Outsourcing can bring a world of benefits to your business. It can inject expertise, create new opportunities, build relationships and take away all the peripheral tasks so you can get on with loving your business. So why are we so reluctant to dip our feet into the world of outsourcing? Here are four possible reasons and what you can do to get yourself comfortable with the prospect of outsourcing.
Problem: I will lose control
We love our business. We know our business. Nobody could do as good a job of running our business as us. This may be true, but if you want to build your business you’re eventually going to need help.
Solution: Outsourcing is the perfect way to test the waters to see if your business can sustain enough work to warrant hiring more permanent staff. If you are a bit of a control freak and love to micro manage, you could set up regular check-ins or utilise a workflow app such as Asana or Evernote to ensure that work is being completed on time and to your standard.
Problem: Nobody could love my business like me
Your business is your baby and it’s understandable that you feel reluctant to let anyone else into your life to help you take care of it. This is a reflection of our fear of loss of control as well as our issues of trust.
Solution: It is true that your business is your baby. You created it but if you want to grow and be the best you can be for your clients then you need to let go! Ensure that you spend time researching your outsourcing partners and get to know them. Do your values and goals align? Are you in the same stage of business life cycle? Will this be a mutually beneficial partnership? Think about checking testimonials and speaking to their past clients.
Problem: It costs too much
As a small business it’s often hard to justify spending money. However, thinking that outsourcing is expensive is the biggest myth of all. You will potentially save money by outsourcing tasks.
Solution: Let’s use an example of building a simple website. If you decide to do this task yourself without any prior knowledge of coding, SEO, design or copywriting you could potentially spend at least 50 hours on building a successful website. If you value your time at $50 an hour, you have missed income opportunity of $2,500. If you outsourced this task it would be delivered in less time and at a cost of around $1,500. Thus outsourcing has saved you time AND money.
Problem: It is quicker to do it myself
The first time you work together it may take time to communicate, to ensure that the brief is tight and succinct, that the task or project is understood by all parties and that expectations are fully explained. However, over time the need to invest this time significantly diminishes.
Solution:. If you have found the right outsourcing partner, they get to know you and your business better. If they share the same values as you then you will find that both become intuitive to what the other needs. This is what a true outsourcing partnership should look like. It’s a mutually beneficial experience.
Outsourcing can be a scary proposition for any small business, but the benefits are endless. Overcoming your fears will lead to a rewarding relationship, healthy business and ultimately, a better you.
