Working with Creative Freelancers: Part 2—Getting the best results

In my first article, I provided some ideas for finding the perfect creative freelancer for your project. Now that you’ve found them, let’s look at how to get the best results with the least stress.

Tell them about your business
In order to match your brand and tone, the freelancer needs to know what you do, how you position your company, and what your key messages are. A quick overview of your business, and any significant changes that the current project is part of, will help your freelancer set the right tone with their work.

Some things to provide (if you have them) include:

• brand guidelines
• style guide
• project brief
• company mission statement and values
• any existing materials (marketing pieces, website, campaings, etc.) that this project should align with

Tell them about your project
Gather all of the relevant information about the project before your freelancer starts, and either have a quick meeting to go through it or let the freelancer read it through and ask questions. 

Be sure to include all of these details (if they aren’t already in the agreement your freelancer signed):

• deadlines and milestone dates, including any “drop-dead” dates that can’t be moved
• contacts in the company if they have questions or need something
• deliverables required, including word counts, formats, versions, etc.
• how you plan to use what they create (e.g., print, website, app, newsletter)
• if their project is part of a larger one, the full scope of the project and how it fits together
• who needs to approve things, and at what stages

Tell them what you want
Be clear about the style, tone, messaging, and other details of what you want them to create. Creative freelancers are not mind readers, so the more clearly you can express what you’re hoping for, the better the results will be. Many companies give a freelancer little guidance and then get annoyed that the product is “not what they pictured.” Share your mental picture so that the freelancer doesn’t have to guess what it is.

Share examples from within your company of materials that reflect the tone and/or look you’re after. But if you’re trying to break away from old habits, look for examples from other companies that your freelancer should use for inspiration. 

Tell them what you think
Agree with your freelancer on various stages where you will get together (virtually or in person) to review the work so far. There’s no need to constantly check in, but don’t wait until the final due date to see how things are looking.

If something is worrying you about the first draft you see, tell them what it is. You should address any issues and decide on a path forward together as early as possible. This will save you both time and money. It’s important to be clear about what you like and what you don’t like rather than leaving the freelancer to guess.

If someone higher up in the organization needs to sign off on the project, see if you can get their approval of the freelancer’s creative concept early on. Some executives want to see only the final product, but this can lead to a total loss if they don’t approve it.

Tell them how they did
When the project is complete, let the freelancer know if they met your expectations, or better yet, exceeded them. If they did a great job, offer to provide a testimonial or review—these are worth a lot to freelancers. 

Often a one-time project is the starting point for a productive long-term relationship. Once you’ve found a freelancer who delivers what you need, it saves a lot of time and stress to book the same person for future projects. It means that you won’t need to search for another great freelancer and invest time in getting them up to speed about your business. 

Freelancers also love repeat business. It helps to stabilize their income and reduce the amount of time they spend on unpaid marketing tasks. If their first project with you is a positive experience, they will prioritize your business in the future.
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It’s a win-win when a company and a freelancer work together productively for great results.