I recently had a wonderful conversation with Rosemary O’Shaughnessy owner of Digital Content Manager on her podcast. One thing you should know is that I love Rosemary. So, when Rosemary requested that I come on her podcast and discuss business growth through strategic outsourcing I didn’t hesitate.
She is known for her website designs and content management. She is one of Mastermind’s clients. Yet more than that, I’d like to believe we have become friends.
I’m including some of the highlights from our time together.
PODCAST:
Please click on the photo below and it will take you to the Spotify link to listen to our conversation.
Introductions
The first few minutes of the podcast are spent on introductions including my coaching company, Fearless Business Boss.
Rosemary shared this quote with the audience…
“Delegation is the secret to achieving more in less time.”
benjamin franklin
Know When It’s Time To Outsource
There are several ways to determine if you are ready to begin to outsource. A few questions you can ask yourself to determine if your readiness are:
- Are you at or near full client capacity in your business?
- Do you feel “maxed out”?
- Are you turning clients away?
- Do you feel stressed at the thought of bringing on one more client?
- Are you doing tasks that you are not suited for and are not income-producing?
These are five questions and are a good place to start.
First Steps
The first step after you determine whether you need a team member is to get all of your processes and systems documented. This is especially true for the tasks you outsource to a team member.
Finding Good Team Members
The number one thing I always tell clients is to choose character over skill. To have both is wonderful!
Choose Your Team By Their Character Before Skill.
There are a few reputable directories I can recommend that would have qualified team members.
Keep in mind virtual assistants today are much more than administrative. Many have multiple certifications in a variety of tech skills and social media.
Managing The Team and Conflict
I also discuss managing a team in this podcast. When a team member is onboarded you should always set up a professional email address with your company email (name@yourcompany.__).
Communication is KEY to running a smooth agency or small business with a team.
The company email will help you see if any miscommunication has happened with a client. Ask to be cc’d or bcc’s on all client communication. You will be able to review all emails so you may be able to discern if there has been a problem.
When you become aware of any issue set up a meeting immediately. Do not let it linger. And go to bat for your team and let them know you have their back.
Delegating To The Right Team Member
When I brought on new team members I asked two important questions along with skills and skill level.
- What is one task you love doing and would do all day long if you could?
- What is one task you hate doing and would be happy to never do again?
Listen to the podcast to find out why these questions are crucial to finding the right team members.
Lastly
I enjoyed chatting with Rosemary. We always have a wonderful time together. It is filled with tons of golden nuggets. I hope you will listen to this podcast. If you do please let me know what you thought. What was your takeaway from this podcast?
Are you looking for an intuitive, practical business with years of experience in the online world?
If so, please set up your free session with me – you have nothing to lose!