Mistake #1: Completely task or project-based outsourcing.

In other words, hiring someone to complete a specific task or project when the need arises. Instead, they should be focusing on gathering long-term valuable members of their team.

I’m thinking that this goes to the question before, I see people who are constantly going to the freelance sites, and trying to find a new person, or trying to find the cheapest person, even though they are looking for quality, they’re still looking for the cheapest person.

Each time they need it, they are looking for someone new, and it’s so much easier if you find someone good and keep them busy. And, it’s not just that you keep that new person.

It means that your business can continue to run smoothly, because the people who work for me… I don’t have to talk with them all the time.

Mistake #2: Looking for the cheapest price.

You might find a great deal, but as a general rule, you often do get what you pay for.

Plus, it goes back to that you are task-oriented, because you are constantly looking for new people, and trying to find the best deal. It’s too much work to do it that way.

Mistake #3: Not giving clear instructions.

The more information you can give your contractor about a task, the better. Every time you give instructions, keep a copy for your files, so that you can use it over and over again.

I know people don’t want to give those instructions, because they think it takes a lot of time, but if you keep it, then you can use it again when you need it, and then you already have it on hand, and it’s amazing how people will say, “I hired someone, and they did a terrible job.”

And, a lot of the time, it’s the way they gave the instructions. If you don’t give enough information, either that person has to interpret what needs to be done, or they may misunderstand, and it’s just your own fault.

Mistake #4: Not checking work.

I talked about overseeing everything. Outsourcing doesn’t relieve you of all your obligations.

You need to check work to make sure that your business is being presented properly, and so that you can give constructive feedback to your contractors, because that’s how you grow, and things get better.

They’re not going to be perfect, right out of the gate, so they need that feedback.

Mistake #5: Not evaluating their actual delegation.

Sometimes, checking the work is checking the quality of their work, but also sometimes people outsource for months and months without truly evaluating — even if people are doing a great job — what they are actually doing, is it actually effective?

You can’t get away from customer service.  That has to be done.  So, you outsource that, and it goes.

But, if you’re outsourcing things like specific marketing tasks, say its article marketing or something like that, you need to regularly evaluate if your plan is working. If it’s not, you might need to change your strategy or just scrap that part altogether.