Did you know that more than $100 million worth of work has been completed on Elance since 2006? Interested in how elancers managed all of that work and delivered results for their clients? In short, elancers are incredibly productive and effective because they are skilled project managers in addition to skilled in their particular functional expertise.



We asked elancers for their best tips on how to set up and manage projects for success, and here’s what they had to say:

Before the Project Starts
Based on the tips elancers shared with us, it’s clear that one of the keys to any successful project is setting it up. This includes identifying key milestones, determining preferred communication methods and creating the overall project timeline before the project starts. We’ve also recently introduced new productivity tools, Status Reports and Job Tracker – that you should become familiar with before starting a project.

Read on to learn key tips for setting a project up for success:

1. Establish key project elements
Elance provider Ignacio Galarraga (TheNetMenCorp) recommends establishing key project elements before the project starts. “Establish the project scope, milestones and payment terms before getting started. Once there’s an agreement with the buyer in regards to business terms, deadlines, and deliverables, you are ready to move forward.”

2. Set Terms and Conditions
Taha Hassan (CymakTechnologies) recommends working the payment terms and projects deliverables into a Terms and Conditions document that both the employer and provider draft. “Have an approved Terms and Conditions document. Open disclosure is your best bet to saving time on completion. As long as the deliverables are clearly laid out, the payment terms are agreed upon, and contact information is exchanged, you should have no problem, systematically moving on to the next phase.”

3. Decide how to work together
When managing big projects, Rekha Dhanuka (ExcellenceTech), holds a brainstorming session with the employer to determine how to work together. “A feasibility study and brainstorming session can be done to gather ideas about handling the project in the best possible way without compromising on quality and keeping the time factor in mind.”

4. Deconstruct the job
Dibyendu Aich (EarthTechnology) recommends deconstructing the job into smaller, manageable chunks to ensure details are not missed. “It is better to break down the large projects into smaller details and manage them. Even if a minor daily activity may seem trivial to you, it must not be sacrificed for the sake of project.”

During the Project
Planning the project is paramount for success, but great execution is just as important to delivering great work. Elancers shared five key tips for how to work with clients during any project to create customer satisfaction, build trust and gain a repeat client.

1. Incorporate feedback as you go
Navin Mirania (mirania) identifies a team leader for each project who works with employers to get feedback on work in progress. “Let the team leader consolidate the different parts of the project at the end of the working day to monitor the progress. The team leader can then report to the buyer, take his comments and feedback on the progress made, and improve the work quality based on it.”

2. Communicate, communicate, communicate
Alexander Polezhaev (HireRussians) communicates with his clients on a daily basis as a way to build the relationship. “A professional way of communication allows building warm and trustful relationships with a client, which leads to long-term successful projects.”

Niel Leon (ConnectUTS) also recommends regular communication with clients through the Private Message Board. “Communicate with the buyer regularly (through private messages) - a minimum of once per week unless you agree to another schedule.”

One way to make weekly communication easy and efficient is by using Elance Status Reports and Job Tracker. With these tools, providers can keep track of their work, communicate progress to employers, and quickly create invoices with status report data as supporting documentation.

3. Respond to client requests quickly
Kapil Gupta (synapseindia) believes communication is key, and that quick responses to customer inquiries contribute to the overall success of a project. “Clear Communication is the key to success of any project. We make sure that all buyer requests are handled as quickly as possible and in the best manner. Quick reciprocation of the customer requests and regular updates go a long way in making the project successful.”

Taha Hassan (CymakTechnologies) adds, “Do not let private messages go unanswered for long. If you are an offshore provider, find a common time zone that fits between the client’s office hours and provide them an update in a time that is convenient for both parties. If you cannot find time to communicate too often, then make sure that the update you are sending the client is comprehensive, and ask all questions upfront. This will ensure the project goes along smoothly and on schedule.”

4. Keep it organized
Alice Kennedy (OneStopSupport) stays organized on especially large projects by creating detailed lists of to do items. “One of my projects was working with a developer on the creation of a website. There were more than 50 deliverables required. I numbered each to do in priority sequence. When messaging, we referred to action items as ‘To Do #1’, ‘To Do #5’, etc. This project was delivered successfully and on time.”

5. Plan, then execute
Danny Brown (mikoto1610) uses the Pareto 80/20 rule when it comes to managing his projects. While he uses this approach for writing, the concept of 80/20 can be generally applied to all types of projects. “When on a project, I’ll spend 80% of the time researching and checking facts, with 20% dedicated to writing. Although it may not sound like much time writing, when you have all the research and facts in front of you then that 20% writing time equates to a far stronger piece of content.”

After the Project
It sounds like a no-brainer, but following up with a client after a project is complete is a great way to continue to build a relationship, and who knows, your follow up may turn into repeat work.

Follow Up
Taha Hassan (CymakTechnologies) believes that following up with a client after a project is completed is an important step often overlooked in project management. “Thanking a client and giving them their due feedback is always greatly appreciated and speaks of your professionalism.”

Do you have a tip to share? We’d love to hear it -- share your tip by leaving a comment below.