It’s not easy running a business. When you’re managing employees, deadlines, and projects all at the same time, it can be overwhelming trying to do it all.
If you want to scale your business and grow, though, you need to out-source freelance work so that you can focus on what matters most: growing your business (and taking some time for yourself).
By out-sourcing freelancers for specific tasks that aren’t directly related to your core responsibilities, you’ll have more time to focus on the things that can help grow your business.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to decide which tasks need out-sourcing and how best to do it. But first…
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Outsourcing freelance work can improve business efficiency. |
| 2. Building a successful freelance career requires dedication. |
| 3. Utilize Upwork campaigns to land desirable freelance projects. |
| 4. Enhance freelancing skills to stand out in a competitive market. |
| 5. Embrace the transformative impact of freelancing on work and life. |
Focus On What You Do Best
When it comes to running a business, you can’t do everything. You have to focus on what you do best, then out-source the rest.
If you’re not sure what your strengths are, ask yourself: What am I doing that my employees or contractors don’t seem to be able to do?
What tasks would my team members rather not be assigned? This will give you an idea of where your natural talents lie.
Once you’ve determined what those are, narrow them down even further until the list is short enough for someone else (or several someones) to take over completely while still providing valuable input and oversight on the project as a whole.
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Create Out-Sourcing Work Structures
Define the scope of the project. Before you outsource any work, it’s important to understand what you want to accomplish.
For example, are you looking for someone simply to complete a task that could be done by anyone? Or do you want them to add value and create something novel that will help your business grow in the future?
Asking these questions helps narrow down your requirements so that when it comes time for hiring an employee or freelancer, they know what they’re getting into and can give their best effort.
Know how much money you have available. If there’s one thing I’ve learned while working with clients who outsource jobs is that budget matters a lot!
Clients don’t always account for all costs when budgeting for a new project (or even an ongoing job).
This often results in overspending or even missing deadlines because no one thought about how long each step would take or if they needed additional resources such as software licenses or equipment rentals before starting work on something new altogether.
Out-Source To Help You Grow Your Business
Out-sourcing is the act of taking your work to another person or company to complete.
Outsourcing can be done for many reasons, but most often it is used as a way to fill in the gaps of what you are already doing and make your business more efficient.
For example, many businesses outsource their bookkeeping and accounting needs because they don’t have the time or expertise necessary to keep track of finances on their own.
In addition to outsourcing work like this, there are other ways that you can use outsourcing as a tool in your business growth plan:
To save money – If you don’t have enough employees at your company right now and need help with some additional tasks but don’t have any budget left over.
Then outsourcing may be a good option for getting those projects completed without breaking the bank!
To focus on what you do best – Sometimes we get so caught up trying all these different things ourselves (like writing blogs) that it takes away from our primary job duties (like sales).
By hiring someone else to handle certain tasks related to blogging or social media marketing for example; we free up extra time where we can focus solely on what matters most – selling products/services!
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How to Out-Source Freelance Work
Here are some ways you can outsource work:
Save Time
In this digital age, everything is moving a lot faster than in years past and there is no doubt that every business needs more time to get more done.
Save Money
Outsourcing can help you save money by hiring freelancers who are affordable and highly skilled at what they do.
Get Better Results
If you have ever tried doing your graphic design or writing, then you know how difficult it can be to make something look professional or sound good when it’s not your specialty!
Hiring someone who specializes in these areas will give your business the best possible result at an affordable price point too.
Gain Competitive Advantage
It takes so much time away from running my own business just thinking about other things I need done but don’t have time for them myself (or even know how).
If I outsource those tasks immediately after their completion then I won’t have anything else cluttering up my mind except running my actual business full time.
Determine Whether A Project Is Worth Out-Sourcing
Before you can decide to outsource a project, you need to determine whether it’s something worth outsourcing.
Some things fall more naturally into the category of “I want someone else to do this.” Other tasks fall somewhere in between.
They’re not necessarily something that you enjoy doing but they’re also not a chore or inconvenience.
If an activity falls into the first category (something worth outsourcing), then it’s time to start looking at what type of freelancer you should hire and how much money they should cost.
If it falls into the second category (something not so worthy), then maybe try delegating or asking your employees for help instead?
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Use The 80/20 Rule To Get Started
The 80/20 rule is a general principle that can be applied to many different situations. It’s the idea that 20% of something represents 80% of everything.
In other words, the most important tasks take up more than their fair share of time and effort while less important activities are done with less attention or care.
That means it’s possible to focus your efforts on the most important parts of any project while letting go of any tasks which don’t add much value to save time and energy no matter what you’re working on!
Call In the Experts Who Can Help You Out-Source Well
The first thing you’ll want to do is find freelancers who have experience in your industry. If you need help with a website redesign and are looking for a web designer.
Look for someone with experience designing websites.
Make sure the freelancer has a good reputation. Check their reviews on LinkedIn and other platforms where they may be active (for example Upwork).
Also, if they don’t have any reviews yet, ask them what their clients say about them when you speak with them on the phone or via email.
Look for freelancers who can help you grow your business by providing additional services that complement what we do as marketers!
For example: if we’re working on an AdWords campaign together where I’m creating ads but there’s nothing else going into it besides my time.
Then I don’t think anyone should charge me anything beyond their hourly rate (which would probably be high).
However, if there’s more work involved like creating landing pages or following up with leads generated from PPC advertising then I’m happy paying extra since those tasks would require more effort than simply making one ad per day.
Avoid The Cheapest Cost Provider
The first step in outsourcing is to define the project. What do you want to be done? Do you know what your goals are?
If not, take some time to write down what they are and how they might be accomplished in a way that will make sense when it all comes together as one cohesive unit.
Having clear goals helps ensure that your end goal is met.
Next, think about how long it would take you to complete this task if you were doing it yourself.
This is known as the 80/20 rule: 80% of all work gets done by 20% of employees—so start there!
Call in experts who can help out-source well and be prepared for an adjustment period (but don’t panic you’ll get used to having outsourced help).
Define what success looks like for this project, then trust that these decisions have been made wisely, and keep moving forward towards achieving those goals!
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Be A Good Client Who Gets Good Results
- Be clear about what you want.
- Be a good communicator, both verbally and non-verbally.
- Listen carefully to your freelancer’s interpretation of your needs, and ask open-ended questions for clarification if needed.
- Negotiate with empathy, patience, and understanding; never let pride get in the way of reaching an agreement that works for everyone involved!
- Lead by example by delegating tasks that don’t require your expertise or input (but only when someone else can do them better).
- Collaborate with other team members on larger projects instead of trying to do everything yourself; this will save time, money, and stress!
Trust That You’ve Made The Right Decision and Keep Moving Forward
Trust your gut and your experience. You know what’s best for your business, so trust that you’ve made the right decision. You can always find another person to work with.
If things aren’t working out, then it might be time to move on from that person or company. If you feel like the relationship isn’t beneficial for either party.
Then it’s time to let go and find someone else who will work better with your business objectives in mind.
Focus And Motivation Are Key To Out-Sourcing Freelance Work
The first thing you need to do is find the right kind of people who will be able to help you with your tasks.
You also have to make sure that they are motivated and reliable, but this isn’t always easy. If there’s anyone who can motivate themselves and others, it’s you!
Once you’ve found the person or people for each task, then it’s time for them to get started on the work at hand and for you too!
Your job now is not only managing them effectively (to make sure they’re working hard) but also motivating yourself so that everyone gets their due diligence done at an efficient pace.
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Conclusion
By now, you should have a better understanding of how to outsource freelance work.
If you need help with anything that has been mentioned in this article or have any other questions, then feel free to contact us at any time. We’ll get back to you within 24 hours!
Further Reading
Outsource Work by Neil Patel A comprehensive guide by Neil Patel on the benefits and strategies of outsourcing work to streamline business processes and increase efficiency.
Top 10 Tips to Convince Businesses to Outsource Work Learn the top 10 persuasive tips to convince businesses of the advantages of outsourcing work and building successful outsourcing partnerships.
Tips to Manage Your Freelancers This blog post offers practical advice and strategies for effectively managing freelancers and ensuring seamless collaboration on projects.
FAQs
What are the benefits of outsourcing work?
Outsourcing work can lead to increased productivity, cost savings, access to specialized skills, and the ability to focus on core business activities.
How can businesses convince others to outsource their work?
Businesses can emphasize the advantages of outsourcing, such as reduced costs, improved efficiency, access to global talent, and enhanced scalability.
What are the common challenges in managing freelancers?
Common challenges in managing freelancers include communication issues, meeting deadlines, ensuring quality deliverables, and maintaining a cohesive team.
How can businesses ensure successful outsourcing partnerships?
To ensure successful outsourcing partnerships, businesses should establish clear communication channels, define project expectations, set realistic timelines, and maintain a positive working relationship with freelancers.
How can freelancers enhance their skills to attract more clients?
Freelancers can enhance their skills by continuously learning, staying updated with industry trends, seeking feedback, networking, and showcasing their expertise through portfolios and testimonials.
What Is Out-Sourcing?
Outsourcing is a method of hiring someone outside of your business to do work that you should be doing yourself. It’s a great way to save money and time as well as expand your skill set.
What Is A Freelancer?
A freelancer is someone who works for themselves and doesn’t have an employer. They offer their services on websites like Upwork or Fiverr, where you can post a project description, then get bids from the freelancers who are interested in working for you.
This type of service is called “project management” because it involves finding someone who has the skill set to complete the task at hand (for example writing content).
Managing them through their work process/schedule while they perform these services.
Monitoring quality control so that things go smoothly throughout every stage of production (for example: making sure all articles are relevant).
Then pay them according to how much work was completed according to what was agreed upon in advance (for example: paying $10 per article published).
How Do We Outsource Our Work?
There are several ways that companies can outsource their work:
- Hire people from other countries (or states)
- Find freelancers through platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, Toptal, or Freelancer
Why Would I Out-Source?
There are many benefits to outsourcing: time management, cost efficiency, the better quality of work done by others, and more!
But it’s not without its drawbacks namely that there’s always the risk of losing control over something important (and potentially valuable).
There’s also a difference between in-sourcing and out-sourcing: in-sourced workers are considered part of your staff whereas outsourced workers are not.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.