Finding a freelancer you can fall in love with is no easy feat, but keeping that chemistry alive can be even harder. Once you’ve found “the one,” how do you keep them happy?
1. Understand Fair Compensation.
There are two kinds of compensation in life: financial and psychological. You can technically survive with only one or the other, but you need both to thrive. Since you can’t eat appreciation, monetary payment is arguably the most important. How do you know whether you’re offering a fair rate? Consider the following:
- Content Type: Not all words are paid the same. If you want a simple blog one day and a heavily researched white paper the next, your rates may vary.
- Writer Experience: Writers who specialize in a niche or have advanced education or certifications often expect compensation commensurate with their experience.
- Quality Level: You should never settle for subpar content, but know that you will see a difference between 2-star and 6-star work.
- Turnaround Time: If you need something done in 24 hours, factor in a rush fee.
- Extras: Do you need social lead-ins, graphics, or a conference call? Those take time to complete, and time is money.
2. Never Underestimate the Power of Recognition.
Forever erase the idea that exposure is just as good as money. It’s not. I can’t use exposure to buy my kid diapers (although she will certainly be exposed if we end up running out of Huggies), and my landlord laughed the last time I tried to pay him with brownie points, but that doesn’t mean we writers only value cold, hard cash. If you want your newfound relationship to last, pair your payments with easy forms of recognition like a byline (if that fits with your business model), a compliment, or a simple “get well” on the rare occasion your writer needs an extension because they have flu. Those are small things that make writers feel more invested, and that’s good for all involved.
3. Supply the Tools for Success.
In relationships, you get out what you put in. Are you jonesing for content that epitomizes your brand voice? Give your writers a style guide. Do you have specific SEO preferences? Providing those up front saves a lot of time and frustration. Do you need promotional blogs for March, but your writer only has the event schedule for February? That’s going to be a problem. Freelance writers typically have a whole slew of talents, but psychic abilities are rarely in the mix. Help us out a little, and you’ll love the results.
4. Don’t Let It Get Stale.
Writers crave opportunities to be creative, and your audience wants variety too. Keyword research is an important part of building a winning content strategy, and along the way, you’ll learn not every piece of content on your dog-walking site needs to focus strictly on strolling with Fido. Are you confused? Let your writer lead the way. We can incorporate “dog walking” into blogs about flexible careers, fun ways to hit your FitBit steps, and the top 10 holiday purchases for pets without even breaking a sweat.
Having a great relationship with your writer isn’t a requirement for high-quality content, but it sure helps. What is it about your favorite freelancer that makes your heart go pitter-pat?
Alana L is a full-time freelancer who’s infatuated with the written word. When she’ s not dreaming up content ideas, Alana’s busy studying up on the latest trends in digital marketing, event planning, wine education, and baby wrangling.
