Fiverr is the most popular freelancing platform online. Chances are that if you do business online, you’ve used them at least once. But with all of this popularity comes problems.
Most of the pain points regarding Fiverr have to do with quality. There is just way too much choice on this platform because anyone can sign up, and sometimes the quality of freelancers suffers.
This is a reason why so many fiverr alternatives are popping up. But how much of this is really due to Fiverr and how much of it is due to startups simply not leveraging the tool properly?
Startups oftentimes are disappointed with their experience causing a loss in time, money, and overall added aggravation. In this post, we’re going to go over mistakes startups make when hiring on Fiverr and how to avoid them.
Not communicating properly
Freelancers aren’t mind readers so you need to communicate with them properly. If you aren’t very clear with your brief it will just cause added frustration and work for you both. Set expectations clear from the get go by using Loom videos, making clear briefs, and potentially jumping on quick Zoom calls.
You can also show examples of previous work that other freelancers have done for you so that you can set the precedent of what you’re looking for.
Hiring freelancers that over promise
You will likely fall upon freelancers that promise to solve all of your startups problems. Beware of these. It’s best to hire marketing freelancers that are specialists instead of generalists that over promise and under deliver.
For example, instead of hiring someone to help with your Go to market strategy, how about first breaking that down yourself into components, and then reaching out to generalists that overlay over what those components are.
Also, if you know that SEO will be a huge part of your marketing strategy moving forwards, find someone specifically for that versus a generalist marketer who says that they can do everything.
Hiring freelancers without doing research
It’s imperative that you don’t hire the first freelancer that applies to your job posting.
There are so many amazing freelancers on Fiverr that you’ll want to spend the time to do your research and cross-check their past performances, feedback, and also references too from others.
On Fiverr, many freelancers claim to have a tremendous amount of experience but when you analyze it under a magnifying glass, most of the time it doesn’t add up.
Not firing quickly enough
Treat a freelancer like you would any other relationship. If it’s toxic, you need to cut it. A trap that many startups fall into is staying with freelancers for way too long out of habit.
If you’re not happy with the performance of a freelancer and you have already shared your feedback with them and expectations, yet nothing has changed, then it’s incredibly important to just end it in order to cut your losses.
Being unreasonable with budget
I get it, startups are strapped for cash, and hiring an agency isn’t possible. It’s why you’re using Fiverr at the end of the day, right? You still have to be realistic though. If you see an offer that’s too good to be true, for example, “100 high quality backlinks for $5,” it probably is. Freelancers that undersell their skills usually end up turning in low quality work which may end up hurting your brand in the long run.
Forgetting that these are still people
Remember that freelancers are still human beings. Stay professional and treat them with respect and your working relationship will be much smoother. Treating them with respect means not yelling at them when things don’t turn out as you wish, paying them on time, and giving clear instructions as to not set them up for failure.
The last thing that you want is to gain a reputation as someone who does not treat their freelancers correctly.
Remember, freelancers on Fiverr also have the ability to leave reviews for contractors too!
In conclusion, Fiverr is a great place to find part time talent for startups. Keep these mistakes in mind when hiring, and get growing!
