Freelancing and the Power of Partnering

Great article. For solo-preneurs whether it be PR, web or graphic designer it is very important to be able to offer a “complete package” of skills should they need them. I currently partner with a local PR/Marketer as well as a programmer to be able to offer clients full-service—graphic design, web design and PR/marketing/copyrighting.

You make a lot of good points about partnering up. In today’s market it is hard to be an expert at everything. You’re right, nobody can do it all. I recently partnered with a programmer so I can focus on what I am best at. Nobody wants to hire someone who is only so-so at something. I thought I would share a post on finding your specialty, for those who haven’t quite found their niche in the design world. http://shicksdesign.com/onlifeanddesign/index.php/11/how-to-target-a-specialty-niche-in-the-web-design-market/

Thanks for the great information!

There is a proverb ‘ face is the index of the mind ‘. the sameconcept applies for the presentation ofwebsite as well. people will form a preliminary opinion regarding ourconcern by looking at the website.We understood the importance of the above said statement and the various technologies needed to be integrated to design the website in a fascinating manner.

Such a transforming lane changing thought provoking life changing article.
Wonderful post to change the flavor for the day

great article. still, i think that it is best to keep a good database of “partners” and work with them only if necessary, on project basis. partnerships usually bring altercations

That’s actually exactly how I run my freelance business – I’m the internet marketing guy, but since so many of my clients and potential clients need more than a viral campaign, help with social media or just plain SEO, I have teamed up with a number of specialists in design, programming, web analytics, usability – you name it.

To be honest, I can’t think of many things we’re not able to deliver, and so what we do is to save the customer a lot of time and frustration. The managers want their problems to be solved, and we can do just that. And *that* is a serious sales pitch.

Freelancing is good if two sides are fisrtfull a good people

Awsome!

Great! You got some good points there!

I have never really thought of partnering with someone on my website (http://www.ingledow.co.uk) but I think I’ll be on the look out for someone to write for it.

some points above are observed by me once but some also are not, better start working on it

Great article!

I’ve sent it to a friend of mine I’m buddying up with, me being the designer, him the project manager and its prompted a really rewarding discussion about how we should operate.

I plan on going freelance one day. Thanks for the article. Having a network of other freelancers to fill in the gaps is a good idea. Beneficial for all.

Great article with many good observations. One question…why would you illustrate it with the most banal, unimaginative, hackneyed, over used image of “two businessmen” shaking hands? There was not a lot of creative thought in slapping that ubiquitous stock image into the article. Kind of ironic.
You could have used a stock image that would perhaps have illustrated your article in a more imaginative or complex way. Perhaps you could have even partnered with a photographer.

I wouldn’t mind meeting some more people in the community.

feel free to add me to gmail chat:3lijah@gmail.com or msn:dustboy9@hotmail.com

Is a interesting article. The post is better way for make a good job!

great article, Recently I just meet a good designer from designer to Italy and he want to outsource some of his design stuff. And so far we build a good business relationship.

Very Insightful…it is very difficult and typically not wise to try to be everything for everyone all by yourself. Partnering, so long as you build a relationship with the right partner, is a fantastic way to put forward a more complete solution and make it easier for the client.

Cheers,
Jason

I am interested in developing a team with varied skill sets to share work amongst. I’m not sure of the logistics at this point, but it’s something I’ve been thinking about lately. Collaboration is very important to me. I would like to work with others to share ideas and raise them to the next level. I mean, higher than they would be from my perspective alone.

If you’re interested or have ideas for me, email me: dbrewer@me.com.

Thanks, nice article!

I have many partner and the best way to keep them is that I communicate all the information (project management’s process). I use http://www.sites.goolgle.com to share the state of each task of project with each partner.They like it and it keep them at ease particularly with deadlines.

Some of the problems that I am encountering are the lack of follow-up in regards to using external sources for projects.

There are MANY OK companies that offer the things that you do not, but the true benefits come through when you find a viable quality solution to supplement what you do not offer…

Great article!

thanks jim
you got it right with #3 “Don’t wait until you need partners”
and never open a phone book to get a partner unless you are providing patchwork.
even in one’s portfolio it’s hard to tell how his/hers ethics is

thanks
and thanks wdd

Great Article!

So to start with partnerships, we are looking for partners we can collaborate with.
http://www.illuminz.com
Please contact at business@illuminz.com

We often partner with technical web projects. As a designer I believe its my job to provide solutions, its our business to be problem solvers. So its only natural to work with trusted partners.

A good partner is worth investing in. I have worked with many web developers and overtime have found that its always best to work with dedicated freelancers rather than outsourcing companies.

When your neck is on the line, and things need doing quickly, an individual freelancer will be more likely to shoulder some of the pressure and get things done. However also watch out of those developers who have other interests and feel the small project is less important.

Partnering takes time to build trust, start small and build.

Partnering is a useful strategy. I’ve often been “the partner” on certain projects, and employers in interviews seem to appreciate the fact that you can collaborate in your freelance work. I’ve found that Authentic Jobs is a good resource to advertise to find potential partners or to respond to others looking to partner up.

One issue I’ve run across is the contracting. Sometimes things get held up between the client and the freelancer who subcontracted you. I think it’s a good idea to make sure that the freelancer you work with has the same views in terms of the client’s contract/project timeline, otherwise you may run into problems that are just out of your hands.

Great Tips. I work as a freelance web designer myself and as my business and projects have grown, the need for forming partnerships has also increased. I currently handle all aspects myself but this is becoming a problem for managing time. I find your advice helpful.

This is a great advice. I just recently found myself in the exact same situation and I was so glad I had already worked with some people on different projects during my time at college. So I instantly knew who to team up with to provide the best solution I can offer.

This article is right on point. I run a search marketing shop and we regularly partner with advertising agencies and freelance web designers. This partnership allows the designer to focus on creating a beautiful and engaging website and we ensure that consumers find the website.

The funny thing is, it’s often the complimentary service that sells the main service.

Working togheter only brings more succes for the both of you. And indeed focusing on the visual aspect of websites as says radium.
The problem today is that everybody seems to be a webdesigner and it’s hard to separate the professional from the kid that thinks he is a webdesigner using wordpress…