Top 6 Tips to get best entry in Freelancer Contests !
Are Contest Holder ?
Your answer is Yes?
Then this article is for you.Its bit longer,if you are out of time right now.Bookmark it to come back later and read it as it will really help you a lot in getting perfect entry for your contest.
1.Your contest description is the key to get better results.
Write specific and to the point description but include some details too.
Take some time to sum up description ,so that freelancers can better understand your need.Instead of confusing and asking questions from you ,freelancers will focus on their work.In this way it will increase their efficiency.Me as graphic designer,don't enter a contest if its description is unambiguous as its totally wastage of time.
Write description keeping in mind all contestants. freelancer.com is global marketplace where you will find freelancers of all standards from poor communication skills to fluent speakers.To overcome communication barrier you should provide some visuals of what you want, which will better explain your requirements.
Try to write your brief in English.if you want to use your own language then at least provide English description also.
If your description is going to be perfect then you can expect 50% better results then poor quality brief or description with 2-3 sentences.
Here i have given example of a description for logo design for my blog.
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Title: Design a logo for my blog Technology Profiles.
About Blog: Technology profiles is blog where different articles related to technology,internet and computing are posted
Logo type: Icon + Text
Text to be included in logo: Technology Profiles
Font : its up to designer
Avoid this :I don't want gadgets,devices or anything like that in icon,avoid red color
Consider this: tp icon with geometric shapes.
Values to communicate :Simple,modern,bold,serious,luxury
Colors : Any color ,but i like Golden
Audience:20-30 years young men worldwide
deliverables:AI,EPS,SVG,PDF,PNG,JPG or similar
i have attached the logos i like
Attached files:Freelancer logo.jpg LinkedIn logo.jpg
Feedback will be provided after every 24 hours.waiting for your innovative creativity.Thanking in anticipation
Regards
Faiz ul hassan
Title: Design a logo for my blog Technology Profiles.
About Blog: Technology profiles is blog where different articles related to technology,internet and computing are posted
Logo type: Icon + Text
Text to be included in logo: Technology Profiles
Font : its up to designer
Avoid this :I don't want gadgets,devices or anything like that in icon,avoid red color
Consider this: tp icon with geometric shapes.
Values to communicate :Simple,modern,bold,serious,luxury
Colors : Any color ,but i like Golden
Audience:20-30 years young men worldwide
deliverables:AI,EPS,SVG,PDF,PNG,JPG or similar
i have attached the logos i like
Attached files:Freelancer logo.jpg LinkedIn logo.jpg
Feedback will be provided after every 24 hours.waiting for your innovative creativity.Thanking in anticipation
Regards
Faiz ul hassan
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Now Read this description
Now Read this description
"Hello designers ! i want logo for my blog www.technologyprofiles.blogspot.com.It should be modern,simple and bold.Be creative please ! have a nice day guys."
This description is incomplete,below standards and does not convey what type of logo is needed and what are preferences of contest holder.
It is obvious that this contest will recieve less entries.some designers will not even bother to enter contest and some will ask dozens of questions.so if your contest has this type of description then its time to update description.
2.Make the contest guaranteed !
Guaranteed contests are those in which you assure that you will choose a winner.Guaranteed contests are likely to get 70% more entries than those contests not guaranteed.Making the contest guaranteed encourages more freelancer to enter your contest.
You will be thinking what if i didn't receive my desired results?i am sure if you completely read and follow guidelines provided in this article you will get perfect entry according to your requirements.
You will be thinking what if i didn't receive my desired results?i am sure if you completely read and follow guidelines provided in this article you will get perfect entry according to your requirements.
3.Do not seal your contest !
These words will be embarrassing for some freelancer.but it is recommended for graphic design contests .If you are looking for original design for your product then you should not seal your contest.
Sealed contests are those in which contestants are unable to see others designs.There are many graphic stocks out there on internet.so if any designer copies design from those available on internet,other freelancers will report him.
...and you will be safe from copyrighted contents.
Here another issue rises for creative designers, that a designer spend many hours of thinking for design idea and submit it and he gets good rating and some one else submit similar design with little modification.its very frustrating for creative designer so now its the duty of contest holder to warn copycat and rejects his entry.
...after all if you still want to seal the contest then you should unseal it before contest ends so that other designers can check for copyrighted material or you can do it for yourself using Google and other reverse engineered image search engines like Tin eye
i would not hesitate to admit that unsealed contests get 20-30% less entries but its safe from copyrighted materials.
Sealed contests are those in which contestants are unable to see others designs.There are many graphic stocks out there on internet.so if any designer copies design from those available on internet,other freelancers will report him.
...and you will be safe from copyrighted contents.
Here another issue rises for creative designers, that a designer spend many hours of thinking for design idea and submit it and he gets good rating and some one else submit similar design with little modification.its very frustrating for creative designer so now its the duty of contest holder to warn copycat and rejects his entry.
...after all if you still want to seal the contest then you should unseal it before contest ends so that other designers can check for copyrighted material or you can do it for yourself using Google and other reverse engineered image search engines like Tin eye
i would not hesitate to admit that unsealed contests get 20-30% less entries but its safe from copyrighted materials.
4.Give low rating at first!
Rating is another factors which prompt freelancers to enter contest.First decide ,then tell freelancers how your contest will proceed.
For example if your contest will run for one week then divide your contest into 3 rounds.
First round :max. up-to 3 stars
Second round: 4 stars
Final round :5 stars
if you gave 4 or 5 stars in the first round,upcoming freelancer will go back ,thinking of that they have no chance of winning and contest holder has almost finalized winner.
i know this will be little unfair with freelancer that you are giving 3 stars to good designs but you have to do this to get more designs.
.. if you got your desired result in first round then work with that individual to finalize result in order to save time of other freelancers.
For example if your contest will run for one week then divide your contest into 3 rounds.
First round :max. up-to 3 stars
Second round: 4 stars
Final round :5 stars
if you gave 4 or 5 stars in the first round,upcoming freelancer will go back ,thinking of that they have no chance of winning and contest holder has almost finalized winner.
i know this will be little unfair with freelancer that you are giving 3 stars to good designs but you have to do this to get more designs.
.. if you got your desired result in first round then work with that individual to finalize result in order to save time of other freelancers.
5.Provide consistent feedback!
Feedback is necessary to get best results.Provide feedback to the submitted entries and tell them what more can be done to improve it.Use public clarification board to update.
...if you are not going to provide feedback then freelancers are blank and most freelancer are not interested in working with client without feedback
Providing feedback not only helps you in improving results but also attracts more freelancer to submit entries.so doing this will obviously increase quality and quantity of entries and also freelancer will stop asking : why you rejected my entry?
i know its difficult to respond on hundreds of entries but you have to give some extra time. Stay connected with freelancers and tell them when next feedback will be provided.Try not to reject entries at first because it discourage freelancers.
...if you are not going to provide feedback then freelancers are blank and most freelancer are not interested in working with client without feedback
Providing feedback not only helps you in improving results but also attracts more freelancer to submit entries.so doing this will obviously increase quality and quantity of entries and also freelancer will stop asking : why you rejected my entry?
i know its difficult to respond on hundreds of entries but you have to give some extra time. Stay connected with freelancers and tell them when next feedback will be provided.Try not to reject entries at first because it discourage freelancers.
6.Run contest till end
Run you contest till end.It is observed that many contests received winning entries in the last few hours.
Some freelancers reach your contest late where as some freelancers sit back with their designs and wait
for deadline to end and submit their entry in last moments(it mostly happens in unsealed contests).
Hope this article helped you in understanding the factors which will improve results.
i am missing something ?
Dont Forget to give your comments below
Thanks for taking time to read this article.Note that these tips are based on my personal experience on freelancer.com
Share this article with others
Some freelancers reach your contest late where as some freelancers sit back with their designs and wait
for deadline to end and submit their entry in last moments(it mostly happens in unsealed contests).
Hope this article helped you in understanding the factors which will improve results.
i am missing something ?
Dont Forget to give your comments below
Thanks for taking time to read this article.Note that these tips are based on my personal experience on freelancer.com
Share this article with others
