Melissa Ingold — December 8, 2018 — December 8, 2018
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Outsourcing is scary; no two ways about it.
I’ve coached many talented entrepreneurs through their first outsourcing venture, and there’s always been some nail-biting and foot-dragging involved. But every single one of them has been unspeakably relieved once they’ve experienced the joy of running their businesses with solid support! Taking the leap is daunting, but once you’ve taken it you can’t imagine going back.
Although I’m a vocal advocate for outsourcing now, there was a time when I bit my own nails and dragged my own feet over the decision to outsource. I can even remember the excuses I concocted to postpone hiring team members, and how they all seemed so rock-solid at the time. Now I know better.
And in case you’re leaning on those same excuses…
I want to show you exactly why it’s time to chuck these 5 outsourcing myths this year:
Outsourcing Myth #1 – Outsourcing is too expensive
Au contraire! Handling recurring administrative tasks yourself may seem like a cost-savings, but it’s actually incredibly inefficient.
Every hour you spend scheduling tweets or laying out newsletters is an unpaid hour you COULD be spending with a client. If your hourly rate is $ 150/hour and you’re frittering away four hours every day on non-client work, you’re basically hemorrhaging money. Investing $ 25-$ 30/hour in a skilled assistant frees up your valuable time for billable hours.
When it comes to work that falls far outside your comfort zone—like building a new website or creating an impeccably designed lead magnet—hiring expert help is crucial. If you attempt these tasks yourself and end up hating your results, you’ve wasted your time and still need to hire out the work to get it done right!
Outsource to a trusted expert from the start, and you’ve saved time, trouble, and hard-earned cash.
Outsourcing Myth #2 – It’s easier to do everything myself
“Easier” is a relative term, of course.
Training a virtual assistant or team member to handle specific tasks will take time and energy, no doubt. But keeping your business as a one-person operation means limiting your ability to grow! If you want to create more online courses, book more clients, accept more speaking engagements, or pursue a book deal, how will you continue to manage your day-to-day work?
When you’re just getting started, it makes perfect sense to handle everything yourself. When you’ve established your business and are ready to branch out, getting support will enable you to spread your wings far and wide.
Outsourcing Myth #3 – Outsourcing my tasks is too much work
This is another short-sighted mindset that simply has to GO!
Freelancer hubs like Upwork make it a snap to connect with and vet seasoned professionals.
And while it may take some time to interview and identify your ideal blog post writer or design assistant, you’ll start saving time the moment she’s trained in and streamlining your workload.
Invest the effort up front and focus on the payoff in the long term.
Then ask yourself, “How overwhelmed am I on a daily basis? Weekly? Monthly?” Imagine a world with less stress, mess, and overwhelm. Outsourcing will make that world possible, and the work you put into it will pay off in spades.
Outsourcing Myth #4 – No one can do it like I can
Truth! There’s only one you, and you are the heart and soul of your business.
HOWEVER, if you’re a skilled communicator who’s built a solid brand, you absolutely can outsource certain workloads and tasks.
Outsourcing is not a perfect fit for everything; You’ll still need to star in your own videos and work with your own clients. And there will be tasks that you just plain enjoy doing, which should remain on your own plate. But part of fostering a thriving business is learning to let go of total control.
Trusting your team to do good work on your behalf empowers them and liberates you.
Consider, too, that the right person might be able to do certain things better than you!
Imagine what a flat-lay-and-lighting rockstar could do for your Instagram presence? Or how phenomenal it would be to have an SEO whiz in charge of your blog posts? Remain open to the idea that others’ talents may augment your own.
Outsourcing Myth #5 – All the good virtual assistants are gone
Heck no! In fact, now, more than ever before, there’s practically an unlimited supply of talented assistants available to you. In 2006 when I hired my first assistant, that just wasn’t the case. My, how times have changed. Now, its become its own industry. So if you’re willing to play the field a little, you’ll definitely find your perfect match.
Of course, you don’t want just any old person handling the inner workings of your business, and it can be challenging to find the perfect fit assistant for your needs. But here’s a simple shortcut: Ask your network for recommendations! You’re bound to know someone who absolutely adores her virtual assistant, and has done all the vetting for you.
Remember, too, that you can start small. You may want to offload a dozen tasks eventually, but feel free to work your way up to that goal. Experiment with paying someone to manage your top two or three time-sucking tasks. Check in with your gut and your budget after a few months, and decide if you’re ready to start handing off more work.
Trust me when I tell you it’s time to break free of those excuses. So let the myths go, open yourself up to outsourcing, and watch your business thrive!
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