Top 10 mistakes business owners make when hiring freelancers

If you’ve decided to hire a freelance web designer for your website, then you’re headed in the right direction. After all it’s better to part with some cash and get your job done on time. But if you want to avoid hiccups, avoid these mistakes. 

Mistake 1: Paying rock bottom prices

While it’s important to keep prices down, it shouldn’t be the main factor in when choosing a freelancer for your web design. You may get someone at a bargain price, but is it really worth it if you’ve got the world’s ugliest website?

Mistake 2: No written contracts

You don’t want to pay an astronomical sum for a boring website. Paying thousands of dollars for a website without the ‘bells and whistles’ stuff can be pretty disappointing. Make your budget and requirements very clear in the beginning.

Mistake 3: Not expressing what you want

You need to have something specific in mind when you go online. Explain it clearly – If you say “I don’t really mind, you decide”, you can’t complain about the result.

Mistake 4: Not considering the design factors

Obviously you want someone who has specialized in your kind of jobs. You do not want someone with a fancy portfolio if your design needs are pretty simple.

Mistake 5: Updating your site & maintenance

Your designer may do a good job building the site, but it will also need to be updated regularly. Will it be easy to update the site yourself or will he need to do it? If updates will be done by him, then confirm whether it’s included in the initial price or if there’ll be an extra cost.

Mistake 6: Hiring the Bells and Whistles guys

Many freelancers use Flash in their projects to impress clients. While this may look good sometimes, it can be a turn-off to a lot of people and should be avoided.

Mistake 7: No time-specific Targets

If you aren’t specific about the time frame within which the job has to be completed then all the other legal aspects you’ve thrashed out will be brought to naught. Make sure you can cancel the contract if he doesn’t deliver on time.

Mistake 8: They don’t have a back-up plan. 

There may be unforeseen events which prevent him from completing the job on time. Ask if he has back up if someone falls sick?

Mistake 9: You don’t have a back-up plan! 

All your hard work can come to naught if the web designer can’t complete the job or cancels the contract midway, so always have someone else in mind who can do the job.