“But my work is seasonal..”

Welcome back to the blog! Today I wanted to discuss something I hear a lot from makeup artists and something that I myself can often fall victim too. And that is “but my work is seasonal, what do I do the rest of the time?”

This is 100% correct - our work is entirely seasonal, ESPECIALLY if you work in bridal. BUT, let me phrase it like this. If I worked like I did over the summer, every single month of the year - I WOULD DIE. Literally. I had about collectively 6 days off over the summer period and if I wasn’t working out in the field, I was working on my laptop. Is that anyway to live? Its a darn good thing our work is seasonal, because this restful period is the perfect time to reset, reinvigorate and do all the things that our crazy summer period wouldn’t allow time for. I can say with absolute certainty, that when I am busy physically doing makeup, things like my website updates, SEO, marketing and launches take a back seat. The things that I want to do so desperately, like blog and podcast and create content vanish because we physically can’t unless we outsource and hire. So this seasonal slow spell is NEEDED.

Here are some things you can do during this down time - which would make productive moves to ensure you have another busy period for 2022.

Update your website

We definitely don’t have time during wedding seasons and when on set, to update our books. Usually this task gets pushed to the bottom of the pile and chasing brides and photographers for images tends to be a last priority. Use this time to update those books and PDF portfolios with your shiny new work. Get rid of any work which isn’t relevant anymore or doesn’t align with your ideal client or style. Make crucial updates to your website that fly under the radar. Your website should work for you and you not work for it, but regular seasonal maintenance ensures you are always staying on Google’s radar AND keeping your work and content fresh and exciting.

Rebrand

If you look at your branding colours or logo and cringe, it might be time for a rebrand. Regardless of whether you hire a logo designer or do it yourself, this job takes many many hours of thought and energy and simply shouldn’t be done when we are busy on set. Use your downtime to improve the visual aspects of your branding, so next season your branding really attracts the clients you want to book.

Do some essential SEO

SEO is most definitely a task that gets pushed to the bottom of the pile, simply because we don’t like doing it! Who likes SEO! It’s often a job that many don’t do, simply because its boring, technical and can be quite difficult to understand. If you are sitting there twiddling your thumbs, what better time to learn about this side of your business (or if you are in a position to, outsource it!). Topping Google for your keywords doesn’t come overnight, but what work you put in now, is rewarded down the line, resulting in bookings for these quieter times you might struggle with!

Collect Reviews

During busy seasons, what person has time to email their previous clients and chase reviews?! So make this slower time your perfect time to get chasing. Make a list of brides and photographers/clients who you can say hello too, and pester for a review. Good testimonials are great for posting about on your website, but also adding to Google My Business!

Upskill

There’s no time like quiet time, for you to learn a new skill. If you want to learn hair, or add a beauty treatment onto your service belt for next season, THIS is the perfect time to take a couple of weeks out. A couple of weeks taken out of bridal season is no good, for your finances OR your mindset. Anytime you have down time in the Summer, should be spent doing what you do best, enjoying the sunshine OR servicing brides.

Create your year long marketing plan

Sometimes we need to sit at our desk and really plan, assess and reset. Growth can’t come without thought behind it, so by taking CEO days (days spent entirely being the CEO of your business and scaling growth) you are loosing out. Make sure to take this time to plan new ways to grow and expand your business. Take a CEO day while you have the time. Scaling can’t come during those busy times, it comes during periods of rest and regrowth.

So you can see - there is much work to be done ON your business, rather than IN your business. Without this time we can’t truly create plans of action to see us earning EVEN more money and servicing even more amazing clients. Working with clients 365 days a year is not sustainable, so these periods of downtime are essential for seeing growth, building new clients AND resting our bones. So enjoy it ♥️