Entrepreneurs: Outsource to Get More Done!
Outsourcing is NOT a four-letter word! Gone are the days of old, where outsourcing was seen as a weakness, giving jobs or work away to others. Outsourcing is your new best friend when it comes to salvaging your sanity and saving you time while running your business! It doesn’t matter whether your business has one employee (you!) or several, outsourcing can be a very effective and efficient way to get more accomplished and propel your business to the next level.
By the end of this article, you will have insights on the benefits of outsourcing, how to identify which tasks to outsource, where to go to find freelance help, detailed guidance on how to hire the right freelancer, and how to make your freelance relationship successful for both you and the freelancer!
BUT, DO I NEED TO OUTSOURCE???
Let’s just take a pause and gauge where you are at with your entrepreneurial journey – does any of this sound familiar?
Your to-do list is eating you alive
You RARELY feel accomplished at the end of the day
You have NO IDEA how to make things better
Your mind goes into PANIC mode at the very thought of more business
You are barely holding things together
You are always “making things right” with customers when someone drops the ball
You are micromanaging your team/employees
If you said “yep” to any of the above, I encourage you to consider outsourcing to alleviate some stress in your business and your life! Be intentional about what you outsource, and view this as a way to level up your own business, while simultaneously helping another Small Business Owner – it’s a WIN WIN!
At this point, you are probably thinking, “Ok, I’m willing to give it a shot, but how the heck do I find someone who is GOOD ENOUGH to do the work I have been doing since I started this business”?
WHICH WORK TO OUTSOURCE
First things first – you have to identify the RIGHT WORK to outsource. Not everything should be handed off to someone else. Here’s some ways to think about which of your tasks can be delegated:
1. Work that is small in the grand scheme of things, like managing your social media accounts or proof-reading marketing copy
2. Work that you find yourself procrastinating over, tasks you keep putting off for days and weeks at a time because, let’s be honest, you don’t want to do them
3. Work that you don’t know how to do (insert the intrinsic response of every entrepreneur here: “but if I only had time to research how to learn it, I would be able to get it done”), like building out your website or creating marketing copy
You get the idea – keep those tasks that are critical to you as the Founder to do, like make public appearances, meet with new strategic partners or sales outlets, meet with high profile potential clients.
Once you’ve identified WHICH tasks to outsource, make a quick list of skills that would be needed to successfully complete each task. Things like “proficiency in Excel” or “experience in social media management” – these are the WHAT you need someone to do, not the HOW (that comes later).
WHERE TO FIND A FREELANCER
Then hop online to any number of freelance providers (I’ve listed a few in the footnotes of this article) and start looking for talent. Look for more than one person, you want to have at least 3 candidates to choose from and interview.
Insider Tip for common outsourcing needs:
Fiverr and Freelancer are great for logos, design work, website creation
Upwork and Freelancer are great for marketing copy, writing, and editing
Bookkeeper360 is great for HR and Payroll needs
Bookkeeper and Merritt are great for Accounting and Bookkeeping
Now that you have found a few candidates, how do you pick one that is going to work well for you?
HOW TO CHOOSE A GOOD FREELANCER
Before hiring, you need to talk to a few candidates to get a feel for their skills and whether they would be a good fit in your organization. Key things to look for include
Rating / References – some sites allow for employers to rate freelancers on a star scale. Read recent comments to ensure that the candidate is currently performing at their star rating. If a star system isn’t available, ask the candidate for references for recent work, and contact those references with emphasis on quality of output, responsiveness, ability to communicate, etc.
Time zone – where in the world is your freelancer? This becomes critical upon hiring them, so you know when they will be available for questions, meetings, etc. Use time zone to your advantage! If the role isn’t customer facing, for example, you could use someone on another continent – they are working while you sleep!
Brand / Style – look for traits that match your own brand and style in their example work. Someone who isn’t a match for your style will have to work harder (read “more hours, more rework, more cost”) to meet your needs.
Revisions – ensure that the pricing and contract include plenty of allowance for revisions. The work is NEVER done the first time around, usually because what you thought would look great on paper doesn’t look so great once you see it produced.
Lead Time – allow plenty of time to get the work done, rule of thumb is to double what you think it would take. Allow even more time if there is a language difference or if the deliverable is highly complex.
YOU’RE ON YOUR WAY!
After you’ve met with a few candidates and selected your hire, meet with them up front to ensure they know exactly what you are looking for. Schedule frequent check point meetings, so you can see their progress and ensure it’s in-line with your expectations. This is where you get to tell them HOW you want the work done, and give them a peek inside your brain!
They might be excellent at what they do, but you can’t expect your freelancer to be a mind-reader! Don’t get caught on the due date with surprises, meet early and often to ensure you get what you need on time. Set up a shared folder for them to put deliverables in so you can check on progress along the way. Be prepared for your check-in meetings with them, review the draft files ahead of time so that you are prepared with your thoughts and notes – this will make your check-ins a lot more productive.
SHOULD YOU NEED ANY HELP
I’ve hired a ton of folks over the years, and I’m happy to talk through any situation you have. Feel free to reach out via email, instant message, or phone at any time – let me pass my experience along to you to save you time and stress! Hiring does take a little time, but the reward is the reduced stress and burden you have to bear. Now you can focus on more important parts of the business and get precious time back in your personal life as well!
Happy hiring!!
Kathy
480-993-4451 (call or text)
FREELANCE WEBSITES
www.fiverr.com
www.freelancer.com
www.upwork.com
www.bookkeeper360.com
www.bookkeeper.com
www.merrittbookkeeping.com
REFERENCES
https://www.business.org/finance/accounting/best-virtual-and-outsourced-bookkeeping/