As an entrepreneur we wear many hats and are stretched thin daily in addition to family and other outside commitments. Often we find ourselves spending too much time working IN our business as opposed to working ON is.
Administrative tasks and client projects are examples the day to day tasks that keep us working in our business. However, generating new business and taking steps to meet your business goals is what will allow your business to thrive and flourish.
In order to free up some of your time to work on your business you need to outsources some of the day to day. Outsourcing doesn’t have to be costly; there are resources available that can help. Here are a few tips to outsource without breaking the bank.
Find people you can barter with.
Chances are there is an entrepreneur struggling with the very thing that you can do in your sleep. They may be an expert at something you hate doing. See if they would be willing to perform their services for you in exchange for you doing some work for them. Everybody wins in a situation like this. Be clear on your boundaries and outline what is included in some type of written document.
Hire a Virtual Assistant.
Virtual assistants come in all shapes and sizes and can perform a variety of tasks for your organization. Working with a virtual assistant allows you to shift repetitive tasks and projects and because they are not employees there are no payroll or benefit concerns. Choose a VA that has the skillset that you require and whose availability and personality are in line with your own.
Consider microoutsourcing.
Gain access to 100,000s of skilled freelancers through micooutsourcing. Microoutsourcing is when you use a freelancer to complete a specific task or project. Sites like eLance, oDesk, and Fiverr are great resources to find talent both locally and abroad for any project. Each of these sites offers a rating system that ranks each freelancer and provides reviews. eLance and oDesk also provide skills assessments so that you know what skills each freelancer has.
Outsourcing does not have to be expensive. Use the tips in this article and you will be well on your way to spending less time working in your business and more time working on your business. Be sure to get references and work samples before choosing a professional to outsource to.
Have you outsourced tasks or projects for your small business? Which approaches have you tried and what was your experience?