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Outsourcing can be extremely beneficial for small businesses from the very beginning. Owning and operating your own small business takes a large amount of focus, and there’s no room for distractions. Focusing on small tasks like bookkeeping, social media management and web design jeopardizes that much-needed focus.
Even though you might think you’re the only one who can effectively complete each task that goes into your day to day operations, it’s important to note that you’re wasting valuable time and energy taking care of the small things by yourself. This is where outsourcing certain tasks come into play.
But how do you know what tasks need to be outsourced?
The first thing you should do as a business owner is to identify the core areas of your business. These core areas should not be outsourced on a regular basis because they directly impact what your client’s receive.
For example, a company that specialises in web design should refrain from outsourcing the design of entire websites since web design is the focal point of the business. The company should, however, outsource tasks such as copywriting, social media management or payroll management.
After you have ruled out the core areas of your business as tasks to outsource, create a list of tasks that make up your business and divide them into three areas.
Repetitive Tasks
Data entry is a great example of a task that can be classified as repetitive. Even if you have an in-house staff capable of data entry, this type of task is better reserved for someone online, where the in-house staff can focus on more important work that affects the core areas of the business.
Specialised Tasks
A good example of a task that requires a specialised skill set is IT support. IT support is something your business needs only once in a while, (depending on your company’s needs of course), and so hiring a full-time employee to take care of IT support is a waste of time and resources. A freelance contractor may be more ideal for this type of task.
Expert Tasks
An expert task is a task that requires a high level of expertise, experience and ingenuity. A good example of an expert task can be something like a financial analyst. Because it might be difficult for most small businesses and start up’s to afford a full-time employee that can complete an expert task, it’s highly advised to outsource these tasks on a contractual basis for a much lower price.
Examine tasks that you need outsourced or are thinking about having outsourced and rate each one as a repetitive, specialised or expert task. Look over your budget, compare the benefits you gain from each task being outsourced, and find a reliable contractor that can complete the job in a timely, cost-effective manner.
You may also like: Know When to Delegate
About the Author
Kristy is the Founder and Managing Director of Virtual Elves. In just 3 years Virtual Elves has become one of Australia’s leading providers of outsourcing solutions and resources, helping business owners improve their productivity, increase their profitability and create the business and lifestyle they really want. Find out more and sign up for the Virtual Elves Newsletter!
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