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My main client just cut their budget by 60% with two days notice. I was panicking, but then I remembered a tip from a podcast.
It happened last Thursday. They emailed saying a project got axed and my retainer was dropping from $3,000 a month to $1,200. I had bills due. I almost started applying for regular jobs. Then I recalled an episode of 'Freelance to Founder' where they said to immediately reach out to three past clients with a specific offer. I did that Friday morning. By Monday, one old client needed a website update for $800 and another booked a monthly consulting call for $400. It's not a full fix, but it bought me breathing room. What's your go-to move when a big income chunk vanishes overnight?
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nancyg143mo ago
Yes! That "call past clients" trick has saved me more than once too.
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river9525mo ago
Call past clients before you panic.
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hugos465mo ago
Great advice, but what if you're just starting out and don't have past clients to call? That's a scary spot to be in.
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viola_lopez305mo ago
Oh, that's a real tough spot to be in. So what do you actually do then? Do you offer a free or very cheap first job to a friend's small business just to get a real example? Or do you have to make up fake sample work for pretend clients? I always wondered how people get that first real project on their list.
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