The topics of workflow and project management keep popping up at my desk. First, they were discussed on a recent #FreelanceFriends chat on Bluesky, and then they were the questions that led to a potential writing client ghosting me. I guess they didn’t have an answer for how we would work together, so they stopped communicating.
I sent one last follow-up message and stepped away. I don’t expect to hear back.
Today, I’m sharing what project management and workflow are in relation to freelancing, why they’re important and what they might look like in your next freelancing partnership.
- What is Project Management?
- Why Project Management Matters in Freelancing
- Here’s What I Use for Project Management
- How Do You Stay Organized With Freelance Clients?
Disclosure: This blog is reader-supported, which means this post contains affiliate links and advertisements. I earn a small commission if you shop through them, which helps fund this website so I can continue to bring you amazing content. Thank you! ~Angela
What is Project Management?
Project management is the process of planning, organizing and performing various tasks to reach a goal. It’s usually used by team (versus solo workers), and especially helpful when collaborating remotely.
Project management in the content marketing world revolves around ideating, assigning, drafting, editing and proofing content for clients on a timeline. As a full-time writer, I need the structure of a project management system to dictate my workflow, know what’s expected of me—and when.
Simply put, project management makes collaborations run smoothly. It also keeps my small business elastic and adaptable, so I can seamlessly juggle multiple projects and clients.
Why Project Management Matters in Freelancing
Over the years, I’ve worked with dozens (maybe hundreds) of brand partners. Some of my work is through agency partnerships or collaborating with other freelancers, while other work is directly managed by the marketing department of a business. Having a project management system in place informs all parties of who’s doing what and when it’s due.
Most of my partnerships also use this approach to schedule onboarding tasks, share documents (such as editorial guidelines, project briefs, etc.) and keep me informed of each project’s status.
Without project management, I spend too much time on email and messaging apps asking questions about deadlines, who to send documents to, next steps, and upcoming events.
Project management keeps all aspects of a freelancing collaboration organized.
Here’s What I Use for Project Management
I’ve used many programs over the years to collaborate with my freelancing partners. Some larger marketing platforms have their own internal project management systems that allow me to see all the information I need, while others use external options.
My current content marketing partners use internal systems, Slack, ClickUp and SmartSheet for project management. These are paired with Google Docs, DocuSign, SharePoint and email to round out our communications.
In the past, I’ve also worked with Basecamp. Monday, Trello, Airtable and Asana. I jump into whatever my clients are using, so I can integrate easily into their current workflow and established project management system.
I recently wrote a guide about understanding various styles and types of project management software that you might find helpful.
Do you need a reliable writer on your team? I collaborate with marketing and advertising agencies to create content for blog posts, web pages, social media and newsletters. Let’s connect!
How Do You Stay Organized With Freelance Clients?
If a potential client doesn’t have some level of project management or a documented workflow in place, I’m not likely to accept that partnership. Why? Work gets messy fast, and I often have to wait for answers rather than working.
How do you stay organized with your freelancing clients? Do you have project management in place? What software are you using? I’m always interested in learning more about making freelance work flow better and easier.
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