The Christmas aisles have already turned up at the department stores to remind us that the holidays are approaching sooner than we’d probably like. The holidays can bring a decrease in workload for many freelancers, so why not start early in preparing to fill up those slow days?

Here are a few ways to increase business around the holidays:

Plan to launch a holiday card marketing campaign.

Your cold calls might go unanswered. Your sales letters might go unread. But most everyone opens holiday cards! Purchase some cards ahead of time and plan to fill them with an invitation to try your freelance services. A discount coupon always makes a nice holiday gift and an added incentive for a prospective client to try you out.

Take advantage of goals for the new year.

A new year means new financial goals for businesses. Tap into that 2008 budget by letting prospective clients know how you can help them save money or otherwise reach their goals for the coming year.

How’s your workload this holiday season? If you need to find more work, how are you going about it?