The Outsourcing Myth
“I can’t afford to outsource”.
I’ve heard that a lot from the owners of startups and micro businesses. But I wonder if that’s as true as many people think it is…
Don’t hear me wrong, it is definitely possible to build a successful business by yourself. But it’s also important to acknowledge that no one is the jack of every trade. I see a lot pop up on small business instagrams that’s something like “You go girl boss, believe in yourself and you can do anything!”. And I get that it’s meant to be encouraging but if I’m honest when I read it sometimes I feel discouraged, because I don’t think I can do everything. There are aspects of my business that I know I’m really good at, and then there are others that I know I’m not. Being able to acknowledge the areas of our businesses that just aren’t our thing is actually a strength!
When we first get started it’s easy to think that we can do it all by ourselves, from the planning and vision to product development to logistics, marketing and design. Most of the time it’s true that we can do these things ourselves, but perhaps not to the level that we need to. There comes a point in the life of your business where you’re ready to take things to the next level, which will almost certainly involve outsourcing something.
Do you believe that outsourcing is a good investment?
It’s often said you need to spend money to make money. And there’s plenty of us small business owners that can testify to the truth of that, and also plenty that can say they didn’t need to outsource to get where they are. But here’s why I think outsourcing is actually a good investment:
It takes your business to the next levelYou’ve probably heard the saying “Jack of all trades, master of none”. As a sole trader we often have to become the jack of all trades at least initially, but when you’re trying to really push your business into the next level, it takes a master in some areas. Let’s take increasing your visibility, google ranking and website traffic for example. The ins and outs of the more high level digital marketing and SEO really do require a master when you’re trying to wield the mighty internet to work in your favour. There’s always the basics that you can do yourself, but outsourcing to someone who is experienced in it is so valuable. It can be so frustrating if you spend more time trying to find customers than actually serving them, and so getting the right customers to find you is a game changer. It might seem daunting at first to pay for a service like this, but in the long run, if you find someone who is experienced and yields results for you it’s so worth the investment, and really takes your business to the next level.
There is an amazing world of skill and talent out therePeople truly are amazing, and there’s so many skilled and talented people out there who have dedicated years to refining their skills in one particular area. Tapping into the skills of others can give you better results than you could have imagined or achieved yourself. You know your business better than anyone, and so when you outsource to someone be sure to give them a thorough brief, and ensure they understand the vision and purpose of your business.
Supporting other small businessesYou know better than anyone that supporting a small business is so much more gratifying than just feeding the mouths of huge companies. I don’t know about you, but I still do a happy dance when I get an order from someone, and so outsourcing to other small businesses really does make people happy! Not to mention it’s a great thing for the environment, as smaller businesses have small scale operations with a much smaller carbon footprint.
Networking, relationships and rapport Using the products and services of other small businesses is a great thing for building relationships, and people will more likely buy from people that they have already made a connection with. A little while ago I made a website for a baby boutique clothing store. The internet hosts so many beautiful little stores of baby goods, but next time I am invited to a baby shower, I will definitely support my friend who’s website I made and purchase something from her! Relationships are so important, and people love showing support to those that they know and trust.
Yes, you can get your business to be successful by yourself without outsourcing. But when you’re ready to take it to the next level, getting help for the things that aren’t your strengths is a crucial step. If you’re ready to outsource your branding, website design or promotional material to a design professional, I’d love to chat!