5 common business tasks which are perfect for outsourcing

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Jun 24, 2016 / by
5 common business tasks which are perfect for outsourcing

There’s a common misconception that the number one asset you have as a business owner is money. In reality, the most valuable asset most business owners have is time! Particularly for startups where roles are often blurred and people are undertaking tasks which don’t always pertain to their main skills, it can often feel as if the clock is your enemy.

Fortunately we’re living in the information age, where high-speed internet access has broken down geographical barriers, allowing business owners to leverage labour without the need for face to face interactions. With popular sites such as Freelancer and Upwork, as well as agencies which specialise in outsourced work (of one kind or another), delegating tasks to remote workers can really help to free up time so that you can focus on what you’re good at. Here are some of the most common business tasks which are ideal for outsourcing.

1 – Content creation

In a previous article, we discussed the benefits for outsourcing your company’s blog. Although most people have a reasonable level of proficiency at writing, content creation is always best left to the experts. Someone who knows the nuances of creating high quality copy (including the formatting, digestible structure, headlines, images and shareability) is far more likely to do a good job than the business owner themselves. Because content creation doesn’t normally have immediate returns, it can often feel like an unpleasant effort putting in the time and dedication. By outsourcing your content creation to external workers, this allows you to focus on more pressing tasks at hand.

2 – Data entry

Data entry isn’t something that could be outsourced, it’s something that absolutely should be outsourced! There is no reason why a business owner should be doing a menial task like data entry (unless the budget for the business is non-existent). Amanda Michel advocates using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk for data-related tasks.

Mechanical Turk has proven to be more than a shortcut. It has freed up staff time for more complicated work. We’ve also used it to retrieve data from government databases that prohibit scraping.

3 – Design

From infographic creation to site branding, design is something else which is best left to the experts. Provided your external workers are given proper instructions regarding your brand and are enthusiastic to work with you, it’s not difficult to perform complex design projects remotely. Even if your company has its own design department, smaller tasks can still be outsourced in order to have your internal designers be their most productive.

4 – Research

Market research is essential for every company, but it’s definitely a task that can be outsourced. Looking for specific companies, operating in specific geographical regions, within a specific range of annual revenues, can be very time consuming. With clear instructions, these kind of tasks can be easily given to remote workers.

5 – Social media management

Have no idea how to run Facebook ads and have never used a hashtag when posting a Twitter update? No problem. Social media management is one of the most commonly outsourced tasks, and although it sounds daunting handing over the keys to your brand’s social media channels, using a reputable agency or freelancer with plenty of positive testimonials will ensure a good result.

Interacting with followers and influencers, as well as posting new content, is something you need to perform daily if you want to grow your online presence – if you have other projects which require your focus, social media can quickly become a distraction. Create some headspace by outsourcing your social media management.

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