You Don't Have to Do Everything Yourself

"No man is an island..."

John Donne

By Glenn Fisher

When it comes to starting your own business online, there's no reason to think you have to do everything yourself.

If there's a particular element of setting up an Internet business that's got you stuck - writing content or designing a website, perhaps - rather than giving up on the whole idea...

Hire a freelancer to do it.

When you're ready to do that, here are some tips to help you get the most for your money...

It may cost a little more, but it makes sense to use sites like elance.com,rentacoder.com, guru.com, and odesk.com to find people who will do a good job for you. These sites hold the payment until you say you're satisfied. This helps to protect both you and the freelancer. (You can't run off without paying, and the freelancer won't get paid until you sign off on his work.)

• If you're not using one of the aforementioned sites and, instead, are dealing directly with the freelancer, don't pay for the entire project upfront. Stagger your payments so you don't lose all your money if the freelancer doesn't perform. And if you are paying for the work at an hourly rate, ask the freelancer to submit a timesheet detailing exactly what he did and when, so you can be sure you are getting your money's worth.
• Ask freelancers applying for your job for samples of their work and testimonials from satisfied clients. Aside from the obvious reason, this will help you weed out "serial bidders" - people who apply for every freelance job going, even if they're not really suited to it.
• Be wary of new members of websites like elance.com who have no client feedback. They could be old members using a new login name to avoid being associated with negative comments from people who have used their services.
• In your advert, ask for a specific (and unusual) bit of information - maybe something like "Include the word 'flotsam' in the subject line of your e-mailed application." If they don't do it, you'll know they have not paid close attention to your requirements. (Not the kind of person you want to work for you.)

Bottom line: When you work with freelancers, be clear as to what it is you want and be fair. If they do a great job for you, reward them. If their work leaves something to be desired, be firm and demand better.

As long as you choose your people carefully, you can get high-quality work done at a low price - and that will give you an enormous advantage as an online entrepreneur.