4 services your business should outsource to save money
There are plenty of reasons that small and medium-sized businesses outsource some functions. After all, when you outsource things that slow you down, you can focus on your own business ventures.
Some of the benefits to outsourcing include:
- Greater efficiency
- Access to better tools
- Greater access to staff with better skill sets
- Lower risk with built-in guarantees (depending on what you’re outsourcing)
- Greater availability, flexibility, and agility as a business
While the benefits are certainly present, the question still remains: what are you supposed to outsource?
We’ve identified 4 common needs that SMBs should absolutely outsource to make their lives easier.
Staff
Outsourcing staff doesn’t mean getting rid of your current team. Supplementing your current team with freelancers and remote employees can give you a huge competitive edge.
Why?
Because you get to skip out on additional expenses besides salary, such as space costs, taxes, raises, HR problems, and more. Additionally, you can get access to a pool of talent that’s likely far larger than your immediate geographical area.
In a study conducted by Forbes, 90% of companies surveyed depended on freelancers, and 76% planned to increase the involvement of freelancers in their company.
Marketing
Doing your marketing right isn’t about simply posting a blog or two every now and again. It’s about a strategy that scrutinizes target audience with changing market trends.
In other words, it’s a full time job – and often for multiple people.
Outsourcing your marketing will likely give you great ROI. Instead of relying on the occasional social media posts by an intern, you’ll have a contract-based deliverable contract with a marketing agency.
That can boost your visibility in your market while bringing you more business. The best part? You don’t have to dedicate nearly as much time.
Information Technology (IT)
Technology is an extremely critical component to success for businesses of all sizes.
It’s more important than ever before for SMBs to remain competitive in their markets, and technology is a huge driver to ensure that they can. That’s anything from fast computers and workstations to cloud-based servers and functional IT infrastructures to remain flexible and productive.
Outsource IT professionals give you expertise and guidance on how to use technology as a business driver. Modern businesses must insist on developing an IT partner – rather than looking as IT as a necessary evil – for growth and success. That’s what a managed service provider can do for you.
And if you didn’t know… that’s actually our specialty.
Projects
Special projects are inevitable. They pop up from time to time, and they might not fit the skill set of your current staff.
We’re talking about anything from a website refresh to a new office relocation. Really, it’s anything that doesn’t require a full-time employee, but still needs someone with experience to manage.
Undergoing big projects as a business can pose a big risk. If you take on the challenge by yourself, you’re 100% responsible for potential fallout. However, it saves money in the short run.
We’re firm believers that projects are best left to professionals for a simple reason – if it’s done properly, it won’t be a problem again. You’ll also gain a valuable relationship with a project management firm that can help you with challenges in the future, should they arise again. Hungry for more content? Check out 3 tips that can help you build a solid IT budget