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The holiday season is busy for everyone. But especially busy for me. It's not because I'll have a house full of family members all Christmas week. Or because I have Christmas shopping to do, or office parties to attend, or errands to run. No, the real reason I am so busy this time of year is because companies are outsourcing more.
While it is obvious that outsourcing is not for every agency, it definitely has its benefits. Still, some are skeptical about handing work over to someone they hardly know. If you are giving it some thought and still not sure if it is right for you or your company, this article will help provide some insight.
Money talks. Let's get the obvious advantage out of the way. It costs money to have employees. More than you might think. Two weeks paid vacation, health insurance, 401(k) plan, and the monthly paycheck that goes out no matter what the company is bringing in. Can you say overhead? On top of that, add office supplies, phone lines, internet access, and office space and you come up with a pretty large number. The best part about hiring a freelancer hands down is that you don't pay any of this. You pay for the services rendered and that's all.
Keep the team happy. Egos get bruised from time to time. This is usually the case when a firm has a large project that needs several directions as a starting point. Rather than start off by having the team contribute their ideas, hire a freelancer for some mock ups. Chances are, the freelancer will provide some ideas to pull from without having to shoot down one of your own colleague's. Plus, it is much easier to have the team openly critique an outsider than one of their co-workers. You end up with a great starting point with a team that is now focused and without any hurt feelings.
Fresh eyes. You know what the client likes. You know the fonts they prefer. You know the color guidelines. You know their safety zone. You know these things so well in fact that working on one of their campaigns takes little if any effort. It's just a matter of time before you become bored with their brand. And this is precisely when you will either drop the client or they will drop you. Protect your relationship with your long term client and bring in an outsider. By having them collaborate on a project, they will likely breathe new life into the project and refresh your interest.
Every job is a job interview. I've heard it said from HR reps that the hardest a temp will work is when they are working toward full time employment. If this is the case, then imagine what it is like for a freelancer. A freelancer must look at every project they work on as a job interview. After all, if they don't impress you with project A, chances are you won't be contacting them for project B. A good freelancer knows that they have to meet or exceed your expectations in order to get that all rewarding repeat business from you.
Standby Mode. One of the key benefits for employers is having a good freelancer in your back pocket. This can be extremely beneficial around holidays and staff vacations in the summer. But it also comes in handy for emergencies or last minute projects. You don't want to pass up on a project, but your staff is busy wrapping up a campaign. This is an ideal time to...
[NOTE: I was just called by a client while writing this. They have a last minute project for me to work on. Thanks for helping me prove my point!]
As I was saying, this is an ideal time to call for backup. Most freelancers are happy to take on work and depending on your relationship with your freelancer, they will likely jump through hoops to make you happy.
Walk away guilt-free. You weren't completely satisfied with the freelancer's work? Then you simply don't call them again. Did your personalities clash? Don't worry, you never have to work with them again. Firing a full time employee involves HR, paperwork, and a bit of office politics thrown in for extra stress. For a freelancer this is part of the risk of being out on your own. Not everyone is going to get along perfectly, so treat it like any other relationship. If things are getting rocky and one of you is unhappy, then it's time to part ways.
Overall, the benefits to working with a freelancer far exceed the horror stories you've probably heard. So now all you have to do is find the right one. This could very well be an entire post in and of itself. But here are a few pointers. Ask why they don't have a full time job and choose to freelance instead. Ask to see their portfolio and samples. And most importantly, ask for references. If they are a professional then they should have previous employers that can vouch for them.
Hiring a freelancer isn't for everyone, but for the agencies that truly know how to use them effectively, they can be lifesavers. And with that I have to end this blog entry. I have a life to save. (AKA a last minute project to work on)
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Over the years I have worked on hundreds of projects. Some small, some large. But no matter what the size of the project, there were always ways to save time. After years of trial and error I have finally come up with some basic guidelines. These will save you time, which will save you money, but it will also help keep you sane. Here are a handful of them that I would like to share with you. Some of these are pretty obvious, but you'd be surprised how quickly we forget the little things.
For the purpose of this posting I am using a hypothetical website design project, but I'm sure you'll find these guidelines applicable to most design projects.
- Ask Questions, Especially the Obvious Ones. I would rather spend 5 minutes asking questions than 2 hours later doing revisions. Asking an extra three or four questions up front also gets the client thinking more about the project. Chances are, they have not thought of every scenario and by asking them more detailed questions it will force them to confront issues that otherwise might be overlooked.
- Labels and Folders - Use Them! When you design a project, whether it's in Photoshop, Flash, Illustrator, or any other program - label your layers and place them in folders. You will be amazed how much faster you will work simply by grouping certain elements together in a folder and naming it. Not only does this help in the short term but also in the future for when you might need to tweak the design months down the line.
- Put the Ball in Their Court. When I have clients sign off on designs I always implement a timeframe. This way they know that they should give me an answer in say, 2 days. If it takes longer for them to get back to me then the timeline of the entire project gets pushed back. A timeline is a two way responsibility.
- Agree on the Number of Revisions. Typically each round of revision may have a handful of tweaks for you to work on. Agree with the client how many rounds they are allowed and how much each additional round will cost them. Placing a dollar amount on the revisions helps to keep the focus client on what they will request.
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Pick Up the Phone. Though I work pretty extensively via email and instant messaging, there is still nothing quite like a good old fashioned phone call. I usually prefer to talk with clients during the kickoff meeting. I also use the phone sometimes to cover revisions just to make sure what is needed and implied in an email. As great as email is, sometimes things get taken out of context or simply not explained clearly enough.
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I was discussing with another designer the other day where inspiration comes from. For me, it's really almost anywhere or anything I might come across. I usually put a project on the back burner for a few days while I bounce ideas around. I apply my surroundings to the idea whether I'm at the grocery store or a coffee house with friends. It's sort of like a constant brainstorming session, so what sparks that main idea really varies. There are, however, more conventional ways to find inspiration. I submit to you now a list of ideas to help jump start your creativity.
Award websites. Websites like these do a great job of collecting the best of the web and placing them all into one nice list for you. There are certainly too many to name here, but some of my personal favorites are Fcukstar, My Design Award, the Favorite Website Awards, and of course New Web Pick.
Music. I can't really emphasize this enough, but for me music is a driving force behind my work. And having the right collection can really help you to push through times when a not-so-exciting project needs completion. Besides buying your music online there are several free services online that allow you to hear new music. Personal favorites include Pandora and Last.fm. Muxtape is also a great find, and it should be relaunching soon.
Bookstores. Besides looking through book covers, magazines, and yes even comic books. I once found a book of old presidential posters. I based a layout for a southwestern arena on the typography from an Abraham Lincoln poster. As an added bonus, there some bookstores sell CDs. I have found CD artwork to be a great way to keep in touch with layout and typography.
Movies and film festivals. Try and focus on camera angles and opening title sequences. Sometimes all I need is the first five minutes of a movie to spark ideas on typography treatments. Short film festivals typically showcase work that are nothing less than hidden gems. Another great find is independent movies and foreign films. A great design piece should evoke emotion without any text on the page. In other words, the layout, shading, camera angles, and coloring should set the mood before any text is even added. Now compare that to a foreign film in which you don't understand the language. Think of all the techniques used by the filmmaker to get his message across.
Museums and Art Galleries. Most creative people tend to visit these areas for inspiration, but here's a twist on how to get more from your visit. Try going with a friend who is new to the exhibit. You can get a very raw emotional experience from them simply by discussing and observing their reactions. Your own children or even a niece or nephew will also provide a new world of insight. Find out what they think and feel about the different pieces.
Something different altogether. Get yourself out of your comfort zone and you are bound to take something away from that experience. Remember, your work is a reflection of yourself and you want to have as many experiences to pull from as possible.
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