When we start a business and become bloggers or freelancers, we overcome some personal challenges. However, if you would like to take your business further and scale your operations, it is important that you become aware of your limitations and make the best use of your resources and time. While you might be an expert at certain things, you are certainly not the best at everything. You might use your time better if you focus on things that really take your business to the next level.
IT Support
Your computer is like a work tool when you are running your business online. You will need to make sure that your files are safe and you are protecting your customers’ information. You should always leave IT security to professionals. There are plenty of benefits of outsourced it support, and you can make sure that you are protecting your most important asset; your reputation. If you are doing business in the European Union, you will also have to ensure that your site complies with all the GDPR regulations, and you are protecting your customers’ and subscribers’ data when doing your marketing.
Bookkeeping
The last thing you would like to spend time and energy on is getting your books organised. Unless you are a trained accountant, you might have trouble with listing your expenses and converting your earnings from dollars to pounds and vice versa. You can outsource this task or get a low cost app that will help you stay on top of your small business finances and see where you are standing, which invoices are outstanding, and how you can generate more revenue, instead of focusing on the admin tasks.
Social Media Marketing
One area where most small business owners waste a lot of time is social media. It is understandable that you would like to be seen by your potential customers, but you should also automate some of the posts, so you don’t get distracted by your friends’ cute baby or dog photos or spend hours commenting on a post that got you thinking. You should have clear boundaries when you are working from home. There are some affordable social media automation packages available that will allow you to reclaim your time.
Sales Funnel Development
One of the best things you can do when running a business is putting your marketing on autopilot. You should create a sales funnel that is tailored to your audience, your business, and your products and services. You will not have to sit down for a chat with every single lead; you can turn them into customers by engaging with them using autoresponders and other marketing automation methods.
Content Creation
You might be one of the most talented bloggers out there, but you will have a limited number of hours each day. This is why you sometimes need to outsource your content creation. Whether you would like to create a series of image posts for social media, or simply want someone to go through your posts or eBook with a fine toothed comb, you will find plenty of applicants on some of the popular freelance sites. This will allow you to free up time to grow your business.
Graphic Design
No matter how good your website is, and how high quality the content you publish might be, you will also need to look professional. If you are not a qualified graphic designer, you will need to find someone who can create a consistent brand image. You might think that being a freelancer and running a one-man band doesn’t warrant for a logo and a branding package, but – at the end of the day – you want people to recognise you no matter where you are present on the internet or in person.
Research
When you are creating information products, reports, or eBooks, maybe you are looking to launch your own course, you should do your market research and find out what type of content is out there, and what topics are popular. This will certainly take time. If you would rather focus on writing and crafting your content, you will certainly find freelance researchers who will help you out.
Running your business from home is a dream come true for many. However, if you would like to scale your operations and focus on your growth and sales strategy, sooner or later you will need to outsource some of the processes and increase your capacity. Focus on the above areas, so you can spend time on tasks that will take your business to the next level.