Wanted - Freelancers

Perhaps you've never considered yourself as a freelancer. However, with the advent of the internet, freelancing has never been easier! If you can do any of these things:

* Write creative articles
* Write a well researched 'how-to' article
* Do research
* Create logos
* Do graphic design
* Create basic java scripts
* Post to online forums
* Provide any level of business consulting
* Write a sales letter
* Create a business plan
* Create a resume
* And the list is endless....

Then you can be a freelancer! How do you do this? It is surprisingly easy. You can start right now.

Have you heard of Elance?, or how about Get A Freelancer?.

Both of these sites are similar to a "reverse Ebay". Businesses and entrepreneurs alike post projects that they wish to hire out. These people are the "buyers". Then "providers" (freelancers) bid on the projects. The buyer chooses a provider, and just like that - a freelance job has been born. I've hired people for $50 to write an article, and I've spent $1200 to edit an ebook. (My prefered site is Elance - though I've used both).

Elance seems more slanted toward writing and business consulting - whereas Get A Freelancer seems a little more technical oriented. If you need to raise a little money from home - why not take a look?

(Please see my article below on "Tips to a Winning Bid on Elance - From the Perspective of a Buyer")

So you've decided to become a freelancer! Congratulations! Hopefully you've browsed the forums/websites available and selected where you want to market your services.

It is time to bid on a project. How, you may wonder, are you going to compete with people from India who are seemingly willing to work for $2 an hour? And with the pros who have a reputation on Elance or Get A Freelancer that is overwhelming? And with the 'shops' that come complete with researchers, writers and editors?

It is not nearly as difficult as you may think. I've hired dozens of freelancers in the past two years. Here are some practical recommendations to win the projects you really want:

1) Over Deliver On the Projects You Are Awarded

First, a surprising number of 'buyers' are actually testing the market to find a long term, quality, freelancer. I've often awarded the same project to several bidders - hoping to find the person who I will then hire for the long term project.

Secondly, your feedback will win and lose you jobs. Many times I have what seems to be numerous great providers bidding on my jobs. I need to find SOME way to whittle down the list - so I turn to the feedback and reject those in the lot with the worst feedback of the group (or less perfect feedback).

2) Pick a Project You Can Be Excited About

This may not seem necessary at first blush - but it makes tremedous sense. Here are some of the benefits:

* Your enthusiasm will show in your bid and communication
* If awarded the project, you will likely "over-deliver" earning good feedback

3) Ask a Couple Questions

Before posting your bid, you should ask the buyer a couple questions.

Not all buyers are great communicators (one reason to hire a freelancer), and it is very important to understand the assignment from the perspective of the buyer. This will help reduce revisions, misunderstandings, improper bidding, and poor feedback.

However, there are a couple less obvious benefits to asking a question:

1) You get the buyer to make a small investment of time in you. This is a powerful tool in relationships and sales. You will be more difficult to turn down when it comes time to select a provider.

2) You demonstrate to the provider that you are already interested and thinking about his/her project. Many of your competitors may have a "cut & paste" mentality to posting their bids. Your personal interest up front will impress.

3) If your questions are good - and if the answer is fairly detailed, the provider may worry that the other bidders don't understand the scope of the project the way that you do. This fear, combined with the two points above will put you on the 'short list'.

4) Provide a 'Complete' Bid

The wording of your bid (especially if you are bidding for any type of writing job) is critical. Make it very professional in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and vocabulary. (I personally prefer a concise sentences).

If you are brand new to the website, be sure to give a few credentials - explaining why you are qualified for the job. A little bit of personal information might be helpful - people like to work with someone they know and trust. Give them a little information. A picture in your profile can go a long way.

Be very specific in your bid. "I am bidding $xxx for three articles (800+ words each) on the following titles:......The first draft will be emailed to you for review on xx/xx/2008"

Provide samples of your work. I ALWAYS review a provider's writing style before making my selection. In fact, this is the first screen I use before price, feedback, etc. Make it easy to read - one click to your website (lens?) is great.

A word about price: When I am hiring a freelancer, price is not much of a consideration except in the following situations:

1) If the bid is quite low, I dismiss the bid. Maybe they don't understand the project? Maybe they don't value their work? I am looking for quality work, and time savings. Don't sell yourself short.

2) If there are plenty of qualified bidders that I have short listed based on reading their work samples, I MAY dismiss the highest bidder or two to help narrow it down (unless I've already established a dialog with the bidder - see point above on asking questions).

3) Occasionally I will hire a New Provider with zero feedback if their price is low AND they've communicated with me that they would normally charge more, but they are new to this venue and need to build up some positive feedback.

5) Stay in Touch After Winning the Project

Provide updates on your progress, rough drafts, etc to keep your client assured that you are working on the project.

When you deliver the completed product, include a message such as: "I am anxious to build a fine reputation on Elance (or Get a Freelancer, etc), and look forward to making any changes/revisions that wish".

Remember that the buyer is hiring you to do the project. He/she doesn't want to get bogged down with proof reading for typing errors, etc. Be professional and you will earn a fine reputation and wage as a Freelancer.

Why not sign up at Elance, or Get A Freelancer and start bidding on jobs today?.