Way back in March 2020, coronavirus was first declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation. Almost 18 months later, after three national lockdowns, with over 60 million vaccines given, Freedom Day officially arrived in England on the 19th July. Whilst coronavirus has not disappeared overnight, with many places still making masks mandatory, and with the vaccine rollout still ongoing, it does seem that normality is finally coming back, and with that gives new opportunities for freelancers.
Weddings can go on without restriction. Gigs can restart. The hospitality industry can fully open. And hopefully, with all these changes, businesses will get back to normal. The coronavirus pandemic gave mixed results for freelancers, with some sadly struggling, while others had never been busier. Now that it’s all change again, here at Dinghy HQ we’ve put together some ideas on how to get back to freelancing in a post-lockdown world.
Contact previous clients
Before you start the rather laborious task of trawling through the internet for new work, facing competition from other freelancers in your field, it’s worth contacting your old clients. You may have had some work cut over lockdown, as projects were suspended and costs cut. It might be worth giving them a few weeks to get back on their feet, but many businesses will be looking for ways they can bounce back. Get in touch with them and let them know you are available for work, they might just have something in the pipeline that you are perfect for.
The current climate may also work to your advantage, as some businesses may elect to outsource work as opposed to hiring full-time employees, especially with the furlough scheme being set to end for good in September. Head to our blog on how to win back old clients for more tips.
Update your skillset
Did you pick up any new skills over lockdown? And we don’t mind shifting from a ballet dancer to a career in cyber.
Many of us were bored over lockdown, and while some of us spent our free time binging everything on Netflix (we aren’t judging), some of you picked up new hobbies, including the likes of photography, languages and coding. If you picked up a new skill that could add value (consider your field, baking the best banana bread probably won’t get you extra work), then make sure you shout about it on your CV and website. It could result in extra work, or you could look at charging a higher rate due to your added expertise.
Book a holiday
The last year has been a fairly stressful time for all freelancers, whether you’ve had money worries or been inundated with work. Everyone needs a break, and that’s no different for freelancers. Get a week off scheduled in, get your out of office on and have some time not thinking (or worrying) about work. You may still feel unsafe going abroad, or just don’t want to risk travelling abroad and the country changing from a green to amber or red, so instead you could opt for a UK break, or even stay at home and plan a few activities around your local area. Camping can also be great fun (and light on the wallet).
Update your schedule
If your working hours have changed over lockdown, perhaps due to childcare needs changing, or you’ve reviewed your priorities you should make sure you’ve noted down your working hours. You could let your clients know, by updating your email signature, your social media, or your website. And if you notice you have extra availability – there’s no harm in popping a post out on social media to try and pick up more work.
Sort your freelancer insurance
If you are already a Dinghy customer who’s been out of work, don’t forget to hit the unpause button on your insurance when work starts up again. And if you don’t currently have freelancer insurance, why not get a quote with Dinghy? Whether you need professional indemnity, public liability, business equipment cover, or all of the above, Dinghy insurance has been designed specifically for freelancers.
With Dinghy, you can simply hit the pause button if you are out of work, for example, a global pandemic, or hopefully, just for a holiday. All policies also come with Freelancer Assist, to assist you if you have an unpaid invoice or HMRC enquiry. Get a quote in seconds here.
