Constructing a profitable content material advertising and marketing program usually requires hiring communicative, environment friendly freelance writers. However it may be powerful to seek out devoted freelancers who produce high-quality work and need to spend time investing in your model. So how will you inform up-front if somebody is an effective match? What info is required to make sure you don’t dump time into coaching a brand new author, solely to seek out that they don’t meet your requirements?
Listed here are 5 questions managing editors can ask themselves earlier than and through that preliminary dialog with a brand new author:
1. Does the freelancer have a portfolio and high quality work samples?
Earlier than you converse with a possible freelancer, don’t overlook to confirm they’ve an internet site or portfolio of labor samples. You’ll additionally need to see in the event that they’ve finished related work up to now. Studying just a few of their earlier tales or getting a way of their model will help you identify whether or not or not they’ll be a great match on your model. Usually, freelance writers also can offer you references or a listing of earlier shoppers that can assist you get a way of their experience.
Jennifer Dienst, a author and editor with over a decade of expertise, has employed dozens of freelancers. She all the time seems to be at their social media channels to get to know them higher earlier than scheduling an preliminary dialog.
2. Is the freelancer open to a transparent and concise dialog up-front about expectations?
After reviewing the author’s portfolio, an up-front dialogue with a freelancer can reveal what it’s wish to work with them and the way they’ll reply to boundaries and suggestions. Emily Wolfe, a journalist and model marketing consultant who has managed a number of publications, says the most effective freelancers she’s managed have requested questions prematurely to make clear what she needed. “[They] weren’t afraid to speak on the telephone to ensure we’re on the identical web page,” she says. The preliminary communication boded effectively for the remainder of the connection—she discovered the freelancers who initially accepted suggestions had been a lot simpler to work with in the course of the drafting and enhancing processes.
Nevertheless, because the managing editor, you should come to the desk with readability on the work the freelancer shall be doing. Which may imply pulling collectively a challenge abstract, phrase depend, due date, and fee info earlier than that preliminary dialog.
3. Does this freelancer have concepts that align with my model’s wants?
For those who want a freelancer to pitch concepts, take into account whether or not their preliminary submissions are a great match. Is the voice proper? Does the experience land? Once more, this preliminary info can prevent effort and time down the street.
“[When looking for freelancers, I] thought of whether or not their pitches had been a match for our publication and whether or not they had been keen to be versatile with tailoring [the idea] or working with the concept I had in thoughts or that the group wanted to prioritize,” Wolfe recollects. “There’s a push and pull of massive image and getting the nuance proper.”
Hiring a freelancer who understands your model’s voice, pointers, and desires can simplify your job and save valuable enhancing time.
4. Does this freelancer perceive my viewers?
Discovering the reply to this query generally is a delicate balancing act: It’s important to rent writers who’ve experience that may assist your model, however you additionally need to work with individuals who carry new voices to the desk. Nevertheless, to maintain along with your group’s high-level technique, a freelancer ought to be capable of perceive a model’s viewers and orient content material towards the wants of that group simply.
5. Does this freelancer have the bandwidth to work with my model?
Even essentially the most excellent freelancer can fall brief in the event that they’re working at overcapacity. Dienst suggests asking about availability earlier than making any last hiring selections.
“I perceive that juggling a number of initiatives and shoppers will be difficult,” she says. “Relying on the scope and size of the challenge, I feel it’s truthful to ask these questions [about time, availability, and schedule] to ensure the freelancer has sufficient bandwidth to take it on.”
Be sure that the freelancer can accommodate your inner deadlines on an preliminary challenge with time to spare, and take into account asking about long-term availability as effectively.
The underside line
Hopefully, working by means of these questions will lead you to a contract author who creates high quality work, hits deadlines, and communicates effectively. In fact, that doesn’t imply that each challenge will go completely. Dienst says you want a communicative freelancer, particularly when issues don’t go in keeping with plan. After they want clarification or additional leeway on a deadline, a great freelancer isn’t afraid to ask. “I’d somewhat a freelancer maintain me up-to-date in the event that they hit a roadblock that’s going to impression the deadline or finish end result,” she says. “I’m nearly all the time blissful to accommodate.”
