There are several reasons why people set out on the path of a freelance career, in the world of the self-employed. Sometimes it is a free choice, sometimes it is a situation brought into their path by corporate downsizing or a voluntary redundancy programme at a large employer. Don’t be scared to outsource jobs to a VA. Outsourcing tasks to Time Wise VA can help your business become more profitable, allowing you to spend more time working on your business than in your business.
For others, it can be simply a feeling that their job is no longer fulfilling. This is then followed by the thought that perhaps they might find life more interesting, if they were in control of their own destiny. Sometimes it is simply a belief that they would be better off working direct for some clients, rather than servicing their needs via their current employer.
Whatever the route, those first few months of working for yourself can easily form some bad habits. Money can be tight, as the business builds from scratch, and that lack of cash leads many people to try and do everything they need to do, for themselves.
While that may be sensible at the outset, as a way to keep costs down, it makes little sense in the long term. In order to succeed and take your business from first steps into a larger, more successful and more profitable organisation, you need to outsource.
The reason most people set up in business is to sell their expertise. That usually is one skill set, be it accounting, graphic design, marketing or management consultancy. And going forward, it is the selling of that skill set that will generate the most revenue per hour, for the time they spend working in their business. So a graphic designer will probably not be efficient at credit control, a marketer may falter when it comes to maintaining contact databases.
The solution to this issue, and the key to building a more profitable business, is to outsource. Don’t do the jobs you are not very good or fast at – hire someone else, with more suitable skills, to help. And a virtual assistant is a great place to start. After all, you would think nothing of hiring a solicitor to handle legal matters, so apply the same concept when it comes to sorting out your key administrative and organisational tasks.
Not all virtual assistants are the same, with each covering specific tasks. But they may be part of a wider network, who can advise on suitable contacts for other services they do not themselves support. Rather than worrying about finding the VA with the right skills, it may be better to find one you can work with, and rely on them to use their network so that you get the support you need.
The great thing about using a virtual assistant, is that you only pay for the time that you use. And they are always available, at the end of the phone, email or even a Facetime or Skype call if you prefer to talk face to face. So take the plunge, work out what you are doing that’s not the best use of your time – and call a VA for help. As soon as you get into the outsourcing habit, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start long ago.
To discuss growing your business and outsourcing with Time Wise VA please call 0161 211 9837 or contact us here to find out how Time Wise VA can help your business become more profitable.