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Tips for Freelance Professionals Listed in the MWC’s
Directory
· Before accepting a job, be sure to have the scope,
schedule, expectations and details of the project in
writing.
The fees to complete the project, terms of payment, and
expectations regarding communication with the consumer
should also be in writing. Having a clearly defined
project and knowing the consumer’s expectations will
help
you to satisfy your consumer - and possibly receive
additional freelance assignments from them and others!
· Find out when and how often the consumer prefers to be
contacted about the status of their project. Keeping
your consumer/client in the dark is not a professional
way to conduct business. Likewise, you will irritate
your consumer
if you contact them too often. Keep them informed but do
not become a pest.
· Give the consumer an estimate of how many hours it
will take to complete the project. Setting a maximum
number
of hours may also be necessary.
· Be prepared to supply work samples and professional
references.
· Keep a copy of the contract that you and the consumer
have agreed upon.
Suggested items to include in a
contract between the freelance professional and client:
· What is the timeline for the project? How is the
final project to be delivered to the consumer?
· How often does the freelance professional need to give
a status update of the project?
· What are the details/expectations of this project?
What elements need to be included in the finished
project to
meet the consumer’s expectations? Clearly defining
project expectations protects BOTH the consumer and
freelancer.
· How does the freelance professional and consumer
prefer to be contacted and at what time? (example: Home
phone between
3 p.m. – 7 p.m.., email, face-to-face)
· Fees and costs: Will the freelance professional be
paid hourly and at what rate? Will the freelance
professional be paid a flat fee?
Is the consumer responsible for paying for needed
supplies such as paper, ink, telephone? Is the freelance
professional paid when the
job is completed or in weekly/monthly?
· Keep in mind, if the consumer expands the scope of the
project after the contract has been signed and agreed
upon, a new contract
should be written to reflect these changes.
· If a contract is created, both parties should sign and
keep copies for their records. |
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