Tips for Outsourcing Talent to Boost Your Sales and Marketing
Broadening their customer base and increasing sales are natural goals for all businesses. In today’s day and age, finding the talent to help you reach those goals is easier than ever. Here’s how to outsource workers to supplement or build on your team’s efforts, so you can amplify your outreach and boost your revenue.
Who’s Available?
It’s no secret that the workplace is changing, but you might be surprised at the depth of options this affords. Whether you think of it as the on-demand economy, freelance economy, platform economy, or gig economy, Quartz points out that the digitization of how we work has reshaped the opportunities available to both employers and employees.
Along with this vast, new terrain comes a talent pool with depth to match, as both highly skilled and lower-level workers embrace the flexibility the climate affords. That means you are no longer restrained to farming out your menial tasks like scheduling and invoicing. In fact, whatever your need is, there is a freelancer to meet it.
Assess Gaps
No matter how strong your team is, everyone brings something different to the table. Perhaps Joe is an ultra-creative salesman, and Jane can crunch numbers like nobody’s business. But even with a well-trained, sharp staff, there are always gaps. Think about everything from mundane chores to special projects you’re dreaming about, and what your specific goals are, as it might be time to outsource for expertise.
For instance, perhaps you’re releasing a new product or service soon. A market analyst can help you determine the whens, wheres, hows, and whos for going public, making the difference between a quiet flop and a resounding success.
Or perhaps your website is overdue for an upgrade. Consider connecting with CSS3 developers, who can help make your website more mobile-friendly. With a wealth of applicable skills and knowledge, they can create a state-of-the-art website that outshines your competition.
Screen Candidates
When you’re used to thinking in terms of permanent and in-house staff, outsourcing workers can make you feel like a fish out of water. However, as FitSmallBusiness explains, the process for adding freelance and outsourced help isn’t so different. Think about the scope of your needs, and what specific criteria candidates should have to help complete the assignment.
You can look to some job boards to do prescreening on your behalf, which at least ensures prospects are what they say they are. From there, plan to review portfolios, interview candidates, and check references, just like you normally would—or if you don’t have the time, hire a service to handle the recruiting for you.
Staying Connected
The biggest difference in how you handle outside workers is in management and communication, particularly if those workers are remote. Outside workers won’t typically fall into the same scheduling patterns and expectations as in-house staff. For example, depending on the type of project, you might need to set deadlines and change up how you share information.
Thankfully, the same technology that led to the booming freelance pool is the same technology that comes into play to keep everyone on the same page. There are project management tools to ensure you stay abreast of progress, as well as collaboration tools to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
Consider Classification
Last but not least, remember there are some legalities involved with how you hire and whom you hire. If you go through an agency, it might simplify things, although it can be more costly. Self-employed options include freelancers and contract workers, who can be more cost-effective; just watch that you find quality people who aren’t already spread too thin.
When it comes to outsourcing, opportunities abound these days. Contemplate your gaps and special projects, and hire help to get you where you want to be. With outside talent, your dreams and ideas can become your sales and marketing realities.
