5 reasons “freelance” isn’t a dirty word

Some industry voices can give the impression that freelancers are people with lots of enthusiasm but little experience. They claim freelancers’ professionalism and quality of work vary widely.

As a self-employed writer with 15+ years of experience, I can say those voices are right.

Except when they’re not.

Hiring a freelancer can also provide you with experienced content-writing talent who would cost your business too much if you hired them full-time. Professional freelancers are great when you need project-based (occasional) or retainer-based (a certain number of hours per month) support.

One option is to hire a freelancer through an agency, where you’ll be paying for the agency’s sourcing and vetting processes.

What’s the best approach?

If you have an agency you like to work with (and the budget to cover the costs), great. If not, you can do your own vetting without breaking the bank. That way you’ll know you’re hiring someone who will bring value.

Search online for a freelancer (say, on LinkedIn) or ask your network for referrals. When you find a candidate, here are five core things to look for to make sure you’re talking to a professional.

An experienced freelancer will:

• Have extensive experience. How much experience is up to you. It’s definitely something to ask about in a discovery call, before you begin working with this person.

• Specialize. This might be at the industry level (i.e., technology vs. pharmaceutical marketing), audience (B2B vs. B2C), or type of writing (copywriting, content writing, ghostwriting).

• Have writing samples from paying clients. Folks who are starting out will often write their own samples, which is enterprising and creative and shows how they like to write for themselves. If you want someone with experience meeting a brand’s expectations around voice, tone, and topic, they should be able to share at least a few published examples of client work.

• Ask how you like to work with freelancers. For example, they’ll want to know how you’ll exchange and store files. How many reviewers will provide feedback on the drafts and when?

• Offer pricing options. These could include package deals, bulk discounts, and retainer options.

Be a good client is also important for getting the most out of hiring a seasoned freelancer. When both of you are prepared, everything goes more smoothly.

I’ll write more about all these topics soon.