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Welcome to the 27th edition of Expert•ish Freelancer, a newsletter that helps you launch or elevate your freelance business. Every other Friday, get tips, tools, and insights based on my 35⁺ years as a freelance writer.

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Is your business down right now, or is it booming? Whether you're experiencing a lull, you’re booked solid, or you’re somewhere in between, now is the perfect time to create (or tweak) your marketing habit.

Today’s newsletter highlights three ways to cultivate a consistent marketing habit.

🔍 Key Takeaways: 

✅ Make marketing non-negotiable.
✅ Embrace the slow-burn mindset.
✅ Mix inbound and outbound.

Today’s issue is brought to you by Authory. Sponsors help keep the newsletter free, so please click on their link to check out their offer! ⬇️ 

Looking for the last newsletter? Find it here: EF #26: 💥 How to Break Out of Your Freelance Rut

Freelance Focus: 3 Ways to Cultivate a Consistent Marketing Habit

Ready for some quick wins next week? This newsletter is coming in hot 🔥 with brief, actionable tips—perfect for your busy schedule.

Instead of freaking out about the empty spots on your project calendar, focus on building a consistent marketing habit. When marketing tasks happen only sporadically or “when you have time,” they can't deliver reliable results.

The key 🔑 to keeping your business pipeline full is incorporating a marketing routine into your regular workday, even if you typically avoid routines.

Pour yourself a fresh cup of coffee ☕, settle in, and scan these actionable, confidence-boosting tips.

1. Make Marketing Non-Negotiable—Like Your Morning Coffee

• Habit stack it. If you’ve read James Clear’s Atomic Habits, you know the concept of adding a new behavior on top of something you already do every day. (That’s what makes the habit stick!) For instance, if you grab a cup of coffee first thing in the morning, do your marketing while you’re sipping your coffee. Every. Single. Weekday.

• Pick a cadence that fits your life. Are you a “sip and send” type who likes to pitch for a few minutes every day with your coffee? 🙋‍♀️ Or do you work best in focused sprints—like a longer stretch of time just twice a week? There’s no one right answer—just do what you’ll realistically stick with.

• Block it in your calendar. Once you’ve nailed down the frequency and duration of your marketing session, treat it like a client meeting and schedule it. Literally put “Marketing Session” (or “Pitch Party” or “Pipeline Power-Up” or some other clever name) as a recurring appointment on your calendar. Whether it’s 30 minutes every weekday at 9 a.m. or a 75-minute power session twice a week, consistency is your friend.

• Reward yourself. Until you establish this habit, you might want to motivate yourself with a little treat once you’ve completed your marketing. Five-minute reward ideas: go for a walk, scroll on social media, play Wordle, eat a piece of fruit, play with your cat 🐈‍⬛.

• Pro tip: The less work you have, the more time you should spend marketing. But even when you’re swamped, stick to at least one session a week to avoid the feast-or-famine rollercoaster.

2. Embrace the “Slow Burn” Mindset

• Results won’t happen overnight. Like exercise (or growing out a bad haircut), marketing takes time to show results. Most prospects aren’t ready to hire today, but they might be soon—if you stay on their radar. This could mean reaching out via email every few months, sending a newsletter, posting and engaging on LinkedIn, meeting for coffee, or whatever tactics work best for you. Some prospects are ready right now. (They’re the anomaly.) But marketing usually takes months (and sometimes years) to see results with some prospects.

• Celebrate the act, not just the outcome. Completing your marketing block = win. Yay, you! 🎉 Even if your inbox is quieter than a meditation retreat, you’re building momentum beneath the surface. You can’t control whether or not someone becomes a client. But you can control whether or not you consistently market your services.

• Quick win. Try the “implementation intention” formula: “I will do [MARKETING TASK] at [TIME] in [LOCATION].”
  Example: “I will update my LinkedIn portfolio every Tuesday at 10 a.m. from my favorite coffee shop.”

3. Mix Inbound and Outbound—Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket

• Inbound marketing. Draw clients to you by keeping your website fresh, updating your LinkedIn profile, sharing work on portfolio sites, and being active (and helpful) on social media.

• Outbound marketing. Reach out directly—send letters of introduction, pitch editors, follow up with past clients, send newsletters, or attend networking events. Templates and scripts (which you can tweak to customize) can save you time and reduce that “what do I say?” anxiety.

• Batch and theme your tasks. Assign certain days or blocks for specific marketing activities—like Mondays for research, Wednesdays for outreach, Fridays for follow-ups. This reduces decision fatigue and keeps things manageable.

Bonus: Community & Confidence Boost

• You’re not alone! Every freelancer—whether you’re just starting or you’ve been at it for a decade—struggles with consistency sometimes. (Myself included.) Share your wins (and flops) with a fellow freelancer or online group. Accountability buddies make habits stick!

• Wisdom for the week: Don’t compare your marketing journey to anyone else’s. Do what you can today. You’re good enough, and your next client is out there looking for you.

Bottom Line: Building a marketing habit isn’t about perfection—it’s about showing up, even when you’d rather be binge-watching The White Lotus. Schedule your time, trust the process, and celebrate every step. Your future self (and bank account) will thank you.

What’s your marketing cadence this week? Hit reply and share your plan—I’ll be cheering you on, coffee in hand.

When You’re Ready Here’s How I Can Help:

• Follow me on LinkedIn. I share more freelance tips/insights most weekdays.

• Turn to Expert•ish Freelancer’s Tools & Resources page, highlighting valuable resources to help you successfully run your freelance business. You’ll find recommendations for apps, tools, training, services, websites, blogs, podcasts, books, videos, and more! If you’ve got a resource you love, let me know about it.

• Share Your Success Story. I would LOVE to hear how you’ve implemented any of the ideas in Expert•ish Freelancer and found success. I might even include your win in a future newsletter. You can always reach me at [email protected]. 

Thanks for allowing me into your inbox!

I look forward to sharing my freelance journey with you, and I look forward to hearing about yours. I’m just here as your guide. Take what works for you, and tweak it to your needs. Rinse. Repeat.

I’ll be back in two Fridays with another edition of Expert•ish Freelancer.

In the meantime….

Be kind. Do good. Give thanks. 😊

With gratitude,
Lisa Beach

FYI: In yoga, the instructor often closes the session by saying “namaste” as a way of acknowledging and honoring the light, spirit, or goodness within each person in the class. 🧘‍♀️ It’s often used as a closing to convey unity (we’re all interconnected), gratitude (thank you for this shared experience), respect (I respect you and your journey), and peace (may you find peace within yourself). Essentially, it's a way to acknowledge the shared experience and to leave with a sense of peace and connection. 😊