Hiring a freelancer can feel like a bigger decision than it actually is. Maybe you know your website needs some attention, your marketing has fallen to the bottom of your to-do list or you’ve been meaning to get your branding updated for the last two years. You know you need help, but you might not know exactly what kind of help you need. And that’s okay.

One of the biggest misconceptions about working with a freelancer is that you need to have everything figured out before you reach out. You don’t need a perfectly written project brief or even a clear idea of what the solution looks like. That’s part of what the process is for.

Before you ever sign a contract with me, there are a few conversations and steps that happen first. The goal isn’t to get you to sign as quickly as possible. It’s to figure out whether we’re a good fit, what your business actually needs and what makes the most sense for you. Here’s what that process looks like.

You Reach Out — Even If You Don’t Have Everything Figured Out

You don’t have to know exactly what you need before contacting me. You might reach out because your website feels outdated or maybe you’re struggling to keep up with social media. Maybe your business has grown and your marketing hasn’t grown with it, or maybe you simply know that marketing is something you should be doing more consistently, but you don’t have the time to manage it yourself.

Sometimes you know exactly what you want: a new website, a social media strategy or help with a specific project. Other times, you just know something isn’t working. Both are perfectly good reasons to start a conversation.

My job isn’t to expect you to walk in with a marketing plan already written. If you had the time or capabilities to do that, you probably wouldn’t need the freelancer in the first place. My job is to listen, ask questions and help figure out where the biggest opportunities are.

We Start With a Conversation

Before I start talking about deliverables or pricing, I want to understand your business. That means learning about what you do, who you serve, what’s currently working and—perhaps most importantly—what isn’t. This part of the process is often referred to as, “discovery”.

I’ll also want to understand what prompted you to reach out in the first place. Are you trying to attract more customers? Make your business look more established? Finally get your website updated? Take marketing off your plate? Support a new direction for the business?

Those answers matter because two businesses can come to me asking for the exact same thing and need completely different solutions. A website isn’t just a website. Social media isn’t just posting. Marketing isn’t just checking things off a list. The work needs to support the business behind it. Be wary of anyone who is pitching answers—or a contract—at this phase.

We Define What Makes Sense

Once I understand your business and have a better idea of what you’re looking to accomplish, we can start defining the project.

This is where we get more specific about things like:

• What we’re working on
• What I’ll be responsible for
• What you’ll need to provide
• What the timeline looks like
• What the investment will be
• What success looks like

This is also where I can make recommendations based on what I’ve seen. You might come to me thinking you need one thing, and through our conversations we realize there’s a better way to approach it. That’s a good thing. The goal isn’t to blindly execute the first idea that comes to mind. It’s to make sure we’re solving the right problem.

You Get to Review Everything

Before you sign anything, you’ll receive a proposal outlining what we’ve discussed. This gives you the opportunity to look everything over, ask questions and make sure the scope feels right.

I don’t expect you to immediately say yes. In fact, I think you shouldn’t sign a contract until you understand what you’re agreeing to. If something doesn’t make sense, ask. If you have concerns about the scope, let’s talk about them. If your priorities have changed since our first conversation, that’s worth discussing too. The proposal should give both of us clarity, not create pressure.

Then Comes the Contract

Once we’ve agreed on the scope, timeline and investment, then we get to the contract. At this point, the contract shouldn’t feel like a surprise. You already know what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, what it will cost and what you can expect from me.

The contract simply puts those expectations in writing so we’re both starting from the same page. Once it’s signed, that’s when the actual onboarding process begins.

So What Am I Looking For In This Process?

More than anything, I’m looking for a good fit. I want to work with businesses where I can genuinely be useful, not just because there’s a project available.

I’m also looking for clients who are willing to collaborate. You know your business better than I ever will. I bring the marketing experience and outside perspective, but the best work happens when those two things come together.

You don’t need to know how to build a website, develop a content strategy or manage a marketing plan—that’s what you’re hiring me for. However, I do need you to be willing to share your perspective, answer questions and give honest feedback.

What You Can Expect From Me

You can expect me to ask questions and explain why I’m recommending something—not just tell you what I think you should do. You can also expect me to point out opportunities you may not have considered and tell you when I don’t think something is necessary.

I don’t believe hiring a marketing freelancer should mean handing over a blank check and hoping for the best. You should understand the strategy behind the work and feel confident that what we’re doing is connected to your business goals.

The Goal is To Make Marketing Easier

By the time you sign a contract, you should feel like you know what you’re getting into. You shouldn’t be wondering what happens next or whether you hired the right person. And you definitely shouldn’t feel like hiring a freelancer just gave you another complicated project to manage.

The entire process before the contract is about getting to that point: understanding your business, identifying the opportunity, figuring out what makes sense and making sure we’re both comfortable moving forward. Because ultimately, my goal isn’t just to complete a project, it’s to keep your business evolving and growing.

Thinking about working together?

---