Futureproof your business, ready for life after lockdown

There’s no denying that the way all of us work has changed drastically in the last few months. And whilst there’s concern among many freelancers and contractors about opportunities drying up due to the ongoing Coronavirus threat, any time between a contract marks an opportunity to plan for the future. With this in mind, here are some simple ways to help you market your services, earn more, remain sought after and futureproof your freelance business.

Establish your goals

It might seem tricky right now to say for certain where your career is going, but this could be a good time to map out everything you want to accomplish in the future and work out how to get there. In order to do this, it may be helpful to assess your successes and failures to date before making a plan. Think about what you’re good at, what you enjoy doing, what has worked well so far and what hasn’t. Use this information to help you to break up your business plan into manageable and realistic goals. 

Learn a new skill

Keeping your skill set fresh and up to date is crucial to attract the right clients, command higher day-rates and futureproof your business. But in these uncertain times, upskilling is perhaps more of a challenge. However, there are ways you can learn something new remotely – if you’re looking to improve your skillset, you’ll find some ideas here. 

Save for a rainy day

Regardless of your industry or line of work, it’s likely that you’ll have experienced peaks and troughs in demand at some point, so you’ll probably be familiar with the importance of having a financial safety net. If possible, aim to tuck away at least three months of savings in case of emergencies. This should help to alleviate any concerns during quiet periods and ensure you stay afloat.

Reach out to others

Now could be a good time to reach out to other freelancers and contractors to build relationships for the future and find opportunities to collaborate. If you’re unsure where to start, consider getting in touch with your existing LinkedIn network or, check Eventbrite, as many previously face-to-face events are now operating digitally. 

If you’re looking for additional support during this period, don’t hesitate to contact Parasol’s Best Advice team, who are more than happy to answer any questions you might have about your working practices and the COVID-19 help available to you.