I think it’s high time we further explored the best ways of working with your freelancers, don’t you? This post is a continuation of my original musings on the topic. These approaches will make things easier for all involved, while saving you the cost and paperwork of hiring someone full-time.

Don’t ask them to work for free (it’s just rude)

It’s true, it really is. If you were a plumber, and someone asked you to fix their sink “just to make sure they’re the right person for the job”, you’d likely  decline. Asking a freelancer to give you work for free is not fair, and not good business.

Local or long-distance?

There are two schools of thought on this one. One side says that the best talent is everywhere, and that communication is instantaneous enough and ubiquitous enough today that there’s nothing stopping you from collaborating effectively with someone far away. The other side is wary of the lack of legal protections, cultural understanding and quality, therefore opting to stay local. Each has its pros and cons – working with people far away may mean early-morning or late-night conference calls, while only hiring local may mean missing out on excellent talent that costs less than the local market.

My opinion? It depends on what your needs are – if you like a freelancer’s portfolio, that’s usually all you need to know. If your project is complex, and requires a deep understanding of your market, or actual facetime, then stay local. For all other jobs, talent is talent. Experiment with small jobs to find what works for you.

Be organized

This means knowing in advance how much you want to spend, what you need to get out of this project, and who will be running things from your end. Every marketing project is a partnership between the marketer and the client – the client provides the insight of your business and customers, and the marketer provides the skills and expertise to convey your message. Having a clear idea of these points will ensure that your project stays focused, and on track.

Challenge them to be creative

By allowing your freelancer with some latitude to approach your job, you free them up to come up with solutions that are better than anything you might have envisioned. The more restrictions you put around the job, the less likely it is that your expectations will be exceeded.

React with your gut

Reviewing a piece of work can oftentimes be difficult, involving hours spent pondering over pro’s and cons, second-guessing and mind-changing. Solid decisions are frequently made in the blink of an eye, though – much like how your customers will when they see a piece of work for the first time. Therefore, when presented with a piece of work, take note of your gut reaction to it. Don’t block out other considerations, but don’t necessarily reject them outright, simply because they occurred to you in the first couple of seconds.

Choose an option – don’t just eliminate all the others

It’s a typical approach to, when presented with a number of options, begin whittling down the group to arrive at the answer. While this is usually a rational approach, you can frequently find yourself choosing an option simply because it’s the last man standing – so therefore it has to be the best – which isn’t exactly the passion and enthusiasm with which you should be moving in a certain direction. Like the above tip, make sure that the option you pick is something you know you can get behind, and it’ll show through in the work.

Tags: contracts, expertise, Freelancers, how to, management, The Basics, tips