There are major changes happening at BlogAid. As the site and business continue to grow, I?ve decided to begin outsourcing some tasks. As a soloprenuer, you may feel that it?s all up to you. I did too for many years. But, I?ve come to realize the value of outsourcing to qualified professionals so that I can continue to focus on the tasks that only I can do. See what led to this decision and why outsourcing may be in your near future too.?
Getting Big
The most obvious reason for outsourcing is that the business has grown to the point that you can?t handle it by yourself. But, that?s not the primary reason I?m outsourcing. BlogAid?s growth means more clients, and that has to remain my primary focus. On top of that, more clients are taking classes with extra sessions that delve deep into content, SEO, and conversion. Since I tailor all classes specifically to each client?s business and unique audience, very often I must research plugins and resources that are specific to their industry.
Too Many Hats
As a soloprenuer, you have to wear a lot of caps. With BlogAid, that means I have to be a coder, a graphics designer, a developer, a researcher, a video maker, a podcast recorder, a WordPress trainer, a marketer, a business consultant, an accountant, and a secretary. Whew!
There are several of those tasks that I don?t excel at and/or chew up my time in a way that actually costs me money. Those are the ones that are my top candidates for outsourcing.
Backburner Projects
Many of the current offerings on BlogAid involved a steep learning curve before delivery. Learning how to make super video tutorials is a good example. Before I could put one online, I wasted weeks trying to find the right codecs so that the video looked crystal clear in multiple formats. (If you?re curious, the originals are made in .wmv, which YouTube converts to .flv. I also have to convert them into .mp4 for the video tutorial membership site.)
Because some of the new offerings will have the same backend learning curve, I had to keep putting them off. Not any more. I?ve decided to hire folks to do the initial setup and then do what I do for my clients ? train me on how to use it and/or provide me with a super resources list.
Invest in Yourself and Your Business
Online businesses are an odd sort. It?s the only kind of business where folks expect to invest little capital and little time and still make money. When I first started many years ago, I went the cheap and easy route too, until I discovered that it actually costs more in the long run to redo it all later.
So, now I?m happy to invest in training programs and pros who can make things happen better or faster than I can, and/or save me precious time researching? resources.
So, When is the Best Time to Outsource?
For me, the answer to that question is very simple.
It?s time to outsource when not doing so
costs me more money than what I save trying to do it myself.
That cost is not just the outlay of money. It also includes all of the business I?m missing by not being able to focus on new packages and offerings that clients are beating down my door to get.
My VA (Virtual Assistant) of choice is Cyndi Papia, of Office To-Go. She also happens to be the designer that I worked with for the new BlogAid theme too. If you?re wondering what a VA can do for you, Cyndi has a nice post on how to Outsource Office Work and Increase Productivity.
What?s Next?
I can?t let the cat out of the bag about the big changes coming to BlogAid just yet. But I will tell you that my newsletter subscribers will have first dibs, and most of those offers will be free for a limited number of people or time frame. And, I can also tell you that folks will have the opportunity to make money from those offers.
Do You Outsource?
Have you outsourced any of your business tasks? Was it long term or short term? How?s that working for you?
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