Although many businesses have been outsourcing portions of their work for years, outsourcing is still growing more popular by the day. Type the word into any search engine and you will find a plethora of sites that offer outsourcing services. Freelancers from all walks of life are also available for such tasks as copywriting, web design, programming, photography, sales and marketing and even telemarketing. Of course, there are also several other fields that freelancers work within and all are just waiting for a business owner to contract their services.

Why Outsource? 

So why is outsourcing so popular? Well, to be honest, I think that it has a lot to do with the high prices of union employees, the increased cost of company paid benefits, workman’s comp insurance, 401K matches and the sort. Many a small business owner is thankful to not have to come out of pocket for those additional costs and that is the main reason that outsourcing is King.

Let’s think about it for just a moment. How much does one employee cost a business owner? It may not seem like a great deal when it’s just one employee in a huge company; however, when it is one employee in a small company, the price is extravagant to say the least. Business owners will find that outsourced work is paid at a rate that is comparable to the hourly pay of an employee but without the additional cost of any benefits. This could save the business hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, on a monthly basis. Of course, this is dependent upon the amount of work that a business actually chooses to outsource.

 

Frustrations 

One of the more frustrating issues that can be commonly found when outsourcing is the amount of time that it may take to get the work completed. Some individuals experience issues with hired freelancers who promise work will be done on a certain date but then they fail to come through. A lot of these issues are experienced with freelancers that are just starting out because they have not yet learned how to manage their time or they have taken on too many projects at once.

Of course, some of the more inexperienced individuals just do not realize the scope of the project and provide clients with an unreasonable timeline that could never possibly be met. It is wise to always consider the timeline offered and, just like your mother told you, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. A suggestion would be to go over the scope of the project in full detail with the individual that you have chosen to outsource the work to. If, after this detailed conversation, the individual has an epiphany; realizing that the project is much more complicated than they realized, then at least you can be aware up front and you two can discuss an alteration in the deadlines.

Portfolio Approach 

If you are considering outsourcing work, from a business owner standpoint, always request a portfolio so that you have an idea of the skill of the person that you are contracting. In addition, don’t be afraid to ask for exactly what you want. Freelancers cannot read your mind and you cannot read theirs so neither of you have any idea what the other is thinking unless you can communicate with each other. Like any other business, communication is key. Without it, your project will likely be completed below your standards.

If you are a freelancer, you should have a portfolio prepared that showcases your best, most recent work as well as a list of readily available references for clients to contact. Always ask questions and be sure that you are aware of the client’s needs. If you can manage to suit those needs, you will be high on the list of valuable freelancers and you will more than likely garner additional business, not only from your current client, but from other individuals that this client may refer to you.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."