The Power of Outsourcing: Why It Matters and Where to Start

Is it time to delegate?

One thing every entrepreneur struggles with is lack of time. When you start getting overwhelmed and feel like you don't have enough time to rest properly, to brainstorm ideas on growing your business, or to begin working on new projects, it's time to delegate some of your work.

Outsourcing basically means letting other people do what doesn't necessarily require your role. The best way is to hire a virtual assistant and let him do all the repetitive and boring tasks like answering email, reaching out to customers, doing a research, posting on social media, checking stats, taking care of your blog, etc.

What you'll get in return is your time and this way all your energy and focus will be invested in the things you're good at, like entering new fields, partnering with new people, creating new products, improving your personal brand, and more.

These are the activities you, as an entrepreneur, should have on your daily to-do list. Anything else must be delegated. That can be hard for first-time business owners though, as most of them just aren't used to letting others do the work.

If that sounds familiar, you may worry too much that the virtual staff you hire won't do a good job and even end up supervising them the whole time, which makes outsourcing pointless.

But you'll need to give it a try and feel the benefits. Start small - hire someone for a one-time job and see how it goes. It may not work out with the first or second person, but keep looking until you find the right fit for the position.

Once you do, you'll be amazed at how quickly he does what once took you hours, and how inexpensive that is. Most people online whose second language is English are actually hard working and don't charge much. And when you calculate the cost of your time, you'll be gaining a lot from the whole outsourcing thing.

Where to find employees

Go to sites like UpWork, Freelancer and Guru and post a job offer saying exactly what you're looking for. Expect many proposals to come your way immediately. Take some time to go through each and see who sounds confident and experienced enough. Hire a few people to work on one project if you want to, just to see who'll do the best job. Then, keep working with him.

Once you've outsourced the mundane tasks you do daily, move onto hiring more people to work for you remotely. Need a graphic designer? An accountant or financial adviser? A marketer to take care of all your communication, campaigns, media pitches, branding, or else? Or maybe you'd love to work with a programmer and create an app?

Anything is possible once you start trusting those who are actually good at what they do. The freelancers on these sites usually work for themselves and care about quality. Once you arrange the price that works for both of you, the site takes care of the rest and your money won't go to waste without you being happy with the work provided.

So that's why outsourcing matters and this is how it can help you be more productive and efficient and have time for other important things in life besides work. So, are you ready to hire your first virtual employee?

(images courtesy of Unsplash)