We are all time-poor. It’s a fact in business and it’s a fact in modern life. But what if we told you that there was a way you could get some of that valuable time back and free up your schedule for the most important things in life – family, friends and fun? It can happen!
All you need to do is consider outsourcing. In most cases, outsourcing is less expensive than you imagine and much easier to manage than you think. So what should you outsource? Here are our suggestions for the over-scheduled, overworked business owner:
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1. Social media
Finding a manger to handle your social media is not that difficult these days with consultants popping up all over the place. Assess your needs first. If you have a good strategy going and need to take it to the next level, hire a consultant to focus on your growth strategy. If you’re just starting out with testing the social media waters, you could outsource to a manger but prepare the strategy and schedule yourself first to see what works for your business. Remember, these tasks can also be done by an intern or work experience placement for little to no cost.
If you’re not quite ready to hand over the reins just yet, using social media scheduling programs will certainly help save you some time. Hootsuite is one of our faves as it now integrates Instagram – but it is only free for three profiles. Buffer is another great tool for scheduling Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus. And our recommendation for Pinterest scheduling is Tailwind.
Price range: FREE (for an intern or some scheduling tools) – up to $100/hr (for a social media expert)
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2. Administration tasks
Think anything from emails to travel bookings, data entry to transcribing, a virtual assistant (VA) can help you to cross off those niggling to-dos that never seem to leave your list. A main advantage of a VA is that the tasks don’t have to be all business-related. Research for your child’s science project – check. Transcribing an interview you recorded on SoundCloud – check. Price comparisons for your next family holiday – check. You name it, it’s highly likely a VA can do it.
Price range: $5-10/hr (for a VA in the Philippines or India) – up to $50+/hr (some VAs also look after social media and graphic design)
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3. Content creation
Whether it’s marketing collateral, branding and business planning or blogging on your website, the power of content should never be underestimated. Therefore, it makes sense to leave it in the hands of a professional. While you’re the brains of the operation, having a wordsmith on hand could be just what you need. Content has also become super important for your online presence as unique and engaging content is proven to drive more traffic to your site, as well as creating a more connected audience or client base.
Price range: Around $50/hr (for a great copywriter. Many also value-add social media and/or email marketing services)
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4. Bookkeeping
Unless you are particularly money-savvy, we suggest you engage the services of an accountant or bookkeeper as soon as possible. This is because without knowing the ins-and-outs of business finances and relevant tax regulations (or having the motivation to learn it all), a good bookkeeper will take this burden off your shoulders. If your business is not quite ready to hire one just yet, make sure to invest in FreshBooks or Xero in order to manage all your incomings and outgoings.
Price range: From $20-25/hr
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5. Industry workshops
Workshops are a little different to from our other suggestions above but are a great way to ‘kill two birds with one stone’. Going along to seminars, events and industry nights means you can learn new things, keep updated on advancements in your field or develop a new skill – all while networking and subtly promoting your own business or brand. Come along to one of our Green Goodness Co events and you can do just that with like-minded people!
Price range: Some events are free – up to around $100