A Business Owner's Guide to Successful Outsourcing
The number of entrepreneurs is on the rise in the United States. Nearly 30 million small businesses are currently operating in the country. If you are among these, you likely enjoy the autonomy and freedom that comes with being your own boss. That said, the road to running a successful business presents unique hurdles.
A common mistake many entrepreneurs make when they are starting out is insisting on doing everything themselves. Failing to outsource can result in wasted time and a loss of profit in the long-term. Added to that, you're sure to end up feeling overwhelmed when juggling too many jobs. Find out why you should delegate the following tasks—and how to find the right expert for the job.
Web design and management
Your website is your modern calling card and an essential tool for any small business. A well-designed website is user-friendly and ranks high in Google searches so that potential customers can easily find your organization. Given the fact that more than half of online users now access web pages from smartphones or tablets instead of desktop devices, it’s crucial that your website is also mobile-friendly.
Creating a website that is both engaging and attractive requires complicated programming. Instead of attempting to learn these skills yourself, hire a developer who is adept at CSS, which is ideal for creating responsive websites. The right developer will be able to manage CSS frameworks like Bootstrap and Foundation as well as preprocessors like LESS and Sass. Start your search with Upwork CSS developers to match yourself up with the right freelancer for the job.
Agenda and operations maintenance
Managing day-to-day business operations requires you to keep track of all kinds of times and dates. Client meetings, deliverables, deadlines, timelines for making and receiving payments—these are just a few notes that will clutter your agenda. Instead of trying to keep track of it all yourself, hire a virtual assistant to do the job.
Virtual assistants can be based in the U.S. or abroad (those from abroad generally are cheaper). Depending on their qualifications, they can handle everything from day-to-day agenda maintenance to content writing, accounting support, and research. Just what you use them for depends on the type of business you run and your needs.
Social media
Social media is far from a frivolity in today’s business world. According to Sprout Social, 59% of professional marketers rely on social tools to support their business goals. This is a great way to extend your brand to a wider audience at a minimal cost. Social media also allows you to interact directly with existing and future customers in real time, like posting deals on your Instagram, for instance.
When you first start your business, you will likely keep up with social media yourself. Interrupting your work to post on Facebook or compose an Instagram shot can quickly wear you down, however. Instead of letting your social profiles die out, hire a professional. You can benefit from their expert knowledge and enjoy greater consistency across your profiles.
How to successfully manage outsourced help
You won’t see your outsourced employees regularly so keeping in regular contact to get updates on project progress and setbacks is essential. A project management and communication tool like Slack is one option for staying connected. Face-to-face meetings are another possibility. If you work from home and don’t have your own office for meetings, a coworking space like WorkLodge is another great solution. In addition to coworking spaces and virtual offices, they also let you rent meeting and conference rooms.
With these tips, you can take the stress away from outsourcing. Leaving parts of your business in the hands of other people can be nerve-wracking at first. By finding reputable professionals and structuring productive means of communication, you will be able to relax and trust them to handle the work you give them. This will give you peace of mind and allow you to focus on your own important business deliverables.
