One of the great things about working from home and online is that you can be your own boss. One of the downsides… you no longer have a team of co-workers doing their share of the tasks. The solution: Outsourcing.

If you look behind the curtain of any solo-entrepreneur, you’ll most likely find an entire team of assistants and service professionals keeping that business running smoothly.

One of the primary disadvantages of outsourcing is that you lose quality control over the tasks. This can be particularly risky if you are not familiar with the task, or how it should be done, and you’re working on blind faith. Especially with important aspects of your online business, like SEO or link building.

One of the major advantages of outsourcing: getting more done in less time…

I outsource quite a bit myself, but I thought I would bring in an expert to discuss the advantage & disadvantage of outsourcing in more detail. My friend Traci Knoppe runs an outsourcing company for web tech services, so I sent her an email with a few questions:

Hi Traci, I was just reading your article on the pros & cons of outsourcing and it reminded me of some outsourcing nightmares I’ve had in the past…

Fortunately most of my experiences have been positive… but, any advice on avoiding a bad experience with outsourcing?

In a word: References. Just like hiring anyone, you need to check their references. So many people are too quick to hire the first person or company they believe they can afford, regardless of the integrity and work ethic of the person or company.

Without checking references, you are acting on blind faith that this person or company can do what they say they will do.

Ahh – very good advice! I usually start by doing a search on Google for reviews or conversations about the company or person I’m considering. References I hadn’t considered…

I tend to outsource tasks I am not good at, such as graphic design or copywriting, and then I also outsource tasks that are repetitive or time consuming. With those, such as link building or article submissions, I prefer to do the task myself at first to get a feel for how I want it done.

That way I can share detailed instructions with the assistant or company. As someone who runs an outsourcing company, would you agree with this process?

It can be helpful when a client understands some of the processes involved in accomplishing the work they require.

When we would need information from them, knowing even a little of the how and why behind the request can make it easier for the client to provide us with the exact information we need.

However, it certainly is not necessary for a client to feel they need to learn about what we do in order to work with us. After all, that’s why most companies outsource, because they don’t know how to do something, and they don’t have time to learn, or don’t want to take the time to learn.

True – I do love the people on my team that seem to just be intuitive to what I need and “get it done” – they rock! Especially with graphics and site design.

A lot of people fear the cost of outsourcing. I’ve found it to be a very rewarding investment, increasing my productivity and revenue exponentially.

You’ve been self-employed for over a decade yourself – what’s your personal experience with this?

Everyone outsources something: we don’t do our own dental work, and we don’t cut our own hair. For many who do cut their own hair, perhaps they shouldn’t. We buy goods and services every day: and that’s all forms of outsourcing.

Coming to realize that we are already outsourcing, can help one see outsourcing as a help, not just an expense. Outsourcing can actually increase your profits, and it will most definitely afford you the time to manage your business more effectively, leaving you to do the parts of your business that only you can.

Once I personally saw outsourcing as a time saver for me, then I quickly became the ‘Queen of Delegation’. Yes, I’m an outsourcing service provider and I too outsource, that’s why I have staff to help me.

Good point – and great way to look at outsourcing. You wouldn’t want to see me if I cut my own hair! For that matter, that’s what some of my sites look like when I don’t outsouce: a bad do-it-yourself job. LOL

For someone that wants to try outsourcing, just get their feet wet a bit maybe, what would you recommend as the best first step?

My recommendation is to start with one task or small project as a test; and delegate that to an outsourcer.

If you’ve checked references before you choose someone, then the true test of your compatibility to work together and communicate effectively will be revealed through your test project.

If the test did not go well, determine if another test with that same outsourcer might help smooth out some of the new working relationship wrinkles. If continuing with that outsource provider isn’t an option, then find someone else. It’s definitely worth the effort to continue your search until you find the right person or company.

If the initial test went well, then look at your work load and decide what you can effectively delegate and outsource it!

Great advice. Not everyone, or every company, is a good fit. It has taken me time to create a team I can depend on and really enjoy working with. I use the word “team” loosely – it’s made up of a lot of stand alone disconnected individuals who are awesome at what they do.

But I’m working on that.

Thank you, Traci! Very insightful to hear your take on these issues.

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I would love to hear your thoughts on outsourcing tasks for your online business, and specifically your personal experiences with the advantage & disadvantage of outsourcing. Leave us a comment below!

Best,

p.s. Traci Knoppe runs Your Web Tech Team, a virtual outsourcing team with very affordable rates.

Do you feel like you’re fighting for every page view your blog receives?

Do you wonder why you’re struggling to find readers when other bloggers seem to just hit “publish” and the world comes running?

It may be tempting to throw up your hands and say, “those other guys have all the luck,” but it won’t get you anywhere.

The truth is, those “lucky” people are doing something you’re not doing.

(Or they’re doing what you are doing, but better.)

If you want to get lucky, you’re going to have to give up the “poor me” attitude and make some changes. Here are some ideas.

Listen before you talk

Two guys walk into a bar (humor me here). The first guy walks up to a woman and says, “Hi. I make a lot of money and drive a really fast car, so you will definitely want to go out with me. Here’s my number. When you’re ready to go out, call me.”

The second guy sits down at the bar and listens. He hears the woman next to him complain to the bartender that the last Italian restaurant she tried was terrible, and that she couldn’t seem to find good Italian food nearby. When there’s a break in the conversation, he says, “Excuse me, but I couldn’t help overhearing about your bad experience with some of the local Italian restaurants. Have you tried Davio’s Cucina? It’s really excellent.”

Which guy is more likely to end up with a date?

I’m betting on guy #2. Instead of just blathering on about himself, he waited and listened for an opening. He started a conversation based on a shared interest. And because he’d been paying attention, he found a great angle to quickly capture the woman’s interest.

When you’re trying to get people to read your blog post, newsletter, or free report, the biggest mistake you can make is to assume that other people are just dying to learn about you and your product (or service). They don’t care about you.

Figure out what they do care about and start there.

Don’t try to be someone else

You know those cheesy pick-up lines you occasionally hear in bars? Lines like:

• “Are you an angel? Cause I think I just died and went to heaven.”
• “If I could rearrange the alphabet, I would put U and I together.”
• “Do you have a map? I keep getting lost in your eyes.”

Each of these lines must have worked for someone, somewhere, at some point in time. But that doesn’t mean you should use them.

There’s a lot you can learn by studying successful copywriters and marketers, and you should learn as much as you can. But you can’t blindly copy what they’re doing.

Swipe files and traditional copywriting techniques are only useful if you can intelligently translate them to your market.

That means you have to figure out how to apply those techniques while still being yourself. And you have to make sure that your content is still something your audience wants to read about.

Stop talking to yourself

Let’s say you’ve just moved to a new city and want to throw a party at your place. Should you (a) sit in your condo and yell, “Hey! I’m having a party!” and then wait for people to start showing up, or (b) go to the next condo association meeting, mingle with the neighbors, and invite them to come by this Friday evening for drinks?

If you think the answer is (a), you seriously need to get out more.

If your blog is getting 20 visits a day, you can’t just keep posting stuff there and praying for more readers. You’ve got to get out and meet some new people.

How? Join a LinkedIn group in your niche and start answering questions. Write a guest post for a popular (and relevant) blog. Comment thoughtfully on other bloggers’ posts and start to make friends. Ask your Facebook friends to forward your stuff to people they think might enjoy it.

The point is, you have to go where your people already are before you can get them to come to you. Find them, talk to them and then invite them back to your place.

You might just get lucky.

About the Author: Traci Feit Love is a writer and communications consultant specializing in content marketing and smart copy. Visit her website for more information or to sign up for her free e-course, “How to Get More High-Paying Clients.”