Why Should I Hire a Freelancer for Sustainability Issues?
To outsource or not to outsource, that is the question.
So, you’ve got some sustainability writing that needs to be done. Maybe it’s a full sustainability report, a blog post about your sustainability initiatives, or webpage copy for your new net-zero carbon products. Whatever the need, it’s something that requires a bit of inside knowledge about sustainability.
The bonus of finding a sustainability copywriter for the job is that they have all the tools that an accomplished copywriter has, but they’ve taken it one step further to learn about what it takes to write copy about complicated sustainability issues.
And now you are sitting and pondering the Shakespearean-style quote that opened this article.
The decision to keep the work in-house will depend a lot on the talent and resources at your disposal. If you’ve got an experienced sustainability copywriter on your staff who has the time, and the interest, to take on your project, then keep it in-house.
However, if you don’t have the right combination of sustainability expertise, copywriting talent, and availability with anyone on your team, it might make sense to hire a freelance sustainability writer.
Here are nine reasons why that might be your best option.
1. Freelance Sustainability Writers are Highly Experienced
Sustainability is still an emerging field, which means that finding quality writers with sustainability experience is a bit like finding a needle in a haystack.
Sure, most writers these days know what GHG emissions are and can probably tell you what ESG stands for, and perhaps that’s good enough.
But if your target audience contains informed consumers, savvy investors, or sustainability experts, that isn’t going to cut it. You need a writer that knows what they’re talking about and has the credentials to back it up.
Freelance sustainability writers have the lucky opportunity to work with various companies and gain industry-wide experience with a number of different sustainability strategies, something that just isn’t possible for an in-house copywriter.
2. Freelance Writers Have the Complete Package
You might have in-house staff who are good writers and who are passionate about sustainability issues, but maybe they lack the business sustainability expertise. Or perhaps you have someone with that expertise, but they aren’t the best writer.
Freelance sustainability writers are the whole deal. They write well, they understand sustainability, and you know they are passionate about their work because they chose this topic to build a career around.
This isn’t to say that every freelancer is a godsend. You definitely still want to do background checks on who you contract so that you don’t end up with a nightmare freelancer, but you will be so happy when you do find the one you’ve been looking for.
3. Access Specialized Talent on an As-Needed Basis
Sustainability in itself is an umbrella term. Net-zero carbon emissions, electronics and battery recycling, sustainable investment funds, and biodiversity are all separate topics within the category of sustainability.
The nice thing about hiring freelancers is that when you hire on a per-project basis, you can hire a writer that has expertise in your specific sustainability nich
Need a sustainable finance guru? There’s a freelancer for that. Need a sustainable fashion copywriter? There’s another freelancer for that.
Whatever your specific needs are, you can hire the perfect freelancer for your project.
4. Hiring Freelance is Usually a Cheaper Option
If you already have competent and qualified staff on your payroll, and they don’t have any work on their plates, then of course keeping the project in-house will be the cheaper option. You are sending them a paycheck every two weeks anyways.
But if that person is busy, or if you are thinking about hiring a new employee, that’s when looking for a freelancer is usually the cheaper option.
Your payrolled staff require benefits, vacation time, sick days, employer taxes, equipment, and training. There are overhead costs on top of just their salary.
Freelance writers, on the other hand, have no overhead and because they write full time, their writing process is usually better refined and more efficient, leading to quicker turnaround times and lower costs in the long run.
5. The Sustainability Field is Constantly Evolving
New sustainability regulations, trends, laws, and norms are appearing nearly every day. It’s a rapidly evolving field and it takes a keen eye and dedication to stay up to date with all of the developments.
For someone who doesn’t work full time in the sustainability sphere, understanding all of the changes can be overwhelming. Not to mention, all of the acronyms can make your head spin.
Staying up to date and relevant is a requirement for freelance sustainability writers , and it’s something that we enjoy doing, frankly. It’s exciting to see all of the momentum behind the movement, but there’s a lot of catching up to do if you take a few days off.
6. Freelancers Have the Flexibility to Meet Last Minute Requests
Is it Friday afternoon and you just remembered that you needed a report ready by Monday? Freelancers generally don’t have fixed schedules and taking on a weekend project is a lot easier for them than a salaried employee.
Who do you know that would be happy to find out they have to work on the weekend? Well, freelancers might be the only answer to that question. They might say no of course, but every project means extra earnings to a freelancer, so they’ll be more inclined to meet your tight deadline than any other staffer that you have.
Keep in mind, you might have to pay a premium for a last-minute project, but it’ll get done on time and all parties involved will be happy about it.
7. Low Commitment — Try Before You Buy
Do you ever wish you could test a new hire for a month or so before handing them a full-time offer?
With freelancers, it kind of works like that. If you are unsure about a new freelancer, you can start with a small project and see how it goes. If you’re unhappy with the results, no worries, don’t hire them again. If you are happy, then you can maintain that relationship and start offering them bigger, more important jobs.
As well, you don’t have to pay a freelancer to sit around and wait for the next project. Only pay them when you have work for them. Don’t worry, they’ll find other things to do in the meantime. And if you are a good client, they’ll always move things around to take care of your project.
8. You Get to Decide How Much You Want to Pay
Yes, that’s right. There are some conditions to this, but if you want a project done for $100, there’s a freelancer for that. If you want a project done for $10,000, there’s a freelancer for that too.
Freelancers vary greatly in experience, ability, and professionalism. That said, you’re going to get what you pay for, but you can get the job done for as much or as little as you like.
A $50 blog post might fill some blank space on your website, but don’t expect it to climb the Google rankings and start converting visitors into customers. The choice, however, is completely yours and sometimes all you need is to fill blank space.
9. It’s the Best Value on the Market Today
When you add up the professionalism, expertise, and cost savings that freelance sustainability writers offer, it quickly becomes the top value option in today’s job market.
Once you decide that you’d like to hire a freelancer, choosing the right one can create some extra challenges. Who can I trust? Where do I find them? How do I know if they are qualified?
With Sustainable Sense, you don’t have to worry about that. We go through the trouble of vetting and reviewing our freelancers to make sure that we are not only providing top quality services, but also knowing which freelancer is the perfect fit for your project.
Let us know what you need, and we’ll take care of the rest.