6 Proven Hacks When Working With Remote Freelancers
Hiring remote freelancers is a great way to get things done without burning through your savings!
There’s no shortage of talent, and the costs are low – but beware: not everything will go according to plan!
I’ve used freelancers quite a bit. I started off with them at the early stage of Vivino and then later on in other startups too; you know, it’s always good to try new things! But yes – like most people who go down this route (and fail), many failed because they didn’t get what their product needed or wanted. For Vivino, the very first test version was built by a freelancer for 300 bucks.
So yes, it can be done but you’ve got to do it right!
So now, we’re going to look at 6 proven hacks when working with freelancers without any of that pesky business jargon getting in your way!
#1 Start With the Smallest Possible Project
When you’re just starting out, do the smallest project possible. Even if this is going to be a huge job for your company (and it usually turns into one), take one small section of code and see how that goes before biting off more than you can chew!
Communication and discipline are necessary too so being able to discuss deadlines or problem-solve efficiently will keep everyone happy while working on bigger projects together later down the line.
If you start out with a big project and then find out along the way that this isn’t the right freelancer, it’s a lot harder to get out. You might even have a situation where you have to start the project from scratch.
So starting with the smallest possible project is extremely important.
#2 Hire Two Remote Freelancers for the First Project
There are a lot of good freelancers out there, but finding the right one can be difficult. When you start your business it’s even more important to find someone fast because time is money!
So hire two freelancers– pay them both for an identical task and then pick one later on down the line after all that work has been done – which will make sure that they’re committed as well.
This will make it easier for you to pick who’s better because there may be some discrepancies in quality between them that could slip through unnoticed otherwise.
Always remember that finding good freelancers is hard so when you find someone you really like to work with, take good care of them because you want them around for as long as possible.
It’s a great strategy when looking at finding top-tier talent which can help save time as well!
#3 Be Extremely Precise in Your Communication
Most communication with remote freelancers is written and that requires very precise language. In this case, you need very precise wording and if something isn’t said exactly how it should be then there could potentially be problems down the line when trying to work on a task or even worse–failure!
For instance, let’s say you need a form built for your company now – you say, put in a name, address, birthday, etc … You can never say etcetera, you have to say exactly what you need.
Some coders don’t understand what it means. His world is just different from yours and it’s hard for them to imagine you wanting anything other than the most basic features, so tell him exactly that – don’t be vague or unclear! Obviously, remember to remain kind when communicating with people who can’t see your facial expressions because being sarcastic or ironic would not come across well through an e-mail either; always err on the side of kindness unless absolutely necessary (like telling someone their idea isn’t good).
It is crucial to be precise in your communication. Make sure that the tone of voice you use for communication with your freelancers matches their writing style. This will help avoid confusion and ensure everyone can understand each other’s messages accurately, whether it be in person or over email.
#4 Check-In on a Very Regular Basis
Some people think they can do a five-page specification, send it to the remote freelancer and then come back three weeks later for their perfect project. In reality, this doesn’t work like that because remote projects need managing on an almost daily basis- no matter how much detail is put into your contract there will always be clarification needed before finishing up any job!
So you have to check it!
This is also about motivation. Sometimes freelancers need a boost in the right direction, so it’s important to check up with them regularly and see if they are happy or not!
If you’re not checking in with the freelancer every so often, they might get tired of working on your project and move onto something else that pays better pay or has less stress associated with it- which would be both bad for business as well as their mental wellbeing! So make sure to stay on top of things by giving feedback when needed (or small enough issues).
If remote freelancers work several hours a day, I’d recommend two check-ins. Once before the freelancer starts work and once when he’s done. I think a minimum is once a day but I prefer twice a day. Use chats for check-in. It’s much faster than a call and a check-in should only last for a few minutes if everything is okay. Just a quick check-in to make sure the freelancers are on the right track.
#5 Pay by the Hour (Not a Fixed Price)
This is definitely a matter of what you like to do, and I happen to be someone who does it this way. My first project as well was done for an hourly price after we had built trust in each other enough so that they could move up from their original fixed-price contract.
It’s important because paying per hour rather than on completion time, allows us more flexibility when projects don’t go exactly according to plan; but also means there may never be any unhappy surprises at the end!
If you’re on a fixed price, it’s really hard to change the project without charging extra. You can modify things and your freelancer will be happy with that.
Remote Freelancers love to get paid by the hour. They’re not as concerned with pricing since it doesn’t affect their paycheck. They do care about changes in scope or requirements that result from project updates. Freelancing also has a lot of perks. Freelancers have the freedom to ask for revisions if something goes wrong without being too limited in their ability to do anything else.
Keep in mind as well that you want to keep a great freelancer for as long as possible. When you find one, keep them happy and work with them for a long time.
#6 Use a Collaboration Tool
Collaboration tools are an important way to communicate. This collaboration software will keep track of priorities, questions, and answers while also keeping people accountable for their tasks–I’ve used the tool Asana because it’s easy to use without any cost or time commitment; plus it’s fast!
There are different options out there like Trello which allows tasks organized around lists rather than individual cards; Wrike offers more robust reporting features while Jira provides additional information – which one would work best depending on what needs they have at hand. So you should look into these products.
Google spreadsheets are sometimes used for collaboration. Although I think it’s okay, I definitely prefer these collaboration tools. They’re built specifically for this and are much better.
These collaboration tools will help you stay on top of communications, priorities, and questions. You can use them to organize tasks quickly with no hassle!
Conclusion
Working with a remote freelancer is the perfect way to get some work done without going broke. There’s no shortage of talent, and the costs are low!
As long as you know how to communicate your needs and expectations, hiring a freelancer will be easy.
Having read this article, you now know six things that can help you work more effectively with remote freelancers. You can now avoid those pesky business jargon getting in your way. Begin by taking on the smallest possible project. Start small so there are fewer risks. You’ll need to stay in close contact with freelancers, be very precise in your communication, and pay by the hour. Collaboration tools like Asana will also come in handy.
There are plenty of talented people out there looking for jobs that they can do from anywhere in the world. All you have to do is find them. Consider these 5 hacks that will make you more likely to succeed when working with remote freelancers.
