Things to outsource for your small business
I know when you are first starting a business EVERYTHING is a DIY project 😂 for me, starting a business was truly one of the biggest learning curves of my life. Going from one role: designer, to about 17 roles: designer, owner, accountant, salesperson, marketing manager, content creator, operations manager, administrative assistant, web developer, social media strategist… (you get the picture) is a huge change!
It also isn’t totally sustainable for the long haul! At some point in your business journey, whether it’s a matter of months or years, you will find that your time becomes worth quite a lot, and spreading yourself TOO thin can really start to impede on your quality of life as well as your business growth.
Things you can (and possibly should) outsource as a small business:
Accounting & Taxes
Unless you are actually an accountant or maybe in finance to some degree I can venture to guess accounting is not your favorite part of your job. It’s especially taxing (get it) if you are not great at it and it takes a TON of brain power. As a creative I will be the first to admit my real and true limits when it comes to math 😂 and this can make accounting truly miserable at times. This is one of those tasks that pays for itself in more ways than one. Not only is an accountant well equipped, and most likely faster at completing things like tax documents, they also know how to save you money 💰 This is a great first foray into outsourcing things that take up too much of your time and energy that, as a business owner, could be better spent on other tasks.
Administrative Tasks
If I asked you to add up the hours you spend on emails, social media scheduling, exporting files, formatting PDFs, sending out contracts and customer service (not to mention any simple tasks that come with having a brick and mortar) you would probably be appalled. Chances are, there are a litany of tasks that could possibly be completed for your business by an assistant (either in person or virtual!). Typically for around $20 an hour or so you can contract a part-time assistant to take over some of the repeatable and regular tasks involved with running your business (that don’t require your direct expertise!).
Onboarding Processes
When we talk about outsourcing we are not JUST talking hiring! We are also talking about automations. Typically processes like onboarding, off-boarding and sending things like contracts and questionnaires can be automated using a halfway decent CMS software. Softwares like Honeybook, 17Hats, and Hubspot can quickly track, respond to, and automate tasks within a given project that would otherwise take you a few minutes here and there (which adds up quite a lot over time) and also could distract you from your workflow! These softwares have free trials and also typically have discounted first years, and are well worth the investment!
Here’s a link to get 25% off your first year of Honeybook!
Household Tasks
This is where it gets personal. You will find that as a business owner your work life balance is much more like a blend and not always so balanced after all.. but here’s the benefit of that. Often as business owners our “hourly rate” increases in value over time. That means outsourcing things in our personal lives (such as house cleaning, some of our meals, or childcare) becomes the more affordable alternative to trying to “do it all”. Of course we all want to be present in our personal lives, and I am not suggesting sacrificing quality time with family to work MORE (I am a big fan of less work more fun). But I AM suggesting that some of your time outside of work can actually BE quality time, versus spending alllll your free time doing chores (nobody wants that).
Photography
I truly believe photographers are worth their weight in gold. Having beautiful photos that are specific to your brand and reflect your true personality in your content is really invaluable. I know this is something that people typically DIY for a while, but once you are more established setting up a brand shoot, product shoot, or new headshot shoot 1-2 times a year is a wonderful investment in your brand, and gives you a good chunk of content to use for a while.
Your Branding
Branding is SO MUCH MORE than your logo. Having a solid set of visual assets (multiple logo versions, colors, textures, patterns, typefaces, photo styles, templates etc.) as well as a consistent manner of speaking and personality takes all the decision fatigue out of creating content & resources, updating your website visuals and designing marketing materials! Being able to plug and play with your brand because it was professionally designed saves a lot of time (especially for those oof you who claim to not be creative… even thought you totally are.) The one-time investment in creating a personal and elevated brand can pay off for YEARS to come, and create so much recognizability for your business!
Things that are great to continue to DIY:
Content Creation
Creating your own content really DOES create a special connection with your intended audience. Not only do you have the expertise to create meaningful content to share, but you also have a unique perspective on it! Your personal experience is just as useful and helpful to your audience as whatever they are paying you for. Things like AI and assistants are great for organizing and planning content, but when it comes to writing content and captions, filming and creating videos, and taking photos, your own perspective is the most valuable one you have.
Marketing Materials
I really believe that for small businesses, creating marketing materials can be so straightforward and easy to accomplish. This is especially if you have a well-defined brand, some easy-to-follow visual and language guidelines, and some sort of library of images and assets you can pull together to create print and digital material. Canva is an amazing resource for creating tons of material from flyers to business cards to web and email banners!
Website Updates
In todays day and age there are a ton of easy to create and update web builders. I am personally a big fan of Squarespace, because it is simple, beautiful and easy to learn! When you run a small business with an uncomplicated digital footprint, having an easy-to-manage website is huge. Not only do you not need to spend monthly cash on maintenance, but you also don’t need to hire a designer to make visual changes! Drag and drop those brand assets and you can create something great.
Client Communication
Some client communication (mass emails, inquiry responses, FAQ type questions) can be handled via assistants or automations, but sometimes it can be a great value to clients or customers to meet YOU the face of the business. There is so much to be said about infusing your personality and passion into your business, and your audience being able to get that from you directly is a huge selling point.
Meetings
Although meetings can be handed off to contractors or assistants at times, it’s great to connect with your clients both at the beginning and end of your time with them! Again, creating a personal approach to running your business builds a lot of trust and equity with your people, and often leads to repeat clients or great referrals!
There are often polarizing opinions on what to outsource when you are running a small business, but so much of it truly depends on what works for YOU and your situation. As always, it’s best to play to your strengths, and ask for help in your weaknesses. Outsourcing can free up time and space for you to do even more of what you love and are good at, but it also requires resources, and it’s ok to go at your own pace! Building a business and a brand is a labor of love, and it takes time to find trusted partners in that process!
Are you looking to outsource your branding? Want something captures your vision and presents a cohesive business presence? Summer Mini●Brand Spots available! 👇🏼