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Doing well working 100% alone, but feel I'm wrong not reinvesting in outsource services

by Matt Ward
6 replies
I've been doing full-time IM for just a little over a year now. I'm reaching a point where I can call it a full-time income, and I've done every single detail by myself on each of my projects. I've had a few generous offers for free services that I took advantage of, but other than that, 100% of the work was done by me.

I get the feeling that I'm doing something wrong by working entirely alone. The problem is that I feel most of what I do is stuff I wouldn't trust others to do properly for me, especially content creation, which is 90% of it. I just don't trust people to do it exactly the way I like it.

I feel like it might take a lot of wasted money before I find someone reliable and produces acceptable results for a budget that would allow me to make a profit. Is this part of the business game? Do you have to expect wasted money on outsourcers/service providers that end up being useless or deliver subpar results?

I'm wondering if anyone has any general advice on hunting down service providers that aren't scammers/incompetent/unreliable. I have the money to reinvest, but it seems like I'm doing something wrong when people here are talking left and right about outsourcing and I do literally every aspect by myself. I honestly hate spending money, and it's not like I'm blowing it on frivolous things; it's just sitting in my bank account and used on bills, etc.

Sure, it saves a lot of money, but I'm willing to bet the snowball would be building much more rapidly if I was investing money back into it more frequently.

Thanks in advance!
#100% #feel #outsource #reinvesting #services #working #wrong
  • Profile picture of the author Joe Mobley
    Matt,

    First of all, congratulations. If you are making full-time income from IM then my hat is off to you.

    Let me suggest that you look at this a bit differently.

    90% of your time is in content creation. Why don't you look at the outsourcing exercise as an addition to your efforts. If it doesn't work out the first time or two, you're still covered.

    Come up with a small project, do some research on oDesk, and post the job. You will have gone through the process. If it doesn't work out, you're out $10, $20, $30. No big deal.

    Another point, the secondary reason for me to outsource is to cover my butt if something happens to me. What would happen to you if you were incapacitated for 2 weeks? What would happen to your business? Read the 4-Hour-Workweek if you haven't yet.

    The primary reason for me to outsource is because I'm lazy. :rolleyes:

    Just me thinking.

    Joe Mobley
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  • Profile picture of the author hustlinsmoke
    I would think that if your satisfied with your results, then stay where you are.

    But we are never satisfied are we. How much more could you do by yourself.
    Are you pretty much at where your limit is, do you want more.

    If these ever come up you will have to do one of two things. Either outsource or get a partner.

    You create products. Are they hosted by websites or what, could you not have them build the websites for you, setup the email autoresponders.

    I have had projects so large I have had one person oversee everything and I went through that one person. So on article writing she went out and hired and proofread, when she thought it was ready she sent it to me. she would outsource websites, when she thought the product was where it should be she sent it to me.

    All I had to do was market and put 2+2 together. I loved that worker but she took a full time job in the corporate world and I lost her, have not found one like her since.
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  • Profile picture of the author Zeus66
    Congrats on your success, Matt.

    I too am reluctant to release personal control over probably too many aspects of my business and it might be holding me back. I've come to terms with this about myself, but I have the same concerns you have expressed.

    One thing I have learned through some limited outsourcing is that there are many hungry service providers out there that are open to taking explicit instructions about the work you want done. But you have to ask. Some will up the price, and that's fair in some cases, but some won't. They're hungry enough to do a custom job for you at the "one size fits all" price. Be the squeaky wheel and ask when you look for providers. Some will take you up on it. Then you can train them and if they're any good, you'll be set without compromising on the high level of quality you have come to expect of yourself.

    Good luck,
    John
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeTucker
    You're a fairly intelligent fellow, Matt. Trust your judgement in this. It's going to take some time and effort to find people to work with that will live up to your expectations.

    Go to respected places, especially those sites where both buyers and sellers have to pay money in order to post offers or request jobs. This will save you a lot of heartache.


    One thing that I suggest: Do not outsource your content creation, or anything else just because it is "time consuming".

    On the contrary, focus on outsourcing those things that are your weak points. At this point in your business, you must maintain your reputation for quality. Keep doing what you're good at, pay people to do things that you are less skilled with.



    Best of luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author chansgrose
    Originally Posted by Matt Ward View Post

    I've been doing full-time IM for just a little over a year now. I'm reaching a point where I can call it a full-time income, and I've done every single detail by myself on each of my projects. I've had a few generous offers for free services that I took advantage of, but other than that, 100% of the work was done by me.

    I get the feeling that I'm doing something wrong by working entirely alone. The problem is that I feel most of what I do is stuff I wouldn't trust others to do properly for me, especially content creation, which is 90% of it. I just don't trust people to do it exactly the way I like it.

    I feel like it might take a lot of wasted money before I find someone reliable and produces acceptable results for a budget that would allow me to make a profit. Is this part of the business game? Do you have to expect wasted money on outsourcers/service providers that end up being useless or deliver subpar results?

    I'm wondering if anyone has any general advice on hunting down service providers that aren't scammers/incompetent/unreliable. I have the money to reinvest, but it seems like I'm doing something wrong when people here are talking left and right about outsourcing and I do literally every aspect by myself. I honestly hate spending money, and it's not like I'm blowing it on frivolous things; it's just sitting in my bank account and used on bills, etc.

    Sure, it saves a lot of money, but I'm willing to bet the snowball would be building much more rapidly if I was investing money back into it more frequently.

    Thanks in advance!
    After five years of Full time Internet Marketing, I've set my self to only do high priority tasks, so unless I'm trying to concentrate on leads, growing my list, or product promotion or creation, I have lower priority tasks outsourced
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