Client: “Thanks for submitting the website copy landing page on time! The content looks great for my target audience.”
Freelancer: “Cool! I’m happy you liked my work.”
Client: “I forgot to specify an important thing. I also want you to insert a few internal links as well as some high-quality images in this landing page. Once you do, I’ll go ahead and launch my website the next day.”
Freelancer: “Ooops! You’re late. I just left home for my summer vacations. I’ll be back after two weeks. Can you wait?”
You see. What was wrong? Though the client was happy with the freelancer’s work, a specific, detailed brief could help the client get the entire work done from the freelancer without any delay. The client could launch his website without having to wait for two long weeks!
That’s the power of well-written briefs.
Writing a clear yet detailed brief helps you in the following ways:
- If you specify ALL your requirements in the brief, you’ll get exactly what you expected. There are no disappointments!
- At Speedlancer we do have set pricing for different project categories. Since you know you’ll not have to pay anything extra to the freelancer, you can get the work done in a timely and cost-effective way.
So are you ready to write a killer brief for a freelancer?
If yes, read on and find out how…
Begin With the Context of Your Project
Of course, you know ‘why’ exactly you want this project to be done. But the freelancer is unaware of its context unless you communicate to them. Tell them the motivation and challenges behind the task. Who knows a freelancer provides some amazing suggestions you hadn’t even thought of?
Example of an objective without a context: “Our website load time should be faster than our competitors.”
Example of a crystal-clear objective WITH context: “Our website is taking 10 seconds to load on mobile devices. We want to make it faster by reducing its load time to 3 seconds in the next month.”
Set Boundaries
Though you’ve given directions as to what to include in the project, it’s equally essential to educate the freelancer what IS NOT required in the project. This way, you can be sure you’re getting the outcome you require from them without having to pay extra.
Communicate about the Exact Outcome You Want from the Project
Let’s face it: we all think differently. So do the freelancers. To get the outcome exactly according to your requirements, you should explain even the minor details of the project in your brief.
Here are some examples to be as specific as you can while writing the brief:
- You want blog posts to be written. Instruct the freelancer that you want the blog posts in .docx format.
- You want a well-designed web page. Tell the freelancer you’ll be working in WordPress for the finished design.
- It’s about being clear about the exact outcome from the work!
Always Ask If the Freelancer Has a Question
Perhaps, the freelancer has got a brilliant idea while carrying out the task. But they want your approval. Or they want to make sure if you’ll also love the idea. Together, both of you could come up with a valuable outcome of your project. But that’s possible only if you encourage the freelancer to ask as many questions as they like.
To avoid any communication gap, add a sentence at the end of the brief, “I am open to questions and suggestions. Feel free to contact me any time before completing the task.”
What’s Next?
You’re only some words away from writing a killer brief for a freelancer on a freelance platform! Incorporating the above-mentioned points while writing a brief will literally help you speak about your project requirements clearly.
Go ahead and get that project done right!