How to Treat Your Subcontractors Like the Rockstars They Are

If you’ve ever said “I’ll pay you as soon as the client pays me,” we have some uncomfortable news: you’re doing it wrong. Tragically wrong. Like, avocado-on-a-hotdog wrong.

At Cup O Content, we’ve seen both sides of the subcontractor dance. We hire subcontractors all the time. We are subcontractors all the time. So, we know firsthand how sweet a good relationship can be. and how fast things can sour when the agency at the top forgets the golden rule of subcontracting:

Don’t be a jerk.

It seems like “don’t be a jerk” should be universally understood, but it's not. So, we'll we break it down. Whether you’re hiring writers, videographers, designers, developers, or interpretive dancers (hey, we don’t judge), here’s how to treat your subcontractors like the magical, deadline-saving unicorns they are.

1. Give Them Time to Quote

Here’s a wild idea: instead of texting your subcontractor with “Hey, can you quote this by EOD?” try giving them 48 hours. Or (gasp) a week. Subcontractors are juggling clients just like you are. If you treat their time with respect, you’ll get better quotes, more accurate timelines, and fewer panicked emails written entirely in capital letters.

We always give our contractors time to review a project and decide if they want in. And we’re honest about whether the job is a "probably" or a pipe dream. Transparency isn’t just nice, it’s ethical.

2. Set Them Up for Success

You wouldn’t send your dentist into surgery without an x-ray. So why send your subcontractor into a job without clear direction?

We’ve been handed projects with a due date of “yesterday” and a brief that reads like it was scribbled on a bar napkin. Don’t do this. Your contractor isn’t psychic, and they aren’t getting hazard pay for guessing what the client really wants. That's on the person assigning the work.

If we don’t get our contractors the info, they need on time, we don’t make them eat the overages. Because that's what grown-up businesses do.

3. Respect Scope and Pay for Changes

Things change. Clients waffle. Edits multiply. We’ve all been there. But when the scope changes, so should the budget. Full stop.

At Cup O Content, we issue change orders to our clients when the project mushrooms into something new. That way, our subcontractors get paid for the extra time and effort, and we don’t end up asking people to work for free “just this once.” That “just once” turns into always far too fast.

4. Pay Promptly.

Let’s say this once, with feeling: Do not make your subcontractors wait for your client to pay.

If you can’t cash-flow your projects, you shouldn’t be hiring contractors in the first place. Nobody wants to hear that you’re “still waiting on a check from the client.” Your contractor is not your bank. They’re not a payday lender. They’re a professional who did the work and deserves to be paid on time.

At Cup O Content, we pay our subcontractors promptly, often before they have time to nudge us. Because we believe good work deserves good karma and a quick deposit.

5. Celebrate and Share the Credit

Last but not least: give credit where it’s due. That gorgeous blog post? That brilliant motion graphic? That stunning edit? Say thank you. Tag them. Refer them. Share their work. Subcontractors are part of your success, not nameless elves laboring behind the scenes.

It's Not That Hard

So there you have it. A crash course in subcontractor etiquette, brought to you by folks who’ve both written the checks and waited way too long to cash them.

Want to build a better reputation and get great work every time? Respect your subcontractors. They’ll return the favor. With deadlines met, budgets honored, and a lot fewer emails written in all caps.