Editors, strategists and colleagues, listen up: Freelancers want feedback.
Many projects work their way through the system with little to no personal interaction. Sure there are a few edit requests here and there, and maybe a negotiation on deadline or pay rate, but when it comes to meaningful feedback related to the actual work we do, freelancers don’t get much of it.
Freelancers aren’t employees with annual reviews.
We don’t have in-office colleagues to share progress reports with.
And often, we’re working in a solo environment that feels very isolated.
Please, Reach Out to Us
This landed in my inbox on Monday morning:
“… just wanted to mention that <company deleted> was super, super happy with the evergreen pages you wrote for them – our contact said that you totally nailed the tone they were looking for :). Thanks again for taking those on – it sounds like we’ll have some more coming through the pipeline in the next couple of months!”
Yes!!! I’m floating on a cloud right now. Why?
My contact took the time to send an email to share feedback from the client about the quality of my work — all steps that she didn’t have to take. But, she did.
I feel appreciated.
I feel like part of the team.
I feel included.
As a solopreneur, these are the best feelings ever. So, I challenge you to give a freelancer some feedback today.
4 Ways to Give Freelancers Feedback
Take an extra 30 seconds and share a little kindness with the independent contractors in your life. A quick pat on the back boosts morale, productivity and quality and that’s good for everyone involved, right?
Get social. Next time you click a heart on Twitter or thumbs up a Facebook post, leave a quick comment about what you liked specifically. Was the headline great? Did tip #3 resonate with you?
Send email. Those few sentences I quoted earlier turned a good day into a great one. Take a moment to share one or two reasons the freelancer you work with or admire is excelling.
Leave comments. I know it’s old school, but it’s still exciting to see someone like a blog post or leave a comment. It shows they took an extra moment to not only read but say, “This rocked.” or “Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this topic.”.
Use chats. If you collaborate as a team on shared documents, use the technology to quickly communicate a few positive words. Letting a freelancer know you liked their angle, choice of sources or clever introduction fuels their creative fire.
Finally, we all know feedback isn’t always sunshine and rainbows.
Sometimes you need to communicate changes needed or areas to improve upon. Freelancers know that and appreciate constructive criticism that helps us grow, improve and make the collaboration process easier in the future. So, lay it on us.
The worst feedback is silence.
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