“I know I need a better online presence, but I don’t know where to start.”
“I know what I need to do, but I don’t have enough time to do it.”
“My current team is amazing, but they don’t have the skillset for this project, and I can’t afford to hire anyone else right now.”
“We need to implement this right away, but everyone is too busy.”
If any of these statements sound familiar, perhaps it’s time you considered working with a Freelancer.
When you’re short of either time or expertise (or both), a professional Freelancer can supply missing skills and provide temporary assistance without breaking the bank. Or, if you can’t afford to hire a full-time employee, the right Freelancer can help you scale your business and accelerate growth without expensive overhead.
Covid-19 significantly changed the perception of how businesses must operate to be successful. The lockdown showed us that it’s no longer necessary for work teams to be under the same roof to communicate and collaborate effectively. Thanks to technology, team members are now only a Zoom call and a shared Google doc away.
As a result, remote work is on the rise. Many people have discovered that working from home better fits their lifestyle and have turned to freelance.
It’s therefore never been easier to work with a freelance marketing expert at an affordable rate.
However, not all Freelancers have the same skillset and expertise, nor do they operate the same way. That’s why it’s crucial to find the right Freelancer for your project.
But regardless of where you find them, it’s important to effectively manage the hiring process to avoid unnecessary frustration and ensure you get what you’re paying for.
The following eight Best Practices will enable you to avoid common mistakes businesses make when hiring a Freelancer for the first time.
8 Best Practices For Working With Freelancers
- Be clear on project goals and timing
- Ensure it’s a good fit
- Establish expectations upfront
- Agree on budget
- Provide sufficient onboarding info
- Negotiate the process
- Provide constructive feedback
- Don’t forget the offboarding
Best Practice #1:
Be Clear On Project Goals And Timing
Before reaching out to a Freelancer, be sure you’ve clearly defined your project’s scope and timeline.
If you’re hiring a Freelancer because you don’t have the expertise internally, request that they outline their recommended solution in detail within the quote. Don’t be afraid to ask probing questions if you’re unclear about anything in their proposal. Although you’re hiring them for their knowledge, you’ll need to understand and be comfortable with what they plan to deliver.
Best Practice #2:
Ensure It’s A Good Fit
Just as you wouldn’t hire an employee without carefully evaluating their skill set and personality fit, you need to ensure your Freelancer’s temperament and experience are suitable for the assignment.
During your initial discussion, think about whether you would consider hiring them as a regular employee. In other words, do they have the solid experience you’re looking for? Can they provide samples of similar previous work?
How well do you think this person could communicate your brand message in the correct “voice”? Could you see yourself working with this person on future projects? This last question takes on greater importance if you plan to outsource additional projects on a regular basis.
Don’t be afraid to interview more than one Freelancer to ensure you find the right fit.
Best Practice #3:
Establish Expectations Up Front
In addition to setting clear project goals, you need to establish your expectations upfront regarding how the relationship will function. For example, who will your Freelancer be checking in with and how often? How will meetings be arranged and conducted if they need to speak to other employees as part of their internal research? Are they working in the same time zone as you? What hours will they be available if you need to connect with them?
It’s also essential to set clear project boundaries on the scope of work to avoid any risk of setting up unintended commitments for additional billable work.
Don’t forget to establish who owns the final product. For blogs, articles, and similar forms of written content, a Freelancer will either retain ownership of the content (their name is in the signature byline and includes a link to their website) or provide ghostwritten content (you own the content). Ghostwritten content will typically be priced higher, so be clear about what you are commissioning.
Best Practice #4:
Agree On Budget
Don’t be afraid to talk budget during your initial conversation. While discussing money is uncomfortable for some people, it’s necessary to establish whether the relationship is affordable for both parties.
Although you may have limited funds available for your project, a Freelancer’s time is what pays their mortgage and puts food on the table. Therefore, they must charge what they believe is a fair price for the time they’ll be spending on your project. If that price exceeds your budget, it’s best to identify this as soon as possible.
On a related note, keep in mind that a Freelancer is not like a regular employee who can be assigned multiple tasks. So be aware that additional requests outside the project scope could incur extra billing. (Another reason it’s critical to clearly define project scope upfront.)
Finally, don’t be tempted to make a decision based on price alone. Remember, you’re looking for expertise. If the price is significantly less than what a more experienced Freelancer would charge, the odds are good you’ll get what you pay for.
Best Practice #5:
Provide Sufficient Onboarding Info
The scope of your project will determine the level of onboarding your Freelancer requires. They’ll need to fully understand your product or service, USP (unique selling proposition), brand strategy, personality and voice, target audience, and other important information related to your mission and vision.
An experienced Freelancer will conduct an onboarding meeting or provide an onboarding document to identify the above information and anything else they might need to complete your project.
If you have not already documented this information as part of a marketing strategy document that keeps your internal team focused on key priorities, then consider developing one. Better yet, hire a freelancer to help you prepare it!
Best Practice #6:
Negotiate The Process
For small, one-off content projects such as a blog or nurturing email series, the process will likely include no more than one or two checkpoints with payment structured as an up-front deposit and the remainder due upon content delivery.
Additional checkpoints may be necessary to ensure the project remains on track for more complex projects spanning several months and requiring substantial content development. Payment may be structured as a smaller up-front deposit with additional funds due as agreed upon milestones are realized.
An experienced Freelancer will likely provide you with a contract that formally outlines these details. Ensure you are comfortable with the number of checkpoints and the payment process before commissioning the work.
Best Practice #7:
Provide Constructive Feedback
No matter how experienced a Freelancer is, no one will know your business better than you. If you don’t believe your Freelancer is 100% on message, don’t be afraid to let them know. A professional Freelancer will appreciate your feedback and make any required adjustments.
Especially for your first project together, critique your Freelancer’s work thoroughly and as often you feel it is necessary to ensure they fully understand your brand voice and remain on point. (The frequency will naturally depend on the nature and size of the project.)
The time you invest in this initial project will help ensure any future collaborations run smoothly and won’t need to be managed as closely by you.
Best Practice #8:
Don’t Forget The Offboarding
A formal offboarding process is arguably as important as your onboarding procedures. Once you sign off on a project, the final payment is due.
That’s why it’s essential to verify that the work meets your standards. Someone within your organization, whether that’s you or a designated individual, should be accountable for reviewing and accepting the quality of the work produced.
Offboarding is also the time to arrange for the transfer of material produced. For content projects, unless otherwise agreed upon, you can expect to receive either a Word or Google document and any related photos if they exist. For projects with graphic design elements, ensure you request all working files. For websites, arrange for a more formal handover with detailed documentation and perhaps training for one of your internal team so that they can make future updates as necessary.
Bottom Line
Whether you’re looking for specialized expertise for a single project or an ongoing content development relationship, a Freelancer can provide an extra pair of hands without the overhead of a permanent employee. This pay-as-you-go relationship will enable you to scale and accelerate growth as aggressively or conservatively as you feel comfortable and can afford.
While these Best Practices won’t guarantee a perfect Freelance experience, they will certainly help mitigate the risk of a bad one.
If you’d like additional information about working with Freelancers, feel free to DM me at @dyble.lisa.