Hey, freelancer, how you doing? Times are tough right now, and the future might seem uncertain. Nice deep breath. Here are some tips on how you can go about finding freelance work during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis…

First, check in with your existing client base

Your first port of call should be the contacts you already have good relationships with. Make an effort to check in with them, see how they’re doing, chat about their latest projects and you never know, there might have been some work waiting there for you the whole time (with a little prompt).

Even if there isn’t any immediate work for you to jump on right away, touching base is a great way to remind them that you’re there if they need you further down the line.

Update your CV and portfolio

Now is the perfect time to give things like portfolios, CVs and showreels a refresh. Update them with your latest work as this is the stuff any prospective clients are going to be interested in.

As time goes on, your work develops, so you need to make sure you’re showcasing the best possible version of yourself to stay ahead.

Offer your services up pro bono

Cashflow is a pain-point for a majority of businesses right now so you could always do a good deed and offer some complimentary services on a temporary basis.

This works a lot like the Netflix free trial – you enjoy something at no cost for a while and then quickly realise you can’t live without it. So much so, you’re happy to then proceed by investing your hard-earned cash into it.

Basically, what we’re saying is that a little sacrifice now could lead to much bigger gains further down the line.

Show that you’re future-proof and embracing the ‘new normal’

With unprecedented situations comes an unnerving wave of uncertainty that a vast majority of the world’s population is dealing with right now. Existing clients and anybody you work with going forward is going to want to know that you can help them through this transition and evolve with them and their business’ needs.

This is going to look a little different for everybody so deal with it on a project-by-project basis but just show that you are willing and able to be flexible and reactive in ways which will suit them.

Use any spare time to upskill yourself

It’s a given that whilst the world still adapts and copes with the crisis, your appointment book is going to be looking a little more sparse than you’d like. There are two important things to remember here:

There will be hundreds of thousands of people in the same boat as you – you aren’t alone.

With every cloud comes a silver lining…

In this case, the silver lining is the luxury of more spare time and therefore, the opportunity to invest time and energy into learning new skills and developing what you can offer. This will allow you to expand your service(s) with both new and transferrable skills.

Take up an online course, practice something until it becomes perfect, delve into the world of YouTube tutorials, attend an online workshop – spend your downtime wisely. We know that finding the motivation is difficult during times of stress. Take it a bit at a time, and stay safe.

Are you a freelancer trying to navigate the Coronavirus economic climate? Share your experiences with us and other readers just like you by joining the conversation on social media via the links below.