The other day in Mom Masterminds a member posted about Outsourcing and what she should know to get started.
As someone who’s provided a service in one way or another for almost four years now I have some ‘insider’ input to add here.
Sometimes you’re ready to outsource. Sometimes you’re not.
Knowing when to outsource is a skill in itself.
Yea, people make outsourcing sound so easy but over the years I’ve seen many, many people struggle with knowing what to outsource (to me as a VA, affiliate manager, blog designer, etc).
Are you sure you’re really ready to outsource?
My suggestion to you is if you think you ARE ready then ask yourself these four questions:
When to Outsource?
1. Have I cut out all dead projects, time wasters and things I do just because someone told me I should? - You know the things that take up time but don’t actually get you anywhere.
2. Have I automated everything I possibly can to save time and money? ie blog posting, email newsletters. getting as organized as you can be can add hours to your day.
3. Do I have systems for everything? No matter how many times I post a blog post if I don’t open up and use my system it takes me longer. Also systems will help you outsource WAY more easily.
4. Do I know what MAKES me money?*this is a biggy* It is amazing to me how many people think the VA will just intuitively know how to make them more money and they can just sit and wait for the cash to roll in. Like an real business, an internet business takes time (YEARS even) to find the ‘sweet spot’, to really understand your customer or clients needs and to respond to them in a way that sends your profit margins up, up, up. You will only make you more money from outsourcing IF
a) they’re doing tasks that give YOU more billable hours or
b) they’re doing tasks you KNOW will make you more money
So there you have it. Before you outsource make sure you know your business inside and out.
One more thing to note: I’m not suggesting you don’t hire someone to help you do things like build a website, write content, make graphics, etc, while you are still figuring out what makes you profitable. Those are more like ‘tasks’ that you hire out on a project basis. What I’m talking about above is when you are ready to hire someone on a regular basis to be an integral part of your business.
[...] = 'AngelaWills';1. Believe In Yourself 2. Plan your Work and Work Your Plan 3. Outsource what you can and when you can 4. Try not to put all your eggs in one basket 5. Work Hard Smart! 6. Stay Focused 7. Never Give Up [...]