Ever the optimist, I see the best in everything that happens, and after many weeks of clients calls, ongoing projects and networking, I would like to share some thoughts on the light at the end of the tunnel for freelancers, the self-employed and the small business and agency owners alike.
Without question, there are reports and evidence that business is slowly but surely starting back up, the timeline in which this happens is unknown as it’s not just our immediate surroundings that are required to kick start again, but the rest of the world needs to too.
Agencies, brands, companies large and small will all be seeing an influx of work and targets internally to start to recover business losses, and naturally, this will heavily land on the marketing departments to begin fuelling their online presence and catch up on lost time. This boom in work could result in increased pressure on marketing teams and managers, and so they might consider outsourcing for help to support their internal team (If they have one).
Hiring full-time staff is not always the best option, as outsourcing is less commitment and a much faster process. The cost offset is higher, but this outweighs the need to spend time interviewing, onboarding and training a new staff member. The internal cost in time and effort of this, compared to using a freelancer or small agency is not only more efficient but brings a whole new dynamic to their marketing department. The ability to dial-up or down the level of work offers a level of flexibility that would otherwise not be possible.
Without a doubt, one of the most common scenarios I see as a multidisciplinary designer is a need for new, bringing in fresh eyes, new talent and new thinking is hugely beneficial to current marketing teams as it ignites a new sense of passion and purpose. This injection can help break up the norm and flatline that can be common in some places, as doing what you know is comfortable and safe, but the world is ever-changing, now more than ever and so the need for fresh and new across all sectors is upon us.
The digital landscape has changed so much over the years, that marketing teams need to explore new mediums such as animation or film to reach new audiences, and capture people 3-second attention span as they overuse their thumb. A pandemic like this causes a shift in peoples buying habits and perceptions of the consumers are changing, local is the new king and peoples consciences on their environmental impact are much higher.
All these questions and theories result in a need for a new, and with the world starting to turn again, the economy will recover and so will the need for the freelance community to step in and do our part. In the meantime, rekindle old flames, (Not your ex. I mean old work contacts.) improve at least 1% across all aspects of your offering and business and invest time in yourself.
