How Freelancers Can Protect Revenue During the Coronavirus Pandemic

It's all over the news. The Coronavirus pandemic is causing, and rightly so, several business and organizations to pause, postpone, or even outright cancel events.

This is important to help flatten the curve of the pandemic spread in relation to our health care systems to keep up with the demands of the outbreak. 

However, if you're a service in the gig economy it can be a tough time. Especially when much of your income may rely on events or large gatherings of people. For example, an Uber driver who does a lot of business near an airport, or a musician who performs regularly at live events in local/regional clubs.

These are workers who's daily income is greatly affected by the canceling of events. However, they may also be some of the most at risk to contract the virus if they put themselves needlessly in the middle of such gatherings.

It's important to be safe and stay home for a period of time if at all possible, but that can make it tough for freelancers to earn a full living. 

This is why it makes sense for freelancers and other gig economy workers to diversify their revenue streams. Sole reliance on one income stream that requires being in-person with large groups of people or similar situations clearly limits an individual's ability to earn when that method is taken away.

This is where it makes sense for freelancers to offer several online services that can help bring in revenue without the need to be in-person.

Here are some ideas:

• Create an online course for your area of expertise use Udemy or Teachable to deliver them
  
• Bring a live event, like a music concert to your fans via Facebook Live streaming, and sell online merchandise and collected tips via a PayPal link during the “show.”
• Can you teach live online?   Provide 1 on 1 coaching, consulting or private lessons via Zoom.
  
• Online video and podcasting - get sponsors/advertisers who would pay to reach your audience.
  
• What other marketable skills do you have that could be shared as an online service? Things like…

1. ​Social Media Marketing services
   
2. Graphic Design services
   
3. Marketing/content writing services
   
4. Website development services

​You can start easily freelancing your services on a platform like Fiverr.

Need more resources during this Coronavirus pandemic?  Check out this post.