How To Outsource Work Like A Pro

Outsourcing work or projects can be an extremely cost-effective and practical way to get things done. But how do you choose the right individual or team to work with? Is it just a case of typing in a service requirement into your favorite search engine and going with the top result?

Well, that’s probably a good start, but it’s only just the beginning of the process. Here’s how you can outsource your work activities like a pro, and find the best people for your current situation.

Understand your weaknesses

The first step towards successful outsourcing is to know your strengths and weaknesses. You should always outsource anything that is beyond your own skill set, and let go of the reins to people with far more expertise than you. It can be tough to do this, especially for small business owners who have built their company from the ground up.

But, the simple truth is that there aren’t enough hours in the day for you to do everything. And, although you might be quick to learn and implement new ideas, it is still time wasted. Time, of course, that could be spent doing something far more lucrative for your company, such as drumming up new business.

Start with time-consuming tasks

You should also outsource simple, but time-consuming tasks. Let’s say that you are worth $150 per hour to your company when you are pulling in sales, for example. However, you only spend half your day making sales because the other half is filling in paperwork, or entering details into a database. You are, essentially, paying yourself $150 per hour to do something you could outsource for $15. It’s a pointless waste of time, and takes you away from your most profit-making activities, so it makes sense to outsource.

Think about hiring a virtual assistant, instead. They can do all the menial tasks at a quicker speed, and for far less money than you could. Head over to http://virtualhelper247.com/virtual-assistants to find out what a service like this can do. Yes, this service charges a fee, but it’s wise spending that allows you to free up quality time to make more money.

Feel comfortable

If you are going to have a successful relationship with a third-party service, it is vital that you feel comfortable with each other. Sometimes, different businesses just aren’t a good fit – so it’s not just a case of going for the biggest and brightest company you can find. You might find that a cheaper firm ‘gets’ what you are about and will prioritize you more than a bigger and more successful company will.

Be clear

Finally, it’s vital that you can communicate what you need when you outsource work. Be accurate in your requests, and follow it up in writing. Doing this will help the third party focus on exactly what needs doing, and it means you will avoid any issues with expectations.

Now, there might be occasions when you really don’t know what you want, and are seeking help and inspiration. However, it’s important that you don’t just let your new outsource partner take an idea and run away with it. You have to have an overview of what they are doing at all times.

With any luck, you should have some ideas on how to outsource work for the best results. Let us know if you have any more great tips!