Are You Ready for a Freelancer?

Now that we've established that you're a micropreneur like me, let's address the fact that you do too much. Far too much. It's time to learn to .

Take it from me: having help can open you up to having more time and energy to focus on the tasks that you and only you need to do. Run your business. Talk to customers. Close sales.

So how can you capture this elusive extra time?

Freelancers.

You may not have the need or budget to hire part-time or full-time staff, so freelancers fit the bill perfectly. Here are some areas they're best used in:

• Marketing
• Design
• Programming
• Admin tasks

Where Can I Find a Freelancer?

There are websites that help you find freelancers, such as Elance and Guru. Here, you can either browse the freelancers in a category or post a project and invite freelancers to bid. You can set your budget so only those who can meet it apply. Choose the candidate best qualified, and you're off and running.

You can also post jobs on Craigslist. This is especially useful if you need someone local. In most cases, if you need a marketer or designer, it's not necessary that they're in your immediate area. After all, I have worked with clients I've never even spoken to over the phone, simply because my work as a virtual marketer means I can work with clients anywhere in the world.

My advice here: know what you want. If you have only a half-baked idea for a project, you'll waste the freelancer's time and spend more money than you want getting your project complete. Write out a description of your specific needs so you can find the best fit.

How Much Will I Pay a Freelancer?

Trick question. It depends on what service you're getting, how much experience a freelancer has, and how complicated the project is. Some freelancers charge by the hour, while others charge by the project.

If the freelancer you want to work with charges by the hour, ask for an estimate on how long the project will take so you don't get surprised with a giant invoice. You can even cap the number of hours to fit your budget.

Either way, it's more affordable to pay for the services you need rather than paying a full-time employee a salary.

Benefits of Freelancers

If you have a one-time project, a freelancer can help. But if you need ongoing help, such as with content marketing, it's also great to have someone you can rely on to consistently deliver quality work. Consider your big-picture needs and treat the first interaction as a test to see if this freelancer is a good fit for your company.