You’ve no doubt heard people talk about outsourcing as a great way to grow your business. But maybe you have some questions about how you can start outsourcing smartly and effectively in your own business. Good news is, we’ve got answers. Read on…
What Can I Outsource?
You can outsource most any part of your business. Examples include:
· Content creation, such as blog articles, social media posts, newsletters and more.
· Product creation, including lead magnets, tripwire products, core offers and more.
· Video creation (from script writing to final production).
· Copywriting (ads, sales letters, landing pages and more).
· Traffic generation including SEO, social media management, press release distribution and more.
· Conversion testing and optimization.
· Paid ad placement and management.
· Affiliate program management.
· Web design/development.
· Graphics.
· Voice overs.
· Marketing strategy/consultation.
· General research.
· Customer service.
This is not even an exhaustive list. Point is, you can outsource most anything. Which brings us to the next question…
How Do I Decide What to Outsource?
Ask yourself these questions:
· Which tasks are high-value tasks? (Focus on these ones yourself, and outsource low-value tasks to others.)
· Which tasks do you dislike doing? (Outsource these.)
· Which tasks would give you a better end result if you outsourced? (Outsource tasks that you’re not very good at doing and/or those with a big learning curve.)
· Which tasks will help your business grow faster? (Outsource these.)
Next…
How Do I Find Freelancers?
Once you figure out what to outsource, then you need to find freelancers to do these jobs. Here’s where to find them:
· Post on freelancing sites such as upwork.com, guru.com and freelancer.com.
· Search Google (e.g., “hire freelance writer”).
· Ask your colleagues for recommendations.
· Ask other contacts for recommendations (e.g., blog about it, post on social media, etc.).
· Post a want-ad.
Here’s the next question…
What Are the Keys to Outsourcing Smartly?
You’ve probably heard the horror stories about freelancing, which you want to avoid. To that end, follow these keys, tips and best practices:
Do your due diligence. Research each potential freelancer extensively using Google, checking references, reviewing their portfolio, and checking their feedback ratings (where applicable). Be sure to cross anyone off your list who has red flags, such as someone with poor reviews or someone who hasn’t been in business very long.
Start small. Even if a freelancer looks good on paper, you might not work together well. That’s why you’ll want to initially test a freelancer with small projects. If you work well together, then you can do bigger projects together.
Create detailed briefs. Freelancers aren’t mind readers. If you want to get a good end result, then you need to create clear, detailed briefs. Include details such as word counts, working titles, detailed outlines, and examples. The more information you provide upfront, the easier it is for your freelancer to give you what you want.
Conclusion
You just discovered some of the keys to outsourcing through the above question and answer session. Be sure to put these tips to work so you too can outsource effectively and smartly.