photo credit: WiLLGT09

Okay, let’s be honest. You’re probably not going to get much more work done, are you? Yeah, I didn’t think so. You’ve got stockings hung by the chimney with care and visions of sugar plums are dancing in your head.

After the kids are in bed and you’re sitting under a blanket by the fire, sipping your hot apple cider, take a moment to think about your year as a freelancer.

• Think about what your year was like overall. During the year, did you feel good about what you were doing or not so good? Now that you’ve reached the end of the year, how does it look now? It was a busy year for me and I felt rushed and overwhelmed with projects throughout the year, but looking back, I feel good that that I had such a successful year in spite of the recession.
• What was a highlight for you? Think about it for a moment and consider how you felt during that time. What were the circumstances that led up to that moment and think about whether you can duplicate those same circumstances to enjoy more of the same highlights in the coming year.
• What was a lowlight for you? What were the circumstances that led up to that lowlight and think about how to keep it from happening again.
• How are you different at the end of the year than you were at the beginning? Hopefully you’ve detected some personal growth. How about your business? How is it different at the end of the year than it was at the beginning? Hopefully it has grown as well.
• What challenges did you face this year? Did you overcome them? Think about the challenges and obstacles you overcame and then think about what you did to be successful. Now think about the challenges and obstacles that you didn’t overcome. What would you differently if you could do it over again? Are there similar challenges that you’ll be facing in the year to come?
• Think about the work you do. How does it make you feel? You probably do more than one “thing” – maybe you have several types of services. Are there services you enjoy doing more than others? Are there services you’d rather not do? Which are the most profitable? Which are the least profitable? Which must you keep regardless of profitability? Which services were barely purchased this year?
• Think about your clients. Rank them in terms of profitability. Who are your top 10 clients? Rank them in terms of cash flow. Who are your top 10 clients? Rank them in terms of how much you enjoy working with them. Who are your top 10 clients? Notice any similarities? Notice any differences? What does it tell you? Combine these three lists together to rank your top 10 overall clients based on all three criteria. How can you serve them better in the year to come? What demographic qualities do they share that can hint at who the perfect customer is for you?

This is an exciting time: You have a chance to learn from last year and prepare for a more successful year to come.