Posts Tagged ‘freelancers’
Small Business Technologies That Make Life Easy…Really Easy!
Friday, March 21st, 2008
The best thing about new technology is that it makes life easier. Something that used to take two hours, might now take just two minutes. Who doesn’t love to shrink those time-consuming tasks down to a mere minute or two? In your personal life, think of the microwave, dishwasher, washing machine, automatic sprinkler, garage door openers…the list is virtually endless. But, there’s plenty of time-saving technologies in the business world too - computers, fax machines, scanners, web cams, etc. They all make life as a small business owner easier on a daily basis. Here are some of the absolute best technologies that every small business owner should know about:
Remote desktop application - Think about it; from any internet-ready computer in the world, you have the ability to log onto your computer just as it looks when you sit in your office chair. The same files and applications are there, even your wallpaper and family pictures are right where you left them - amazing!
Wireless internet - No longer is your laptop in need of a pesky cable to get internet access. You can be at the beach lounging under a palm tree, or at Starbucks sipping a Frappucino - as long as there’s WiFi in the area, you can log on and get down to business!
Freelancer websites - While in years past getting someone to design a logo, write copy for an advertisement, or create a website involved interviews and a full hiring process, today things are different. Sites like Guru.com and E-lance.com have made finding talented temporary help ridiculously quick and simple - with no strings attached.
USB stick - How something so small can hold so much is simply amazing. Transferring files from computer to computer has never been easier. This little tool is perfect for bringing files along to work on while traveling, or even as an inexpensive method of backing up those ultra-important files.
Spam-blocking software - Let’s face it, without some sort of spam-fighting software loaded on our computers, our inboxes would be inundated with junk e-mail. And, no matter how you do it, sifting through 1,000 emails a day to find those 11 that are actually legit is time-consuming (and mind numbing). So, thank you spam fighters!
Multi-tasking phones - Blackberries and iPhones take center stage as the must-have mobile devices for business professionals. Having the ability to send emails, surf the web, open files and documents, take pictures and, of course, make phone calls anytime, anywhere certainly makes business-on-the-go a whole lot easier. And the best part is these workaholic phones are small enough to go unnoticed in your pocket!
Of course, the list doesn’t end here; there are dozens, possibly hundreds, of new and exciting technologies for small business owners out there - like free webinars, online inventory tracking, merchant accounts, website-building software, etc.
Tags: Carrie Hinkel, e-lance, freelancers, guru.com, small business, small business technologies, technology
Posted in News & Articles | No Comments »
More Businesses Are Using Freelancers…And For Good Reason
Monday, October 29th, 2007
Some small businesses get into trouble when they try to do all aspects of their business in-house: marketing, advertising, copywriting, data entry, bookkeeping, web design, SEO techniques etc. The problem is that most businesses don’t have a working staff that is skilled in each (or any) of those areas. It makes much more sense to hire a professional who is experienced in a certain field and have them do the job for you. Hiring a freelancer will ensure that the job is done right. Plus, it will free your company’s employees up to do what they really excel at.
It’s never hard to find good, reliable and available freelancers. In fact, there are several freelance websites that allow you to post your job in specific categories where freelancers who specialize in those areas can bid on it. Here are the two biggest and most-respected freelance websites:
www.Guru.com : Guru is the world’s largest freelancer website. There are over 629,000 freelancers signed up with Guru - you’re sure to find at least one of them that meets your needs! There are plenty of freelancer categories to list with and placing a job listing is absolutely free (and incredibly easy).
www.Elance.com : Elance is very similar to Guru. It’s an online workplace that allows businesses to hire work talent on demand. Placing a listing is free and there are plenty of categories to place your job listing in.
There are also plenty of freelance websites that are specific to a job category, like SEO or graphic designers. If you’d like to do a more thorough freelancer hunt, you can just search Google for "SEO freelancers", etc.
As the old adage goes, "You get what you pay for".
Finding freelancers is easy; however, finding a good freelancer will cost you. Placing a job listing on a freelance site is a great way to find out what a fair rate will be for the job you want done. You’re sure to see a wide spectrum of pricing - and, of course, you get what you pay for. Always check a freelancer’s feedback and rating (most freelance websites have this feature) and take a look at their online portfolio if available. Rock-bottom bids are fine if you don’t care about the quality of the job. Just don’t expect a stellar job or even timely results. Freelancers on the higher end of the price range are bidding high because they can. Most likely, they’ve proven their talent to other clients and have the positive feedback and the amazing portfolio to back their bid up.
Hiring a freelancer is easy and it beats placing an ad in the paper and conducting interviews. You can usually feel safe relying on a freelancer’s positive feedback and impressive portfolio for references. Just be sure to set a specific project deadline, otherwise your work might get pushed aside for other, more-pressing projects. When you use a freelancer, there’s no commitment to long-term work and you don’t have to pay for healthcare or vacations. Most freelance sites even have a 1099 service to help you out come tax time. Using freelancers is simple and once you get the hang of it, you’ll most likely end up using freelancers again and again.
Tags: advice, Carrie Hinkel, freelancers, Hiring and Human Resources, tips, working with freelancers
Posted in News & Articles | No Comments »