The 4-Hour Workweek approach has really brought small business outsourcing to the mainstream, but more than part of any productivity system it just makes sense. Do the math: By outsourcing time consuming tasks, you can apply your time to the stuff that really brings home the bacon money for your business.
When it comes to spending your time working smarter, not harder, it’s important to look at the time consuming and repetitive tasks that cut into your work time. A realtor needs to sell property, not spend time updating her blog or fixing up her website. A salesperson needs to close deals, not spend hours doing research or telemarketing. By outsourcing the things you don’t really have to do yourself, you free up all the time you need to do what only you can do.
Outsourcing Research
Research is a crucial part of any business, but the internet creates an endless stream of information and the research time never stops. Whether you need someone to hunt down new leads, do market research, or even summarize an article or book, outsourcing your research helps you get the information you need without the busy work that it takes to get there. In college, it was “wrong” to hire someone to give you the CliffsNotes version, now it’s one of the best ways to free up your busy schedule.
Outsourcing Marketing
Whether your marketing strategy is based around advertising, social media, content, cold calling, or anything else, you can find someone who can free up your time to focus on sales and running your business. Odds are, they can do it better than you as well because a) they specialize in marketing and b) they don’t have to juggle a ton of different business tasks. The same goes for other time consuming projects that are not entirely business related, like web design. Don’t spend your time doing a mediocre job on many things when you can hire specialists and do a great job on the few things you are great at.
Outsourcing Errands
Many people often talk about how much easier their life would be with an assistant without realizing how accessible they are. Virtual assistants are growingly popular because they can help you with just about anything you need, and don’t cost nearly as much as a full-time live assistant. Need someone to organize files, book a flight or hotel, follow up on calls, fill out paperwork, transcribe files, or even order food? Virtual assistant services and freelance assistants can do just about anything that doesn’t require their physical presence.
For basic tasks, you can even outsource to a low-cost ($4-$15 per hour) foreign virtual assistant service based in India, Thailand, or Australia. For more advanced tasks or those where native English skills are important, you can just as easily hire an American assistant for $10-$25 per hour.
The two keys to outsourcing the right way are a) doing the math to make sure this helps you make money rather than spend it because it frees up your time and b) making sure to be very specific about your needs and requirements to ensure that the project is handled properly, on budget, and on time. Don’t make excuses though: There are only so many hours in the day, so don’t spend your hours doing tedious tasks that don’t help your business grow.
