Finding A Freelancer: How To Get Your Web Development Done Right

Written by Michael Fleischner Monday, 18 July 2011 10:53

I'm not a web developer and truthfully I have no plans to become one in the near future. My background has nothing technical to show for it, requiring me to work with others who have intimate knowledge of programming languages, web site design and a whole lot more.

I'm not a web developer and truthfully I have no plans to become one in the near future. My background has nothing technical to show for it, requiring me to work with others who have intimate knowledge of programming languages, web site design and a whole lot more.

The good news is that I have found, through the suggestion of others, a way to get access to some of the leading resources for web development throughout the world. By using these resources, I have a significant advantage over most because I'm able to get what I need, when I need it, at an affordable price. When you're trying to get something done, you need to know where to go and what to do.

The first place to start is with a clear understanding of what you want to accomplish. This took me a long time to understand but it comes in handy for finding the right resources at the right price. If you start with only a vague notion of what you are trying to achieve, your results will be less than ideal and costs can spiral out of control. The best bet is to create an excel spreadsheet listing each task to be completed and specifically what it will look like when its done.

After you have made your list of to do items and clearly explained each one in detail, you're ready to find developers who can do the work for you. The best way to do this is to tap into developer resources through aggregation sites like eLance.com. As one of my favorite sites, you simply post your job including the details your noted on your spreadsheet, and submit for qualified companies to bid. In just a short time you will have as many as a dozen qualified bids at an affordable price.

In a very short time, you will have a significant number of bidders on your project. Some people are overwhelmed by this reaction as choosing the best vendor can be a real chore. I can tell you from a good deal of experience that there is no right answer. You can sort bids by price (throw out the lowest and highest) and then look at the reviews. Try to find a examples of work that mirror your project or that you like and award the project to your top choice.

In just a short while, you'll be doing business with a number of companies. With each project, you learn more about the vendors you're working with and take a liking to a few. Once you've found a company you really like to work with, go back to them again and again. If you want to keep the pricing competitive, bid all of your projects through eLance but be sure to send a request for bid from the company you like working with. This helps you keep costs in check while continuing to work with the company of your choice.

Finding resources to help with your development project are easy. You will have to work a little harder to ensure that they are delivering what you've asked for, especially if they are half way around the world. Build milestones and communicate with your developers every day and you are sure to have a successful experience.