I had always prided myself on being able to build a decent website and bootstrap my way on wordpress. But then one day i got this notification from google that they wanted me to take my website and run it on the speed test. I thought this wouldn’t be a big deal and that i would pass with flying colors.
Man, was i wrong. I totally bombed and the quiz ended up telling me that my website was super slow and was going to make it harder to convert people to buyers. So like a good little DIY girl i took the recommendations from google and tried to “fix” my website speed myself.
Man was that a waste of time. I tried a bunch of youtube videos and read a ton of articles. Not only did that waste a week of my time, but it also didn’t end up working. I ended up having to pay someone to do it for me. But the worst part was that I spend $60 and the guy had it done in four hours.
So what he could do in 4 hrs i couldn’t do in a week. It was the wake up point that i needed to learn to outsource before i tried to do anymore DIY stuff.
So I decided to take a geekly approach to learning how to outsource things that needed to get done in my business. Regardless of how small my budget was.
I knew that I could save time and get something accomplished by outsourcing. The best part was that I would have more time to focus on my customers and bringing in revenue, while the task was being done.
So here are the top 3 things I look for when outsourcing.
- Get really clear what you need help with.
- Look at your budget and find a resources that fits it
- Be clear on what “done” looks like for you
1) Get really clear what you need help with.
Establish what it is you need help with. Is it cleaning your home? Writing copy on your emails? Your bookkeeping?
And if you don’t know what that is. Think of it a different way.
What is causing you the most pain? what is taking the longest for you? What is something that you hate doing so much so that you keep procrastinating? That’s probably the one thing that you need to outsource.
2) Look at your budget and find a resources that fits it
Start looking at what your budget is and do the research. If you only have $20, see if you can hire someone of fiverr or a local neighborhood kid to help out.
Not everything has to be a cash exchange. What about swapping tasks with a friend. My favorite place to get quick “web” help is fiverr. They can do something in 5 minutes for $5 that i still can’t do in a week.
3) Be clear on what “done ” looks like for you.
If its a big task, write it out and explain what done looks like for you. That way both the vendor and you can agree what done is before they ever start the project. I do this for my cleaning girl. I literally have a list for her at my business and my home of what I consider a cleaned space to be.
Its super detailed. Like wipe down windows, clean garbage can. Mop and sweep floors, Wipe down counters. ect.
****Bonus tip**** Tip number 3 is where most people get stuck. I have seen it over and over again. Where we hire someone to help us get things done and then end up doing the task behind that persons back.
I know i’ve done it. What got me away from that was making a list for everything.
I even have pushed some of my vendors to give me dates and tasks in our contracts. For example. I know what two days a month my bookkeeper will come to my shop. I also know what reports he will make sure to produce. Along with what files im required to give over each month.
You will know that you have clear enough directions for someone you are hiring, when you get excited to have them work. I love knowing that my cleaning girl is coming over because that means my house will look fricken amazing. It will also be up to my ocd standards too because of my check list.
I love working with my bookkeeper because I know that my books are on point each month. Which gives me time to spend reading the reports and seeing what sales worked in the past. Versus spending a ton of time just getting the information into the system.
If working with that person doesn’t light you up like a christmas tree then fire them. I promise you there will always be another kid looking to make extra money. Or a professional that is just starting out and willing to take on your work for a lower rate.
So now I want to hear from you. In the comments below list 3 things that you are going to outsourcing this week.
