By spreading yourself thin across all elements of your business you're unable to concentrate on the most crucial thing, what you do best. What exactly that is will differ from company owner to business operator. We will provide some of the 7 things Irish SME's should consider in 2018.
So, how do you escape the pattern of doing everything yourself? Do you need to employ permanent staff, or are there online and freelancer options which can perform the job?
If you're constantly head down into the daily grind of your business, you may miss an opportunity in which you could be utilizing your time better and ways that other folks might help you to work smarter. The impartial view a trusted advisor can bring for your business can be so helpful in assisting you to concentrate on your core jobs that you're best at, which drive most value to your Company
Bearing this in mind, here are the seven things that we recommend you need to delegate (and likely outsource), in 2018.
Legal
Often small Irish businesses make the mistake of believing they don't require any specific legal guidance or appropriate contracts set up. Do not fall into the trap. It may come back to bite you in costly ways down the trail. You could instead look to internet options which will register your company, help you create simple contracts or form other legal tasks. If your business is small and requires technical legal skills, employing a solicitor is well worthwhile and will help you save money in the long run.
Design
Leave design to the professionals. If you are not a graphic designer yourself, leave your logo, your website, business cards and other art for people in-the-know. The last thing your business needs is to be symbolized by images that look like they've been achieved by your nephew who's studying first-year art at university (no offence intended here of course). It's much smarter to use professionally designed templates or actually get a great job by hiring a freelance designer.
Bookkeeping services
The world of business bookkeeping has changed. With accounting software like Xero on the market, the numbers are crunched by machines, faster, cheaper and more accurately than people ever could. What's becoming more evident though, is that the requirement businesses have for strong, trustworthy accounting advice and company strategy which can be relied upon to guide management. You need a new generation of an accountant, who is also a reliable business advisor - someone who can be a sounding board through all of the pros and cons of running your company.
Web development
Again, leave things that require experience to the pros. Web development is just one of those things. Experts can guarantee that what you have functions that a contemporary site needs to and usability that your users expect. Plus, in case you have a web freelancer or programmer on retainer then you are sorted in times when something inevitably breaks.
Copywriting
How you speak with your customers is vital. Copywriting is in the heart of this and it is well worth getting an experienced writer to craft your own copy, whether it's to your website, blogs or any other content that represents your brand. Sure, you may believe that writing is simple but ensuring that its own targeted and conveying the proper message is a different skill altogether -- remember there's a lot riding on this site copy, it is your direct line to consumers. Copywriters can be found online, varying in cost and experience. A great starting point is to provide a copywriter with a first draft and then they can shape and edit it into winning content.
Marketing
Another place that is best left to the specialists to prevent wasting a great deal of money for a very little outcome. Marketing is huge, multifaceted and continuously shifting. You need somebody who knows precisely what's successful, the best approaches to implement, and that has the advertising skills to produce the strategy.
IT set up
Being able to call on the experience of a local business or someone on retainer when your computers throw a wobbly is priceless. No matter how large or small your business is, it will produce data and a great instrument or freelancer has to be invested in to help you understand and interpret this so that you can make better business decisions, and continue moving forward.
Time is your most valuable commodity. You need to use it wisely and efficiently. Putting processes and measures in place to ensure your time is spent in many rewarding areas of your company that optimize your skillset is one of the smartest things you can do for the success of your enterprise.
Not only will the vital facets of your business be in the hands of specialists, however, you will also have the time to do what you do best and also be able to get your head out of their trenches to appear frequently at the big picture.