I’ve been silent for a couple weeks thinking about what content might help the people who get this newsletter and instead of going the sentimental route I think one thing we’re all looking for is practical advice on how to go about work in the midst of this.

So what do you do if your clients suddenly put all projects on hold, let go of their freelancers, or freeze spendings?

Find out what their new priorities are.

Your clients have been trusting you with their old problems, and while these problems probably didn’t fully disappear, they got replaced by a bigger problem.

Consider chatting with them to gain perspective on their new priorities and to see if there’s a new way you could help them.

Maybe it’s how to reposition a product launch in the context of a pandemic.

Maybe it’s how to shift the visual style of their next campaigns to still life content.

Maybe it’s to empower their employees with productivity tools after staff reduction. 

However urgent their old problem was, the new one is more urgent or they’d still be focused on the old one. And you can either help them with the new problem or you can’t, but it’s worth asking.

Secondly, consider finding new clients who happen to be in a growth mindset. It sounds crazy right? Pause and think for a second. Considering the current business environment, what kind of businesses are spending money right now?

Here are some: Streaming services, Online gaming, Video communication software, delivery and ecommerce platforms, learning platforms. And the list goes on.

Once you have a few markets that interest you, work on finding out what they might need help with and the value you could provide. Instead of limiting your thinking to how exactly you’ve been working in the past, think about how you can engage in new ways.

This could lead to a new niche, or an innovative offer.

It looks like the old normal won’t return, so don’t hold your breath.

Start building your new normal.I hope you and yours are safe.

George Kroustallis // Minorstep