A question that every small business owner struggles with is when to outsource or do it yourself?
The truth is if you own a business you must be good at juggling tasks and mastering new skills. But you can’t be everything to everybody. Believe me I’ve tried. Thus it’s a never-ending battle to decide what tasks are worth your time.
Since every business owner has a different set of skills and resources at their disposal, there is no hard and fast rule. Here are some tips to guide your decision process on choosing to outsource or do it yourself:
When you have more time than money: DIY
When your business is just starting up and you haven’t reached a consistent level of income yet, you probably have more time than money. This makes a strong case to do it yourself.
This is a great time to roll up your sleeves and jump in. You may find a hidden talent for blogging or that you’re an accounting whiz.
It’s always a good idea to take the time to familiarize yourself with the different aspects of your business, even if the reason is to figure out where you need to most help once you can afford it.
When your image is on the line: outsource
You only get one chance to make a first impression and you’ve got all of 2 seconds to do it online.
This is not something to be taken lightly.
48% of people cited a website’s design as the number one factor in deciding the credibility of a business
94% of people cited web design as the reason they mistrusted or rejected a website
If your image and the credibility of your business is at stake, why would you possibly want to do this yourself?
Unless you have mad design skills, your brand image is not something to put in the DIY column. Even if money is tight, there are low-budget solutions like crowdsourcing or oDesk.
For those tasks you hate: outsource
We all have those tasks on our list that seem simple enough but never get done simply because you don’t want to do them. No matter how big or small the task is, if it’s consistently not getting done, it’s creating a problem.
If it’s something small bring in a virtual assistant to take care of it along with other inane tasks. If it’s a core part of your business, expand your team (maybe an intern will do) to tackle the load and even expand that aspect of your business.
When you want to connect: DIY
If genuine connection with your clients or community is what you’re after, then this one’s on you. And yes, I’m talking social media.
I know it changes every day and it’s almost impossible to keep up with the trends. But those are the very reasons being genuine is important.
There are thousands of companies out there chasing the trends. Let them. Know that you don’t have to be everywhere, but if you can create honest connections on a single network, it’s well worth the time to do it yourself.
Whether you decide to outsource or do it yourself, you should always know that you don’t have to do it alone.
There are community-based resources for entrepreneurs that allow you to connect with others to make more informed decisions. There are also training options that help you become more comfortable with tools and application so you’re not flying blind. Check out the many online learning opportunities, or schedule a consult with Social Light for a custom training session.