Do you ever wish there was more time during the day? Do you think that if you could only replicate yourself you could get everything done that you need to do for your business? Well, science hasn’t perfected the whole “human duplication” process yet – but there is another way. By outsourcing parts of your business you can get more done in less time, which means quicker profits for you.
If you’re intimidated by outsourcing, you’re not alone. Many entrepreneurs put off hiring workers as long as they can. This is either because they don’t know where to start looking, they’ve had a bad experience in the past or they don’t think they can fit it in the budget.
However, if you are serious about growing your business online you need to outsource some of your tasks. There are many different business related tasks that can be outsourced to other people – including web design, writing and social marketing tasks. Having other people take care of these responsibilities will allow you to spend more time focused on the parts of your business that you enjoy the most. Let’s look at some of the common reasons that people aren’t outsourcing and the solutions.
1. They don’t know where to start looking.
One of the best places to begin your search for outsourcing help is bidding sites. Odesk.com, VWorker.com and Scriptlance.com all offer online entrepreneurs a way to hire workers in all categories safely and securely. You can also search for workers on Elance.com and Guru.com. The benefit of going with a bidding site is that your money is held in escrow until you choose to release it. If the work is done to your specifications, you can release the money but otherwise your investment is safe. This minimizes the risk of having a worker take your money without completing the work. Another good place to find trusted workers is to ask around. Other online entrepreneurs might have a hidden gem of a writer or designer that they can refer you to.
2. They’ve had a bad experience in the past.
Unfortunately, just like any other field of business, the outsourcing market has its fair share of low quality workers and scam artists. However, one bad experience in the past shouldn’t spoil you against hiring out entirely. You can take several safeguards against scam artists when you are hiring out. You can research the worker thoroughly before hiring. You can ask for recommendations. You can also do a 50/50 payment plan so that you don’t pay the full amount until they are complete with the work.
3. They don’t think they can fit it into the budget.
Finding quality outsourced work doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. You can start with the simplest of tasks at the lowest price point in order to free up your time and then build up your budget as your business grows. Bidding sites can also help keep your costs down since you can find a good price for most work. Just don’t expect to get quality work for the bottom of the barrel bids.