The Digital Marketing Union

5 years ago I was laid off It was heartbreaking. 7 years of giving my everything, just discarded like it was nothing. It turned out to be a blessing. In the last 12 months: → I have not worked a single Friday (I go swimming with the kids instead) → Met some truly incredible other independent marketers → Earned almost 200% more than my last salary → Got to work with some incredible brands Here’s what I’ve learned & what’s worked for me 👇 (I know there's been a fair few layoffs recently so hopefully this can help some people) 🫶 Join communities This has always been on this list, but this year felt even more important than ever. Joining The Digital Marketing Union is probably one of the best decisions I have ever made as a freelancer. Everyone supports each other. All round awesome. (Thanks Dan White) 📣 Keep promoting yourself It's easy to fall into the trap of being busy, and not looking to the future. Make sure you keep promoting yourself and being front of mind for potential clients. LinkedIn is actually amazing for this. Not sure how? Get a Clarity call from Tasmin Lofthouse and you'll smash it. 📚 Never stop learning Whether it's learning more about what you do (keeping up with trends) Or learning new complementary skills (I've learned a lot about organic social, email and paid ads this year) Or even a new hobby like learning the guitar or taking up beekeeping - it will free your mind. 🗣️ Get out and talk to people I neglected this for most of the last 5 years. This year I have met people for coffee, and lunch, and even been on a retreat. And it has been beyond amazing just to talk to other people doing similar things. You will learn so much and also be so inspired. I can't wait to do more of this next year. 👍It's okay to say yes, and also okay to say no You get told to say no a lot as a freelancer. Not the right project, or the right niche, not this, or that. But if an opportunity comes along that doesn't fit the standard requirements. Or pushes you out of your comfort zone. It's okay to say yes, go for the pitch, give it a go. What is your best advice for freelancers? Add it to the comments.

With less than two weeks to go until Christmas, in all the haste and busyness of the lead up it can feel like January is a long way off. 📢 But, just a reminder, it's only 21 days away! 📢 If you want to make 2025 the year you get intentional about your marketing and start taking your strategy seriously, get in touch. I help purpose-driven leaders with strategic marketing and communications to guide sustainable business growth 💰🌱 Whether you need an expert marketing strategist on a part time or interim basis, a specialist team for a one-off project, or staff training to improve your in-house skills, I can help. 📧 If you want to work with me and my B Corp certified business in 2025, email [email protected] or send a direct message. ——- P.s. I’ll be taking a LinkedIn break soon, so if I don’t get a chance to wish it to you directly, have a great Christmas and New Year 🎄🥳

Now that we’re fully in the swing of festivities, can I please ask that you pay your freelancers before Christmas. Not a day before Christmas, not the 20th but soon. Many of us want to celebrate, too and chasing invoices is not the most holly jolly experience, tbh! I have mostly had wonderful clients in my six years of freelancing but it honestly only takes a couple of ignored invoices to make life a lot more stressful than it ought to be.

Have you ever felt like working alone was harder than the work itself? Three months ago, I launched my business and I’ve been working solo—and while I love the freedom, I’ve experienced loneliness. It slowly creeps in and it drains my energy, especially as an extroverted person. Yet, I think I found a new way to cope. Yesterday, I joined an event hosted by Cowork Crew, a community of freelancers and solo-preneurs who’ve stepped away from corporate life to create their own paths. What struck me was how this group brought back the best parts of the corporate world—the camaraderie and shared experiences—without the office politics 🤧. So, here’s my takeaway of the day: entrepreneurship doesn’t have to be isolating. It makes all the difference once you put yourself out there and create your support system through joining: co-working spaces, networking events, or even Slack groups! A big thank you to my new Cowork Crew buddies: Penni Pickering Jo Pickering Michael John Oliver Emma Forward Simon Elliott Jason Morton Sofia Wood Anaïs Comot Tom Garfield Angela Lyons 💬 Let me know if you have ever felt isolated in your solo-journey and how have you dealt with it, I'll appreciate any advice. 😊 #Entrepreneurship #Freelancing #Community #Networking P.S. If you need help streamlining your marketing processes, please check out my website, which I've linked in the comments.

Please pay your freelancers in time for Christmas 🎄

‘tis the season for late nights and early mornings. Migraine Saturdays. Sneaky Sunday work. Panicked prospects asking for January starts. Eyeing the calendar: 8 working days to go. ‘tis the season for parties. Sparkly jumpers. Yelling Taylor Swift lyrics in a club surrounded by coworking friends. Meeting new people. Reflecting on the year gone and another ahead. Signing contracts, turning away others. Hold on, fellow freelance folk. We’ll be into ‘25 before we know it. And if you work with freelance folk? Be extra lovely to them this month. Get their invoices paid early, if you can. Bear in mind you’re probably only one client of many. Just one email in their inbox full of people asking them to write stuff, buy stuff, send stuff, do stuff. Gift them grace. Gift yourself grace. And a mince pie or three. ‘tis the season for remembering that not all the balls need to be — or can be — juggled. They’re not glass baubles. They won’t smash if we drop them. 🎄 Image description for accessibility: 3 people grin at the camera in front of a black background. Jess wears a light green shirt, Bex wears a sparkly top and Santa hat, Joe wears a blue pinstripe shirt. Picture from Alice Benham’s Small Bizmas Bristol with Joe Clarke and Jess Sutton 💚

When was the last time you went away with 20 other amazing self employed people, reflected on life, shared stories and ate amazing food in the countryside?! For me it was exactly this time last week at the first The Digital Marketing Union retreat. I joined the DMU in 2019. I had spent two years prior to that as a lonely freelancer trying to navigate self employment on my own. Then everything changed (sounds cheesy but it’s very true) when I joined the DMU. We rant, we share work opportunities, we solve problems but most importantly we value each other and our own experiences. I’d only met lots of these 20 people over the odd Friday video calls but I felt like I knew them already. We laughed, cried, walked, ran, played games, shared stories & amazing food cooked by our amazing chef Stu (I’ve missed Stu most this week…) If you wanted a sign to join a community, make friends and not feel alone - this is your sign. Dan White has built something truly special.

Anybody in need of a Google Ads whizz? A freelance friend of mine has just lost a big client due to problems outside their control. They cast magic spells for ecom brands, as well as getting lead gen firing for businesses of all shapes, sizes and industries. All with solid marketing fundamentals backing everything up. Shoot me a DM if so. You might just make their Christmas and they might just make 2025 your best year to date.