10 Hot, New Outsourcing Tips
By - Posted on 14 February 2008
- Tip 1: One task at a time.
- Outsource a single task when outsourcing for the first time rather than going for everything at once. It ensures you are comfortable with the process and you get people who are trained along the way rather then just dumping it on them. You will lose track of what you are doing. For example you want an ebook written, graphics for the cover, a website designed and put together to promote your book. Do one thing at a time. Go for a single task then work your way up to finding someone to do everything.
- Tip 2: Make your project sound simple for the right provider.
- Include the words "easy" or "simple" in the description of your project. For example, "This is an easy writing project for someone with knowledge of... " and state the topic of your project. You will attract the right people with excellent skills for your project. Saying something like, "This project could easily be completed in 2 weeks by someone with excellent skills in web design." This could get your project not only finished on time but even earlier than your completion date.
- Tip 3. Describing your project.
- Describe your project with as much detail as you can and make it as to the point as you possibly can. If you can use video, camtasia works brilliantly. You only get back what you put in here. If are vague in your project description then the right providers won’t be interested.
- Tip 4. Invite providers to bid on your project.
- You don't have to wait for them to find your project amongst the hundreds of other. Look through the providers in the category of your project and you can invite the ones you like to bid on your project. Look for providers who have a high feedback rating, 90% or greater. They should also have 10 or more good reviews of projects they have completed. Invite several providers to bid on your project.
- Tip 5. How do you pick a provider?
- Make sure the provider understands your requirements, ask for a sample of their work, read their reviews and check their rating. Don’t decide on a provider based on cost alone.
- Tip 6. Keep your time frame in mind.
- There are two time frames to keep in mind. One is how long it will take for providers to bid on your project and for you to choose a suitable provider. The other is how long it will take for them to complete your project. Remember it takes time for providers to bid on your project. A project can remain open for bidding up to 35 days on some outsourcing sites. However, you don’t have to wait until the bidding period is over. As soon as you find a suitable provider, you can award the project to them.
Let's look at an example here. Say you what 10 articles written in 2 weeks. You post your project and it may take a week to find a provider and award them the project. They write the articles for you. The whole process has then taken 3 weeks for you to get your 10 articles. - Tip 7. Safe Payments
- Look for an outsourcing site that offers a way to resolve problems and a safe payment method. Some sites offer Escrow payments. This is where your money goes into a “safe” account and can only be released by you to the provider when you have your completed to your satisfaction.
- Tip 8. Use the main Outsourcing sites for your first time.
- Use something like Rentacoder or Elance to protect you to start with until you are comfortable with dealing with providers.
- Tip 9. Daily reporting.
- For all new providers, insist on daily reporting especially if they are working by the hour. and make sure you check it every day. This can help you pick up errors quicker then they arise and correct the situation.
- Tip 10. Outsourcing Problems
- You have one problem; don’t think it is the end of the world. Take it as a learning experience and make your next outsourcing project even better.
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