Well, we don’t have all the answers but we thought we’d at least put down some of our ideas to ensure some sort of business continuity for the creative sector throughout the coronavirus shutdown. For us, like many small businesses, the impact is going to be big. But, we had some time to plan earlier in the month and as a team, we all worked on what our scenario would be. We’re already working from home, we have edit suites running and we’re working well.
At the same time, we’ve already seen a surge in activity from certain key sectors which is already exciting. Like us, many of the clients we work with have a responsive and proactive approach to things- optimists and opportunists. If we are smart about how we modify our working plan as well as continuing to pivot, evolve and adapt, this can work for us, at least until we can get back to normal.
Get Creative:
We all spend most of our creative time and energy on our clients. That’s great- it’s why we exist. Many of us neglect our own creative content due to time, capacity and even creative fatigue. Bring your team together to look at where you’ve left projects you’ve always wanted to develop.
Tidy up:
For most of us in the creative industry sector, our websites are our shopfront. When did you last update your content, your pictures, your staff page? We’ve all made the mistake of leaving our shopfront untidy. Look back on your projects from the last few months and start celebrating what you’ve achieved.
Plan for the bounce:
This is applicable to every company out there. Yes, we are in the most uncertain of times but there is one certainty…it won’t last forever. China has bounced and if you’ve looked at it closely, you’ll see it bounced pretty fast. There is an opportunity RIGHT NOW to get ahead of your competitors. Engage consumers now, particularly as there is a captive audience sitting there, and be creative and proactive. You don’t need to put everything out- think of it like that toilet paper you’ve stockpiled…this is your chance to stockpile your content, your ads and to try things with social advertising to build insights into your audience.
Stay safe, home school, social distance and work from home but remember you are creative:
For many of us, we will be finding ourselves in new territory: working from home. As schools start to announce closures and your home office will become part of your kids’ education, take the chance to share what you know and what you do. This is a real chance to build capability beyond the school gates. Teach your kids resilience, caring for others and broaden their horizons. We are the most creative people in the world and that is something to celebrate.
Finally, here’s some of the basics just in case you’ve not thought about it:
TIP 1: Take regular screen breaks
Stretch your legs, top up your water, pop on the kettle…anything to take your eyes off-screen for a few minutes.
TIP 2: Keep Exercising
Head outside for a stroll on your lunch break. It’s important to keep moving as we’re spending more time indoors at the moment and being in nature is proven to help both your physical and mental wellbeing.
TIP 3: Catchup regularly with your team
Instigate regular daily team catch ups and if you can, video conferencing for these. This helps to keep the team-spirit positive and keep everyone up-to-date with where the team is at with projects.
Tip 4: Change how you interact with your clients
Worrying about how to keep in touch with clients online rather than face-to-face? Head over to our article on top tips on video conferencing.
Tip 5: Dress yourself and your workspace for work
Get yourself in work mode by ensuring you’re getting dressed every morning. This will help keep you motivated. Also, try to set up a separate workspace for work – by this we mean no working from the couch or bed!
Tip 6: Look after yourself
These are challenging times we find ourselves in so remember to look after yourself, invest in self-care and be kind.
Do you have any working from home tips that we haven’t included in our list? Feel free to share with us on our social media channels!