Owning a business can be taxing, quite literally — mentally and monetarily. So, it would be in your best interest to reduce your workload and free up time to handle business tasks that deserve more attention.
Business owners must also face the reality that running a company, no matter how big or small, is growing more and more complex. And a one-man or woman show is simply out of the question.
After coming to this realization — you’re faced with two options: either hire a full or part-time employee to handle business operations such as accounting and payroll services, graphic design, human resource functions. You also have the option to hire freelancers to finish one-off projects on a need-basis.
Not only do I strongly advocate for option two, I have three sound advantages that you’re sure to gain when enlisting the help of a freelancer. In many cases, they can even assist in performing tasks in which you possess limited or no knowledge in, yet they remain pertinent to the growth of your business.
This can range from tax services to building a new company website.
Websites like Fiverr and UpWork provide a platform that connects those who require a range of business-related services with experienced online freelancers, creating a mutually beneficial relationship.
The two platforms enable business owners who have hired freelancers to leave reviews, and vice versa. During the process of selecting a freelancer, you should rely on reviews, and pick a freelancer, accordingly.
This method will ensure you locate someone experienced and willing to take on tasks they are qualified to handle. The following is an abbreviated list of services offered by many online freelance marketplaces:
- Mobile app development
- Communications (PR)
- Marketing & SEO
- Web development
- Website building
- Graphic design
Now, I’ll dive into the three major advantages of using an online freelancer to help with one-off, as well as long-term projects.
1. Higher-Level Execution
Freelancers are often experts who have worked for a number of years in a field in which they received professional training. This means traditional college, university or trade school.
Not only are the majority of freelancers highly-educated, but they are more often than not, located abroad, therefore bringing a different, fresh perspective to your project. This means the use of best practices for projects or tasks that improve the overall quality of work.
When you visit an online freelance marketplace, you can access reviews left by current and past customers. These reviews can paint a picture of a freelancer’s strengths and weaknesses. There are also protections in place for freelancers to ensure they are paid and not forced to make a hundred round of edits.
In many cases, you can also view samples of work and previous projects freelancers have worked on that are similar to the work you want done.
Factoring in all of the stakes, it is wise for an online freelancer to provide a higher level of service, which will be reflected in the task they’re hired to complete. This can range from a total website design to a writing and implementing a company-wide public relations strategy.
2. Reduced Overhead
According to Glassdoor, the average senior web developer makes around $117,000 each year, and a graphic designer makes around $56,000 annually. These figures are based on salary data collected by some 16,235 employees located across countless companies that vary in size.
The point is, if you require only two services, you have the potential to pay over $200,000 each year in salaries, excluding healthcare costs.
Hiring an online freelancer will almost always certainly come in cheaper, as freelancers who use online freelance profiles can set their prices. In order to stay competitive, most offer similar pricing.
One final element to keep in mind — each marketplace is different, so it is best to compare the online freelancer marketplaces to ensure you’re getting the best bang for your buck.
3. Fast Delivery
I mentioned it above, but it does deserve another mention. Freelancers actually have a reputation to uphold — and can’t afford bad online reviews. Also, those who solely depend on freelancing as their primary source of income will likely feel obliged to provide top-notch service that ensures business owners not only come back in the future, but they refer friends and other business owners.
This usually results in delivery on or before the agreed upon date.
Fast delivery can also occur as a result of eliminating workplace challenges like tiresome commutes, the risk of getting sick and even reduced chitter-chatter amongst co-workers.
For instance, if you have a project that needs to be completed overnight, you can send to a freelancer located in a different time zone, they can compete the work overnight and it can be ready in the morning.
This is not only a good business decision, it is much better than the alternative — staying up all night doing it yourself, especially if there is a limited or lack of knowledge on how to perform the task.
Connecting the Dots
Let’s recap: hiring an online freelancer can lead to higher standards of work and creativity, reduced overhead, as well as fast delivery. For business owners, this trifecta is a winning trinity for all parties involved.
Even if technology scares you, it is worth it to invest a few minutes on an online freelance marketplace to gain a tighter grasp on services you can have performed by qualified freelancers.
Finally, paying a freelancer directly also ensures you’re not paying an unnecessarily large sum of money just because you’ve hired a major development firm, when hiring a single freelancer can result in the same (if not a higher) quality of work.
About the Author:
Marc Dane is the SEO & Content Manager at WebCreate.io – a knowledge hub for small business owners looking to build a presence online. The site offers website builder reviews and comparisons, guides for building a website and resources on related tools, platforms and more.
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