How to Market Your Creative Business When You’re Burnt Out

If you run a creative business, maybe you're a copywriter, designer, marketer, or photographer, you're probably very good at helping other people show up online. It's your job, after all.

But when it comes to promoting your own business? Suddenly, it’s a different story. It’s not that you don’t know how to do it. You’ve got the strategy, the knowledge, the ideas. You’re doing it brilliantly all day long… just not for yourself. 

Because by the time you finish your client work, the well is dry. Your brain has the consistency of porridge. Your last bit of creative energy was spent writing content for someone else.

And that’s okay. You're not doing anything wrong. You're only human.

But if you want your own business to keep growing, you do need to keep showing up to some degree, even in a small way - so here are a few gentle ways to do just that, even when you're running on creative fumes.

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When You Feel Embarrassed About Not Marketing Yourself

If we’re being honest, it’s not just burnout that stops us from showing up. Sometimes there’s embarrassment, too. A quiet shame that creeps in when your own feed is gathering dust, or your last blog post was three months ago. 

You’re the expert, aren’t you? The one who’s meant to have unlimited ideas, glossy posts and a buzzing online presence? So when your own channels go quiet, it can feel like you're not walking your talk, even if you're absolutely smashing it behind the scenes for clients. 

I often feel this way, and I know I’m not the only one. But the truth is that being good at what you do doesn’t mean you have to be operating at 100% all the time. Your value isn’t measured by how often you post and your worth definitely isn’t defined by your own marketing backlog.

So let’s get into some solutions.

Lower the bar: Easy Content Ideas When You’re Too Tired to Market Yourself

We tend to put a lot of pressure on ourselves to write something fresh, clever, insightful, strategic, engaging and perfect single every time.

But what if showing up didn’t have to be revolutionary? What if it could just be consistent?

Share a behind-the-scenes photo. Repost a testimonial. Reuse a snippet from a client project (with permission, of course). Drop a one-sentence thought into your Stories. Done.

It might not win awards, but it keeps the lights on. And while you’re feeling burnt out, that’s what matters.

Batch Your Marketing Content When Creativity Strikes

Take full advantage of the days when you do feel creatively energised. Draft a few social posts. Repurpose old content. Bank some ideas for future-you.

You don’t need to publish them straight away, just get them down while the energy’s there, and save them for later. You’ll thank yourself when you’re in a slump and still have something to post without needing to think about it.

Keep a Swipe File of Simple Content Ideas for Low-Energy Days

Not every piece of marketing has to be a full-on campaign with a lead magnet and a call to action. In fact, some of the best-performing content is often super simple.

Keep a running list of low-effort content ideas you can pull from when you’re tired. Things like:

• “3 quick things I helped a client with this week”

• A common question you get (and your answer)

• Something you saw this week that made you go “ugh” or “oooh”

• A reminder of what you do and who you do it for

When you’re burnt out, thinking of what to say is often harder than actually saying it, so taking that decision off your plate makes it a lot easier to put stuff out.

Automate Your Content Schedule to Stay Visible Without the Stress

A simple scheduling tool can take a lot off your mind. Even if it’s just one post a week that goes out without you having to think about it, that’s something.

But if you don’t manage to show up one week? That’s also fine. One quiet patch won’t break your business. Consistency is about the long game, and striving for constant perfection isn’t sustainable.

How to Treat Your Own Business Like a Client (and why it matters)

You probably give your clients all sorts of reminders, deadlines and encouragement to help them stay on track. Do the same for yourself!

Block out time for your own marketing. Put it in the calendar. Respect it like you would a client call. Or get a creative pal to check in with you once a week to give you a bit of friendly accountability.

And if you wouldn’t speak to a client the way you speak to yourself about ‘falling behind’? Be a bit kinder to yourself.

Marketing your own creative business when you're burnt out from doing it for others isn't easy, but it is possible. Stop aiming for perfect and start aiming for sustainable.

Show up in small ways, give yourself grace and remember: you don’t need to inspire the entire internet every time you post, you just need to connect with your audience. And that’s enough.

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Marketing your own creative business when you're burnt out from doing it for others isn't easy – but it is possible. Especially if you stop aiming for perfect and start aiming for sustainable.

Show up in small ways. Give yourself grace. And remember: you don’t need to inspire the internet every time you post – you just need to remind people you exist and how you can help.

That’s enough.

I'm Taylor, a freelance digital marketer based in Essex, and I'm passionate about empowering creatives, forward-thinkers, and dedicated business owners to shine online.

I believe in keeping things simple. No more DIY headaches or guesswork. Every project is carefully crafted to reflect your unique brand, personality, and vision. It’s not just about looking good either; everything I create is designed to engage, connect, and leave a lasting impact.

If you’re looking for someone to help you shoot and publish high-quality, authentic content for your website, YouTube channel or social media profiles, get in touch with me today!