying to say here. I’m telling you all this because guest posting has something to do with what I just said about my certain personality trait.
I like being underestimated.
I like losing.
It just makes me a better performer in business, sports, and life.
If you lost a freelance client, you might have some free time. So reach out to relevant blogs for guest posting.
I’ve done the same two years back, and it helped a lot.
Not only will you be doing something productive with your time, but you’d also be marketing your freelance business.
So please do it.
#4: Repurpose Your Content
Content repurposing is not rocket science. It refers to using your existing content to create a different form of content with the same points and ideas. For instance, if you wrote a blog post, and when you use the key points of that blog post to make a YouTube video; it’d be content repurposing.
You can repurpose your blog content into videos, images, slideshares, PDFs, and more.
All you need to know is where your relevant audience is and what you got to offer to them.
There are a few reasons why you should repurpose your content, for example:
- You increase your reach through content
- You get to utilize new social media platforms
- You don’t have to start creating content from scratch
- Your blog or website gets more attention
- You can land new clients by repurposing content
So pay close attention to repurposing your content so that new faces could stumble upon your blog and get to know you.
My Final Thoughts
You may have lost a client, and you might be worried about paying bills.
Let me tell you that it’s a part of the game.
Apply those four tried-and-tested tactics that I shared with you, and let me know how they work out.
I do believe that you’d find new clients very soon if you stay persistent and committed.
I can’t guarantee that this blog post would get you a new freelance client, but I can assure you that keep moving forward would get you there.
“You learn more from losing than winning. You learn how to keep going.” -Morgan Wootten
What did you learn from this blog post?
Let’s talk in the comments section.
