20 July 2009 | Announcements, Freelancing Tips, Fun, Tips | Danalyn

Whew! Do NOT try to say that title aloud ten times fast!

Last week, we had asked everyone to submit their best “Remote Working” or “Remote Management” tips for a chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card. We received many wonderful responses, and we managed to narrow down the list to our top 10 tweets.

It’s a good thing we drew the winner randomly, because all of the tips we received were great! We had a hard enough time picking our top 10, let alone a single winner!

Thanks to @chaviebugsey on Twitter (our unofficial random number generator), our winner of the $100 Amazon Gift Certificate drawing is:

@tjlytle (Tim Lytle):Make sure you (and your client) know the difference between an employee and a contractor.Tim Lytle is a Technology Consultant & oDesk Contract Web Developer. Owner of timlytle.net ltd since 2003, his oDesk adventures have been mentioned on the BBC’s Click and in Forbes Magazine.

Congratulations, Tim!

Here are the Top Ten #oTip Tweets (in alphabetical order) and our responses to them:

	@AnneSemana (Anne Semana): That’s simple. Use oDesk!!! – Best tip ever! Our response: Yes, we like shameless self-promotion! Who doesn’t?
	@arronguy (Arron Washington): Don’t friend clients on Facebook. Ever. Our response: Funny, but true. We doubt you’d want your buyers knowing which Twilight character you should marry, or the top 5 people you want to punch in the face.
	@CrystalsQuest (Crystal Woods): Silence ISN’T golden. New clients need reassurance of you checking to clarify anything unclear BEFORE you go ahead and do it Our response: This is a MUST. ALWAYS ensure both you and your buyer know what the expectations are for each assignment BEFORE you start.
	@Deepa7476 (Deepa Govind): Never respond to email in haste, No body expects instant updates. So collect your thoughts, present them well & use spell check. Our response: We couldn’t agree more…especially if you’re upset!
	@EricaFenik (Erica Fenik): Overcommunicate. Clear expectations + execellent results = WIN for freelancers + buyers. Our response: Yes, this was sent in by an oDesk Staff member (so it disqualifies her from the prize), but this is very sound advice.
	@JoannSondy (Joann Sondy): My #oTip based on 15+ yrs of serving clients remotely = email isn’t always the answer. Pick up the phone occasionally! Our response: Absolutely! Even though our teams are staffed by oDesk providers, we have weekly conference calls to make sure everyone is on the same page.
	@likke (Fleire Mae Castro): Network with other oDesk providers. Referrals will be appreciated. Who else is gonna help you but other freelancers, right? Our response: Yes! Even though you’re competing in the same job field, you can still make friends and help out other providers – who knows? They may get too busy to take on work and refer clients to you (or vice versa).
	@michelem (Michele Marcucci): When you submit a proposal double check what the buyer is asking for and if you’re in doubt ask a question within the proposal Our response: There are no such things as stupid questions…okay, maybe there are sometimes – but don’t be afraid to ask questions! It can save you lots of time and money in the long run.
	@mylescxy (Mylene Sereno): Before letting out a loud sigh or scream “Whew! Whatta day!” while talking to a buyer on GoogleTalk, make sure your mic is turned OFF! Our response: I think we’ve all been there before!
	@tjlytle (Tim Lytle): Make sure you (and your client) know the difference between an employee and a contractor. Our response: Absolutely! This is the most important, yet highly misunderstood, aspect of freelancing!