Working with freelancers is an excellent way to expand your talent base without hiring on numerous additional employees. Whether working with a freelance Web designer, graphic artist, or writer, this is someone who brings new skill sets into your company. However, to ensure the highest quality of work delivered in a desirable timeframe, you need to maintain an open line of communication. Even if this freelancer is located on the other side of the globe, communication is key to a healthy freelance relationship.
It Begins With Your Instructions
After you select the freelancer you wish to work with, your first real interaction with this individual often comes in the form of project instructions. Here you will provide the artist, writer, designer, or whomever else you’re working with the insights they need to complete the project.
It is important to provide the freelancer with all the instructions they need to produce the finished product to not only your satisfaction but to your expectations. This means offering specific instructions. If there is information you want covered, or if there is a certain look, color, or visual element you want included, make sure to always include this in your instructions.
Now, you don’t need to provide a full book of information. After all, you probably don’t want to spend the time writing out a giant block of text (and your freelancer likely doesn’t want to spend an hour or two combing through this either). Instead, be direct and to the point. If you want the font blue, tell them that. If you want the instructions to include references to past blog posts, or to be done in a specific format, tell them.
The freelancer wants to provide you with what you want the first time around (as they are not paid by the hour, but by the job, and any extensive revisions takes time away from other jobs and may result in them losing work and money, so it is their goal to provide you with the best quality content with the fewest extensive revisions). So specific, direct instructions is key in your first line of communication.
Respond To Questions In A Timely Fashion
There will be times when your freelancer has questions. This is a good thing for a few reasons. First, they want to check with you to make sure they’re meeting your needs. And on your end, you should take note of the questions they ask. It will help you adjust your initial instructions during future orders (when working with a new freelancer there is always some kind of learning curve as both you and the contract worker learns what each other is like).
You need to reply as quickly as possible. If a freelancer emails you, calls you or sends you any other form of communication it likely means they are unable to proceed with the project (at least part of it) until you respond. If you don’t reply quickly they will have no other choice but to put your project on the back burner and begin working on another client’s content.
In some instances, if you’re working with a freelancer through a third-party service provider (such as a service that brokers the connection between you and the freelancer), the contract worker is not able to pick up additional work until your job is finished. Should you fail to reply to the question quickly it may very well cost the worker money from jobs they are unable to take. This will result in the freelancer doing their best to meet your needs without the answers, and they will also likely avoid working with you again.
A Freelancer Is Human, Just Like You
Communication key to fostering an excellent work relationship with your freelancer. There might be times when they do not deliver exactly what you’re looking for. Usually, when this happens it’s because of a lack of communication or the instructions left the project up to some interpretation. Whatever the reason may be, it’s important to remain professional with the line of dialog. A freelancer wants to give you quality content and if there is a mistake, they will want to make it right. So avoid confrontational language. You can get right to the point and indicate what you need to be changed, but remain professional. Even if you have no intentions on hiring the freelancer again. Professionalism is very much appreciated in the world of freelancing.
Communication Is Key To A Healthy Work Relationship
As is the case with any personal or professional relationship, communication is key. So do what you can to maintain this line of professional communication with your freelancer. If you do, both you and the contract worker will reap the rewards. To learn more about hiring on freelancers for your business, make sure to contact Writers Access for any and all questions you might have.
Greyson F. has been writing online content for over eight years and has extensive experience writing in a variety of formats. These formats range from travel reviews and how-to instructional essays to professional journals and academic papers. Major publications such as USA Today, Yahoo!, IBM, Google and others have all produced his work. Additionally, Greyson works as an online video producer and travel photographer. He has worked extensively with the New York Times as well as had video work appear on ESPN and NBC Universal. His travel photography is regularly features by Yahoo!
