Yes, even in these particularly hard times. Now more than ever.
While it's tempting to believe we can handle everything on our own, the truth is that having a support network is crucial for success. That's where having a reliable team, whether it's staff or outsourced contractors, comes into it. Even in times of financial uncertainty, investing in help can be a game-changer for your business.
I used to feel huge pride in saying “I’m a one-woman band, I do it all” like it was a status that made me special.
But I realised in early 2023 that I CAN’T do it all alone. Not if I want to get to where I want to be long term. This girl has goals! But let’s be real. No one is amazing at everything. I may feel like a business superstar some days, but if I’m really honest, there are some tasks that I don’t enjoy doing and others that take me forever because I just don’t have guru status on that job.
Social media, email marketing, Pinterest, blogs - that stuff is fun for me, and they are jobs I have down to a fine art. But numbers and high-level graphic design, web design - not my zone of genius, and so I outsource them. I’ve had an accountant for years, and I’ve got a Graphic Designer on call for when things are above my pay grade. I now have 3 team members to delegate a large chunk of the Nota Bene workload to, freeing myself up to focus on client relationships and upskilling. The stuff I love most.
Repeat after me: “I don’t have to do it all.” Think of outsourcing as waving a magic wand and making particularly hard or overwhelming tasks disappear. Need someone to handle your social media presence while you focus on building your empire? Outsource it. Tired of spending hours drowning in admin tasks that make you want to poke your eyes out? Outsource it. Sick of coming home to a messy house after a long day and tripping over Mt Washington? Outsource it. I could go on and on, but you get the gist.
You can outsource pretty much anything these days.
But I get it, giving up control can be scary, right? You’re likely thinking, “But they won’t do it as well as I would” or “I don’t have time to show someone, it’s quicker to do it myself”
Outsourcing allows you to tap into specialised skills and streamline your processes, ultimately saving you time and improving quality.
Trusting someone else to handle certain aspects of your business not only frees up your time to focus on what you do best, but also allows you the freedom to scale and grow in ways you always dreamed of when you were an aspiring business owner. How can that be a bad thing?
Let’s address that elephant in the room.
Right now, people are scared. Business owners, even more so in many cases. No one knows where things are going to lead in the near future, and it’s making people nervous. I understand. Right there with ya, it’s scary! Someone said to me the other day that having a Social Media Manager/Virtual Assistant is seen as a luxury, so we will be the first to go or the last person someone will want to hire right now. I completely understand that perception, but for a moment, let’s reframe - what are the services you have/need that, although yes, they are an expense (claimable, of course) they are helping you to keep moving along when things are tough? Does the pressure they would take off both you and your business outweigh the investment of having them on your team?
From the perspective of social media and email marketing - if you don’t hire someone to do this for you, who’s going to ensure that you keep showing up and showing the public you’re still here? Do you have the time and expertise to do it? What happens if you don’t have time or you don’t know what to post, and your online presence goes down the toilet? If you stop keeping in regular email contact with your audience, what does that look like, do you retain your current clients/members? Do you still attract new ones?
Outsourcing gives you time to focus on the larger things in your business, keep your business moving, and keep growing even though things are extra hard right now. When you have someone taking care of your online presence, it means you can concentrate on other tasks, while still being seen, showing your audience that you are still here. Your business is still going strong.
Times are tough, and the temptation to cut costs is real. You won’t get any argument from me. But before you decide to go it alone, consider the bigger picture. What's the greater risk: investing in help to sustain your business or risking your online presence fading into obscurity?
Hiring a social media manager or virtual assistant isn't a luxury; it's an investment in the success of your business, especially when times are challenging.