Hiring a lead generation freelancer is a delicate process. You have to make sure that the virtual hire you’ll get understands and aligns with your business goals.

Online digital marketing relies on good lead generation to make sure you’ll get conversions. A lead generation specialist who is dedicated to helping you realize your business goals is your best bet. Follow these steps to hire your lead gen expert.

The first thing you have to do is to set clear requirements. Start with what product or service you need leads for. Who is your target audience, and where can you find them?

Do you have a preferred software to use? This will greatly depend on where your audience is. Next, define how many leads you need per month. Having clear expectations will help you and your hire to be on the same page.

Once you have your requirements, choose a platform to look for freelancers. Take a look at Upwork, Freelancer, Guru, Fiverr, etc. You can also use social media or LinkedIn to search for lead generation freelancers.

Set up your job post and make sure to be as detailed as possible. This will ensure that you’ll get mostly quality applications that you can then shortlist.
Alternatively, contact agencies working with remote assistants to find you your lead generation professional.

After reviewing the profiles of your applicants, shortlist those that you think are a good fit. Look at their B2B lead generation experience, reviews, certifications, portfolio, and other information in their profile.

Set up interviews and choose the freelancer that resonates with your business the most. It’s important to consider your communication and rapport to avoid future miscommunication.

During the interview, set clear terms before deciding to hire. Be transparent about your terms and what you expect for the amount you are paying. Talk about project milestones, tracking metrics, meetings, deadlines, and payment schedules.

Once you have chosen your lead generation personnel and they have accepted the terms, talk about reporting and how their progress will be tracked. Agree on your KPIs (key performance indicators) to ensure that you both know your business goals.

Talk about reporting mechanisms. Do you want weekly reporting, or would you rather have a meeting every week? What format would you like the report to be? Define how you will measure the success of your lead generation efforts.

To start work, provide your freelancer with the necessary resources and information. You can create a seat for them on your preferred software or give them access to your account with password-sharing apps. Take a look at 1Password and Dashlane to start.

Make sure to track your whole progress and not just focus on the weekly reports of your freelancer. It’s important to have a macro view of your overall progress to make sure your efforts are paying off