How to Get Yourself + Your Clients Ready for You to Go on Vacation

Vacation. Something, whether you are an entrepreneur or an employee of an amazing company, that you both count down to and dread at the same time. 

Now, when I say, vacation – I am not talking about an extended weekend – I am talking about the one where you take two weeks to go on a cruise or a warm vacation to recharge your batteries. Ideally, something involving a plane! The type that you are hard to reach by phone or email – intentionally.

Now, let’s be very clear, taking this time of self-care is as essential as getting a good night’s rest, eating the best food and turning off your phone to spend time with loved ones each night. You must take that time! Your business will thank you for it, as well as your own wellbeing.

But, because of the longevity of the time away, it does take some level of preparedness. It isn’t a lot of steps, but these are a few essential ones that get you organized and not leave your clients worried. These are basics that work no matter the business model.

STEP 1: Give Notice to your Clients.

The last thing you should be doing is turning on your Vacation Reply and letting your client know that way. I am hopeful that this is common sense. The more notice you can give the client, the better. Now, not saying you give them 6 months notice – unless it is a sabbatical – but at least four weeks should work. This allows you both time to prioritize the tasks that need to be handled, work ahead (be it scheduling during that period for social media, getting projects closed out or any other task that might need looking at during that time you are away).

STEP 2: Do you need coverage while away?

So, while you are going through your to-do list and your client is asking questions, the thought may cross your mind to have a backup person just to help filter the 911 emergencies while you are away. Consider this, make sure it is someone you trust or knows how to handle your business – be it a person you connected within a FB group who has a similar model or you could bite the bullet and hire a VA so that when you come back from your vacation, you could start those scaling up plans you had! They could help monitor your Social Media, make sure that emails are prioritized and help be a relay between you and clients (therefore you aren’t bothered while gone!)

The added benefit is that your clients will feel more secure while gone, knowing you have a second set of eyes on their accounts. Food for thought!

STEP 3: Make sure you still have your own presence covered!

With working ahead and doing the prep work for your clients, you must not forget to review your own goals. While you are on vacation, it doesn’t mean your own business stops working. There are some things that can be put on autopilot. For example, writing ahead on some blogs for your website, you can have them written – edited – and scheduled out on your website automatically. 

Then there is the obvious option of social media schedulers. There are more and more options out there (some we have covered in our blog before!) to help you not only load and schedule, but also some new ones out there can also help with your Google My Business Page. 

Same as the steps you take to build your content calendar each month, take the care to select the content that will keep your engagement up (in case you decide to keep everything on autopilot without help while you are gone).

These tools are there to support you – allow you to format your content to load the way you like it – and post when they are supposed to. Use these tools to their best advantage and you will have a large part of your business off your mind.

STEP 4: Passive income options? If you have been thinking – would this make sense to implement while you are gone?

Have you thought about writing a E-Book with all the tips and tricks you have learned? Have you considered linking up some of your content to affiliate links so that there is a trickle of income still coming in based on just what you have put out there? 

If these have been on your mind, maybe while you are in this last push to prepare for vacation, you could implement some small items like these to keep your engagement/name out there in a different way while you are on a beach somewhere, and in some cases make a small commission in the process!

STEP 5: GO on that VACATION! Get your Bags Packed!

So you have done all these things (and possibly more!) to prepare for vacation – but you must remember to also have in your calendar your to-do list to go on vacation – checking your passport, getting a list of names that can check your home while you are gone, the list of clothes you need while away (unless it is to a private beach, you may need a few more things than that bathing suit), and arranging the transportation to your flight in need be.

You will feel so much better having these written down as you get closer to the date of departure because you will cross off the items done and you will be rest assured that you have done everything in your power to prepare that you can now just go and relax – take in the sights and recharge your batteries!

Now, there are many other ways to get you and your clients prepared for this vacation, but just remember… you deserve this break and in order to keep growing and learning, the time away is very important! Enjoy it! Take tons of pictures! This will keep you motivated until you start this process again for the next time.