In 2020, there have been 59 million freelancers working in america alone, and that quantity is more likely to develop with the onset of the Nice Resignation. Right here’s the excellent news: freelancers may also help supercharge your content material operations by providing a possibility to create content material at scale whereas minimizing the expense of hiring a full-time employee.
An excellent freelancer is price their weight in gold. They may also help you shortly scale up large tasks and are invaluable for creating high quality content material that lasts. However there’s positively a studying curve to including freelancers into your editorial workflow, so bear in mind these six guidelines for working with freelancers in essentially the most streamlined and environment friendly means potential:
1. Get clear in your wants
First, be sure to perceive what sort of content material you’re attempting to make, and assess your present talents to create that content material in-house. The place are the gaps? The extra exact you might be by yourself priorities and bounds, the higher you’ll be capable of discover the freelancer you want and clarify to them how they will finest allow you to.
“Be thorough,” says Anna Schults Held, an skilled freelance author, editor, and marketing consultant. “Set up expectations and methods of working upfront. Freelancers mustn’t must make strategic choices until that’s what they’re explicitly employed to do, so be as clear on scope as you possibly can. ”
Many content material managers discover success in creating detailed mission briefs that information the freelancer. Thorough mission briefs forestall an excessive amount of back-and-forth, shorten the method, and get monetary savings for each events. Most significantly, everybody can refer again to it in the course of the modifying course of if there are any questions or disputes. Additionally clearly define (in writing) the deadline, flat fee price, and phrase rely as you carry the freelancer on board.
2. Streamline Your Processes
Rent a freelancer as soon as, and likelihood is, you’ll rent one other. So do your self a favor and set up your onboarding and off-boarding course of. When utilizing Contently, that may very well be so simple as informing new writers about your viewers, model voice, and content material technique.
Should you’re not utilizing the platform, you’ll doubtless must create a to-do checklist for the varieties, info, and key insights you want from new freelancers. You’ll additionally must deal with sending out a contract, negotiating fee, and clarifying task particulars. And after the freelancer completes the task, keep in mind that you’ll must find time for edits. You’ll additionally wish to pay the freelancer on time. And in case you intend to provide suggestions, add that to your customary working procedures as nicely. You’ll thank your self later for the time saved.
3. Keep Versatile with Timelines
Most freelancers work for a number of shoppers. Until they’re absolutely on board for a mission together with your staff, they’re doubtless juggling different deadlines that nothing about. So whenever you’re planning freelancer-created content material, make room in your editorial calendar for a barely longer editorial timeline than you’d require for a employees author.
“Legally, I can not inform a freelancer when or easy methods to work,” says Melanie Padgett Powers, a contract author and managing editor for membership affiliation magazines. “However past that, it’s about respect. I acknowledge that freelancers are operating their very own companies. One of the best relationships are when either side see one another as companions.”
Talk with the freelancer upfront about deadlines to make sure that your turnaround time works for them. If you might want to rush the task, think about providing a rush price to account for the opposite work they might must put apart to prioritize your mission.
4. Search for Constant and Communicative Freelancers
An excellent freelancer will present constantly good copy that meets the task particulars or content material transient standards. As well as, they’ll talk once they have questions, flip assignments in on time, and deal with edits in a well timed and simple method. In two phrases, a very good freelancer is low drama.
“After all, I need a freelancer who has the experience we want, however past that, I need freelancers who make my life straightforward,” says Padgett Powers. Maintain onto the freelancers who meet your requirements by providing them common work every month or offering suggestions that reveals how a lot you worth their experience and methods of working.
5. Present Actionable Suggestions
At all times keep in mind that a freelancer isn’t a full-time employees member, and they don’t have the advantages of being on employees. With that in thoughts, you shouldn’t mechanically anticipate them to attend employees conferences or work on the turnaround instances required of staffers until beforehand mentioned. Suggestions ought to nonetheless in some way stay a part of your system in managing freelancers, nevertheless.
Usually, it is smart to supply freelancers details about their efficiency and the way they will enhance, particularly in case you plan to work with them once more sooner or later. Should you discover a freelancer you’re keen on, be certain to incorporate good suggestions in order that they know that they’re valued and appreciated. Talk this suggestions in a direct method in the course of the modifying course of after the freelancer completes their task. Should you select to spend money on a freelancer since you see them working together with your staff long-term, educate them easy methods to succeed inside your world.
6. Lean Into Strengths
Similar to you’d with a full-time staffer, take time to note a communicative, low-drama freelancer’s strengths. Many freelancers come to the desk with deep experience in sure sorts of writing or design. Use that to your staff’s benefit by tailoring assignments to their strengths and asking for (paid) memos that specify the way you may combine their experience into your staff’s workflow, even absent the freelancer’s presence.
The underside line:
Holding good freelancers in your arsenal pays big dividends, however it’s as a lot about setting your self up for achievement as it’s about anticipating them to do their finest work. Once you discover a good freelancer, preserve them shut by providing actionable suggestions and deadline flexibility. Provide mutual respect by acknowledging that they produce other assignments they’re doubtless engaged on. Watch for his or her strengths and lean into them. Arrange streamlined processes, and convey clear communication and direct necessities to the desk. All of this may set you up for a win-win.
