Why Outsourcing Is Fantastic For Freelance Businesses

I love getting together with fellow creatives and sharing project ideas and what you’re up to. On my agenda these days besides writing is web design, SEO and strategy for small businesses. There’s lots of great skills there but I’m never going to be across everything. And nor should I be. Who’s got the time?

This is why outsourcing is fantastic.

Outsourcing is a freelancer’s best friend. It serves the dual purpose of building a wonderful community of freelancers who work in complementary but non-competitive fields. And obviously, it fills a hole in your stockpile of skills.

It’s not just about finding the time to “get into that stuff”. There literally isn’t the time. Unless you’re starting a new venture as a hobby or making money isn’t an immediate need, you’re going to find as a new business owner that you’re stretched very thin, very soon. Throw in school-aged kids or babies or sickly pets, and you’re working on a tight schedule.

Outsourcing the technical work that depletes your brain cells is a sensible choice.

I know you’re thinking, hello? I’m not made of money! I get that. If I had the moolah, I’d hire some start up gurus to establish my business and promote my name in shining lights to the world. And then take all the credit. Hells yeah, don’t say you wouldn’t either!

But rocketing back to earth and the problem of outsourcing your technical woo-hoo to a competent and reasonably priced freelancer like yourself.

One solution is a skills swap, plain and simple. You can still draw up a contract - and it’s advised - but you specify exactly what you’re providing.

Case in point, a super talented kids portrait photographer in Canberra recently asked me to help her with her web and marketing content in exchange for a photo session with my kids. It was an amazing experience and her photos are far and away the best I’ve seen. And after 7 years of trying to get my kids to smile normally and lose the rabbit ears in a photo, that’s saying something.

Soon I’ll be starting on my end of the deal. While it’s not money in the bank, I felt that this skills swap was really good value.

You can also outsource to a virtual assistant. This is great for regular things like admin, emails, social media management and other ongoing tasks.

Another advantage of hiring a virtual assistant is that they become familiar with your business and can pick up other small projects on an ad hoc basis.

Outsourcing is an essential part of small business ownership. Unless you have all the time in the world, you won’t understand every little detail of business management. Nor should you; your creativity and passion should be focused on one or two areas that bring fire and enthusiasm to your brand.

Plus, you need to focus on growing a business rather than get bogged down by things you don’t understand and are frankly bored by. We’ve all been there. It’s a huge time waster.

And while, yes, you may have to shell out for some of these services, have a think about how much money you’re saving in terms of time, stress and skills. And you’ll see that you’re probably getting a fantastic deal.

Here are a few of the things you could consider outsourcing in your business: