Running a small business can be incredibly rewarding, but as your business continues to grow, you might find yourself pushed for time and resources. And you may realise it’s not always possible to do everything yourself. If that’s the case for you, you may have considered outsourcing – a service that allows you to hand over certain tasks to professionals who can handle those tasks for you. But to make the most of your decision to delegate, what exactly should you be outsourcing?
Let’s explore your options…
Credit Control
Credit control is absolutely essential to the smooth running of your business, but it’s also a tricky, time-consuming task that can become a bit of a chore if it’s not your thing. As a small business owner, you’ll be familiar with accounts and bookkeeping, able to manage your finances successfully to a point. But credit control is a whole different kettle of fish. One late payment turns into two, one credit control call turns into a lost customer… it’s a delicate balance, and one that can be hard to achieve when you’re already running low on time and resources.
According to a study by Sage, 1 in 10 UK small businesses face cash flow problems due to poor credit control practices, which is why so many of those small businesses choose to outsource their credit control processes. By doing so, you’re not only freeing up your own time, but you’re also handing it over to experts who are trained to streamline credit control processes, work successfully with your customers, and ensure your cash flow remains positive. As credit control is such a vital component in the smooth-running of your business, it really is an important task to consider when it comes to deciding what to outsource.
Admin
If you’ve been running your small business for any length of time, you’ll know that admin is a true time-eater. Inbox management, calendar scheduling, data entry, file organisation, CRM updates – it’s all the time and all-consuming, eating into your day and pulling your attention away from revenue generating activities. Constant admin can also mean work spills into your downtime, or rushing to get things done, leading to errors and inaccuracy and inevitably more work.
That’s why admin is a great candidate for outsourcing. And it doesn’t have to be all of it. Perhaps just one or two tasks from your admin to-do list, handed over to a professional to take care of. According to a study by Time etc., business owners who outsource administrative support save an average of 15 hours per week. That’s a lot of hours now freed up to focus strategic development and business growth. Professionals like Virtual Assistants specialise in a wide range of admin tasks, meaning you can gain your time back as well as improve the efficiency and quality of your admin processes overall.
If you’re looking for something to outsource, definitely consider a couple of those admin tasks you just don’t seem to have time for.
Content Creation
With the digital market moving as quickly as it does, content creation can be hard to keep up with as it is, let alone if you’re running a small business and having your focus pulled in a million different directions. Successful content marketing relies on consistency and quality, both of which can suffer if you don’t have the time to dedicate to things like creating daily or weekly social media posts, writing blogs, or sending out newsletters. Or it may be as simple as content creation not falling under your area of expertise – and that’s fine! But that doesn’t mean you have to struggle through it and make do.
Outsourcing content creation can therefore be an incredibly lucrative decision. A report from Demand Metric indicated that content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing and generates about three times as many leads, making it a powerful tool when executed professionally. Outsourcing your content creation to a Virtual Assistant who specialises in this area not only frees up some of your time but also gives you access to an expert who can really amplify your marketing efforts. I you haven’t already, we’d definitely recommend considering aspects of your content creation!
Choosing to Outsource
Every small business is different, and when it comes to what you should be outsourcing, there’s no right or wrong answer. The trick is to consider your business, and where you want to take it next. How can outsourcing help you achieve those goals? Is it by freeing up some of the time spent on admin to put back into strategic business development? Is it by ensuring your cash flow remains positive and avoiding financial problems so your business can grow successfully? Is it by upping your content marketing game with support from an expert?
Whatever it is, choose your outsourced tasks wisely to ensure your small business can continue to push to the next level.
Considering outsourcing but not sure where to start? We can help. Get in touch with our fab team for more info.