Don’t stop at just one pick, unless that person promises to be beyond perfection or you know them and have already “clicked”: Select several candidates for each position on your team.
Once you have found at least three or four likely candidates (or they have contacted you), it is time for you to make more in-depth investigation and inquiries.
- Check the websites of likely candidates. Look for information on rates – and don’t be put off if you see messages like “contact me for a quote”: All this tells you is that this contractor has found projects highly variable; in which case flat rates don’t work.
One tip, however: The more high-level the freelancers and the more complex the services they offer, the more they are likely to insist on you contacting them for individual quotes.
Don’t be afraid, however, to check out outsource contractors who offer package deals (e.g. “12 Research Hours per Month = “$277.00”). This usually means the contractor in question is highly organized, well-experienced and is able to create a win-win situation for both you for her own business reputation and pocketbook. You’ll get a modest “deal” on price in exchange for booking a set number of hours monthly.
- Match the contractor level to your business level. This one should be a no-brainer, but people have been known to “go for the best” in the mistaken belief that the hot-whizz-bang contractor is going to run their business for them.
Don’t do this. This will annoy the heck out of the contractor when they realize you don’t yet know many of the basics – and you’ll lose serious money. (That’s assuming, of course, that they even agree to take on your project.)
“Should I Use Freelancers from Fiverr.com?”
No doubt, if you are in an online business, you have heard others rave about “getting cheap labor” from Fiverr. In fact, there are a handful of marketers right now who are basing whole programs on Fiverr labor, while teaching others to do the same.
Yes, it’s marginally less risky than using Craigslist or Kijiji, but there’s a right way and a wrong way to successfully use Fiverr.
The Right Way
- Check the category that looks most promising and the offer that appeals to you most. Look for literate candidates with realistic offers. (E.g. “10 minutes transcription for $5.00”)
- Read all feedback and reviews. Look for the person’s website (they are not supposed to post this on Fiverr but (a) some do (b) there is nothing stopping you from searching!)
Also check:
- Their overall Level and Rating
- How long they have been on Fiverr
(Do this by clicking on the anchor text in the small profile in the right-hand sidebar:
This will open up a page in graph form where you’ll be able to assess their performance at a glance.)
- Commission one small project to see how they perform. If deadlines are met and work is top quality, try a few more projects. If delivery is consistent, ask if they would be available for regular monthly projects. Offer them a fair rate (consider the Fiverr gig a “sample” of what they can do – and indeed, that is what new but competent online contractors use it to provide).
- Interview them as you would any other contractor. And specify whether or not you want a “work for hire” arrangement, where you own copyright exclusively; or they can retain copyright.
- Agree on a trial period. After it is over, raise your rate (if that was part of your agreement) and send them a contract (even if it is a “by the month” contract).
The Wrong Way:
- Find a contractor on Fiverr. Look for the most humongous, unrealistic amount of work offered for $5.00 (e.g. “I will design your entire website and set up your shopping cart for $5.00”)
- Book a large amount of work. Don’t check the reviews. Don’t use common sense to evaluate whether or not they are offering an unrealistic amount of work for $5. Instead, be greedy and expect them to work for ever for $5 per project – and thank you for it.
- Be very, very surprised when they lose heart or drop you like a hot potato, when clients doing it the Right Way come along.
Sounds pretty ridiculous and unethical when you look at using Fiverr “The Wrong Way”, doesn’t it?
In other words, if something is too good to be true, you can bet it is. Either the contractor is a complete amateur who has no idea what he or she is getting into or someone is out to scam you – which is okay, because if you are using this approach, you would be totally out to use that contractor and wring every last drop of work out of her like a dish cloth.
You will get the most out of Fiverr if you treat it as a “sample”. Results can be hit-and-miss. People can sound great but turn out to be lemons… or they can provide you with a sloppy job, work they don’t own the copyright to or other horror scenarios.
That being said, some great starts have been made on Fiverr – for both new contractors and new online business owners alike.
Stay tuned for Step Five!
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