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If you’re an entrepreneur with a small business, chances are you’re looking for creative ways to grow your business and make it the best you can be for less. If that’s the case, have you considered the fabulous possibilities of outsourcing?

At one time, companies would only resort to outsourcing when they had no other options at their disposal, usually because they did not have the knowledge and skills in-house to complete a complex task. Today, there are more freelancers remote workers and digital nomads than ever before and they are working in every sector imaginable, which means it is far more feasible, not to mention affordable, to outsource anything and everything.

When you outsource work, you can choose the best people for the job every time, and because you don’t have to employ them with all of the red tape and financial obligations that come with it, you save money. It’s a win-win situation, right? Well, it can be, but only if you’re careful and you do it right…

Weigh Up the Pros and Cons

Before you outsource anything, you should first weigh up the pros and cons of doing so. You do this by looking at the task in hand, checking if any of your staff have the time and skills to complete it themselves and how much it will cost you. If on balance, outsourcing seems to make more sense, then go ahead. If not, there’s no point paying more money to someone else – that’s just not smart business sense.

Check References and Reviews

Whether you’re looking to outsource your SEO to a digital marketing agency, you want to hire a freelancer to write your web content, or you need a bookkeeper to ensure your accounts are up to date, you should never outsource to anyone without first checking their references and/or reviews. Good freelancers/contractors/agencies will all be transparent and they will all have reviews to be seen, If they do not, go elsewhere, and if they are poor, steer clear. Outsourcing is only the best option when the job gets done well, on time by someone who really does know what they are doing.

Look at Samples

Ideally, you should also ask to see samples/look at their portfolio, to ensure that they really do know what they are doing before you hire them, too. This is the best way to see exactly what they are capable of producing day to day, and combined with reviews and references, should not steer you wrong.

Be Clear About Your Project

Of course, a poorly delivered project isn’t always down to the freelancer. Sometimes, it’s your fault for not giving them a clear enough statement about the project and what you expect them to deliver. You need to lay out as clearly and concisely as you can what they need to deliver and when, how much it costs and even how the project needs to be delivered. The more specific you are, the better the results will be.