. . . listen, learn . . .
Well I think the recession has hit my business, or that’s what I’m going to call this sudden halt. Up until a few weeks ago we were mad busy with work. In fact, at times, I had to turn work away. How I wish that work would appear now. So, a few weeks ago work started to slow down, but now it’s full-blown stopped – dead in its tracks. Having been in this business for almost 10 years now, I know there are peaks and valleys. A few years ago, around February I hit a slump like this. I got so frustrated I went to the book store and bought almost every book I could find on marketing. Then I came back and started my game plan — postcard mailings to all my clients and potential new ones; something the books suggest you do every 3 – 6 months anyway. So I buckled down and did the busy work hoping to procure some clients. No sooner did I start the mailing process clients started coming back full force. I’ve restrained myself from doing that again, but I think I may need the therapy to keep myself from totally losing it. Ultimately, business has an ebb and flow to it, but in my business, it’s either feast or famine. My transcribers are my lifeblood so when times get like this, I risk losing them. And then when work picks up I have to try and win them back with plenty of work. Oh, and now the fax just rang . . . maybe, something, hopefully? Naw, wrong number. The phone, literally hasn’t rung at all today. And I find myself picking it up every once in a while to see if the lines are still working. And they are. When it gets like this I have that sense of dread coarsing through my veins; I blame myself for not being a good businesswoman, for taking things way too easy, and just assuming work will come in as long as I sit at my desk. But then I know I’ve had a good run . . . building up every year; and despite the slow down, I am up this year from last year; actually I’m up from all previous years. Maybe I should just take this downtime to catch my breath and regroup my focus. And of course, I should definitely blame it on the recession.
