WRAPPING UP 2024
Let’s call it a wrap and put a bow on 2024.
The proverbial New Year is a time for reflection and looking toward the future. To prepare myself for success in 2025, here’s how I’m winding down the year:
Reflecting on successes — 2024 was a year of transition for RB Collaborative. I launched a bi-weekly email, added a little color to my social media profiles, and made the decision to shift my business from communications consulting and website design to focus solely on the latter, which was a scary yet exciting move.
Communications consulting had been the foundation of my business, and in its last months of service I pushed some great client projects over the finish line. Simultaneously, I launched a website for a new nonprofit organization and another website for a Long Island institution. I’ve also started three new website design projects [coming to a desktop near you in 2025.]
Now is the time to be proud of what you have accomplished! I encourage you to find time to reflect on your successes and celebrate all of the wins, big and small.
Setting client boundaries — My onboarding and offboarding documents include office hours and closures, but I don’t expect clients to necessarily pencil those dates in. And while the websites I design are meant to be handed off to be managed in-house post launch, many clients simply don’t have the time to make updates or just prefer to have me work on them. Giving clients advance notice as to when you’ll be out of the office—and when you’ll return—helps ensure everyone is set up for success.
I also like to give clients a deadline for making [reasonable] requests before the office closes to ensure there is ample time to complete any new tasks.
Scheduling out-of-office messages — I must admit, I love setting up my email vacation responder. As mentioned above, not every client is going to add your vacation to their calendar. Setting up automated email responses reiterates when you’ll be away and when you’ll return, and who they can contact in the event of an emergency. Automations are key for taking a break — you can use them to schedule your social media content, set up auto-replies for DMs, send emails, and more.
Clearing the clutter — I’m making space for all that’s new to come in 2025. One of the best freelance tips I saw this year is to clear out your downloads and desktop folders every Sunday for a fresh start to the week ahead. I’m taking this a step further by tackling the many folders in my email, including that sad section of flagged emails. Do you really need that flagged press update from 2020? [and yes, that’s a real one I found!]
Planning content for 2025 — The RB Collaborative content calendar is already formatted and ready to go. Developing a marketing plan that maps out blog posts, social media content, and email marketing campaigns helps streamline these efforts. Even if the content is not finalized, a comprehensive calendar offers a blueprint for the months ahead.
Prioritizing self-care — This is a big one. The end of the year is stressful, and somehow the to-do list is growing. Regardless of the tasks that are piling up, I am making it a point to prioritize my well-being and strike my ideal work-life balance. For me, this looks like journaling, scheduling breaks to go outside and read, and taking a break from social media [that’s where those automations really come in handy.] Taking a break is good for you and good for business.
Reimagining RB Collaborative and forging a new path for its future has been a wild ride. I am so grateful to my clients who have put their faith in me and allowed me to tell their stories. I also have an incredible support system of collaborators and colleagues, friends and family, and even past clients that I am fortunate enough to remain in contact with. 2025 is looking bright already.
—RB
