... but I'm here to tell you that you may not be ready right now to do it.
Outsourcing, getting a virtual assistant (VA), hiring a social media manager (SMM), engaging an ads agency and all that jazz are big indicators that you're successful in your business, or so they say.
Now I don’t specifically know who ‘they’ are, but I definitely hear it on socials and a lot of coaches glamourising outsourcing, how easy it can be and that it WILL grow your bottom line. After all, who wouldn't want to delegate tasks, free up time, and focus on the things they love while making more money? Sounds like a dream right!
Here’s the thing, the people who actually achieve that dream, have spent the time setting up their business for that success. They didn’t just think if I get a VA, SMM, or agency on board, they can hand over the wheel and let that person drive the business. They’ve worked on these areas in their operations to ensure they don’t waste money or spend too much time training someone and are always in control of what happens next!
Clear direction: You need to know your business goals, priorities, messaging, ideal client and have solid systems and processes in place. With these all nailed down, it’s easy to convey and have your team buy into your business direction and vision. If you’re still in an establishing or evolution phase of your business, then outsourcing could end up causing more harm than good. So take the time to get that clarity and learn how to communicate it.
Money and finances: While outsourcing can save you time and energy, it comes with a price tag, and the good ones aren’t cheap, so you need to be clear on your financial position, understand your cash flow and can pay your team on time, every time! If your budget is tight or cash flow isn’t consistent, you need to focus on revenue-generating activities, rather than having someone else save you time.
Systems: With so much technology available to us, it’s important to have your systems in place ready for the growth you want to achieve. Having your systems and automations set up, as well as documented processes on how to use these systems is key to maximising the opportunities available to your business, but also the opportunity for your team to significantly contribute to your business growth. Documenting processes doesn’t need to be long-winded instruction manuals, it can be as easy as a quick video on how to log in and use a system - we use Loom for this and can’t rave about it enough!
Ready to give up control: Now I’m not saying give the keys to the car over, but if you do outsource some tasks, then you do have to let go of those tasks. There is no point in outsourcing if you want to check every single detail and review everything your team does - this is called micromanaging! No one likes being micromanaged, it creates a bad culture in the team not only feeling like they aren’t trusted, but it just adds an extra layer to your stress. So if you’re not ready to give up control, it’s as simple as not being ready to outsource.
Outsourcing is becoming common practice in the online and service business world, but you need to be ready, don’t jump in before you have these points clearly ticked off.Â
Let's chat if you ever want to talk about any of these elements or if you’re ready to outsource. I'm always here as a sounding board for your business on its road to growth and success.
