Most entrepreneurs don’t go into business because they do all aspects of business well. They know their skill, task, or particular industry well so they start a business. Successful business owners understand this concept. They readily outsource the parts of their business they don’t want to tackle, enjoy managing, or understand. Let’s take a look at some of the tasks you could be outsourcing.
Marketing and Social Media
According to Entrepreneur magazine, “Over 40 percent of companies have an executive in their organizations who is directly responsible for content marketing. Unfortunately small businesses like yours may not have the budget for that.” So, what is a small business to do to get their products in front of customers? Hire a marketing and social media team to hand this task. You could start out small by outsourcing this to a writer, engaging some freelancers on Fiverr, or employ an agency. Not only will you save money, but you are more likely to build better client relationships because your content will be higher quality.
Bookkeeping/Payroll
Good financial reports can make or break a business. When your reports are clear and easy to read, you can use them to plan for the future. You can also present them to a lender if you are looking to procure a loan. Unfortunately, it is very easy to make mistakes and end up with reports that don’t make sense. You could also find yourself in trouble with the state or federal governments for improperly paying your taxes. Outsourcing your bookkeeping and/or payroll can save your company a lot of money in the long run.
IT
We all have that relative who claims to know all about computers. Some of us hire them to set up our networks and workstations. But, do they really know all the ins and outs of security? Is our business one that is subject to specific technical regulations such as HIPAA or HITECH? Making sure that our networks and workstations are secure and won’t be hacked easily is very important to the survival of our businesses. Our clients aren’t likely to stick around if we make it easy for hackers to steal their information.
Office Cleaning
Clean and tidy offices are comforting to clients. Not many clients are going to want to return to a space that looks unkempt. But who has the time, as a busy entrepreneur, to clean the floors and make sure the paper towels get filled? Nobody! Hiring a janitorial service can save you a lot of time and money by keeping your office clean and presentable.
Taxes
Much like bookkeeping, most business owners don’t know the first thing about business taxes. Hiring a professional will not only save you time, but it will likely save you money as a tax professional knows what deductions to look for that you may not have claimed. Additionally, having a CPA manage your taxes lowers your audit risk. And, the CPA will be the one representing you to the auditor if they complete your taxes and you get audited anyway.
Writing
Blog posts, ad copy, website copy, biography information, oh my! Business owners have a lot to write. Most of us, however, don’t have the time or ability to write all of this or to stay on top of all of it. We don’t have the understanding of all that’s required or who to write a blog post that will score high in SEO. This is another task best left to the experts.
Scheduling and Administrative
It’s hard for business owners to get much done during the day. If we allow ourselves to get bogged down with repetitive tasks like answering emails, setting appointments, and playing phone tag, we will never get anything done. Hiring a virtual assistant to manage your schedule, answer emails, or return phone calls can go a long way to saving you time and money.
Graphic Design
We all need good graphics for our advertisements. So, unless your business is graphic design, it would likely be best for you to be spending your time working on your business instead of designing graphics yourself. With the freelancer marketplaces opening up, it is not difficult for a small business to outsource this task even with a small budget.
Website Design, Development, and Updates
We have one chance to make a first impression. Our website is often the first impression a client has of our business. Our websites must be flexible to be viewed on a wide variety of platforms from desktop computers to cell phones to tablets. Websites must reflect our brand image and also be updated regularly so that it continues to function. Unless you are a web designer, this can also be outsourced to a freelancer to ensure that your site is turning visitors into customers.
Training
Are you a teacher? Do you know how to motivate a sales team? What about putting together a curriculum for onboarding new employees? If you are unsure how to do these, we suggest that you outsource this process. Providing training or motivation for your employees and staff will go a long way toward keeping them happy and productive. Therefore, unless you are a trainer by trade, we highly recommend that you seek out a company who specializes in training other companies and employees.
There are a lot of other tasks and projects that small business owners can, and likely should, outsource. Unfortunately, most of us entrepreneurs don’t want to give up that control and hand those tasks over to someone else. However, knowing what your weaknesses are and having a willingness to give those tasks to someone who is an expert at it will save you a lot of time, money, and frustration in the long run.
Interested in outsourcing your bookkeeping, payroll, or office management? Call us today! We would love to help!
