Outsourcing has become really popular. In fact, we outsource some routine tasks every day. We buy ready-made products, use hairdresser and nail services and more. Just somebody has given a name to this process - outsourcing.
The nature of it is quite simple - our abilities and time are limited (no matter what a bunch of life coaches is pouring into your ears).
The same thing is about any business. Some companies outsource recruiting services, others - hire outside IT experts. There are pros and cons of such practice. But let’s think about this issue on the part of a start-up company. Where to start? Which services worth outsourcing and which not.
Where to start? Which services worth outsourcing and which not.
- Human resources. That’s an integral part of any business. You need some core stuff in the office for a start and will need more while your company will grow. There are three possible ways - hire an in-house recruiter, make it yourself or outsource. Of course, you can try to headhunt yourself. But I guess it will end when you call all the friends, friends of friends, post a vacation at some job portal and have several sad interviews. An experienced recruiter costs a lot, and a newly-graduated student on this position could cost you even more. So the only one way left - outsource. There are lots of freelance recruiters you can pay for a hired employee. One time. Recruiting companies will be helpful as well.
- IT services. I mean system administrators and DBAs (if you deal with huge databases). If you are not a +200 employees company (and you’re not, since we are talking about a start-up), you don’t need to have a full-time sysadmin. The problems with some software or Internet connection are casual. But there are pitfalls. If you outsource these services or have some remote specialist, get ready to wait. They can be out of office or work on other tasks.
- Web presence. No money, no honey. No website, fewer clients. Sorry, dear web design companies, but I have to say it! Save your money and time and go for a website theme. There is a huge number of easy-to-customize templates on the web and here are several cool representatives:
IT Responsive WordPress Theme
The multipurpose WordPress theme with a bundle of high-end options. Its design has nothing extra. Thanks to it you will be able to focus the visitors’ attention on your main messages to them. The full-width slider will meet your guests and has call-to-action buttons integrated into it. This template will run smoothly after installation, and you will enjoy how easy it will adapt to your needs.
Marcos B.
Good to work! Good to clients!
Guys, the material is so nice and easy to decide. The website and "demo" are perfect to understand the funcionalities. The service is quick and helpful.I really enjoyed this experience.
IT Company WordPress Theme
One of the most stylish IT company WordPress Themes. The cartoon-like design will catch the attention immediately. It's stuffed with all modern features like the Parallax scrolling effect, a Google map, social media integration, etc. Your website will be 100% mobile-friendly thanks to the Bootstrap feature.
Sharon H.
Brilliant
This is a super theme and very easy to setup. Again tech support were a great help when I needed to iron out one or two things.
Effective IT Solutions WordPress Theme
This WordPress theme with a minimalist design will present your business at best. Its light color scheme is spiced up with a little of red to drive attention to the right way. The menu is stick to the top to help guests browse the website seamlessly. The news section enables to share interesting posts and the latest corporate news.
Boniface G.
Effective IT Solutions WordPress Theme
It was not a mistake to get this theme. It has met my need. Digimatt Solutions Ltd is a happy client.
- Online marketing. Yes, I really mean that. You need to promote your services on the web, but the in-house team of marketers will cost a fortune. Make use of Fiverr, Upwork or other freelance resources. Many copywriters and link-builders will be happy to help you for a couple of bucks. Of course, they won’t assist you in making a marketing strategy. But they will be helpful in minor tasks which I’m going to talk about below.
- Content Marketing. Delegate everything connected to searching for images, videos, statistics, titles creating for articles in cold blood. But be careful with the writing itself. If you have a great idea for a post and as a topic, try to write it yourself and then outsource the proofreading. But if you need a content just for backlinks, the army of freelance outreach marketers is waiting for your command.
- SEO. That’s the easiest part. You can outsource it in full. There is a lot of professional SEO companies available on the web. But if you still want to get involved, don’t try to make all the SEO tasks. A keywords research, a sitemap, blogs and forums commenting, etc. - these are time-consuming issues what can be easily transferred to outside experts.
- Analytics. Nope, I won't tell you to delegate the overall analysis of marketing campaigns, cash-flow processes and whatever you may need to analyze. You can outsource daily, weekly and monthly reports. There are lots of metrics you won’t have time to follow on a going basis, but you still need to know them.
- Reputation Management. Surprise! All the negative comments, reviews, and the press can be followed up and replied by freelancers. Also, you can delegate tasks on getting the customer feedback. It's not hard, but outsourcing will save you much time for brainstorming on what you’re going to do to avoid it in future.
There are two main reasons to outsource - a casual job you need to be done from time to time and routine non-creative work you can give to a bunch of freelancers. But you should remember that the way you describe a task, the way it will be done. You have to give a detailed instruction and think over all the parts of your job.
While making a description, you can imagine explaining it to a kid who knows nothing. It could be time-consuming but believe me; it is more efficient than answering questions or asking to re-do something.
Outsourcing can become your business’s life saver but use it wisely. It is one of the tools you can use for the building, but it is not a construction material.
Have you ever outsourced any tasks? Share your experience in the comments below.