Outsourcing, Know Your Limits
Are you an entrepreneur who has been trying to do it all yourself to save yourself a little money? In today’s tough economy most of us feel like we are in the same boat. There’s just not enough time or money to get everything done. If that is not a problem for you, perhaps it is that you just don’t know how to do something that is critical to your ongoing success.
Are you a hands on entrepreneur? Do you attempt to learn every new technique that comes out? Maybe your issue is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or even knowing where to start putting together a website at all. Whatever your dilemma, at some point you either have or will begin to feel like you needed some direction or help. Are you taking too much time away from your ‘first love’ and not gaining ground. If so, take a step back and evaluate where you have come from and where you want to go.
So, how do you know when it is time to consider outsourcing? Outsource when you:
- Are frustrated
- Want it done better
- Need it done faster
- Want to take your business to the next level
There are definitely people out there that can ease your burden who have a whole lot of expertise in numerous studies. Perhaps you hate doing the tedious chores necessary to make your business thrive. Or could it be marketing as a whole that you deplore? Your time is better spent doing your key task of your business. When you are forced to do things you don’t enjoy you won’t do them well. Alternatively, when you have to learn something else that isn’t your main focus, you loose valuable time growing your business.
Let’s look at these reasons through the eyes of, say, a candle representative.
You are trying to learn how to design a graphic or create a video to add to your website but you just can’t get it together? After all, you sell candles. You love doing those house parties. But you have no clue where to begin or how to use the graphics or video editing software. Halfway through the project you begin to realize you can’t get things to work as easily as the ad said you could. You begin to get frustrated to the point you are ready to quit altogether. You know thatyour business could benefit if you could just get it done. Hire a videographer or graphic designer. They can most likely do the task efficiently and beautifully in less than half the time it took you to decide to seek help.
Did you see all the reasons that our candle rep would consider it time to outsource?
There graphic design, videographers, coaches and experts in SEO, marketing, blogging, and speaking, and there are also virtual assistants (Vas) that are eager and willing to help you. If you don’t know where to begin, ask a friend or trusted colleague if they know somebody that they would or are using.
Learning to delegate is part of the process of growing your business. A word of advice, don’t micromanage. Delegate and let them do their job. They know what it takes to get it done and your input, past the original delegation and instruction, will frustrate you and them. Even worse, it could make the end result your quality instead of a professional’s work.
Ginger Marks is the founder of DocUmeant, a family of Publishing and Design companies. For more information, visit DocUmeant Designs and DocUmeant Publishing Mrs. Marks has recently released her third edition of Presentational Skills for the Next Generation; and her third annual eBook edition of her Weird & Wacky Holiday Marketing Guide is also available through her website. She also offers insight into marketing solutions through her ezine, Words of Wisdom, available through her websites.
About the author: Ginger Marks
For nearly 40 years Ginger Marks has owned several businesses including a multi-million dollar surgical clinic and a bar-b-que restaurant. She has won awards for both her publishing company, DocUmeant Publishing, registered in New York City (2012) and her design firm, DocUmeant Designs (2015), as well as being a best-selling author.
In 2009 Ginger wrote the first edition of her book, Weird & Wacky Holiday Marketing Guide. Her 2014 Weird & Wacky Holiday Marketing Guide reached the well-deserved status of the Number Two Best-Seller in the Marketing Category on Amazon. Her 2015 Edition has been awarded the Florida Authors & Publishers Association President’s Award in the Business Category!
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