The Best Work to Outsource When Growing Your Online Business
Many small online business owners get nervous at the idea of letting go of certain tasks in their business and outsourcing them. The truth is that it’s really the only way to grow your online business effectively. It’s impossible to do everything yourself, so it is a case of strategically choosing what to outsource.
There are a number of factors to consider:
* Things you don’t do well
* Things you don’t like doing
* Tasks you don’t have the skills for
* Things that eat up a lot of your time but don’t contribute directly to earning income
Here are seven suggestions for the best tasks to outsource.
1. Bookkeeping
Unless you are an accountant yourself, it is probably best to outsource this task to the professionals. Keep good records to make their job easier and keep costs down. Don’t hand them shoeboxes of paperwork a couple of days before your taxes are due.
2. Customer Service
Once you have been in business for a while, you should have a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) from customers. Outsource your customer service to one or more workers so you have good coverage. Consider using a ticketing portal to help keep everything organized.
3. Content Creation
If you are a slow writer, hire ghostwriters to help you keep your blog fresh, or to create information products like eBooks that you can sell to your target audience.
4. Updating Your Blog
Whether you write the content yourself or get help, the content will still need to be uploaded to your blog or website. This is an easy task for a virtual assistant or freelancer who knows WordPress or similar blogging software well.
5. Logos, Artwork and Images
Unless you are a professional artist who has mastered Photoshop, chances are you would be better off hiring a freelancer who already owns this rather expensive software and is skilled at using all of its impressive features.
People do judge a book by its cover, so if you are publishing eBooks or multimedia courses, take the time and money to find a good designer who can make your product look like a high-quality one worth buying.
6. Email Marketing
Email marketing is an essential tool for all successful businesses. You need to create offers, new lists, and a “funnel” to get subscribers. Once a person is on your email marketing list, you need to send them content and interesting promotional offers so they will buy from you regularly.
Email marketing isn’t difficult, but it can be time-consuming. Your lists need to hear from you on a regular basis and you need to track the success of what you are sending out, such as your holiday promotions.
An email marketing specialist can track your success, test different creatives, and more. They can also upload the content you wish to provide, and set up new promotions each time you wish to target another topic within your niche.
7. Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing is another essential chore for modern online businesses which business owners just don’t have enough time or inclination for. It can be a fine art to marketing well on Facebook or LinkedIn. There are many freelancers skilled at certain networks who could help take your business to the next level.
Don’t be afraid to let go of these tasks, unless you are already an expert on them. You’ll end up with more time to do high-earning activities that no one else can do, as well as tasks that you enjoy.
I hope these tips help you on your journey, and if you have any questions or comments please drop them below.
To Your Great Success, Bob