Do you feel like you can’t get away from updates about the Coronavirus pandemic? It’s exhausting. However, I couldn’t post any other content on this blog without addressing it first.

It’s a scary time to be a freelancer, but all is not lost. Recently, I found comfort in this quote:

“Never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it’s an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.” – Rahm Emanuel

That’s what inspired me to write this post. I’m not here to tell you that you need to be super productive with all the time you have on your hands while social distancing.

I’m not pressuring you to do the greatest work you’ll ever do in your lifetime. This whole situation is stressful and we’re all feeling it. However, what I do know is that now is not the time to give up on your freelance business. 

No matter where you are in your freelance career, there are things you can do to keep making progress. In this post, I’ve put together some tips and resources to help you do just that. Keep reading to discover what you can do to move your business forward during this pandemic. 

Freelancing During Coronavirus? Take These Steps To Keep Your Business Going

1. Evaluate your skills

There are tons of free courses available online to help you brush up your skills. This is a great time to take a closer look at what you need to learn to grow your business.

For newbie freelancers this could mean:

Learning more about the service you want to offer. (ex: writing, design, photography).

Taking a course on how to start a business.

For more advanced freelancers this could mean:

Learning a new skill that you could start offering to your clients

Take a few moments to think about what would benefit you the most. Don’t try to take on everything at once though. Choose one or two skills you want to develop and commit to taking action on that. 

Psssttt…I have a free course on how to launch a freelance writing business. You can grab it right here. 

2. Audit your processes 

During this time of change and distraction, it’s more important than ever to look at your existing processes. Inefficiency and wasted time = less income. That’s never a good thing, but right now it could make or break your business.

That’s why you need to take a closer look at what you’re doing and ask yourself:

What activities are moving your business forward?

Is there anything you can do that will help you get work done faster?

What IS working for you right now? How can you do more of that? 

Answer these questions to figure out the next best step to move your business forward. 

3. Pinpoint your clients’ needs

If you’re already working as a freelancer or trying to start a business remotely, you may be missing the full impact of this crisis.

That’s not your fault.

I can tell you that I always work remotely. So, this whole thing hasn’t been as jarring for me as it is for some others, but the companies you work with or the clients you want?

They’re struggling. They’ve had to re-evaluate everything.

So pushing forward with business as usual isn’t working for them and it probably won’t work for you. 

Take time to determine what your clients actually need and how you can make your services relevant to your clients right now. 

Figuring out what THEY need and how you can be an asset to them is key. 

4. Rely on your own brain

Your clients and potential clients are just as overwhelmed as you are.

However, if you can present them with relevant ideas, you’ll get more work.

Don’t wait for new or existing clients to hand you work.  Instead, think about what you can bring to the table.

Can you write a blog post that’s can help your clients connect with customers? Can you take some extra tasks off your client’s plate that they aren’t used to doing?

Be proactive here. Put effort into generating unique ideas that can benefit your clients. 

5. Keep marketing

Selling and marketing your business may feel like the last thing you want to do right now.

I get it.

But, you have to keep marketing for two reasons.

First, clients DO need you. 

Every business is going through a period of change because of this crisis.

If you position yourself as the solution to help them navigate this time, you’ll get the gig.

There are TONS of ways that you can approach this, but I think that two things are key here.

Acknowledge that this is a trying time. In your marketing, showcase how what you do can help potential clients get through this.

Increase the volume of your marketing. More pitches. More Linkedin connection requests. Whatever you do, do it now more than ever. It’s not the time to slow down. 

Freelancers have to market all. the. time. That doesn’t change. What will have to change is the way that you’re marketing to your clients.

If you want to learn more about marketing your freelance biz, check out these freelance marketing mistakes you should avoid. 

6. Be cautiously creative 

Being in business right now is going to require a bit of creativity but that doesn’t mean that you should go off the rails. 

Don’t start offering a service you’re clueless about or don’t like to make cash.

Don’t invest in ads, tools, or courses if you are only purchasing them because you think “trying something new” will save your biz. 

You can use this time to experiment and focus on improvement but now is not the time to just throw things at the wall and see what sticks. 

Don’t let fear and panic lead you to the wrong business decisions

Instead, make creative and informed decisions that feel right to you. 

7. Stay healthy

If you take anything from this post, let it be this.

Stay healthy and I don’t just mean wash your hands. (But also, please wash your hands). 

If you get sick, your business will feel the impact and nothing is more important than your health.

COVID-19 is obviously the main concern, but this pandemic can also negatively affect your health in other ways.

Make sure you’re doing the best you can do. Eating well, exercising, sleeping and taking breaks.

You have to put your health before your business.

If you’re not taking care of yourself mentally and physically, your business won’t survive this time.

However, if you prioritize your health above everything else, you’ll put yourself and your business in a good position today and in the future. 

I know there are so many people struggling right now and I’m devastated for many reasons. One that keeps coming to mind is all the small business owners struggling to sustain their livelihoods during this time.

I’m taking my own advice and doing everything I’ve shared with you in this post to stay healthy and keep my business going. I hope that this post can also play a small role in helping you get through this time and keep your freelance business going. 

Are you feeling the impact of COVID-19 on your business? Do you have more questions about freelancing during Coronavirus? Let me know below.