Look in your wallet. Have you got $5? That’s all it takes to use the services of fiverr.com. Fiverr is a site that connects people that want services with people that provide services, much like Elance and vWorker. The key difference being that every worker listed in Fiverr is willing to complete a task for $US5.

What is the Site Good For?

I must admit, I was sceptical. Especially with my mindset of cheap, fast or good. But I’m pleased to report that although I’ve used Fiverr.com a handful of times, each time has been positive. Naturally there are some tasks that the site is better suited to than others. Below is an overview of commonly provided services:

• Image manipulation
• Website banners
• Logos
• Voice Overs
• Video Introductions
• SEO / Website advice

In addition, you can also pay people to complete more weird or bizarre work like pretending to be your girlfriend on Facebook, knitting a scarf for your dog or even having breakfast with you via Skype. Hmmm….

So What’s in it for the Worker?

$5 is in it. Well, actually $4, as fiverr.com keeps $1 of every transaction as payment. $4 doesn’t sound like much, but it can be good money to those who work in developing economies. Alternatively some workers use Fiver.com to build their portfolio or earn some pocket money on the side.

Important Advice Before You Purchase

If you’re looking to use Fiverr.com to complete some work, there are a few things you need to know to get maximum value out of your $5. Otherwise the result you get may only be worth $2.50 at best.

 

• Look at their feedback (See 100% above). Ensure the provider you choose has a high Gig rating. Read their supplied reviews too.
• Check the provider’s expected delivery date. Often talented providers get swamped with orders and can’t turn jobs around as quickly as other providers. The provider above has a 5 day wait, which is quite long (But given their reviews this shows that people are happy to wait for talent). In general you should be able to get a good provider who turns work around in a day.
• Before you book a job with them it is SO IMPORTANT to click the ‘contact seller’ button before ordering. This will allow you to send a few sentences to the provider and ask if they are available/ capable of completing your work. This may seem like an overkill or silly move – but it will protect you from having to go through the refunds process if your expectations aren’t quite right. Plus it gives you an opportunity to see how responsive the provider is before committing to the job.
• Take the time to write an exact brief. Document exactly what you want, tell them what success looks like and tell them what you don’t want. The more guidance the better. Also be aware that the job is for $5, so don’t write a thesis here as it’s not fair to the provider.

What About Revisions?

In general, providers on Fiverr.com don’t offer revisions. Nor should they really. This means that the first time you see the work will be the final draft. Hence why writing an exact brief is so important.

You may be able to secure a revision if the task is easy to alter (such as an image manipulation) or if the work submitted didn’t reflect the directions in your brief. In all, being polite and amicable will go a long way here. Don’t take advantage of people and treat providers how you would like to be treated yourself.

Wrap Up

I recommend using Fiverr.com if you know exactly what you want and you know how to articulate it. It’s a great site that makes micro outsourcing fun. If you’re looking for a freelancer to complete a more comprehensive task, or one that you are not completely sure of (therefore requiring multiple revisions), I would recommend using either another freelancer site or seeking recommendations from your associates.

Growing your small business,

David Moloney
sbp.strongerbranch.com