Is It Time to Revisit the Elance.com Debate?
It was about a year ago that I first blogged and wrote about freelance writers using Elance.com. Despite its age, I continue to get comments on that blog post. It's one of my most-commented posts (aside: thanks for commenting! My editors recently told me that this blog gets some of the most comments within the New York Times' About.com network of 600+ sites).
The comments there, 37 of them, run the gamut from "Elance users are amateurs!" to "This is how to properly use Elance." I'm not sure there's really a conclusion, and I'm not sure there will ever be one. However, one comment in particular was especially valuable, and that's what led me to write today.
A writer by the name of Freelance Audio basically skipped the entire argument, and instead laid out some valuable tips on how to use Elance. Judging by the recent traffic to that post, people are indeed looking into Elance very seriously as of recent. So let's reiterate some of those tips for freelance writers who use Elance (and Guru, iFreelance, Odesk and other bid-for-work sites):
- Apply en masse. Just as I tell writers who are pitching magazines, the "secret" is volume.
- Look for long term potential. This is the only reason I do tend to recommend Elance and similar bid sites. I picked up one job on Elance that turned into a two year partnership that, at times, paid as much as $80 per hour.
- Be safe. Get a down payment, utilize benchmarks with corresponding payments, and use Paypal.
- Stick to your established fee structure. Yes, there are some cheap jobs on Elance. But there are also companies and individuals who simply don't know where else to find a freelance writer, or to post freelance writing jobs. Not everyone on Elance is looking for cheap labor.
If you choose to spend some time on Elance, or other bid sites, you'll learn to distinguish the cads from the companies. Of course, there's nothing wrong with skipping it, and focusing your freelance writing on established freelance writing job lists, or on pitching magazines. Either way, good luck!
I haven’t used bidding sites in a long time, but when I did I had one rule that never failed me:
Always “bid” your regular rates.
It’s important to remember why you set your rates where you did, and then use those services (if you want / need to) to find gigs with that target market (meaning not only the right type of work, but the clients who can afford your rates). You only set yourself up for failure when you get caught up in price wars and trying to market services on price alone (never a good idea).
I agree that the best way to approach doing business via these bid sites is to bid regular rates, use milestones for progress status and PayPal for payments. I don’t see the lowball bidders stick around very long and I don’t see them getting quality gigs.
One additional comment: sites like iFreelance are so atrociously put together in terms of server configuration for traffic that they are extremely slow and painful to use! For freelancers, more than most, time is money! Waiting 5-10 minutes for a page to update is NOT an option.
I use this blog for Elance advice. I’ve finally made good money as a result.
http://freelancemoney.wordpress.com/
Yani
Allena, what you say makes sense, particularly about sticking with your fees. It’s also critically important not to put your all your freelance writing eggs in bid sites, but begin to develop your own marketing and your own client list. Hmmm, think I’ll blog about that.
Anne Wayman
Yani, I don’t mind the way you are plugging your blog– I plug mine all the time, when I’m on related sites. But if your comments are ONLY plugs and don’t contribute to the conversation in that thread, it starts to make you look bad.
If you look bad, you will get less, not more, traffic to your site. If you get flagged as a spammer, it’s worse: your comments are usually removed, and your login name can be blocked.
If you happen to actually be a spammer, you won’t mind this. I hope you prove to be a fellow writer who genuinely wants the rest of us to succeed… but I’m not visiting your site if I believe all you want is my traffic. Or my money.
On the other hand, I’m very likely to give you both my repeated traffic and [some of] my money, if you come across as a genuine partner in my quest for success.
Here’s to gracious & genuine site plugs!
Freelancemoney.wordpress is a scam and the poster left the Elance Water Cooler with his tail between his legs when he was called out.
I’ve never used eLance or any of those other bid-for-work sites, although I have considered it.I just don’t like bidding for work like that. I don’t mind sending out a zillion email queries or picking up the phone and calling a potential employer. But something about bidding for work just sort of makes me feel a little queasy.
Thanks for an insightful balanced look into this site’s workings. I have a feeling that the genre (if that is the right word) will continue to develop.
At best Elance allows the talent to bid using their own pay scale.
I do know of a good writer friend with many years of experience who “flunked” the skills test and was rejected! So maybe they don’t deserve a total “positive kudos” recommendation, yet.
Regards,
Guy Arceneaux
I’ve just started to use the site, so I can’t exactly speak to the process and experience that Elance provides. But in trying to understand how it works and using the Watercooler forums as encouraged I have been shocked by the snarky nature of the responses I’ve seen from other providers. I’m used to posting all sorts of questions in technical forums and getting helpful answers but all the Elance community seems to do is put down the questioner and post flaming, unrelated comments. It’s very strange and immature. So do what you will with the site, but steer clear of the forums or you’ll be attacked!