Managing to get the best … from freelancers

Communication World, April-May, 1997 by Barry House

Before you pick up the phone, think for a moment: What do you expect from the freelance writer who will get this assignment?

The relationship between you, the corporate communicator, and the freelance writer, the hired gun who comes in to handle specific projects, is a lot like a marriage. To make the relationship work, each person needs to understand the expectations of the other person.

You may wonder why you should be concerned about understanding expectations. Shouldn't the writer be checking for your expectations? Aren't you the customer - and isn't this the age of customer satisfaction?

Well, yes and no. As with a marriage relationship (or any relationship), both people carry a portion of the responsibility. Just ask yourself this question: If things go wrong with a project you assign to a freelancer - things that could go right if that person understands what you expect - do you feel better knowing you can blame the freelancer?

Then ask yourself this follow-up question: Will your management maintain its high regard for your professionalism if it knows an outsourced mess was really a freelancer's fault?

The answer to both questions is probably "No."

So, before you call your local freelance writer, make a list of all your expectations. Here are seven you must consider, and why they're important:

1. What final product do you expect?

Tell the writer exactly what you expect him or her to produce, especially if you want more than "just words."

One of the first projects I took when I began freelancing became trouble because I turned in clean, proofed, ready-to-use copy in manuscript form. It was not formatted or even in a preliminary layout. My contact person, who had presented himself as an experienced project manager, was outraged. "1 thought a professional copywriter would give me something more than just words," he told me.

I didn't know what he wanted and he didn't know what I was planning to provide. We had both assumed what the final product was going to be.

At the same time, I agreed to take a long-term project writing and managing the production of a quarterly employee publication. So far, there have been no problems at all with that project - that client told me up front he expected me to handle everything.

Never assume. Always tell your writer precisely what you expect.

2. What physical form do you expect?

This one may seem really picky, but if you express your expectation up front, you will avoid problems later.

Do you want the writer to deliver manuscript copy on paper? Do you want a computer file? What kind of file do you prefer - Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, ASCII text? Do you want the copy delivered on disk? What kind, Macintosh or PC? Do you prefer to have copy delivered by E-mail?

Tell the writer. Don't wait until the writer delivers hard copy of a long document to say, "We really prefer everything on disk."

3. What direction do you expect?

This one is your responsibility. Period. In fact, this one is your responsibility to determine before you call the writer to offer the project.

If you're the decision maker on the projects you manage, congratulations. You decide how you want the piece written, then call the writer and tell him or her what direction to take.

If you answer to others, get their input on the project before calling in the writer. This is a vitally important step in managing a project.

Find out exactly what information you need to include in the piece - is it an overview or a detailed description?

Find out exactly what structure you need - narrative or step-by-step.

Find out exactly what tone you should expect - straightforward, persuasive, humorous?

If possible, gather everyone who will review the document and find out their picture of the ideal piece. And keep the number of reviewers to an absolute minimum. Use their expectations as your guide for providing direction to the writer.

Getting the direction nailed down in advance helps you. If you've checked the direction with the other people who review copy, you appear to be in control. You're on top of the situation, and you're obviously going to bring in copy that will work for your organization.

Getting the direction nailed down in advance helps the writer. For the freelance writer, there's nothing worse than being told you missed the mark.

Do the legwork before you bring in the writer. Period.

4. Do you expect ideas?

In spite of the writer's need for clear direction, you may not know what direction you really want to follow. Maybe nobody in your company knows the direction this piece needs to take.

Although it's still your responsibility to determine the direction, sometimes you need help. Sometimes you need some fresh ideas to consider.

If you expect the writer to develop ideas first, and then work on the idea your company selects, tell the writer. If you choose this route, be ready for creativity - and be ready to pay. Tell the writer how much you will pay for this service. I call it creative concepting, and without an upper limit, it can cost you quite a bit.