One of the best ways to get the most out of your time is to outsource. Here?s how to outsource to the right person.
I?m a huge fan of outsourcing. I outsource different aspects of my business, from using a virtual assistant to schedule social media, to hiring someone else to produce my podcasts. I even outsource aspects of my life: I hire someone to clean my house once a week.
The key is in finding the right people to do the work. A good team can make a huge difference and free you up to grow your business and make more money. Here?s how to outsource to the right people:
Know What You Should Outsource
The first step is to know what you should be outsourcing. Take a few minutes to sit down and figure out what makes sense to outsource.
Many businesses outsource content creation. This makes sense because not all business owners are writers. My business is writing, so I don?t like to outsource that. Instead, when I decide how to outsource, I look at tasks that someone else could do better or more efficiently.
You can do the same
Think about your business tasks. What are some things that someone else can do just as well or better? I figure that anyone can schedule my social media posts. So I hire a virtual assistant to take care of that. While I am perfectly capable of editing and producing a podcast, it takes me a lot of time. My podcast engineer can do it much more efficiently.
Inventory your strengths and weaknesses. Consider the most tedious and time-consuming tasks in your business. Create a list of items that you can realistically outsource to others.
Order that list according to tasks that are most important for someone else to do. If you can?t outsource everything immediately, start with the most time-consuming task. That way, you?ll free up the time to grow your business so you can add more outsourcing.
Post on Job Websites to Find the Right People
Next, it?s time to actually find people to do the work. When deciding how to outsource, it makes sense to look for people who can do the job well.
You can get a list of job sites from Betterteam or some other company that provides access to different sites. Using a site like this can be helpful because you end up connecting with people who can do the specific job you?re looking for ? and do it well.
Look for a site that allows you to niche down a little bit. You are more likely to find someone with a specific specialty when you follow this method.
Sometimes it?s even worth it to pay a fee if you are looking for top-notch talent and you hope to build a long-term professional relationship.
Don?t forget to ask your network for help. Referrals can also be a great way to find the right person to outsource to.
Don?t Be Afraid to Move On
When learning how to outsource, it?s important to also know how to move on. At some point, you are likely to hire someone that just isn?t working out. Don?t be afraid to move on if you need to.
In my business, I sometimes have to fire clients. And sometimes, after you get an assistant or get some other type of help, you have to move on. Maybe you?re not meshing, or perhaps you want someone with different qualifications.
Don?t be afraid to try someone else out if it?s not working. Pay attention to the relationships and the results.
And make sure that you?re not the problem. When you learn how to outsource, you need to make sure you?re delegating. The idea is to let someone else handle the situation while you focus on big-picture items. So you need to back off and let them work.
If the results aren?t there, and if you are always explaining and pushing, that?s a sign that maybe you need to find someone else. But it could also mean that you need to step back and let the person do the job. Carefully evaluate, and be honest.
Bottom Line
Outsourcing can be a great way to free up your time and energy for the things that can take your business to the next level. Learn how to outsource, and you might be surprised at how quickly you can grow your business.
I still suffer from God Complex, thinking I’m the only one who can do a certain tasks, but have successfully outsourced some stuff in the past and it’s been great. Am working on curbing on my complex and hiring more people 🙂
It can be hard to let go of the idea that we have to do everything. But it’s vital in order to succeed as a business owners.
Great article! What we call “outsourcing” today is really good old-fashioned delegating. When we free ourselves up to use our true gifts, we also give others the opportunities to use theirs! It’s a beautiful thing when we take some of the steps you noted to make that happen. Thanks for posting!