7 Tips to survive financially

Many designers are experiencing a difficult financial situation since the outbreak of the Coronavirus. Do you also wonder what you can do to improve your financial situation? In this article, Vick Fasten, business advisor of the Association of Dutch Designers (BNO) gives a number of useful tips.

1. Make use of the necessary regulations

The Dutch government has taken various measures to help as many entrepreneurs as possible in this current crisis. Make an inventory of the measures that are applicable to you and make an appeal to them. Read more about the available support measures here.

2. Create your own exposure

Use this period to engage in a dialogue with your audience. Be creative and show that you are able to innovate and take them along in that process. Dare to share your experience as a designer and entrepreneur, create honest content and be authentic. After all, the crisis affects all of us. Share your experiences on social media, using a YouTube channel, as a podcast, or post a DDW Community post on ddw.nl via your My DDW account.

You can also share your experiences and work with us through social media. If you want (your work) to be featured on our DDW Instagram and possibly even in an online article like one of these, use the hashtag #heyddw on Instagram and LinkedIn.

3. Invest in innovation and apply for funding

In times of crisis you are challenged to focus. What exactly is the value you deliver to your clients? Is the format in which you deliver that still relevant? Prepare yourself for the new era and use this period to invest in innovation and invest the necessary time in a good grant application such as the Creative Industries Funds or MIT-regulation.

4. E-learning

Make use of all the knowledge currently present in your company. What skills, methodologies, experiences can you share with other professionals? Turn that knowledge into an e-learning (e.g. a course or e-book) and share it (for a fee) with peers and other interested parties.

5. Sell imagery

Do you have a lot of images (digitally) lying around? Go through them and get them licensed (for a fee) on various platforms such as Catawaki, Saatchi and Etsy.

6. Collect reimbursements

Is your work occasionally displayed on TV, in a newspaper or book? Make sure to sign up with Pictoright. You can be compensated for secondary use of your work.

7. Sell templates

Do you have existing designs that you can easily make available as design templates? Now is the time to do so. Make sure you have nice template packages so you can continue to service your clients.

Want to stay up to date on the effects of the coronavirus? The BNO (ed. Assocation of Dutch Designers) makes an inventory of the impact on the creative sector, advises and informs about the financial consequences and support measures, and monitors the design sector. Follow the Corona page here (in Dutch).

Do you have any ideas how we can support you or other creative entrepreneurs? Share your suggestions, questions, concerns and initiatives via meldpuntcorona@bno.nl.