A checklist for hiring marketing freelancers

You may have some small marketing needs for your care center such as brochure design, provider bio writing, or social media creative and execution. Are you thinking about hiring a freelancer to help execute these projects? Hiring a freelancer is a big decision and you may be wondering – what should I look for? While there is no simple answer to that question, we have developed a short checklist you can use to help you with your decision.

• Personality
  Commonly asked questions like “what are your strengths and weaknesses” can tell you a lot about a person. Also, take the time at the beginning of the interview to make some small talk. Start getting to know them and see how they engage with you so you can decide if it’s a good match.
• Communication Style and Skills
  There are some questions you can ask that will help you determine whether your communication styles will work together. You can ask questions such as: “Describe your communication style”, or “How do you prefer to communicate?” or “Tell me about challenges you faced when working with a team for a project and how you overcame them.”
• Budget
  This is obviously one of the most important pieces when selecting a freelancer. Talk with them about your budget and what you can afford and get a sense if they can work within your parameters. Also discuss whether they charge by the project or the hour so you can set expectations ahead of time and agree on scope and budget before work starts.
• Referrals and Portfolios
  When you’re looking to hire a marketing freelancer, ask to see samples of their past work. Ask if they have any recommendations or referrals from past clients. This will help you know whether their skills match your needs.
• A Desire to Understand Your Practice
  When you’re interviewing, pay attention to the questions the freelancer asks. Do their questions reflect a genuine interest in understanding your practice? Do they demonstrate that they really took the time beforehand to understand your request and requirements?
• Motivation
  Freelancers should be proactive and communicate when projects will be completed, and if there will be any potential delays. Make sure they can meet deadlines.
• Availability
  Take the time to discuss your current needs and potential future needs with freelancers when it comes to availability. That way, you know whether or not they can give you what you need when it comes to time.
• Ability to Follow Directions and Feedback
  When you give your freelancer specific instructions, you need to know they’ll follow them and ask questions if needed. A freelancer who can follow directions when needed is a valuable asset.

There are a lot of factors to consider when hiring freelancers. However, this checklist should give you a good idea of what to start looking for.

Source: FreeUp