What are some tips for success?

When hiring a freelancer, follow these quick tips to ensure you get exactly what you’re looking for:

1) Ask questions: Send the freelancer a message with all your questions before completing your purchase. This shows the freelancer you are serious about hiring them and want to ensure the end result turns out exactly as you expected. Let them know your timeline, budget and any examples or pertinent information they will require to start on your project right away. This also helps you because you will get the chance to see how the freelancer reacts and the length of time it takes them to respond. If a freelancer is particularly busy that week and not able to return your messages it might be a better idea to pick another freelancer that has more availability and a faster response time.

2) Get samples: The best way to know whether the freelancer can deliver on what you’re expecting is by asking for past samples of their work. This way you can see exactly what other customers just like yourself have paid for and received in return. If the freelancer's samples fit your needs and price point then move forward and place an order. If the samples are different than you’ve expected it might be better to move on to a different freelancer that is more suited to your needs.

3) Be descriptive: Since all your communication will be digital you want to ensure you are as descriptive as possible when explaining what you want. Freelancers can’t read minds and vague descriptions can often lead to poor results. For example, if you are ordering product photos provide the freelancer with a shot list, examples of competitor product photos, the style and color you are wanting, the quantity of each type of shot, and past photos of your product (if available). Deliver it all in a Google Doc or Word Document the freelancer can easily access and review.