Even the mightiest companies and the biggest brands need a little help from the wonderful world of freelancing sometimes.
If you’ve found yourself at a crossroads with your own company, and you are torn between whether or not the time is right to engage a freelance journalist, then it’s likely worth thinking about the potential pros and cons awaiting you.
Benefit: Cost efficiency
Starting with one of the most common reasons why people hire freelancers of any kind, the cost efficiency offered up by expert non-permanent members of staff can be a lifesaver for small businesses who need to look after their budget.
Cutting costs on staff wages while saving time on the onboarding process is a huge deal, and in many instances, you don’t have to sacrifice any quality whatsoever.
Setback: Reliability
Not necessarily a setback as a general rule, but occasionally you may find that your freelance journalist ends up being unreliable.
Whether this is due to a communication breakdown, a clash of creative differences, or a controversial topic, there might not be much incentive for a freelancer to stick around if you can’t see eye to eye in the first place.
If you do want to avoid finding yourself in the midst of a controversial scandal (these can be hard to recover from), then make sure that they have the right kind of coverage to protect them, like reliable handyman insurance, for example.
Benefit: Expertise
Freelance journalists that manage to find success often do so because they have the raw talent, experience, and expertise to get them to the top of their game.
This is great news for you, as hiring them essentially grants you immediate access to their long list of professional skills, and you don’t have to worry about whether or not they are prepared for the task ahead, as in some ways, this isn’t your problem anymore.
Setback: A lack of loyalty
Some freelancers might simply go where the money is. This could prove difficult for your brand if you lack the funds to pay for the top tier of talent.
Plus, enlisting the help of a freelancer who doesn’t care enough to meet deadlines is a big red flag, so try and avoid them at all costs.
Moreover, you wouldn’t want to lose your freelancer in the middle of a project. Herein lies a problem—they don’t necessarily have any ties to your brand, so leaving at any time is not beyond the realm of possibility for them, unless, of course, you put measures in place to prevent this.
Benefit: A higher quality of work
Freelancers have a reputation to protect; it’s usually how they get work in the first place. This could mean that they will want to ensure the finished project is of the highest possible quality, not just because it looks nice in their portfolio, but because it leaves you feeling like one happy customer.
This might be especially true of freelance journalists whose work will likely be laid bare for all the world to see.
One doesn’t tend to become a profitable and sustainable freelance journalist without the talent to support them, so you and your brand could be in for a nice surprise if you do decide to hire one.
