Is your start-up gaining momentum to the point that work is piling up and your small team is struggling to keep up? Outsourcing a few tasks might be just what your team needs to concentrate on their field of expertise and achieve the best possible results.
Deciding what to outsource might be one of the key decisions you’ll make as a start-up owner. If you outsource the wrong parts, you might end up with more problems than when you started with. But if you get it right, outsourcing will save you a lot of money and time.
This article is designed to help you make your decision easier with a short, convenient dos & don’ts list for selecting parts of your business which you should outsource.
Good things to outsource
- Content marketing
Today, simple internet advertisements don’t cut it anymore. Flooding people with annoying banner ads will only make them resent you and your product.
In contrast to the classic internet ads, giving people solid information in your field of expertise by maintaining a company blog really does pay off. By writing a blog you will be building your reputation among your potential customers and your peers as a reputable expert in your field of business.
However, maintaining a blog is a lengthy and difficult task that you probably don’t have time for. So why not outsource it to a professional writer who will do great research and write great content. Think how much time you could save if you just have to approve the text instead of writing one yourself every few days.
- Bookkeeping
Back when your beloved start-up was a one-man-show, you probably did most of the bookkeeping yourself, perhaps with only a little help of a professional.
But times have changed, your business has grown and the bookkeeping has become exponentially more complicated and time-consuming.
You don’t have to bother with having an in-house bookkeeper. Find a reputable company that will cater to your needs and who you will be able to cooperate easily.
- Your assistant
This one might seem a bit odd, but you really don’t need an in-house assistant!
Browse the internet for capable, reputable virtual assistants. There are tons! And they will be able to help you with everything you might need: scheduling, phone calls, business trip organization…
Make sure you get someone from your own time zone (or a real night owl), so they are able to work at the same time as you.
Bad things to outsource
- Management
In recent years, it has become very popular for business owners to outsource managers. But that’s a really bad idea. A manager in your company should be someone who knows the ins and outs of your company.
Your employees will feel much more secure and relaxed (and ultimately do a better job) if they don’t answer to someone who doesn’t share the same loyalty to the company as they do.
Having a manager who knows what he’s doing will decide what the future holds for your company.
- Sales
Having a killer sales person can make or break your business. So, as with management, it is extremely important that your sales guy knows his way around your business.
Not only will he have to know your portfolio, but he has to be present in your company to learn the positive and negative sides of your products on a daily basis (as well as how they compare to your competition).
- Human resources
It may seem like a good idea to outsource human resources.
But having a HR representative within the company is not actually for you, it is for your team. They will feel appreciated and more secure if they have a person who they can come talk to if they have any problems. And usually, with an in-house HR rep, those problems are solved more easily and quickly.
Also, it is tacky and disrespectful to have an outside person helping you decide who should be hired, or even worse – fired from your company.
About the author
Anita Sambol is an internet marketing specialist and graphic designer at Point Visible. She has years of experience in designing graphics for web and running social media and outreach campaigns. She loves cooking and football.
