Outsourcing work can be a real time-saver or time-waster, depending on what you outsource and how you go about the process. So I’ve created a list of 7 tips to help make your outsourcing more effective to maximize results.
1. Determine the most important activities you need to outsource
Before you delegate any task to a virtual assistant, you first need to decide what needs to be outsourced. You should outsource time consuming, low yield tasks to free up your time, and allow you to focus on the high yield tasks. In order to grow your business and increase profits, your time should be spent doing income producing activities and nothing else. All other tasks should outsourced.
2. Be overly specific about what you want done
When you post your project, be sure to provide as much detail and clarity as possible. It’s important that those bidding understand exactly what needs to be done right away. This will save both you and everyone bidding enormous time. If you post every detail about the project in the beginning, you’ll spend less time explaining what needs to be done, and more time evaluating and choosing a quality provider.
3. Always ask for samples of work
This is crucial. Unless they provide samples of their work in their portfolio, (which they should) then you need to ask for samples of their work. This will help you decide if they’re capable of producing the result you desire. More importantly, it will help you determine if they are right for the project. A provider may be well qualified to complete your project, but that doesn’t mean they are right for the job. Their style may be different from what you prefer.
4. Pay close attention to bidder’s behavior
To me, an outsourced project begins the second it’s posted for people to bid on. I believe you can tell everything about how each potential buyer will perform on the project by gaging how they present themselves during the bidding process. Pay attention to how they place their bid on the project. Do they present themselves in a professional manner? Do they spell correctly? Do they quickly respond to your inquiries? Do they provide samples of their work? If you answered ‘NO’ to any of these questions, it should raise a red flag that they are not the right provider for the project.
5. Check bidder’s feedback ratings
Nothing can tell you more about a buyer than their feedback. It’s a rating of their overall performance. Before I even consider choosing a bidder, I read every feedback rating, both good and bad, so I can get an overall picture of the type of work the provider produces. But don’t just look at ratings. Often times ratings don’t tell you everything. Read what the buyer had to say about the provider, and pay close attention to the type of dialog they used. Were they happy, excited, angry, or disappointed? This will tell you much more than a rating scale ever could.
6. Value feedback over bid price
Don’t get caught into the trap thinking that if you choose the cheaper bid then you’re getting a great deal. Often you’ll just be receiving less quality work. This isn’t to say that you should always pay for the higher bid. I usually choose a bidder just above the average bid who has great feedback. This way I know I’m getting a ‘good deal’ without sacrificing the quality of work I’ll receive in return.
7. Choose the most passionate bidder
If you choose the bidder who shows most passion and enthusiasm, chances are your project will be very successful. You can tell if someone has a passion for the project by the dialog they use. Look for bidder’s who show excitement for the project. Providers who show excitement often care a great amount about the quality of the work they’re producing. This is the kind of provider you want doing your project.
Try applying some of these criteria to your next outsourcing project and you’ll see tremendous results. The little extra attention you give to small details will go a long way.
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