Photo from unsplash.com
Your Internet-based business has finally gotten off the ground. After months, if not years of hard work, how do you make sure that you sustain the momentum?
Outsourcing not only reduces costs, it also improves overall efficiency and boosts productivity. Whether you’re a vlogger, online seller, or such – as an Internet entrepreneur, you should know what it can do for your business.
What’s Outsourcing?
Simply put, outsourcing is an arrangement where you transfer business processes to a service provider. You may decide to outsource just a portion of your operations or all of it – in any case, it isn’t true that outsourcing forces you to cede control over your business.
Far from it. In fact, outsourcing allows you to devote more time and energy to high-level decision-making and strategizing. It also lets you focus more on which aspect of the business you know best. If anything, outsourcing gives you more control and clarity.
It gives you access to the service provider’s talent pool, which is helpful if you have a difficult time hiring and retaining talent in-house. It also lets you leverage the service provider’s business infrastructure, enabling you to improve and expand the services you offer your customers.
What Functions Can You Outsource?
Just about anything can be outsourced, from repetitive back office tasks to highly specialized ones. As an Internet entrepreneur, you might benefit from outsourcing the following:
Content Production
Outsource article writing, graphic design, and content curation to creatives who understand your target audience and know how to effectively communicate with them. While creative tasks may seem easy and even fun to do, there’s a lot of skill and research that go into them, so make sure you have the right people doing the job.
Web Development and Design
Web development and design is a labor-intensive function that requires specialized knowledge and training. Since your website is the face you present to your customers, make sure that it’s high quality and user-friendly.
Blog and Forum Posting
Blogs and forums are great venues for advertising. Outsource the task of adding, updating, and changing content to someone who knows the pulse of the Internet and any trending topics related to your niche.
What Do You Need to Keep in Mind?
To make outsourcing work for you, you’ll have to keep a few things in mind:
Choose a Credible Provider
This goes without saying, but with so many service providers advertising their services out there, it can get difficult to separate wheat from chaff. So do as much research as you can, and secure referrals from trusted business contacts.
Offshore outsourcing in other countries is proven to be effective as well as being budget friendly. Certain regions excel in providing Internet based services to a worldwide clientele. For example, Magellan Solutions – a small business outsourcing BPO company in the Philippines provides a wide range of BPO services catered to Internet businesses. Operating for many years, they are a credible offshore service provider among many others in their region.
Keep Lines Open
Keeping your lines open and coordinating with the service provider is crucial to success, especially if you’re outsourcing to an offshore location. Ask the service provider for daily reports, check in with them when you can, and be quick to respond to emails to avoid confusion and misunderstandings.
Look Beyond Rates and Pricing Models
Although cost reduction is the biggest reason why Internet entrepreneurs outsource, don’t be blinded by low rates. Think of how the service provider can add value to your business processes, and how they can help you achieve overarching business goals.
With these things in mind, you’ll be on your way to sustained success. When done effectively, outsourcing can help you grow your Internet-based business and make better use of your time and energy.
