Website Design Outsourcing (Odesk VS BHW)

I'm currently running a SEO agency locally here in my country and have been expanding to web design slowly as well. Before this, I would use a theme from themeforest and customize it but soon realized that web design is taking too much of my time. I don't plan to hire a full time designer/developer here because they are just not that good in my country... and they are also very expensive.

Here's the problems I am facing with hourly freelancer:
1. Expensive hourly rate $11
2. Overall changes are too much therefore making a lot of the projects near to non-profit or losses
3. Work is slow

So, my question is which one is a better option? Hiring a freelancer from odesk (hourly) or just look for a designer here in BHW (fixed fee)? What "problems" can I expect from a per project fee BHW designer?


P/S: Can anyone please recommend a damn good designer here in BHW? Thanks!

i've had good luck with odesk, but you'd have to negotiate a lot & really make sure of the freelancers skills.

howard_hughes said:

i've had good luck with odesk, but you'd have to negotiate a lot & really make sure of the freelancers skills.

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If you were to run a web design company and looking to outsource projects, which one will you go for?

Hi Segitard,

I would choose oDesk but I must admit I have a love/hate relationship with oDesk.
There are people who are able to create great things for a great price BUT... it can take a lot of time to find the right ones and even if you do, you'll have to stay on top of it all the time. People get sloppy real quick. So if you are in hurry, you might want to try other places but those will probably be more expensive, especially in the long run.

When dealing with oDesk i learned a few important things. Sticking to these rules got me great results fast at a very good price.
- Explain in VERY great detail what you want. Explain even the smallest details. Provide Examples of what you want.
- Discuss things through Skype, this way you can also easily quote what people said at what time, if things don't go the way you wanted.
- Don't take a half word and believe/think they understand it but make SURE they understand it and test this by asking questions and using examples.
- Ask them to create something for you to show their skills. Something they cannot rip online. Something very specific. Don't accept examples of their work that they already created in the past.
- Only accept people that really respond to your job, not people that send out a standard mail they send to everybody.
- Cut the work in parts. Either pay them by milestones for every part completed or even create entire new jobs, to keep the people work fast and eager for new work.
- Tell them you have lots of work and say you hire more people (even if you won't). This will keep people dedicated.
- Pay per job completed, not per hour, and only pay when you have received everything.
- Don't let shit slide, be very strict but respectful. If they don't make a deadline, be on top right away.
- Negotiate price

Good luck!