When you find yourself rushing around… doing everything in your business, it is a great opportunity to start outsourcing your low value activities to make the most of your time.
You can outsource things like;
Cleaning – having your home cleaned each week, or your ironing taken care of
Bookkeeping – unless you’re an accounting genius, the likelihood is that a Bookkeeper or Accountant will be able to save you money as well as time
Writing blogs articles for you – whether that’s posting blogs on your site that you’ve written or creating content for you.
Setting up your email auto-responders, creating squeeze and sales pages and managing your e-retailing operation – this stuff takes a lot of time, and usually requires hours of learning too.
However, it is really important that you learn to manage your outsourcing people effectively, if you’re going to avoid the process becoming a time and money drain… here are my tips for managing your outsourcers:
1. Be really clear on your outcomes: What is it you want them to do and how do you know when the job is done? Give really clear instructions and put it in writing for them so they can see exactly what you want.
2. Set milestones along the way: Don’t wait until the end of a task to assess whether they have done it correctly. Measure against set milestones as they move toward the end goal.
e.g. 1. If they are writing an eBook for you, get them to submit the first chapter so you can review it before they go ahead and write the whole book.
e.g. 2. If someone is cleaning your house, be there the first time they do it so you can give them feedback on whether or not it is going to be right.
If you train someone right the first time you usually get what you want.
3. Recognise and reward them: If you find someone who is not great then get rid of them as soon as possible. 
If you find someone great, reward them and give them bonuses. Look after them and they will continue to serve you well.
4. Outsource to an outsourcing company: If all else fails you can use someone who is good at managing outsourcers. Working with someone who manages a team of outsourcers around the world means you only have to communicate with 1 person and they manage it because it’s their expertise.
Have a look on Google for a suitable person if you are looking for that.
Before you start working with a new outsourcer, speak with them and ask relevant questions to ascertain the level of their expertise. Assuming someone knows how to do everything you require them to, will only lead to frustration and extra expense later.
What do you outsource in your business?
Imagine how your life would look in a few months from now, if you could have a certain, guaranteed income and more time off to enjoy it?
Brilliant and succinct. Thanks Joanna.
Well said Joanna. I have a simple theory. My time is worth $200 an hour. If the task can be delegated for less ie: cleaner, I will pass it on. Unfortunately too many people want to do everything themselves.
So true Anthony. Its a great exercise to work out your actual hourly rate (total income per year divided by total number of hours worked). It can be quite enlightening for a lot of people!
Thanks Catriona! How are you? Havent heard from you for ages!!