How To Find New Income Sources as a Freelancer During the Corona Crisis
Where to creatively market yourself and how to spin up new offerings
Photo by Bench Accounting on Unsplash
How are you feeling? Scared? How has this current crisis affected you and your family and friends? I hear people say that they know someone who has it or people losing their jobs or company to this seemingly invisible force emptying our streets.
To be honest, I’m scared. And not necessarily about getting the disease, but because I can infect someone older or in bad health if I get it. I’m also scared that the liberties we’ve achieved over the last few decades are shifting or have completely disappeared — within days or weeks, depending on where you live.
The park and street in front of my house in Amsterdam are usually bustling with people, bikes, and trams. It’s quiet now. People wait at the bus stop at an appropriate distance.
Simple things like having dinner with friends and going to the pub or the cinema belong to the past (for now, at least). I’ve always felt grateful for these activities, but now it has a completely different meaning.
As a freelancer, I’ve already lost clients — about 80% of my income in a matter of days. I worked in the airline industry so I was already preparing myself for the worst-case scenario. However, there’s always a bright light at the end of the tunnel, and for me, that’s creativity. Creativity is the most powerful energy coming to the surface, along with compassion.
Besides taking care of yourself and each other, now is the time to be creative.
Keep a Creative Mindset
Work with what you’ve got. As a freelance writer, you have a certain set of skills at your disposal. Use them. How can you help? How can you jump on the bandwagon of new opportunities?
The story you tell yourself every day will determine how you cope with this crisis. I was gutted that I lost my biggest client (to put it mildly). The negative news and the reality of the situation kicked in hard last week. It’s OK to feel that.
People all over the world are homebound, lethargic, scared, and anxiously waiting for whatever the outcome of this is and how long it will take. Allow yourself to feel that, you’re human.
You can turn this into an opportunity. Be creative. Be positive. Reconnect with yourself and others in new ways. If you’re still allowed outside, go into nature. Rest, reflect, and think.
I FaceTimed with a friend last week. We both love hanging out with friends and going out for dinner or to the pub — we hate that we can’t do that anymore. Within 24 hours, he turned that depressing thought into a positive one. He asked himself, how can I bring people together in these times?
This friend hosts games at companies, in pubs, anywhere. With people being homebound, this was a challenge. So he decided to set up a digital pub, including a pub quiz. He’s developing a way to host poetry and fiction nights online where authors can read their work virtually. He’ll make videos for people with games, game instructions, and tips, anything. All will be available online.
Creative people will lead the way. From the students who offer to babysit for healthcare workers to the yuppies who get groceries for their elderly neighbors. To the restaurant owners who build outside bars to sell coffee and beer to go and to the gyms who offer workouts online.
Pivot. Look for opportunities and help out. Past hurdles will dissolve. People do the impossible in mere days.
Creative Ways to Find New Sources of Income
What are you good at? What skills do you have that can help people in these times? Start from there. What you were doing before the crisis may still be applicable, but perhaps to different industries. I know of wedding videographers who are now filming Crossfit videos.
Based on what I’ve seen other people do and what I’m trying to do, here are some ideas to get you going.
Leverage your skills to other industries
Besides writing, I work as an online marketeer, copywriter, concept/business developer, and business strategist. I did all this for my previous employer in the airline industry.
Now what? In the last few days, I’ve approached a museum to help them build an online presence. I created a business case and presentation that I’ll present next week. This is something the museum industry does anyway. And now is the time I can do it for them.
The lesson here is to apply your skillset to other industries. While some industries plummet, others are rising. People seek distraction and entertainment, get into that.
Consider freelancing websites
If you’ve never tried this before, now is the time. Head over to fiverr.com or freelancer.com to sell your skills. Any extra gig is welcomed, right?
These websites allow you to market your skills to anyone and they take a cut from your fee. Who knows where this could lead?
Market your skills online
I built my entire freelance business on my network. Let people know that you’re looking for employment or a new freelance gig. Broadcast your skills, be creative, and stand out. People will remember you when the time is right. Put a message on all of your social media accounts from Instagram to LinkedIn.
Don’t stop there. Here in Amsterdam, there’s a freelancer support group on Facebook that’s booming right now. People help each other out. People post short requests and people post what they can offer. Find those groups and sell yourself and your skills.
Turn to that dream project you always wanted to pursue
Do you have some project ideas waiting on the shelf? Ideas that were too big daunting or haven’t come to fruition because you were busy. Use the extra time you have now to pursue these projects.
I’m developing an online course in short story writing. It’s been over six months since I started. It’s a lot of work and I never had the time or energy to get to it. Within three days I’ve made immense progress. I might be able to launch the course this month!
If you have a financial cushion, take some time to build upon your ideas: a side hustle you wanted to start, a book you wanted to write, a recipe book you wanted to compile. Go do it!
Offer your face-to-face skills digitally
If you’re in the consulting, teaching, or coaching business and you’ve never done anything online before, now is the time. Offer your services via Skype or Zoom and charge per half hour or hour.
Promote your services in Facebook groups and on Reddit or Quora. Tell your friends about it. Put it on your LinkedIn profile.
I’m considering offering one-on-one fiction writing sessions. It would perfectly supplement my book and course on the subject.
Rest, reflect, plan
Make a plan for when this will blow over (it will, only we don’t know when). Where do you want to be as a freelancer or small business owner? Spot opportunities for when society returns to the streets and normal life.
Take this time to rest. Walk outside (while you can), exercise, meditate and read.
Take time to think about your path. Are you happy with your situation? Do you like what you’re doing? Do you have any dreams you haven’t given attention to? How do you want to grow personally and professionally?
Learn a new skill
Perhaps your skill set has become slightly redundant in these times. Maybe you can take the opportunity to learn something new. Head over to udemy.com or coursera.org.
Have you always wanted to learn how to play the piano? Follow an online course and get yourself a keyboard to start.
Do you want to see if you can realize that app idea? Learn to code and see if you can build it.
It’s all about spotting the opportunities.
Let’s help each other
How are you doing? What challenges is your business facing? Let me know in the comments below. Perhaps we can help each other.
Do you have something to offer and you’re looking for new clients, put it in the comments! (If Medium allows that, I don’t know).
Do you need skilled freelancers for your business? Post what you need below.
Do you have any other recommendations or resources that may help? You know what to do.
I call all business owners and freelancers to unite in these times and help each other. We can withstand this crisis together only to rise from it stronger when it passes. Gaining new perspectives and re-evaluating everything we used to know and do.
Want to work together?
Besides writing short stories and blogs, I offer my marketing and communication skills to companies as a freelancer.
With 9+ years of experience in marketing, communication, and copywriting, I offer my services to businesses.
