Here’s what you can do to adapt as a freelancer in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic.
It’s pandemonium everywhere.
The Coronavirus pandemic has created a disruption in the freelance market. For some freelancers, that meant more gigs coming in. For some, it meant unreturned phone calls/emails.
We all know uncertainty is part of a freelancer’s life. But so is adaptability and innovation. This is the purpose of this article. To share things that will help freelancers shift and realign with demands.
The question is how do you keep up with all the chances and earn more? I have collated tips and ideas from some freelancers I know. They share on how to utilize this time well and avoid going down under.
Learn about coronavirus and offer services in your field to clients
Inyang Enyeneabasi, Animator.
The best thing to do is to adapt to changing demands. A lot of content will be needed for questions about the pandemic. Your usual gigs may not work but you can learn about coronavirus and offer services in your field to clients based on that.
Teach people what you know.
Not everyone has this so you can offer an opt-in. Offer value at a reduced price. Some ideas are a blogging class, content curation or beginner writer class.
It is best to offer classes at this time because a lot of people have time on their hands to learn new skills and you have enough time to offer this.
You can create an online course and sell on platforms like Teachable or HotMart or your website.
It is easier to find students for your online courses if you have a mailing list. You can build your email list by posting a copy of what you do on social media platforms with the option for prospective clients or students to fill a form that gives access to the premium value. Another way to get people on your email list is to create an e-product and give it away for free. If you already have steady subscribers, you can sell it to earn some income.
You should also leverage on the community and network you’ve built to find new clients and opportunities.
Do research, find big problems, deliver hard solutions.
Teka Thompson. Content Marketer.
Consider this time as the best time to take a pause, think, innovate, and work on better projects.
I think the first thing freelancers can do is adapt. Changes are constant. Only the ones that adapt and are flexible stay through them. For this particular change, freelancers would benefit more from getting their portfolios online.
Let the world be able to access what you’ve done before, and what you’re doing right now.
Talk more about your craft online, go professional with it, set up accounts in relevant online platforms, and get in the same room with a lot of people already online.
Build your portfolio. Research on topics and content in your niche, and use the time you have to build a cornerstone content or idea.
Do research, find big problems, deliver hard solutions. Clients would be better convinced to pay you well when they see how brilliant your solutions to their problems are. Use Google Alerts to stay updated on problems businesses are facing and send cold emails with solutions. Try to hold back a bit so that prospective clients will have to reach out to you. It is important to not put a full bait out for things like this.
Take time to re-brand/ brand your freelancing. Customers tend to take you more seriously when they see how seriously you take yourself.
Get a logo, invest in a website (start with Wordpress free packages)and set up a Waveapps account so you can send your clients better invoices and estimates for your work.
When the world gets back on its feet, and it will, let it meet a different you.
Offer them value, then offer them your business
Goodness Adekpe, Graphic designer.
The current situation will compel more people to come into the freelancer market, into the freelancer field.
Businesses need employees who are adept at working remotely. Freelancers have been used to this playing field for quite some time.
You should reach out to businesses and get them to see how your services can help them continue to operate and grow. Offer them discounts and deals so that they will buy in. Let the discounts be situation or time-bound.
Doing this is easier when you already have an online portfolio.
The first step is getting yourself out there now more than ever. Develop and publish content that is relevant to the times and take deliberate steps to ensure that it engages people. People with vital information offer more value and that value will be appreciated.
As a writer, you could publish articles teaching people how to start off their writing career. They have been forced to stay home. They now have time. Offer them this value, then offer them your business.
Make sure to maintain excellence in content, in results, and in delivery.
Try to find a new angle on trending topics
Kehinde Ogunyale, Machine Learning Engineer.
Freelancing in uncertain times could be bad and it could be good. Most people will create content based on the pandemic. You should do so too but on the positive rather than the negative.
Try to find a new angle on topics. Do the opposite. This is an opportunity to show the world how creative you can be in your writing.
All these are just ideas. They will only work when you take them and put them in your own context. The situation the pandemic has created could be your greatest opportunity yet.
