The freelance revolution is in full swing, as the number of talented professionals choosing a career as a freelancer continues to grow. On Malt’s freelance platform, we saw a 39% increase in new registrations between 2020 and 2021, with 63% of those being for roles that were previously performed by permanent employees. This shift in the job market creates a new dynamic, where freelancers who excel in their field are offered ample assignments and can choose which company they want to work for. It is increasingly in the hands of the company to sell itself if they want to work with interesting freelance profiles.
“To successfully recruit top talent, companies will need to go beyond simply offering assignments and payment. Just as when they want to hire a permanent employee, they must develop a compelling value proposition that highlights the organisation’s goals and values,” explains Dustin Robinson, Marketing and Community Lead for Malt Netherlands.
In creating a value proposition, you give identity to your company and set yourself apart from the competition. It is an essential component of any marketing strategy, including recruiting freelance talent. In this article, we provide 5 tips for developing an effective value proposition and thus ensuring that freelancers choose your project proposal.
1. Create a clear briefing.
Before beginning a project, it is important to create a detailed and clear briefing that can be used as a point of guidance for eventual project negotiations. A freelancer should be able to see at a glance what the scope of the project is and what role they will play in it. Describe the challenges within the company that led to the project, what you want to achieve with the project, and what the objectives are. Provide an overview of the team, software and other technical tools that will be used. Add a timeline that is as detailed as possible. In short, provide a complete project briefing that inspires and facilitates collaboration.
2. Tailor the project proposition to the values of freelancers.
When an employee switches from a permanent job to a self-employed position, it is often caused by a desire for freedom and flexibility. This usually concerns freelance profiles with valuable skill sets that they want to use on their own terms and in their own way. Therefore, a project offer that is too similar to a contract of permanent employment will not be of interest to most freelancers. To attract top-tier talent, it is important to meet the values that are essential to future freelance employees.
- + A competitive rate
The rate for self-employed individuals is generally higher than that of professionals in fixed employment. This is because freelancers are not subject to the legal agreements regarding labour regulations and costs. They pass on all costs they incur as independent contractors to their clients – costs such as setting up a workspace, vacation days, insurance, transportation, etc. However, this also means that your costs as a client are limited to the invoice summating to a predetermined rate agreed to by both parties. Additionally, when you thus consider the efficiency of working on a project basis – as opposed to a regular employee who is always on payroll, even when there is little work – you will find that the difference in labour costs in most cases is not very large or even reduced when working with freelancers.
Talented freelancers are experts in their own field. They have mastered a skill and know what it is worth to businesses. They also make sure to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and developments. This specialised knowledge and expertise come with a corresponding price tag. If you want to ensure that the very best talent chooses your organisation, it is important not to skimp on freelance rates. Make an offer that is attractive to the self-employed individual and be open to negotiating.
- + Flexibility
One of the things that freelancers appreciate about their position as self-employed is the freedom to choose where and when they work. Make sure that your project proposal offers sufficient flexibility in these areas and provide a clear overview of the options. Some freelancers will prefer to work on location at the office, while others will prefer their own workspace. Flexibility is also essential when it comes to working hours. Of course, you can expect meetings to take place during office hours, but it should also be possible to carry out the work at any time, whether it’s on the weekend or in the middle of the night.
- + Opportunities for growth and training
Freelancers are responsible for their own development. For ambitious professionals who want to advance in their specialty, it is a huge advantage if a company offers them the opportunity to participate in relevant training or knowledge sharing as part of a freelance contract. As part of your value proposition, provide an overview of the in-house training offered within the organisation and indicate that there is an opportunity to attend these trainings.
Before writing a project proposal, consider which skills and knowledge within your organisation may be of interest to a self-employed individual. An SEO specialist may benefit from learning about a new marketing tool, a programmer may find it interesting to work with someone who has a lot of experience with a particular language. Freelancers who carry out assignments for different companies are used to working with different software and systems, so they will pick up new skills relatively quickly. When you offer interesting opportunities for professional development, this is positive for the freelancer, and for you, as you therefore invest in building a good relationship with an expert who as a result will become increasingly skilled in their field of expertise.
3. Ensure a positive company culture.
Although interesting project conditions are important, they are not the single component to becoming an attractive client to highly-skilled freelancers. The company culture and brand image of your organisation will also have a significant impact on the project choices of freelance talent. When a freelancer considers working with a new company, they will first investigate whether the company shares their values and is a pleasant place to work.
Companies are expected to take a clear stance on sustainable development, inclusivity, and diversity, which may not exist within your organisation. To attract freelance talent, it is important that initiatives and actions on sustainability and inclusivity are presented in a positive light. Publish news about this on your website and through other media so that it is visible to freelancers when they investigate your company name on Google or social media.
Furthermore, it is essential to promote a positive company culture and to make employees and freelancers feel at home within the organisation. Remember that a freelancer is independent, therefore eliminating any subordinate dynamics within your working relationship. Additionally, ensure that assignments run smoothly from start to finish. Freelancers must be able to perform their work efficiently, and there should be a contact person who is available to answer questions and discuss project progress. Do not hesitate to ask for a testimonial from your freelancers at the end of a project, so that you can include it in your value proposition.
4. Communicate effectively
In a survey conducted by Malt among its community of freelancers, we asked about the most important criteria for good collaboration with a client. 69% of freelancers mentioned a good relationship with the project team, and 49% found regular communication regarding the progress of the project to be important. Unsurprisingly, two of the highest scoring criteria are about communication. Illustrating that clear communication is the norm within your company starts with the first discussions.
- Respond promptly during project negotiations.
If it takes a few days for you to respond to a question or comment, a freelancer will suspect that processes within the company are slow. Don’t forget that it’s a competitive market. If competitors respond more quickly, freelance talent will be snatched up before you know it.
- Be thorough, but concise. Of course you want to demonstrate in detail why a freelancer should choose you over the competition, but too much information is undesirable. Determine in advance which elements are important and make a clear description with key points for each item.
- Don’t hesitate to pick up the phone or suggest a video call during project discussions. A phone call is an efficient way to discuss project details and answer questions.
5. Make use of feedback from freelancers
In a constantly-changing job market, formulating value propositions is a continuous process. To remain attractive to freelance talent, it’s important that your company’s values keep up with trends and developments.
A good way to stay up-to-date on current changes is to talk to your current freelancers. Introduce feedback moments at the end of each assignment and ask your freelancers what they think of the company’s current value proposition and how they think it can be improved. Freelancers can provide valuable feedback due to their unique position – working with different companies enables them to compare and contrast company cultures and methods respectively. Use the information you gather from these conversations to refine your value propositions. The new elements can then be tested in a subsequent round of feedback conversations, creating a valuable evaluation system.