There’s little doubt that this will have been the most challenging year for the vast majority of contractors, freelancers, and self-employed businesspeople. The last time the economy was as poor as it is today was in 2008—but even then, contractors were being hired regularly, and handymen were still in high demand. It’s been far more difficult this year, as social distancing and fears of spreading the virus have prevented individuals from hiring handymen to work on their homes. As the fear around the virus peaks with a winter “second wave”, here are three key tips for contractors this winter.
Get Insurance
Now more than ever is the time to look into insurance that’s been created for people like you. If you’re a contractor or you’re a self-employed businessperson who often works alone, then there are policy packages that will fit directly with your lifestyle and your way of working. Handyman insurance from Next Insurance is one leading example: it’s designed to protect your brand and your small business from difficulties.
While this insurance won’t protect you from the ravages of coronavirus, it will protect you from other financial difficulties that might arise for you in the coming months. For instance, if you’re subjected to a legal challenge, or you are sued, insurance can help you cover costly legal fees to fight your case.
Client Acquisition
Contractors and handymen often benefit from word-of-mouth marketing, in that they become increasingly well-known in their neighborhood for the work that they do, and that carries them from job to job. You’ll have found that, at least in the past few months, this chain of work and recommendations have dried up. You need to advertise yourself in order to acquire new clients and customers.
There are several ways to go about this. You could join forces with other local tradesmen to cover all bases when it comes to contractual work. You might wish to join one of the many apps and websites that connect consumers with handymen in their area. Or else, you’ll be able to place physical advertisements—flyers, pamphlets and posters—in your local area, too.
Protection
COVID-19 will remain a threat to life and livelihoods in 2021. Even with the advent of a vaccine, it’s likely to take months before the world is ready to resume normality in the wake of this pandemic. All this means that you’re under threat of infection when you enter peoples’ homes to perform work on their properties—and they’ll worry that you’re likewise a COVID-19 risk to them.
The best way to mitigate this fear is to build a robust protection and security system around yourself and those that you work around. Wear a mask and carry hand sanitizer wherever you go. Use plastic sheeting to prevent you from touching parts of a client’s home, thus reducing the risk of transmission. And get tested for the virus, including temperature tests, as regularly as possible.
These three tips are of vital importance for contractors working in the era of COVID-19.
