It is possible for you to outsource projects online. It is something you can do, if you want tasks done fast. That is because many of the independent contractors who bid for projects online are highly efficient go-getters, who can do seemingly impossible tasks in amazingly short duration’s of time. Outsourcing projects online is also something you can do, if you want to get tasks done at a low cost. Some of the folks who bid for projects online are operating in environments where costs of living are low, and where they can afford to work for relatively low wages (by western standards) and still live well. On another note, outsourcing projects online something you can do, if you want to get complex tasks tackled. Some of the folks who bid for projects online are gurus in their respective fields, who can tackle seemingly impossible tasks ingeniously.
So, how do you get started in outsourcing projects online, if you have never done it before? Well, these are the steps to follow:
Research To Understand How Internet-Based Outsourcing Works: Information is power, and you are more likely to be successful in the whole thing if you understand how it works.
Identify a Good Freelancing/Outsourcing Site: Develop a criterion for analyzing the freelancing/outsourcing sites, and select the most ideal one.
Select An Ideal Category For Your Project: You need to post the project in the category where it is most likely to be seen by the people who have the skills to tackle it.
Post The Specifications Of Your Project: Describe what you’d want done, so that people who feel that they can do it can subsequently bid on the project.
Wait For Interested Contractors To Bid On Your Project: This normally happens fast, and it should be possible, in most cases, to have gotten enough bidders within 48 hours.
Select The Best Suited Contractor: Look at things like the contractor’s skills, the contractor’s experience, the contractor’s pricing and the contractor’s reputation, when making a selection.
Clarify Terms Of Delivery To The Contractor: Make everything clear, before selecting a contractor, to avoid disagreements and misunderstandings later on.
Create An Escrow Payment: Most of the freelancing/outsourcing sites have features through which you can escrow even small sums of money.
Wait For The Project To Be Completed: Give the contractor ample time to get the work done, and resist the temptation to bug him or her, unless when you absolutely have to ask for updates. Try to be nice.
Review The Completed Project: The idea here is to ensure that what you wanted done is actually done. Be keen, but at the same time, avoid being a perfectionist, because the contractor is just a person like you, and he or she may not see things exactly the way you see them.
Release The Escrow Payment To The Contractor: You can do this slowly over time (as milestones are achieved in your project), or just once when the whole project is completed. You can agree with the contractor on this issue.
Give The Contractor Feedback: This should be of help to other folks who may work with that particular contractor in the future. Be very careful with negative feedback though, and generally avoid posting it, because it can totally ruin the contractor’s business, yet any negative experiences you may have had may have been inadvertent. But if you have something positive to say about the contractor, go ahead and post it without hesitation.
