In the realm of content creation, business owners and managers pull from several directions. First you have your in-house people whom you trust and employ to handle the bulk of your work. But what do you do when they are overworked or underqualified to tackle an assignment or project? If you’re like most businesses including Nintendo, Bloomberg and Wal-Mart you go the way of freelance writers. However, there are tricks to this tradeoff that will help you cull the freelancer force.
Start with Timing
Businesses are as distinctive as the people who run them. That being said, your content needs are equally as individualistic. While one company may outsource everything from brochures to banners, you may be in a position where you only outsource your web content. Depending on who you have in-house, and your current content needs, your outsourcing experiences will be dictated. What works for one business owner won’t work for another, so keep an open mind about the possibilities of working with freelancers, whom account for one-third of the working population as noted by Forbes.
Sticking with a Source
One caveat for working with freelancers is finding a writer capable of connecting with the business’s mission and voice. If you are constantly bouncing from freelancer to freelancer, you miss the opportunity to develop a relationship. Within that relationship you develop a history of experiences and common ground. This is crucial to bridging creative outsourcing with the solid needs of businesses. Some businesses might be under the impression that they should shop around to find the lower costing freelancers in order to cut costs. A caveat here is that you forgo your chance to create a lasting work relationship.
Freelancer Commitments
Sure, freelancers are free to end any working contract just as you are, which is part of the thrill of going freelance. However, it is common knowledge that freelancers prefer to have committed work relationships with valuable businesses. Freelance simply gives these writers the ability to work independently without the reins of a corporate office holding them back. Keep that kernel of knowledge in your mind when hiring a freelancer, with the understanding that you can get far more mileage from these writers than you realized.
Pay and Particulars
When hiring a freelancer to do a writing project, payment is one of the first things mentioned on both ends. How do you know how much to pay a freelancer? Here’s an insider secret. “The Writer’s Market” tells you everything that freelancers already know in terms of pay scales and what they should charge. Become acquainted with this freelancer’s bible and you’ll be able to charge the industry standard. You’ll find first class freelancers, and you won’t be mincing words or paying whole hog for them either.
Miranda B. went freelance six years ago and never looked back, calling it the greatest career move of her lifetime.
