Small Business Growth - Is it Time to Outsource?

Small business outsourcing can save you time and money – and help you grow! Yet, I often see entrepreneurs wait until they are entirely overwhelmed before they ask for help.

Entrepreneurs are 50% more likely to report mental health issues than other workers, yet we struggle to talk about it. Being overworked, wearing so many hats, being solely liable for a company's success – that's a lot for one person.

Just imagine how much more you can grow if you pass off the tasks that eat up your time, leaving you to focus on strategic growth.

So how do you know what to pass off and when to do it? If your business is growing, but you’re not ready to hire full-time staff, maybe it's time to outsource.

Signs it might be time to outsource:

You’re burnt out and have no time in your life for anything else.
You’re making more mistakes than you would like.
The quality of your work is suffering.
You’d like to implement changes but have no time to make it happen.
The systems and processes in your business are no longer effective as you grow.
You feel like you’re running in circles but aren’t making headway.
You’re ready to expand or introduce new products/services/offers and need help to do it.
You have a mile-long to-do list that you can’t seem to get around to.

What Areas Can You Outsource?

Often, my clients come to me feeling overwhelmed, knowing they want help, but not sure what to pass off.

As a general rule, ask yourself these 3 questions when deciding what to outsource for your small business:

1) What tasks do I dread doing? We all have the jobs that we don’t like – the ones we put off until the last minute. You'll end up more content and productive if you pass off the tasks you dislike.

2) What tasks do you lack experience in? Play to your strengths! Look at the jobs that aren't your fortes, such as accounting, marketing, or content creation. Is it worth the time to learn a new task, or is it better to hand it off to someone who has already mastered it?

3) What tasks are a waste of your time? Some tasks are not necessarily challenging, and sometimes you may even like them, but are they an effective way to spend your time? Make a list of all the things in your business ONLY you can do, and then look at outsourcing the rest.

Social Media & Content Creation

Successful content marketing requires a big-time commitment. Blogs, email campaigns, and social media posts all take time and energy away from the tasks only you can do within your business. Not only will it save you time, but social media pros will implement a strategy, track your analytics, and make sure that your content marketing is doing its job! While you certainly want to show your face, social media is a common area for business owners to outsource.

HR/Payroll

Once you begin to grow and hire employees, you'll want to look at getting an HR consultant. Even a one-time audit of your current processes can be helpful to ensure you are compliant and effective. Set yourself up for success in the beginning, rather than having unexpected issues pop in the future.

Bookkeeping

Very few people enjoy this task. When you are just starting out, you may want to handle this on your own, but as you grow, keeping your numbers organized becomes more complex and a more considerable demand on your time. And this is an area that can often pay for itself, particularly at tax time!

Scheduling/Calendar Management

Are you having trouble tracking your appointments and keeping your calendar organized? A virtual assistant can either take over this task or introduce you to apps and software to help you automate, save time, and ensure you are not missing essential obligations.

Sales and Marketing

Are you a small business owner who doesn’t like to sell? For some, it's an unfortunate but necessary part of owning a small business. If you are uncomfortable selling yourself and your services, let someone else sing your praises! Bringing on a pro will ensure an effective sales strategy and marketing plan and a consistent stream of new leads coming into your business.

Customer Service

Ensure every one of your customers feels special! If you find you’re not spending enough time with clients, maybe it’s time to pass off some areas of customer contact. Having someone dedicated to customer inquiries, check-ins, and follow-ups ensures you provide a stand-out customer experience.

Administrative Tasks

It's incredible how the little things like data entry, invoicing, scheduling, and organizing take up so much time. Say see ya later to those admin tasks, and hello to growth! A current study showed that entrepreneurs spend 68% working in their business and only 31% of their time strategically growing their business.

Website Design/SEO

A solid internet presence is more important than ever. Your website is a strategic tool that can be put to work as a 24/7 salesperson out in the world. To sell for you, it must build your brand, make connections, and show up in rankings when clients are searching for you. While you may have DIY’d your site initially, moving to a professionally crafted website is worth the investment!

As business owners, we too often try to do it all, and of course, we will fall short. Because it just isn’t possible. We wear our busyness like a badge of honour – but burnout shouldn’t be the goal. Moving forwards instead of sideways often means bringing in a helping hand.

For more info on small business outsourcing, check out my post, 54 Things a Virtual Assistant Can Take Off Your Plate.

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