Recently one of the big changes I have made in my business is to employ outsourced workers and services to leverage my time and resources more effectively. Outsourcing internet marketing with the result being increased profits and increased satisfaction for my work.
Since starting the outsourcing process myself, and since, fielding questions from others also keen to outsource, a number of questions kept coming up.
What can I outsource?
The answer is anything and everything. Go to websites such as fiverr.com and you will find people willing to do even the most horrible tasks for just a small amount of money.
The question therefore is really what should I outsource?
I recommend you start outsourcing jobs that are either you don’t enjoy doing, or you are not good at. Delegation of these mundane tasks will instantly boost productivity as you get to spend more time on the stuff you enjoy.
Next outsource anything that makes little or no money. Decide on this threshold by calculating the value of your time. For example if you want to earn $1 million this year working 6 hours a day, 4 days a week then you need to be making $800 each and every working hour. If the result of you working on a one hour task will not make you $800 then that too should be outsourced. With that analogy in mind think beyond just outsourcing internet marketing and conventional business functions. You might consider outsourcing home stuff like delivery of your groceries, car washing or lawn mowing as well as the more obvious things like accounting and legal advice which absolutely should be outsourced to professionals.
Out task or outsource?
Start by out tasking (using services on a task by task basis) before you hire full time (outsourcing). This will get you familiar with the outsourcing process without the ongoing financial commitment. However, as soon as you can afford to you should be hiring the help of a full time resource. They will grow in skills as they learn more about your business and how you work. It is simply not effective to hire, train, manage and then re-hire, train, manage and critique jobs one by one with different suppliers. If you need to out task source repeatedly then at least use a dedicated supplier who has a professionally managed team rather than an individual. An example of this type of supplier would be an outsourced SEO service who focus entirely on SEO.
Where do I find help?
By far and away the best place to find outsourced workers is by word of mouth. Good workers will know and mix with others of the same values so start by asking peers or colleagues who have A grade outsourcers for a referral. Outsourcers are looking for good trusted companies to work with too, so a referral puts both parties in good stead.
Another good place to find outsourcer’s is the Warrior Forum. Typically individuals within the Warrior Forum are of good quality (though not always) and are ideal for 1 or 2 time jobs. You might also use outsource directories such as O Desk or Elance where you can have outsourcers tender for your job before hiring. These services are intended for hiring on a task by task basis, however if you find someone you really like you can approach them to work for you full-time.
Other places you should consider recruiting are craiglist.org or bestjobs.ph which is a job seekers portal for the Philippines.
Hiring Tips
If you want to attract the best outsourcers for your team you must go about hiring in the right way. This means don’t be rude, dictatorial or aggressive as this will turn off the most talented candidates. Your aim is to find good workers and have them stick with you, so you should always treat recruits with respect and a view to building a long term team. When hiring your team give priority to attitude over skill. Skill can be trained but the temperament to work remotely without constant supervision requires A player attitude. Look for the top 10% who deliver the right blend of attitudinal, personal and intellectual competencies and they should be your hires.
It is always wise to hire on probation even if you found who you consider the perfect recruit. Ask for some sample work and be prepared to pay for the first tasks while you assess the quality of work. Check the properties in the documents to see that the work is original. Salaries will range from USD $300 to $700 per month for many typical Internet Marketing related roles.
How can I trust my outsourcer?
You should do a back ground check before you hire. Ask for references from candidates bosses of the past 5 years and conduct them via Skype. Some of the most valuable information will come from former employers. You can also ask for pictures in your application process and correlate those pictures with Social Media profiles to make sure workers are who they say they are.
Once your outsourcers start working with you can ensure a sound level of trust and security is maintained by password protecting your documents and assigning rights only to non critical areas of your business. It is sound advice to only give server side access once you have an assured level of trust with your outsource team. There is no need to be over cautious though, if you have hired right and done your due diligence you have no need to worry.
When paying your staff, use PayPal and be ready to pay twice monthly in arrears.
What agreements do I need?
Most important thing is to develop a level of understanding with your team. This should include telling them any work done for you is exclusive and cannot be used elsewhere. Also, content produced for you remains your intellectual property. Always set your expectations as to what is required of them and also agree what they expect of you to conduct their job. This will ensure a strong 2 way relationship. Set targets and keep them focused on those to ensure they align with the companies goals. Post these goals and any agreements you have within your project management system. I use the write board facility with Basecamp.