Outsourcing strikes fear into many people. A fear of losing their job to someone overseas who is willing to work longer hours for less money. However this is not the only meaning to the word. Outsourcing to a small business owner can actually do just the opposite a creation of jobs.
As a small business owner you are often required to wear many hats. The key to doing this successfully is being able to say when you need help or the work is more than you can handle. It is at that point when your growing business is ready to outsource or you may be at a tipping point to bring on employees. However, budgeting to hire multiple employees can be tricky until revenue raises enough to warrant multiple hires.
While there is often a negative stigma with outsourcing it is beneficial for not only you but to the consultants or other small businesses that you outsource to. In some cases these small businesses that were brought in to support your growth become alliances that can result in developing a business referral relationship for further growing each other’s businesses.
Many entrepreneurs are too busy working in their business to begin working on their business. One of the reasons for not outsourcing is the business owner simply doesn’t know where to start. The idea of delegating some of the tasks is difficult to let go. It’s hard to pay someone to preform simple tasks that you have always completed. However offloading these time-consuming tasks allows you to focus on building your business.
Some examples of tasks which can be outsourced are but not limited to as follows.
- Administrative tasks such as setting up appointments, calendar management, phone answering, travel accommodations.
- Social media management.
- Graphic artists, writers, or web developers.
- Bookkeeping services
- Marketing services such as research and writing for newsletters and blogs.
- Errand services for you and your company.
Think about all the things on your plate every day. As the owner of a business, consider your hourly rate. Is your time well spend entering credit card receipts into QuickBooks? Yet…this information is necessary for you to make informed business decisions. Would you rather pay your pay rate or that of a bookkeeper to accomplish the same end result?
There’s a difference between being busy and making money. As business owners, we can always find things to fill our time, but when those little things add up with a chunk of our time are we really making the revenue we could? Part of being a successful entrepreneur is knowing what tasks you should complete and which tasks are beneficial to have someone else complete for you. Are you up to the challenge?
About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.