I have a guest blogger today! His name is Lance Cody-Valdez, and while his post isn’t about printing, I think it is quite relevant in today’s workplaces, many run with a minimal number of people. Have a look, and get some ideas for making your business run smoother, and freeing up your time to do what you do best.
You can check out Lance’s website at Free-lance-now.com
How to Grow Your Solopreneur Business Using Freelancers
Image Source: Pexels
As a solopreneur, hiring freelancers is the perfect solution to scale your business. Freelancers provide you the flexibility of hiring as per needs, charge affordable rates, and require no training. In this article for Jamie Nicholas Printing & Graphics, we explore the type of jobs you should outsource to freelancers and the benefits it will have for your business.
Where and How to Hire
You can find freelancers on numerous platforms such as traditional job boards, freelancing websites, and LinkedIn. Additionally, freelancers advertise their services on Instagram and Facebook, a quick search on these sites can yield fruitful results.
When hiring a freelancer, always conduct your due diligence. Review their portfolio and scrutinize their resume to ascertain if they meet your requirements. Next, schedule an interview to understand their work style and experience. Lastly, give them a pre-hiring assignment to judge their skills in practice.
Now let’s look into the type of jobs you can outsource and the benefits it will have for your business:
Virtual Assistant
Let us guess, the first thing you do after waking up is to check your phone and go through the sea of emails from clients, vendors, and customers. On a busy day, it can take more than an hour to reply, and this is even before your day has officially begun.
Now imagine if you had a professional responding to these emails and would only forward you ones that were of utmost importance. That is precisely what a Virtual Assistant does. In addition, you can assign them the following tasks:
- Manage your calendar and schedule appointments
- Provide timely customer service
- Book transportation and accommodation when you travel
- Coordinate with vendors and suppliers for payment and queries
Virtual Assistants are paid by the hour and often come with prior experience working with solopreneurs who expect quick turnarounds. Additionally, you save on paying for office space or internet as they work virtually using their equipment.
Graphic Designer
Various online platforms help you create marketing materials, but it takes time and effort. Additionally, marketing is a constant activity requiring fresh designs and content each week.
Instead of spending hours making posts yourself, create a requirement document mentioning your brand guidelines and design requirements. According to Perfect Lancer, freelance graphic designers are competent in following instructions and meeting tight deadlines.
Here are the various kinds of promotional materials you can have designed:
- Social Media Posts
- Flyers and Banners
- Business Cards
- Pitch Desks
You can pay a designer as low as $10 for a post or offer a time-bound contract. Remember that finding the right fit can take time, but there are numerous excellent graphic designers on the market waiting to work with you.
Social Media Handler
According to Search Engine Watch, 54% of customers use social media to search for products, and 71% buy from a brand they have positive interactions with. Additionally, this can also lead to referrals and organic promotions.
A social media manager can bring the expertise needed to create and grow your social profiles, which includes:
- Creating a social media calendar
- Conducting competitor analysis
- Scheduling and posting content on your handles
- Building relationships with influencers
Compared to spending thousands on hiring a marketing agency, you can hire a freelancer for a fraction of that cost.
To assign work and manage freelancers, use an online tool such as – Cacoo or Todoist. You also can opt to use Google Sheets to keep it simple and streamlined. Additionally, use networking tools such as Meetup, to connect with fellow solopreneurs and mentors who can guide you on handling freelancers and growing your business.
In addition to freelancers, consider hiring services such as ZenBusiness to take care of legal and tax-related requirements. As the owner, it is important to register your business as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) to provide the protection of your personal assets against litigation. ZenBusiness will allow you to overcome the hassle of dealing with state regulations for filing, submitting annual reports, and handling cumbersome paperwork. Remember, you do not need to do everything yourself. Learn to outsource tasks to make your business efficient and scale faster.