✂️ What to do in the slow months

Don't let slow times get you down

Author

Jesse Koepke
January 25, 2025

It’s January! A new year, a fresh slate… and no work?

Maybe it’s just me, but every January-February editing work slows down. This is especially rough because that’s coming off of the holiday months, which are also slow.

When you think of it from your clients’ perspective, it makes sense. They are getting back from time off, they are reviewing the previous year and the upcoming year. What is their budget? What are their goals and plans?

All of this makes the first few months of every year a slow ramp up. Come March and springtime, projects tend to pick up. But that’s 2 months away, so what can you do right now?

Here are two things I’m doing to stop worrying and stay sane while I wait for the calls to start coming. (Just kidding, I don’t take phone calls.)

Catch up with past clients

Make a list of all the clients you had in the previous year. For starters, it’s just nice to see! Every time I do this I think wow, I worked with some fun people and did some fun projects.

You can also write down how much they paid you. It can be helpful to see who are your top spenders. Combine that with projects that you love, and now you know who to prioritize!

Now that you have your list, do two things:

  • Send them a thank-you card. This small touch of appreciation goes a long way in building your relationship. If you want to go the extra mile, send a small something that they can keep around and use, like a coffee mug from your favorite coffee shop. Note: this should be something they will enjoy using! (In other words, not a pen with your branded name on it.) That way, every time they pick it up they’ll think of you.

  • Schedule a catch-up call. Make it short, maybe 15-20 minutes. But don’t ask for work! The only goal is to hear how their previous year went and what they are exciting for in the new year. Here’s the short script I used just a few weeks ago:

    • Hi Name, I hope the new year is off to a good start for you guys! 

      Do you have a spare 20 minutes in the next couple weeks? I'd love to chat and hear how 2024 ended and how 2025 is shaping up for you guys.

    It’s short and to the point, and I’ve several responses and calls from it.

Chat with friends

Being an editor, especially if you work from home, can get lonely! Relationships are a key part of your editing career, so reach out to fellow editors and ask if they want to chat.

You can even use the same questions as you did your clients: “How did your last year go? Anything you’re excited about this year?” It’s fun to hear what people are working on and what is interesting them.

The key here is to not expect to get work from your friends. As soon as you do that, you put pressure on the relationship and your interactions won’t feel genuine.

Will work come from friends? Probably! Almost every major project or staff job in my career has been through a friend. But it was done because people care, not because I was annoying and asked.

So when you ask a peer to chat (and it can be outside of editing!), just focus on chatting and shooting the breeze. Look for, and give, support and encouragement, not work.

Thanks for reading!

I hope these two things help! Catching up with past clients has always led to more work for me, and chatting with peers is just fun. Get out there and do both.

Do you want help finding consistent work? My short course, called (you guessed it) Find Consistent Work, walks you through defining the problem you solve, identifying your ideal client, and the 3 stages of finding work. (Hint: I mentioned 2 of them in this email 😉) If that sounds helpful for you, just follow this link.

Best of luck in 2025, and keep cutting!

– Jesse Koepke

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