During the holiday season (in my country, it starts with the New Year, because our Christmas is two weeks later than in the Western world), I have turned the Vacation Mode on Fiverr on, so I could relax during the holidays. It's a scary thing to do: when I come back, will I get any orders? Where will my gigs position in the search? Will my business be ruined? It's been less than 24 hours after turning the Vacation Mode off, I have no orders, and I'm worried a bit.
It's scary. Then again, being a freelancer can be scary. And fun. And great.
I've already used the Vacation Mode in September 2014, when I spent some time with my family in another country. That's how I know that sales can be slow after coming back. It's normal. Knowing it's normal doesn't make it any less scary, though, not when you also know that nothing in the freelancing work is certain (although, there's no true safety with the 9-to-5 job, either). The best a freelancer can do is be patient, try not to feel too scared, and be active.
Being active, or advertising, whichever way you want to look at it. No matter how you call it, it may include blogging (in my case here, and possibly a mention someplace else), social media activity, forum activity, possibly changing the Fiverr gigs a bit (keywords, new extras, description change) or adding new ones... Advertising experts would tell you all about targeted marketing, too, but I'm no marketing expert, I'm just a storyteller. What I can tell you is that, whatever you do, you shouldn't spam; spamming is rude, annoying, and harms your business.
If my previous experience with the Fiverr Vacation Mode means anything, it takes some time for the sales to start again after coming back, but they do start again. Old clients seek the freelancers they were satisfied with, and the new clients come, too, as long as the ratings are good and the work is of good quality.
It takes some (scary!) time, but the sales definitely come back.
