One of the most important things a small business owner can do for their business is realize they can’t possibly do everything. Neither can their small team. There are some jobs that simply must be outsourced so you and your team can focus on the operations of the business. Here are five areas your business should be outsourcing to save time and money.
- Bookkeeping
Even if you studied accounting in college, bookkeeping can be a time-consuming activity that pulls you from focusing on your business’s growth. And if you didn’t study accounting in college, definitely leave the bookkeeping to the professionals. A bookkeeper or accountant understands government filing dates and tax law which can keep you out of hot water with your state officials. Save yourself vital time and frustration and allow a tax professional to handle your profit and loss statements as well as any quarterly and payroll taxes due.
- Marketing
Marketing is a whole department that you likely don’t have, but you can. Hiring a marketing firm to handle your strategic goals can save you time and increase your growth potential. How much of the marketing you should outsource is up to you, but a firm can handle everything from social media posts to graphic design. Whatever your business can invest in this area will continue to deliver for a long time after it has been created. This includes website content with SEO optimization, social media and internet advertising and traditional advertising venues. Many marketing firms can customize their strategy to fit your budget.
- Virtual Receptionist
Hiring someone to answer your calls is probably out of your budget, but an outsourced receptionist is not. Having a Virtual Receptionist to take your calls means your business can provide services to your customers 24 hours every day. An automated receptionist can accomplish many of the same tasks a human can including processing payments, taking orders and directing calls to the right person. This technology also reflects the professionalism of your business and the priority it gives to quality customer service.
- Human Resources
Like every other title listed here, a Human Resources department is an expense undoubtedly outside your budget. Fortunately, you can still reap the benefits of an HR department through an HR support service. Like marketing, how much your support service takes on is up to you, but keep in mind the full support can research the best benefits package, design your HR policies, take care of your hiring and handle your payroll. They will also be knowledgeable about applicable laws that will keep you out of legal trouble. Basically, you have access to a full HR department without actually having to keep them on full-time.
- Internet Technology
IT is an area in which most small businesses do not have the expertise or the time to gain the expertise. An outsourced IT company can help maintain your infrastructure and foresee issues before they actually become problems. If your company relies heavily on computers and the internet for its operations to function, an IT support service is absolutely essential to the smooth operation of your services.
- Copywriting
Creating content for your website, advertising and brochures can look amateurish if not completed by a professional. A copywriter will know how to utilize content that speaks to your customer base in addition to organizing information in an easy to read and engaging manner. The content your business puts out can reflect your business’s professionalism and success. If your goal is to appear successful, then outsource any content that requires more than a few lines of sentences.
