It's pretty much a given that you've run across the concept of agility as it relates to large corporations creating or modifying their policies, procedures, processes, and best practices. In loose terms, agility references the ability to continuously tweak a business model in response to changes in technology, the marketplace, customer demand—or any other dynamic that might impact the viability of the business.
As a freelancer, you should (and could) operate along the same lines.
With the knowledge and experience you've gathered in your field, have you ever considered teaching others about it? Master classes are all the rage these days. So, spin a little mastery of your own. Here are a few reasons why you might consider it.
You haven't gotten this far in your career without internally storing a huge cache of data. This compilation likely qualifies you as a subject matter expert (SME). Whether you're a self-employed graphic designer or small business consultant, you can regale an interested party with visual and spoken concepts, facts, and figures related to your industry.
In those figurative hills or data mounds, there's also a cache of gold if you know where to dig. Supplementing your income with virtual classes hinges on your ability to find customers who are willing to pay for your time and expertise. And personal fulfillment goals and financial rewards could pile up.
Until the economy returns to some semblance of its former self, you may need to find a way to supplement your main source of income. The ongoing pandemic has many companies trimming budgets and in some instances, closing their doors. The economic pain rippling throughout the world has made its way to much of the freelance community.
But, like large corporations, you can find ways to press on. And the solution might be easy and inexpensive to launch and market. Depending on the level of your knowledge and comfort in the online classroom, the income you've been missing could be partially or completely restored through instructing individuals on coding or software development, as examples.
It's not easy to find folks who can convert their industry aptitude to clear, concise, and engaging online content. A fitness instructor may be really proficient with targeting fat burn and facilitating muscle gain but the thought of recording it all on video may be a turn-off. Some people just prefer the practical aspect of their gig over visually displaying it all for a specific audience.
Yet, if you don't mind presenting the occasional PowerPoint or had previously thought about teaching in the classroom, now might be the perfect time to see how you fare by giving it a shot and monetizing it all. To get started, most startup educators need to find some prospective clients, gauge the market for virtual classes, film a few demos, and bounce your finished work off a willing audience before seeing any meaningful earnings. From there, a flair for the visual arts combined with technical expertise might quickly yield a decent chunk of change.
You may be one of those people who roll up into a big ball of anxiety when required to speak in front of groups or individuals. Maybe the topics in school were things you didn't really care to learn about— let alone speak about. You'd be surprised to discover, by contrast, how comfortable you can get in front of the camera when the subject is something in which you're well-versed.
And guess what? Your SME doesn't necessarily have to relate to your line of work. You might be passionate about cycling, hiking, nutrition, music, cooking... you get the idea. V-logging or instructing on hobbies and pastimes lets you express your views as no one has expressed them before. Seeing a well-polished performance take shape is pretty cool, too.
You might have some doubts about your very first take, but here's the good news: the more you learn and orate, the better you get with tackling nerves, developing content, and expressing concepts. Often, a customer will have a very specific need, describing in detail exactly what they want to take away from your classes. And if you feel a little hazy on speeches and presentations, there are apps and guides that provide help on the subject until you shake off those cobwebs.
Then comes the second tier of review. You have a built-in audience in terms of family or co-workers who will give you some honest feedback. Perhaps a video content strategist can help improve all aspects of your digital lessons by providing constructive criticism and positive reinforcement. And those synergies make for lasting relationships in the freelance world.
So, if you've been experiencing some downward trends in the amount of work received from regular clients, diversifying into the constructing online lessons may help you fill in some of those gaps. Fiverr is a great place to launch and execute your educational endeavors.
As it's often been said, nothing ventured, nothing gained. But, you can always pivot should you decide to give master classes a whirl. You can turn to Fiverr for a vast amount of resources on how to kick off the effort— and how to succeed.
