When you are considering getting support in your business, it can sometimes be difficult to figure out where to begin.
I say, begin at the beginning!
The first thing you need to do is to make a list of all of the things you are doing in your business – and that means everything – so include your client work, but also your marketing, your bookkeeping, your scheduling, your networking, your emails, writing correspondence or newsletter materials, customer service, anything at all that you are physically doing in your own business.
The second thing you need to do is to look at that list and really think about whether you are serving yourself and your business by doing each of those tasks, or if you can get support in any of those areas.
If you look at that list, you will see that most of the things on it are not actively generate revenue in your business … and that means that most of them should be outsourced or automated in some way.
There are many reasons you would want to get support for something – you don’t like to do it, you aren’t good at it, you don’t have time to do it … these are just a few. But also think about this – if there is something that you will eventually not be able to do (because you get too busy with client work, for instance) then you should flag those items as well.
Anything that can be outsourced or automated in some way should be. I like to tell my clients that the list they have created is their ‘wish list’.
Now that you have identified things that you would like to get support with, pick one thing and get started.
You will realize how much easier it is to have someone support you once you actually do have them doing it. You don’t really realize how much time you are spending on non-revenue-generating activities in your business until you write it down, and then get support with those tasks.
Finding help is also a lot easier once you know specifically what you are looking for. You can put out a request for proposal, you can ask colleagues for referrals, or you can hire an intern who is studying in your field. There are many places to find help but knowing what you need is the first step.
I’d love to hear your comments on this article.
