Freelancers can be a powerful resource for today’s business professional or startup founder. With the use of the right freelancer, it’s possible to free up more of your time, improve the finished product you provide to your customer and do it all on a tight schedule. However, the only way for you to get the best results is to keep communication flowing.
Let’s Consider the Value of the Freelancer to Your Company
By far the most important decision for companies to make is how to spend their money. Most focus on the return on investment, or what they get in return for every dollar spent. When it comes to freelancers, consider what the value truly is:
- They are time-savers, reducing the amount of time you, personally, have to work on a project or refine a piece of content.
- They save you money by not requiring you to hire an in-house staff, pay salaries and benefits, and manage the overhead.
- They provide a rich talent resource to you, one that may be lacking within your current staff.
That’s solid ROI. Your investment in a freelancer, of course, comes with some careful consideration. You’ll need to hire a pro with experience in your particular area. It’s not always easy to find the perfect fit, but once you do, it’s well worth the effort.
The Importance of Communication: Where It May Go Wrong
Every freelancer is unique with his or her own abilities, knowledge points, and strengths. When you tap into those areas, you get the polished, refined content you need. However, the only way for your freelancer to offer this is if you tell them what you need and want.
From the very start of a project, be thorough and upfront. Provide direction that includes:
- What you need
- What the goal of your project is
- What values are important to you and your business
- Who your ideal customer is
- What your limitations may be
The more insight you can shed, the better. Perhaps you don’t have the time to write out a 300-word description of what you need. You don’t have to. Be clear, concise, and on target. Give your freelancer some room to be creative if that’s possible for you. If you need to provide a significant amount of information, you can record your message and add it to your description. You can also provide samples of what you’re looking for, so there’s no question about what the end goal is.
The Underlying Benefit of Solid Communication
Reports indicate that if workers feel disengaged from their jobs, it’s often due to ineffective communication. More so, when communication improves, it can boost productivity by as much as 25%. While these workplace statistics may not seem to relate to your freelancer, they most certainly do. When you engage with your freelancer, providing information and insight, as well as a bit of motivation, chances are good he or she is going to work harder for you, giving you more of what you need immediately.
Considering just how valuable communication is, how do you make it happen with the freelancer you hire? Here are some easy steps to take to give you the boost you need to really charm your next freelancer into success.
#1: Give them what they need to do what you need
Whether a detailed description or a brief voice recording, tell them what they need to know to do what you want. They can’t see in between the lines or know what is going through your mind. If they could, that could be even more powerful for your company.
#2: Offer feedback early and on an ongoing basis
Did the quality of the work from your freelance begin to fall off? It could be because he or she doesn’t know what you’re looking for or no longer feels valuable to the project. Offer feedback with each piece. A simple “Good job” or “I like this part, but what do you think about adding…” can go far.
#3: Tell them what’s next
Freelancers are busy professionals looking for their next client to impress. If you want them to stick with you, give them something to do. Do you need more topics and insight? Perhaps you could use a bit more content in the next week or two. Send a quick note – that’s all it takes to keep them interested in working for you.
Hiring a freelancer means propelling your business forward. Give them the right communication to encourage them to help you thrive. Check out the writers at WriterAccess to find your star pro.
Sandy B is a full-time, professional freelance writer and copywriter with more than 10 years of online experience. She is also a published author of seven, top-reviewed, in-print books on Amazon. These focus on financial topics such as retirement planning, bankruptcy, business finance, estate planning, and personal credit health as well as organic gardening and clean living. She’s ghostwritten content for hundreds of clients on topics ranging from health to finance, business services, online and offline marketing and much more.
