The Insatiable Solopreneur™

Succeeding and Surviving as a Solopreneur

Archive for the tag “Entrepreneurs”

15 May 2013

What Do Your Customers Want? The Same Things You Do!

Whether you’re just starting out as a solopreneur or have been running your small professional services business for a Confused manwhile, you’ve probably at some time wondered, “What do customers want?”

That will be different to some degree depending on the particular industry you’re in and your specialties, but there are some universal things that all prospective customers are looking for. And they’re not in any way mysterious or elusive. In fact, they’re the exact same things that you likely look for when choosing a professional services provider.

  • A solution – Customers choose a professional services provider to satisfy a need. They reach out to you because they’re unable to solve a problem or accomplish something on their own – either because of lack of resources or skills.

 Tip: Think about and be prepared to communicate clearly about the problems/needs that you’re able to solve.

 

  • Expertise – Expertise doesn’t always equate to years of experience – though that can give you an edge in establishing credibility. Expertise is knowing your stuff and having the capability of delivering quality to your clients.

Tip: If you’re a new solopreneur and struggling to get business because of your lack of experience, get some volunteer projects under your belt to build your portfolio and list of references.

  • Honesty – Clients expect (and rightly so) honesty in a professional services provider. They don’t want empty promises that can’t be fulfilled. They want you to do business ethically and to be honest about expected outcomes.

 Tip: Be realistic from the beginning about what you can deliver and when you can deliver it. “Pie in the sky” promises won’t earn you points when they don’t pan out.

  • Reliability – Consistent quality and performance are the keys to getting repeat business from your customers. If they know that they can depend on you to do the job well, they’ll be more inclined to give you more work.

 Tip: Repeat clients are the ultimate source of testimonials and referrals. The fact that someone has come back to you time and again stands as a testament to your reliability. Ask your repeat clients for testimonials and recommendations on Linkedin.

  • Fair rate – While some clients are 100% driven to decision based on price, the majority are willing to pay a fair rate for quality services. Most recognize that we often get what we pay for.

Tip: Don’t be afraid to charge what you’re worth. Don’t gouge your clients with excessive costs, but do be aware of your strengths and set your fees so that they’re favorable for you, yet fair to the customer.

  • A sense of caring – Customers expect you to care about the work you’re doing for them, the results that you deliver, and your relationship with them.

Tip: It’s not difficult to demonstrate caring, but you need to pay attention to the opportunities to do so. In your emails, on phone calls, and in meetings, tell clients “thank you” often and tell them that you appreciate the opportunity to work with them.

  • Responsiveness – Clients expect you to respond promptly to their questions and concerns. Responsiveness demonstrates what we talked about in the previous bullet point, caring. And it can set you apart from your competitors.

 Tip: Always try to respond to clients and prospects within 24 hours – even if just to say that you received their message, and will be getting back to them soon. In urgent situations, respond as close to immediately as possible.

 

  • No unpleasant surprises – No one likes “bait and switch” tactics, discovering hidden fees, or missed deadlines.

 Tip: Prepare and plan before proposing or starting projects for clients. Get a grip on – and communicate – the scope of what you’ll do, when you’ll do it, what you’ll need from the customer and how much it will cost them.

Pleasing customers doesn’t require a Magic 8 Ball, but it does take understanding their fundamental wants and needs. And fortunately, you have the means to do that quite easily. Simply tune into what YOU look for in a professional services provider – and deliver on those things!

Your turn! What do you look for in a professional services provider? How has your own experience as a customer shaped your approach to working with clients?

Image courtesy of grauer codrin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted in Business challenges, Customer Expectations, Customer Satisfaction, Customer Service and tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment
01 May 2013

Business Networking 101: Tips for Making Small Talk Less of a Big Deal

Unless you’re a natural born socialite, walking into a room full of professionals at a networking event when you know ID-10067400very few people can be unnerving. In fact, it can be outright frightening for solopreneurs. But solopreneurs have to at times step outside of their comfort zones and step into uncomfortable environments to make connections and grow their base of business prospects.

That doesn’t mean networking has to be a painful experience though. By learning how to hold your own in the art of “small talk,” you can feel more calm, cool and collected and exude confidence as you meet and greet.

Small talk is that ice-breaking chit chat that opens up the door to more substantive conversations. And it’s not all that easy. I can attest to that! But the more you do it, the more second nature it becomes.

Not quite sure what to talk about? Here are some ideas for making conversation – and making small talk less of a big deal – at your next networking function:

  • Offer something notable about the host organization – Do a little research in advance so you can share some tidbit of info about your host when talking with others. Your host is the common denominator between you and other attendees, so focusing on them when starting your conversation will seem natural.
  • Remark about the venue – Pay attention to your surroundings and make positive, observant comments. Just like the host, the venue is common ground shared by you and others. Talking about it will instantly put you on the same page with whoever you’re chatting with.
  • Ask questions – One of the most effective ways to ease the unease that comes with trying to think of clever things to talk about is to simply ask questions and let someone else do the talking. If you’ve just met someone, keep your inquiries centered on the company they work for and what they do professionally. As your conversation progresses, you’ll probably find yourself talking about non-business topics like family, sports, and hobbies. But don’t get too personal right out of the gate.
  • Talk about news and current events – Look online, read the paper or watch the news so you’re in the know about what’s happening in your community, the nation, the world. Just steer clear of sensitive subject areas like politics and religion.

But small talk isn’t all about your topic of conversation. It’s bigger than that! Your success at small talk also depends on your persona and demeanor. It requires an open, positive attitude that’s welcoming to others. Get in the right frame of mind before networking events and make up your mind to:

  • Be warm and friendly – Smile and be personable.
  • Be inclusive – Don’t leave people out who obviously want to engage in conversation.
  • Make good eye contact when talking with someone - And make eye contact with everyone in the conversation, not just one person.
  • Not monopolize any one person’s time – Mingle – and let others do the same.

With just a little preparation and the right mindset, you’ll more easily and agilely start conversations when networking. Although you might find that it takes some time to find your groove, with practice and repeat exposure you’ll be a savvy small talker ready to take on any crowded room of professionals.

What are your tips for making small talk at networking events? How do you break the ice with people you don’t know?

Image courtesy of David Castillo / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted in Business challenges, Networking and tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment
28 Mar 2013
2 Comments

Taking a Break Without Breaking Business Momentum – Tips for Making the Best Use of Time on a Road Trip

Thrilled about taking a holiday break, but stressed at the thought of projects falling behind and work piling up? If you’ll On the roadbe one of the many small biz pros on the road (literally) to an extended weekend over Easter, relax! There are ways to get away from it all and manage to stay on top of things.

Consider these ideas for taking care of business without officially punching the clock while you’re road-tripping it…

  • Take note – Traveling gives you uninterrupted time to think about things and brainstorm – take full advantage of it! Bring a notebook to capture ideas. If you’ll be behind the wheel; ask someone else to take notes for you.
  • Load up on apps – Before you leave for your journey, make sure your smart phone has got essential apps loaded and ready for action. A few I wouldn’t leave home without: WordPress, LinkedIn, Evernote, Facebook Pages Manager, Google+, Twitter, Hootsuite. If you haven’t use any of them recently, do a quick check to confirm that they’re not asking for updated usernames or passwords…things that you probably won’t have on hand after you leave your local environs.
  • Read up! – I’m guessing you’ve got a list of “do business better” books that have caught your attention, but that you haven’t found time to consume. During a road trip, take advantage of your status of captive audience and read (or listen to in e-book form) one from your hit list.

Remember, the point isn’t to work a lot while you’re taking time away – but keeping up with a few little tasks and taking care of some to dos can help make your return to business as usual a much more smooth  and less-harrowing transition.

Enjoy your weekend! And I welcome your thoughts on ways to make productive use of road trips!

Image courtesy of seaskylab / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted in Business Planning, Business Technology Tools, Life balance and tagged , , , ,
21 Mar 2013
8 Comments

Learn First. Blog Second. How to Turn “On the Job” Lessons into Posts that Appeal.

Consistently pinning down blog topics that will provide value to readers presents a challenge to busy solo professionals. Blog keysIn fact, it’s one of the main reasons why many of the solopreneurs and small business owners I know haven’t started to blog.

We put a lot of pressure on ourselves. We think that unless we’ve got something monumental or expertly detailed to share, we won’t be providing anything worth reading. Fortunately, most readers aren’t looking for us to leap over tall buildings and solve all of the world’s – or their businesses’ – problems in a single post. What most are looking for is genuine advice, guidance, and information garnered from walking the walk and lessons learned.

As a solopreneur, does a day go by when you haven’t learned – or realize that you need to learn – something new or something more? Of course not! So, if you’re struggling to come up with compelling topics for your blog, start thinking about…

  • What you’ve learned “on the job” as a small business owner in your industry.
  • What you’re continually learning and the skills you’re developing every single day.
  • What you need to learn to run your business better or provide better services or products.

Keep in mind that you probably won’t need to go into great technical detail (unless your audience is very technically adept), and you don’t have to make your posts all-encompassing to include anything and everything on a topic. The key is to stay on point and inform, educate and even entertain by sharing what you know through your own efforts to learn more and do business better.

So what types of stuff might you focus on?

  • Trends in customer preferences and demand for the types of services or goods you sell.
  • Rules and regulations that affect your industry and their impact on what you sell, how you sell it, and what they mean to the consumer.
  • Technology tools that you’re using to improve the quality of your services & products.
  • Technology tools that you’re exploring to help build customer relationships.
  • Up and coming developments in products and services within your industry.
  • Services and products that are complementary to yours – and that will enhance the customer experience.
  • Upcoming events where prospects and customers can learn more about products & services in your industry (and ideally where they can connect with you one-on-one).
  • Credentials and expertise that customers should look for in a business within your industry.
  • Ways that customers can maximize the value of the products and services that they buy from you.

Basically, if you want or need more information about an industry topic, provided there’s a customer angle in there somewhere, you’ll have the makings of a blog post that can attract readers and give them a worthwhile takeaway. Just be sure that while you’re sharing what you’ve learned, you make the post about them. The “What’s in it for them?” needs to shine through in the finished product each and every post.

What types of things have you learned “on the job” that translate well into blog post topics? Please share your ideas!

Image courtesy of Idea Go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted in Blogging, Business challenges, Communications, Content Marketing, Marketing and tagged , , , , , , ,
19 Mar 2013
2 Comments

Making Your Mark as a Solopreneur – Trademark Basics

As a business owner, you work hard to make a name for yourself and to find ways to set yourself apart from your Registered Trademark competition. One of the more obvious ways to do that is to visually suggest that particular wording, symbols or designs – in and of themselves or in combination with each other – belong to you.

When you’re defining and differentiating your brand, a trademark (brand name) can help you create and maintain distinction. “Trademark” is often used to refer to both “trademarks” and “service marks” – which are similar, but slightly different.

Trademarks are used to identify and distinguish the provider of goods.

Service marks are used to identify and distinguish the provider of services.

When Can You Use Them?
According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), “Any time you claim rights in a mark, you may use the “TM” (trademark) or “SM” (service mark) designation to alert the public to your claim, regardless of whether you have filed an application with the USPTO.”

So you’re allowed to slap the “TM” or “SM” to your name or logo without filing any documentation. Doing that lets others know that you’re claiming the particular verbiage or symbol or design, but legally you don’t really have much of a leg to stand on if someone else starts to use the same thing to represent their business offerings.

The official federal registration symbol is ®. Don’t ever put that on your name, logo or anything else unless you’ve taken the step to get your mark approved and registered by the USPTO. Even if you’ve got a registration application pending, you need to stick with the “TM” or “SM” designation until you’re official.

What’s the Big Deal About the ®?
In a nutshell, your brand name gets some legal protection and benefits from registering with the USPTO. To name a few from the agency’s website:

  • Public notification that you’ve claimed ownership of the mark.
  • Legal presumption of your ownership of the mark.
  • Exclusive right to use the mark to represent the goods or services that you’ve listed in the registration.
  • Ability to bring legal action in federal court if someone uses your mark without authorization.

How Do You Register a Mark?
If you do choose to file an application to register your trademark, it’s smart to do a search in the TESS (USPTO’s Trademark Electronic Search System) to make sure no one else has filed an application for the same mark.

And because registering a trademark is a legal proceeding, it would be wise to consult an attorney to guide you through the process.

Costs associated with registering vary depending on a few different factors:

The application form that you use
There’s a “regular” ($325) and a “plus” ($275) form. The plus version costs less because it comes with more strict requirements on what goods and services can be registered.

How many marks you’re registering
You may only request to register one mark per application.

The number of products and services classes your mark will be associated with
Say you want to sell hats and blankets under your service mark. You’d need to pay double the fee because those items fall under different classes.

Of course, all of this is just the tip of the iceberg, so I suggest visiting the USPTO website where you can review their comprehensive list of FAQs and other information relative to trademarks and service marks.

And you might have noticed that “The Insatiable Solopreneur™” has had the “TM” behind it for some time. There’s a reason for that – but I’ll wait to share it a little later in the year. ;-)

Have you officially registered any trademarks or service marks for your business? Please feel free to share your tips and advice on the topic here!

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted in Business Planning, Legal topics and tagged , , , , ,
15 Mar 2013
2 Comments

Forget Them Not – 4+ Tips for Remembering a Person’s Name

We’ve all had those awkward moments. The time arrives at a networking function or other public gathering when we Question markbump into someone we’ve met before, but when faced with the need to introduce that person to someone else, we draw a big, fat blank on the name. We immediately feel awful for the person whose name we’ve forgotten! We immediately feel awful for ourselves as we deal with the embarrassment!

And yet, after posting a short and sweet poll on Facebook and talking offline with a few people, I’ve discovered it doesn’t bother most of us very much at all if someone forgets our names.

Of course acknowledging that we personally don’t take offense to when our names slip minds doesn’t seem to make us feel any less like heels when we’re doing the forgetting.

So how can you keep yourself out of that precarious position? Here are a few tips that might help…

  • Be present

Not just physically there, but also mentally checked in when someone introduces you to someone else. If you give that introduction your undivided attention, you’ll be more likely to recall the person’s name on a future occasion.

  • Say it out loud

When getting introduced, say the new acquaintance’s name out loud when you meet them. “Hello, Miranda. It’s very nice to meet you.” Saying the name and hearing the name from your own self can help reinforce it in your memory bank.

  • Look them up after the event

When meeting new people, ask for their business cards, and then look them up on Linkedin. By all means, connect with them if appropriate, too. Taking your offline networking online, will help you become familiar with a person’s face and name.

  • Run the alphabet through your head

I know. It sounds strange, but it works for me most of the time. When I’m in a situation where I’ve run into someone I’ve met before, but just can’t put a finger on the name, I start (silently) running through each letter of the alphabet in my head. Almost always, the letter of a person’s first name jumps out at me, and from there I can figure out the rest. Though it doesn’t always work, that little trick has saved the day on many occasions!

As always, I don’t have all the answers and my solutions might not be the best fit for you. So be sure to check out these other resources for tips and ideas, too…

How to Remember a Person’s Name (And What to Do When You Can’t) – “Have them spell it out,” is a keeper from this Art of Manliness post by Brett and Kate McKay.

How to Remember a Person’s Name – on WikiHow.com. “Write it down,” is one that I hadn’t thought of.

Three Simple Steps to Master Name Recall – “The more visual and interesting associations you create to recall a name, the easier it is to do so.” According to this article, putting your creative powers to use can help you remember a name down the road.

And I’ll bet you’ve got your own tips and tricks! I welcome you to share them here!

Posted in Communications, Networking and tagged , , , ,
07 Mar 2013
4 Comments

Two C’s Every Solopreneur Needs to Consider BEFORE Accepting Projects

When considering “yes” or “no” about taking on a project, it’s tempting to jump in with a resounding, “Yeah, I’ll do that!”Thumbs up. Thumbs down. if the price is right. But as your business and base of clients grow, accepting every project and new client that comes down the pike can become problematic. Some of the adverse effects include failure to deliver quality work, not having enough time for your long-time loyal clients, and jeopardizing your well-being.


Let the Two C’s Guide You

Though I think you should always consider them, I strongly recommend that these two C’s stay in the forefront of your mind when you find yourself exceptionally busy. BEFORE agreeing to work on any project, assess your…

Capability

Do you have the skills required to do what the client is asking you to do? Remember, your reputation depends on doing quality work. If you’re presented with a project opportunity that requires talents and experience that you don’t possess, it might be in your best interest to decline it. That’s especially true if you’ve already got enough work to sustain you. Never try to be the square peg squeezing into the round hole. That’s never a good fit!

Capacity

Do you have the time to complete the project and meet the client’s deadline? The foresight to plan ahead and strong organizational skills are your best friends when making the call. You need to get a good handle on the scope of projects, determine how much time they’ll require, and reserve space for them on your calendar. If you don’t, you’ll never know whether or not you can comfortably take on any additional client commitments.

Keep in mind that capability and capacity are interwoven. If you’re presented with a project opportunity that’s similar to those that you tackle on a regular basis, it will likely take less time and effort than a type of project that you have little or no experience with. Always pay attention to both capability and capacity when a new client or an existing one brings new work to the table – or you’ll risk making a poor go/no-go decision!

What other ways to you qualify work before you accept it? Please share your tips for taking on work that’s a good fit!

 
Click here to register for the FREE Referral Source Secrets from Solopreneur Superstars telesummit!

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted in Business challenges, Freelancing, Productivity and tagged , , , ,
05 Mar 2013

The Power of 8! Generating Referrals With Fresh Ideas from Insatiable Solopreneurs

While the legacy of your good work and professionalism needs to be at the foundation of every referral that you get – it Ideas for solos by solosdoesn’t always serve to generate referrals in and of itself.

And “traditional” ways of generating leads can sometimes fall short, too. Or maybe we solopreneurs are slightly impatient? Guilty as charged! (Speaking for myself only of course!

As I’ve navigated my way over the often rough and rugged waters of being my own boss throughout the past 4 years, I’ve discovered that gaining referrals sometimes takes more than doing a great job and mixing and mingling at networking events or making Facebook posts. It takes opening your mind to new ideas and approaches that can leverage relationships and raise awareness of your business and your capabilities. It takes the willingness to try something different – and to learn from each and every experience and opportunity.

If you’re connected with me on Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter or Google+, you might have noticed some “promotional” posts sharing about next week’s Referral Source Secrets from Solopreneur Superstars telesummit. Elaine Quinn, The Solopreneur Specialist®, is hosting this free event – and it’s dedicated to giving solopreneurs like you new ideas and ways to think about building your referral potential. For more than 10 years, Elaine has been helping solo professionals more effectively manage their businesses – and their growth. I can’t think of anyone more qualified to lead us in exploring how we can do things better!

Elaine will interview the following list of speakers during next week’s telesummit that runs “live” March 11 – 14 (with the option to listen in for free for up to 24 hours after each session):

AND Elaine will share her tips for smart partnering!

All have found ways to reach new clients and customers with “next step” strategies that you probably haven’t tried yet.

I hope you’ll register, listen in and connect with me to let me know what you thought of it!

Click here to register for the FREE Referral Source Secrets from Solopreneur Superstars telesummit!

Posted in Business challenges, Generating referrals, Marketing, Professional Development, Sales and tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment
28 Feb 2013
4 Comments

I Can’t Believe I Just Did That! 3 Careless Email Mistakes that Can Leave a Mark

“Oops! I can’t believe I just did that!” Who hasn’t said that to themselves at one time or another?Oops sign

In this break-neck, fast-paced business environment that we all live in, it’s easy to make silly mistakes when communicating with peers, prospects and clients. Generally, the errors of our rushed ways don’t cause permanent harm, but occasionally a mistake can leave a lasting mark that could tarnish your image of professionalism or cost you valuable business. So why take the chance?

With just a little thought and a tiny bit of extra time, you can greatly reduce your likelihood of making fatal foibles.

Here’s a short list of some “oops” moments that could happen to nearly anyone and a tip or two for making sure that they don’t happen to you…

Sending an email to the wrong contact

With the auto-fill features in email clients, it’s a wonder this doesn’t happen more often. Sending the wrong proposal or invoice to a client wouldn’t a great impression make. Though I’ve never erred to that degree, I admit that it has happened in a much more minor way. And so I’ve learned to be extra careful. Always, ALWAYS double-check the contacts you have in your To, CC, and BC fields.

Sending an email to ALL Contacts rather than a select group

True story: About 2 years or so ago, as volunteer editor for our church’s newsletter, I sent my normal monthly email reminder to our congregation to remind them that the deadline for submitting articles and info was on its way. When selecting the group for distribution, I immediately clicked “select all” based on the first email address that appeared in the lineup. Turns out, the first email address in my church distribution list was the first email address in my entire base of contacts. So rather than toggling to my church distribution and selecting “all” there, I had mistakenly selected ALL my contacts. Luckily, everyone was in good humor about it – and truthfully I think they had a lot of fun with it based on the (much-deserved) smarty-pants replies that I got in return. But had the subject matter and message been something altogether different, the end result could have been far more devastating than me becoming the target of some light-hearted ribbing.

Moral of the story: Check to make sure you’ve selected the appropriate group before sending a mass email. And if the group members don’t know each other or otherwise wouldn’t want to have their email addresses shared with others in the group, be sure to add the group in your BC field.

Accidentally adding an extra contact to an email

Occasionally, I catch myself almost doing this when sending an email to someone with whom I will be sharing the email address of someone else in my contacts. So that I can easily just copy and paste it into the body of the email, I’ll bring up the email address in the To field by just typing the name and letting the auto-fill feature do its thing. Works great…provided you remember to remove that email address from the To field before you send your message to its intended recipient.

Tip: Do a “cut and paste.” That way any remnants of the email won’t be formatted properly and won’t reach that unintended contact even if you goof up.

Again, mistakes happen. And they happen to all of us, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do what we can to prevent them!

I’d love to hear your email or other communications “Oops!” stories – if you dare to share! What silly mistakes have you made – or has someone you know made – that either did or could have left a mark?

Click here to register for the FREE Referral Source Secrets from Solopreneur Superstars telesummit!

Image courtesy of Digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted in Business challenges, Communications, Email and tagged , , , ,
22 Feb 2013
4 Comments

Help Wanted! When It’s Time for Solopreneurs to Outsource

Professional services solopreneurs know the term “outsource” intimately. We’re generally the folks who certain projectsHelp Wanted or responsibilities are outsourced to. But sometimes the tables need to turn and WE need to do some outsourcing of our own.

In our familiarity with performing as our own “one man/woman show,” the thought of handing over business tasks to an outsider can cause some uneasiness (and even queasiness!). Delegating isn’t always one of our strongest skill sets as solopreneurs.

But not letting go of responsibilities when the time is ripe for change can wreak havoc on you and your business in a number of ways. Holding onto tasks that would be better done by someone else will…

  • Limit the time you have to grow your business (i.e. networking and business development to generate leads).
  • Result in errors if you just don’t have the mindset, skills or time to accurately tend to certain areas of business (e.g. bookkeeping).
  • Drain your energy and adversely affect the quality of your billable work.
  • Push your stress level through the roof.

How do you know it’s time to start outsourcing?

  • If you’re ineffective in a particular area of your operations, it might be a good time to outsource.
  • If you genuinely despise tackling a task, it might be a good time to outsource.
  • If you need to get out of your office and get your feet on the street to nurture leads and give more sales presentations, it might be a good time to outsource.
  • If you have an abundant client base and more billable work than you can shake a stick at, it might be a good time to outsource.
  • If you can’t find downtime and carve out adequate time to enjoy family and friends, it might be a good time to outsource.

If you’ve come to the realization that you really should consider outsourcing, now you’re probably wondering, “But what duties should I outsource?” Great question!

Here are some ideas to help you get your solo-brain thinking about where you might gain some efficiency – and time to do what you love to do best – by entrusting work to another professional.

  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Competitive research
  • Blog writing
  • Sending thank you notes or Christmas cards
  • Proofreading of important communications and collateral
  • House cleaning (not necessarily a business task, but it will buy you back some much needed time)
  • Social media assistance
  • Scheduling and confirming appointments
  • Logging data into spreadsheets
  • Website updates
  • Event planning

Really, the options are nearly limitless because you’ll find virtual assistants and other solopreneurs who offer an array of services to accomplish whatever tasks you decide are better left to someone who has the dedicated time and specific talent for doing them.

Of course, the rub is that you will need to relinquish some of your hard-earned dollars in the process. Ouch! Though your situation will be different from another solopreneur’s, the odds are that you’ll find what you pay to outsource the work will be worth it. Until you factor in what your time is worth and that it probably takes you much longer to accomplish the tasks than it will for your contractor to handle it, outsourcing will likely make good financial sense. Be sure, however, to compare rates, expertise, and references of your potential candidates before committing. First and foremost, you want to find someone who is not only capable of handling the tasks given to them with little or no oversight, but who is also committed to your success as a solopreneur.

I’d love to hear from you about your outsourcing successes – and about any advice that you’re willing to give if you’ve had less-than-stellar experiences with contracting work out to others. Please comment and share! 

Posted in Business challenges, Outsourcing, Productivity and tagged , , ,

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