I panicked when I lost my job earlier this year. The current jobs market is not exactly stellar amidst COVID-19 and the resulting recession. In the last few months, though, I’ve grown my freelance business from a side-hustle to a sustainable, full-time source of income. I love it and can’t see myself returning to traditional employment.

Contrary to understandable fears, 2020 does not have to be a terrible time for freelancers. Here are four strategies that have helped me find freelance clients during this period of recession. Feel free to use them to find yours.

Join a networking group

Many business networking groups are meeting online during the pandemic. I joined a regional group that hosts weekly Speed Networking sessions via Zoom, and have gained one regular client and several one-off jobs. Check out large organizations like Business Networking International, look for relevant meetings on Eventbrite, or use LinkedIn and Facebook to find smaller groups in your region.

Visit a few groups to see which one works for you. Many will let you attend as a guest for free before you commit to joining.

Expand your focus: think global

One of the biggest mistakes freelance writers make is only targeting prospective clients in their backyard. Thanks to the internet, you can theoretically work for anyone in the world as long as you share a common language. So cast your net wider!

I found my first international client using Gumtree Freelance Jobs, and that has led directly to referrals to clients as far away as Australia and Thailand. You can also use LinkedIn job alerts, job boards like Glassdoor, freelancing sites like Upwork, and the amazing Freelance Writing Jobs website and newsletter to find clients globally. Don’t forget to set your search parameters appropriately.

Go hyper-local

On the other side of the coin, your immediate local area can be lucrative. If there is a local newspaper or magazine, even one distributed for free, see if they accept pitches. I recently landed a gig writing for the free ad circular in my town, simply by sending them a brief introductory email letting them know that I was a local writer open for work. The rate of pay was surprisingly good.

Here are some strategies that have helped freelancers I know to find local work:

– Place an ad in a local newspaper.
– Ask your local business-owning friends if they need your services (or know anyone who does).
– Which local businesses do you patronize regularly? Leave your business card with the owner, and ask if they’ll let you put a flyer up on their noticeboard.
– Send an introductory email to businesses in your town. Explain what you do, how you can help them, and invite them to get in touch for a no-obligation quote.

Without devaluing your services, consider offering a small discount or introductory offer for local businesses that have been adversely impacted by COVID-19.

Share your skills in online workshops

I recently taught my first online workshop on self-editing skills, and it was huge fun as well as lucrative. Do you have a skill you can teach? If so, why not organize a class?

I partnered with a local writing studio to run my virtual class. But if you do not have such an entity in your area, you can do it by yourself. This is a useful resource on how to run an online writing workshop. I recommend Zoom as an easy-to-use, affordable platform. Eventbrite is great for selling tickets, contacting participants, and collecting payment.

The great thing about developing a class or course? You only have to create the materials once, but you can teach it again and again.

Whatever strategies you use, I wish you the best of luck. We’ll get through this!

Bio:
Jess Amy Dixon is a British freelance writer and editor. She’s passionate about helping her clients achieve their goals through the power of the written word. She has won prizes for short fiction and is currently working on her PhD at the University of Winchester and trying to finish her first novel. When she’s not writing you can probably find her knitting, reading, or sipping coffee. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @JessAmyWrites. Her email is jessamywrites@gmail.com – https://jessamywrites.com/