How to: Use Deals

How-To Guide: Publishing and Discovering Deals (Information Relay)

What You Will Learn

  • How to publish a Deal (an offer or request)
  • How to discover other people's Deals
  • How to match up and carry out a transaction
  • The safety checklist

What Is a Deal?

A Deal is a "transaction listing" carrying structured information. Anyone can publish one, and anyone can discover it.

For example:

  • "Looking for a Postgres migration specialist, 3-month contract"
  • "1M-line codebase needs refactoring, seeking a quote"
  • "Offering React + TypeScript tutoring, EUR 50/hour"

Key point: This is not a trading platform. It is an information relay layer. The platform does not verify seller identities, does not hold funds in escrow, and does not enforce contracts. All responsibility rests with the two parties.

Step 1: Publish a Deal

Open the Publish Page

  1. Sign in to Awareness.Market
  2. Click "Deals" then "Publish"
  3. Or go directly to /deals/publish

Fill In the Deal Details

Required Fields

  • Title — a one-line headline (under 100 characters)

    • Good: "Need a Python scraper to collect product data from e-commerce sites"
    • Bad: "Need help" (far too vague)

  • Description — the full details (500-2000 characters)

    • What exactly do you need?
    • Why do you need it?
    • Are there any special requirements?
    • What is the expected cost or compensation?

  • Category — pick one from the list

    • Consulting / Development / Freelance / Partnership / ...

Optional Fields

  • Budget Range — your expected cost range

    • No budget limit / $1K-5K / $5K-20K / 20K+ / ...

  • Timeline — how urgent it is

    • ASAP / 1 week / 1 month / 3 months / Flexible

  • Location — geographic constraints

    • Remote / a specific city / a specific country

  • Attachments — upload files

    • Architecture diagrams, sample code, requirements documents

Pre-Publish Checklist

  • The information is accurate and leaks no personal private data
  • Contact details are correct (email or Telegram)
  • Nothing illegal is being requested
  • You are not impersonating anyone

Click "Publish"

  • Your Deal becomes visible to everyone immediately
  • Anyone can send you a contact request
  • Verifying identities and contracts is up to you

Step 2: Discover Deals

Browse the Deal List

  1. Go to Awareness.Market/Deals
  2. You will see a feed of recently published Deals

Search and Filter

  • Keyword search — enter a skill, industry, or need
  • Category filter — show only Deals in one field
  • Timeline filter — show only urgent or only long-term projects
  • Budget filter — show only compensation in your target range

What a Deal Card Shows

[Title] React frontend engineer needed, full-time

[Description preview]
We are a 5-person startup building a SaaS product.
Looking to hire a frontend engineer with 3+ years of React...

[Details]
Location: Remote / US-based
Compensation: $80K-120K/year
Timeline: ASAP
Publisher: Alice (reputation score: 4.8/5)

Step 3: Contact the Publisher

Send a Contact Request

  1. Click the Deal card, then "Contact Seller"
  2. Choose a contact method (Email / Telegram / phone)
  3. Write a short introduction
    • Who are you?
    • What relevant experience do you have?
    • Why are you the right fit?

Example:

Hi Alice,

I'm Bob. I have 4 years of React + TypeScript experience,
including 3 years on the frontend team at Airbnb.

I saw that you're hiring a React engineer, and I'm very
interested in your product.
My GitHub: github.com/bob
My portfolio: bob-portfolio.com

Could we set up a 30-minute chat?

Best,
Bob

What the Publisher Will Do

  • Receive your request
  • Verify your identity (typically via a coding test, background check, or references)
  • Reply if they are interested
  • Start negotiating the specifics (price, schedule, deliverables)

Step 4: Safety Checklist

Before accepting any Deal or contacting anyone, you must run these checks:

If You Are the Publisher (seeking a service)

  • Does the other party have a credible track record? (check GitHub / LinkedIn / portfolio)
  • What is their rating? (if a rating system is available)
  • Are you satisfied with the quote?
  • Are the contract terms clear? (payment method, delivery date, refund policy)
  • Does this person come across as honest? (look at how they communicate)

If You Are Applying to a Deal (providing a service)

  • Is the publisher real? (verify the company and website)
  • Is the compensation reasonable? (compare against market rates)
  • Is the scope of work clear? (do not accept vague requirements)
  • Are you being asked to do anything illegal? (if so, decline)
  • Do you have a contract? (at minimum: when you get paid, when you deliver)

Red Flags (walk away immediately)

  • They ask you to pay first
  • They will not provide legitimate company information
  • They ask you to do something illegal or unethical
  • They ask for your SSN, passport, or bank account
  • They promise "easy money"
  • They refuse to sign a contract

Step 5: Execution and Completion

Communication Channels

  • Use the messaging system built into Awareness, or
  • Move to email or Telegram, whichever both parties prefer

Mid-Project Check-Ins

  • Review progress regularly
  • Communicate any changes promptly
  • Raise disputes early rather than late

Delivery and Payment

  1. Deliver the work as specified in the contract
  2. The publisher reviews and accepts it
  3. The publisher pays
  4. (Optional) Leave a review on Awareness

Leave Feedback

Once the work is done, both sides can rate each other:

  • The publisher rates the quality of your work
  • You rate the publisher's payment and communication

These ratings help the community build trust.

FAQ

Q: Does a Deal have to be reviewed by the platform?

A: No. Anyone can publish instantly. However, Deals that violate the terms will be reported and removed.

Q: What if the publisher scams me?

A: Awareness does not intervene. You will need to pursue legal remedies (small claims court, arbitration, and so on). This is exactly why you must do your due diligence.

Q: Can I see who contacted me?

A: Yes. Every contact request appears on your dashboard.

Q: Can I delete a Deal I already published?

A: Yes. You can take it down at any time from "Manage Deals".

Q: Can I keep my real identity private?

A: You can operate through your Awareness account, but the other party may require identity verification before working with you (that depends on their own risk tolerance).

Next Steps

How to: Create Your Digital TwinCase Studies & Use Cases