For those of you who have followed this blog for a while, you may remember the Monthly Assessment series. When I redesigned in 2019, I had all intentions of restarting the assessment series. So many of you were happy for the monthly reminder to self-evaluate and attach some accountability to your freelance business.
Then 2020 happened. Work became insane. I burned out. I reevaluated.
It’s time. While I’m no longer actively seeking new clients, I’m eager to share this feature with you in hopes that you’ll find some value.
Let’s go over the criteria so you can join in.
Queries Sent
I sent two pitches for a client — one found a home. The other hit a defunct email, which led to follow-up emails with a contact at that magazine and an intro to the new editor. She did want to assign something to me. I’m happy to help in a pinch, I said, but that my goal was to get my client’s ideas in front of her, which seemed to please her.
LOIs (letters of introduction)
This is the emails or snail mail you send to potential clients. The goal is to introduce yourself and establish a relationship. Here’s how to write one. How many did you send? How many responses?
Social Media
Did you reach out to potential clients on social media? How often did you interact/share their content or join the conversation? What platform do you use — LinkedIn, Threads, Mastadon, BlueSky, Facebook? Which one showed the most engagement this month? Remember, it will be different each month, so keeping track of it can help you see what messages are getting through.
Job Postings
I am never a fan of writers hanging out on job boards of any kind. However, there are instances, such as on LinkedIn, where a potential client needs a freelancer and they put a call out. Associations too often list jobs for their members or from their members which are of higher value. Did you answer or respond to any job listings? Where? Were you successful?
Inquiries/referrals
I had two inquiries this month. Despite my current work status, one may be of interest to me going forward. I responding asking for more information. Have you had any inquiries about your services this month? Any follow-ups to your previous marketing efforts?
New Clients
How many new clients came to you this month? Have you secured work from them? Any potential clients with whom you’re still talking/negotiating?
Existing Clients
How many projects did you work on/invoice for from your current clients? How many clients in total gave you work? This month, I worked with three clients, though the last one’s work came in yesterday. It will be reported as April work.
Earnings
Here’s where you report how close you came to your monthly earnings target. Don’t have a target? Start here or just decide how much you want to earn every month. Also, that total can change any time you like. Just make sure you change it because you’re aiming higher. 🙂 This month, I earned about 30% more than my monthly target. Last month, 74% more.
Bottom Line
Here’s where you determine if your marketing is working, if it’s enough, if the work you’re doing is compensated well enough, if you’re happy, what changes you need to make (or want to make) going forward. It’s your time to be honest with yourself. Reporting it out loud keeps your eye on the goal. For me, this month was slower than I expected, but I am still satisfied because last month was quite lucrative for the little I worked.
Writers, how did you do in March? Leave your monthly breakdown in the comments.
Any surprises? What worked? What didn’t?
2 responses to “Monthly Assessment: March 2024”
When I do my monthly accounting with Dava Stewart (and now Nichole Smith, who joined us last month!), I track the dollar amount earned, the dollar amount received, and the total of my outstanding invoices. Some clients pay quickly, others take longer, and seeing how much money should be coming in soon can really help when it’s been a slow month.
I should start tracking social media contact, too. What kinds of social media interactions do you count, Lori?
That’s a great way to do it, Paula.
I count inquiries from potential clients or when they reach out to me. For me, that happens a lot on LinkedIn. Hey, count whatever gets you engaged with a potential client, I say. A thank you from them for a share, a conversation in a thread … all of it is important for name recognition.