How in the world do you outsource?

Go check out John Jonas course called Replace myself. He shows you how to outsource using phillipino workers that will work at $1.50 - $5 an hour full time.

Normally, you'd hire someone who already has the skills to do what you want them to do, but since you're asking, you'll find much success by writing out your instructions, step-by step, and forwarding them to your provider. Instructions can be formatted as a simple, numerated text file, or a fancy YouTube video.

Because this set of instructions will later turn into part of the final contract, it's not just for your provider. It for you as well, as it will serve as a base or reference when checking whether your requirements have been met.

It's best to set up some milestones at pertinent parts of the project so you can stop the work-in-progress to see how it's progressing. If you find any errors, have your provider fix them before progressing onto the next milestone(s).

You can have your provider supply the plugins (or the means to make a feature or function work) as part of your contract's requirement. Most experienced WP providers have an arsenal of tools to work with, or at least, know where to get them and make them work with your blog.

Thank you to both of you for you information and response.

@jamesrich1 - Do you have a link?

Yes John I'll send it to you in a message.

We have been in outsourcing business for almost 6 years now. We have handled different clients and worked on various projects. Our company features an integrated team of Web Specialists, Designers, Programmers, Creative Writers, Marketing Professionals and Back Office Support who definitely knows how to get the work done. Every staff hired by our company go through an extensive screening process. We give them specific exams and conduct personal and professional background analysis. All of our staff are working in our business office and are being managed by our Supervisors (free of charge). The staff are your offshore dedicated workers and you have full control of them. We pride ourselves in providing our clients with professional service, guaranteed accuracy and confidentiality.

For your quesrions, please see answers below:

For anyone that reads this thread, how do you give instructions to your outsourced party?
- You can directly communicate with your staff once the project has started. You may contact the staff and our supervisors via email, phone, or instant messaging such as Skype, AIM, MSN Messenger and other OpenSource chat clients.


How do you get corrections fixed?
- since you are talking to your staff directly, any corrections/revisions that you want to change can be fixed in real time. you can also assign any related tasks to your staff.

And finally, what if you know what you want but don't know how to explain it or make sure you have all the necessary plugins (if WP blog) to make it happen?
- Yes, we have all necessary software that you need but we also ask our clients to provide software or any additional things needed on the assigned project.

John, you might want to check out THIS THREAD.

I posted up a work order form that I use when hiring.

EDIT *Sorry, not hiring, when requesting actual work.

Can anyone point me in the direction of a WSO about an Outsourcing resource? I'm not talking Fiverr here

Another great directory for VAs would be onlinejobs.ph and directory.outsourcingautopilot.com. You can find cheap VAs but can give quality work. Just don't forget to screen them and evaluate them carefully.

Generally my biggest effort goes into choosing a very experienced, very reputable outsourcer in the hopes that they will already have done something similar to what you need and will actually be able to assist and add to what it is you are after

Rich

The key to successfully outsourcing your work is to be as brief as possible while still being clear. Too many instructions can confuse even the best worker, especially if your instructions aren't clear.

Also, be open to communication and lots of questions. This is what works for me, any way..

I learned how to outsource from my buddy John Jonas

John Jonas on Living The 4-Hour Workweek

Replace Yourself In Your Business By Outsourcing To The Philippines

Michael

Thank you everyone for posting to this thread and for the direction. I will definitely be following some advice given.

Thanks for the links everyone.

@jamesrich1 - Thanks for the PM.

John

Hey John.

I find the power of lists and writing important tasks down to be crucial to effective outsourcing.

So for example, when my web developer is working on my website, I am sending him a detailed list of changes that need to be made as specifically as I possibly can in a word document. This helps keep him on task and make sure that everything done is specific to exactly what I want.

Stuff like that helps big time.

You can outsource at Odesk.com Check it out.

I like what everyone here has to say, but in addition, I would like to make some suggestions that would let you spec out things. I am currently a Project Manager for a public company in NYC, so not only have I tested these methods, but optimized these over and over again while managing offshore teams.

Making deadlines.
First break your project in as many small parts as you can. (eg if you want to host a domain, then setup wordpress, then add some plugins and finally add content), break each part as one task: 1. Host Domain, 2. Install Word press, 3. install plugins, etc

Then set a deadline for each task (this will be very helpful). Having defined deadlines for projects allows you and your team to work on schedule and not throw you off with your commitments.

Once you are done making a task list, you can write specs for each task individually.

While writing tasks, people generally start off by telling the developer what they want him/her to do. It should ideally be the other way around. Try to write out the specs visualizing the end product. The developers can do the rest and suggest the best ways to achieve the goal. Usually good developers are on top of technology and may suggest some new security related info that may help you from other issues you could possibly run into.

I like the idea of using Skype (if possible) this would allow you to discuss the projects in hand and get feedback from the dev. This feedback goes a long way.

I would suggest that you read about Scrum Agile Project Management ... I use Scrum for each and every project that I do now and it is a very productive way to work, for big corporations, start ups and individuals.

Good Luck

If you want to explain something and you think there is language barrier between you and your outsource worker, try create a simple pdf file and explain in picture step-by-step.

I have some plugin created for me this way.

Hello!

If you really want it done correctly but had hard times explaining, then create a step-by-step presentation, whether it's video or pdf, as long as it's detailed and explained according to your requirements, there shouldn't be any flaws following it. I hope that helped you in a way or so.

Best of Luck!

I show them to the teeth.

Then I teach them how to train other workers for me.

I can tell you from experience, when you outsource work you need to be clear on what you want and expect.

I run a web development outsourcing center and my employees work in my office. Sometimes I even have to give them directions beyond what the client asks because the client isn't very clear on what they want.

Most freelancers or anyone you outsource to just need clear directions on what you want. Otherwise they will just start working on something to use up the time.

If you have a very detailed oriented project it's best to use something like camtasia and walk them through the process by showing them.

Most people have the misconception you just hire someone and they are ready to go.

When you start a new job you go through training correct?

Same for a VA.

You need to training materials or write up a list of everything you want done. This can be daily or weekly. Have them report to you on what they did or didn't complete and follow up with them.

Don't be cheap. Most people read how you can get a VA for $200 so they expect a senior web developer for this price.

Wrong!!!

That price is for a low end data entry person. If you want good work don't be cheap.

What happens when you hire a freelancer--- and your cheap.

The freelancer loads themselves up on multiple clients to make up the difference. They may tell you that they only work for you, but do you really think they are happy just making $200?

Point being, it's worth it to pay a little extra and do it right the first time. If you pay them well, they will be loyal and treat your projects like they're their own.

Reward your VA for hard work. If they help grow your business, throw them a $50 tip every now and then. They will love you for it.

Better yet, get them gifts. Filipino's to be exact love gifts( itunes gift cards, bonus money, something they're interested in). They just want to fill they make a difference and you appreciate them.

Don't just treat them like an employee. They are helping build your business, show them you appreciate them and your results will be much better.

I see these threads all the time, and people come asking me all the time how to outsource, and 90% of the time it's because they are being cheap.

Sure some people will be willing to do dirt cheap work, but this person most of the time will not be reliable. They are starving for work, thats why they are cutting their prices. They will dump you like a bad habit soon as they can find a better offer.

Not saying your cheap, but just food for thought.

In addition, one of the best ways in giving instruction is through video. You can use Jing from Techsmith in recording your screen at the same time giving your instructions. You can do some screenshots too using Jing.

I hope that helps.

Happy Outsourcing.

Cheers,
Louie Tugas

In outsourcing as with any type of work it is very important to give the party performing the work a visual picture of what you want. It depends on what you are outsourcing, some things are easy to visualize and some are almost impossible. Text and grafics are easy, programming, app development and plugins development are not so easy but you can project what the end result should be.

1. Do not get lost in what you do not want only tell them what you want.
2. Make it short and sweet and to the point.
3. If you can draw them a picture for grafics or inform them for what purpose you will be using the text it makes it easier. The use of what ever you are outsourcing is first priority. What are you going to use it for.
4. What format should it be in
5. Who is the target audience that will be using or seeing it.
6. Try to paint a picture in thier mind of exactly what, why and how you want it.
7. The better you can describe what you want, what it is for, who will use it and how it should look and feel the easier it will be for the outsource worker.

Hope this helps.

Hi John,

I always like to work closely with my VAs using 3 essential tools (all FREE):

- Skype to talk to them (and also to share my screen with them)

- Team Viewer for them to have remote access to my computer and discuss
and work on the projects together

- Dropbox to share document

Oh the wonder of modern technology......

It's like having them in the same room with me.

All the best.

David Loi

TEMPLATE

I am looking for an article writer to write 10 short original articles

(400 - 500 words) on Weight Loss Niche.



The articles should be search engine optimized (SEO).



The writer should have experience in writing wedding articles before

or has good knowledge about the topic.



This is important because we will provide you with:



1) The actual titles we want to use

2) The keywords to write the articles based on

3) The articles as reference to rewrite on.



The articles need to be in good English, logically and grammatically

correct and should be unique and pass Copyscape.



Message me some of the past articles you have written.

Preferably on wedding niche.



If you do not have articles on Weight Loss Niche, you can follow the link below

and rewrite this sample article:



Article Title: Weight Loss



Article Keywords:

How to lose weight in 5 minutes



Article writers needed $1 per article, ideally need someone to write 5 articles per day. Will pay you once my clients approve the articles.

(400 - 500 words) on weight loss Niche.

The articles should be search engine optimized (SEO).

The writer should have experience in writing weight loss before or has good knowledge about the topic.

This is important because we will provide you with:

1) The actual titles we want to use

2) The keywords to write the articles based on

3) The articles as reference to rewrite on.


The articles need to be in good English, logically and grammatically correct and should be unique and pass Copyscape.


Message me some of the past articles you have written.

Preferably on weight loss niche.


Article Title: how to lose weight while sleeping

Article Keywords:

how to lose weight while sleeping, the diet solution program


If you provide me with a re-written sample, you will be highly considered. And to be fair, this article will also be counted as 1 of the 10 articles which you will be writing.

If we are satisfy with your sample, we will award you with 10 articles to start off with. In the future we will need more articles on this topic and work on long term basis.

Once payment is completed, you agree that we will own all rights to the content, and that you should never use or post it anywhere without our written permission.


Please do not message me if you cannot meet all the requirements as stated above.


***** Only apply if you are into and knowledgeable in weight loss Niche *****



Some writers message me without reading, so to ensure that you have read till here, when you PM me, your first sentence must be: weight loss!





3. -Article writers needed $1 per article
-Will pay you once my clients approve the articles.
-(400 - 500 words) on weight loss Niche.
-The articles should be search engine optimized (SEO).
-The writer should have experience in writing weight loss before or has good
knowledge about the topic.

This is important because we will provide you with:

1) The actual titles we want to use
2) The keywords to write the articles based on
3) The articles as reference to rewrite on.


The articles need to be in good English, logically and grammatically correct and should be unique and pass Copyscape.

This is the sample that i need you to re-write...
"Did you know that there is a way when you are asking yourself how to eat right and lose weight? You can actually continue the diet that you like now if you are really enjoying the food that you are eating. The point is that you just need to balance your diet so that you can also lose weight at the same time. People tend to think that they should ignore the tasty food and switch to more bland solutions. This is the reason why a lot of them do not care to be healthy anymore because they enjoy food too much. This is not the case if you really know what to do about it. Here is some advice."


If we are satisfy with your sample, we will award you with 10 articles to start off with. In the future we will need more articles on this topic and work on long term basis.

Once payment is completed, you agree that we will own all rights to the content, and that you should never use or post it anywhere without our written permission.


Please do not message me if you cannot meet all the requirements as stated above.


***** Only apply if you are into and knowledgeable in weight loss Niche *****



Some writers message me without reading, so to ensure that you have read till here, when you PM me, your first sentence must be: weight loss!

This boils down on the way you communicate. Take for example if you want to articles written for you. You must at least have criteria on what you want to see on your outsourced articles. Directions for example how many words do you want you articles to be and how many times the keyword is repeated in them. Stuff like that. The outsource entity will do exactly what you want given that you told them want you want to see as result.

Hi there

You can use skype to give instruction and best way is to give a proper video of an application which you want in for WP blog.

Thanks

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