Strategic Outsourcing: How To Hire & Build The Best Virtual Team

How often do you feel overwhelmed?

With a never-ending to-do list … but not enough hours in a day?

Trying to multitask while staying sane?

A lot of times we take on too many tasks, without realizing our bandwidth can’t support them.

Brian Dyson, the former CEO of Coca-cola, once said:

“Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling five balls in the air. You name them Work, Family, Health, Friends, and Spirit. You will soon understand work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four are made of glass. You drop them, and they’ll never be the same. Always strive for balance in your life.“

Over the years, we found out the secret to being on top of our business without losing our sanity:

Outsourcing!

In this training, we’ll showcase our proven system for how to build a powerful virtual team and elevate your business and happiness. Are you ready? Let’s dive in!

Strategic Outsourcing | How To Hire And Build The Best Virtual Team

Here’s what we cover:

00:00 Episode intro
03:15 Your successful outsourcing process starts with this
08:16 If you constantly see yourself doing these on repeat, it’s time to outsource
11:34 A simple yet powerful strategy to get more clarity on different aspects of your life
15:03 Do these and start getting returns for all the time you’ve invested into your business
17:54 Here’s how you think through if a task needs outsourcing or not
20:50 Some of the types of outsourcing you can start with + our favorite tools and apps
28:37 Three important steps you need to know before you begin hiring
33:26 Best practices you can employ when you’re ready to hire a VA
40:16 Do this exercise to get more clarity on things that’ll move the needle in your life and business

If the idea of outsourcing just scares the heck out of you, let’s first see why outsourcing makes sense, especially for a busy entrepreneur.

Unlock Your Full Potential : Harness the Power of Outsourcing

In order to reach the level of success reserved for the elite in your field, you have to retrain your brain and elevate your energy.

As the CEO of your business, it’s crucial to PRIORITIZE your time and energy on tasks that move the needle in your business.

You can have it all, but you can’t do it all.

ASK YOURSELF: Is what you’re doing daily making the biggest impact it can make?

Let’s get clarity around what:

drives you
drains you
you should be doing, but you’re avoiding it due to a lack of bandwidth

DISCLAIMER: *When we talk about outsourcing tasks, we refer to activities that drain your energy, don’t make you money, and don’t bring you joy. You can’t outsource income-producing activities or activities that only you can do (such as prospecting, connecting with your leads, following up, creating videos, etc.)

Use these THREE STEPS to identify your top needle-movers and top stressors you need to outsource:

Step #1: Create a comprehensive list of your weekly activities (Monday through Sunday), including business AND personal tasks – from laundry, cooking, and picking up the kids to business-related tasks. Write everything down.

Step #2: Highlight your top 2 to 3 income-producing (needle-moving) activities. You cannot delegate these things, but you should put more time into them once you create space.

Step #3: Review the remaining tasks and highlight those that can be outsourced to others or automated through systems. How do you identify these? Ask if they are somebody’s job. Bookkeeping = Bookkeeper. House cleaning = house cleaner. Social media scheduling = social media manager. You get the idea.

Exploring the Different Outsourcing Options for Your Business

Get excited! Outsourcing can help you stay focused on your core business activities while getting support in areas that don’t require your expertise. There are three main types of outsourcing that you can consider:

#1. Ongoing Support

This is support provided on an ongoing basis: your virtual assistant, video editor, podcast manager, bookkeeper, etc.

#2. Project-Based Assistance

You can hire for a specific project with a defined timeline and scope: web developer, graphic designer, copywriter, etc.

#3. Automated Solutions

In this digital age, there are a variety of tools and software available to streamline and automate many business processes like lead generation, customer relationship management, email marketing and social media automation.

For instance, you can use a tool like MeetEdgar to optimize your social media presence. By automating the process of posting content and recycling your best previously posted content, MeetEdgar makes it easier for you to maintain a consistent presence on social media, reach a wider audience, and increase engagement with your followers.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that Social Media is great but you don’t own it. Any day, you run the risk of the algorithm changing or new rules being imposed and then you might lose your social equity.

So how do you build your own economy? By building a website, an email list and/or a text messaging list. We share our best recommendations to up your brand and get going with building your list right on our Resources Page right here – www.MyLifestyleAcademy.com/Resources

Offline Outsourcing Ideas:

Remember, your time is your most precious commodity. You can always make more money but you can’t get your time back. Make it a priority to optimize every minute for maximum productivity and well-being!

There are many ways in which you can free up your busy home life. Here are a few ideas for you!

#1. Housekeeping / House Maintenance

If you struggle with household chores or just don’t enjoy them, consider hiring a housekeeper to help with cleaning the house and/or laundry, landscaping professional, handyman.

#2. Meal Prep / Delivery

Meal planning and cooking can be time-consuming and overwhelming for some. Fortunately, you can outsource this task by ordering food online from a professional chef or a meal delivery service. This way, you can either have readymade meals delivered to your doorstep or ingredients with a recipe for you to prepare yourself.

#3. Childcare

Having a full-time nanny or a part-time babysitter to care of your children while you work can be a valuable investment. Not only does it provide peace of mind, but it also helps you reduce mental stress and increase your productivity, allowing you to make more money in your business.

There are many apps and websites that can help you find local service providers. Here are some popular options:

- TaskRabbit, Thumbtack, Care.com, HomeAdvisor: connect you with local service providers for home services, including cleaning and landscaping.
- It’s always a good idea to read reviews and compare pricing and services before choosing a service provider.

Outsourcing 101: Steps to Get Started

It can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re not sure where to begin. To help you get started, we’ve outlined a few key steps you should take.

STEP #1 CENTRALIZE AND ORGANIZE YOUR CONTENT

To work efficiently, you need to have a clear, organized system for all your files and content. One way to do this is by using cloud-based storage solutions like Dropbox or Google Drive.

Dropbox – to centralize and organize content for optimal efficiency when working with a virtual team, create a shared folder with subfolders, establish a naming protocol, set access permissions, encourage regular updates, and regularly review and clean up. This helps improve productivity, workflow, and keeps sensitive information secure.
Google Drive – similar to Dropbox but you get it automatically when you create a Gmail account. The first 15 GB of space are free, so it’s a great option for someone who’s just starting out.

STEP #2 SECURE YOUR ONLINE ASSETS

In today’s digital age, it’s essential to be vigilant about online security. To protect your passwords and other sensitive information, consider using a password manager like LastPass (this is what we use) or 1Password. These tools store your passwords securely, automatically fill them in for you, and alert you if any of your passwords have been compromised.

LastPass shared vaults provide an additional layer of security and privacy when delegating tasks to others. Instead of giving out your login credentials, you can create a shared vault with specific passwords for the sites your VA/bookkeeper needs access to. This way, your VA can log into the necessary sites without having access to your full list of login details, preserving the security of your sensitive information.

STEP #3 INTERVIEW AND HIRE

Define who to hire first: We recommend your first hire to be a general virtual assistant who can take on all those repetitive tasks that are on your to-do list.
Post a job listing: Be specific about your tasks, expectations, and requirements for the role.
Screen applicants: Review resumes and cover letters of potential candidates. Conduct preliminary phone or video interviews to assess their skills, experience, and personality. PS. Our favorite country to hire is the Philippines.
Test their abilities: Assign a small, relevant task to the top 2-3 candidates to test their abilities and communication.
Hire the best candidate: Choose the best candidate and negotiate a rate that works for both of you (you can hire an amazing VA in the Philippines for $5-7/hour). Set clear expectations and communicate effectively.
Manage effectively: Plan to spend about 2 months onboarding your new VA. Check in regularly, give feedback, and provide them with the resources they need to excel.
Evaluate and adapt: Check in with your VA often to see how they’re doing and adjust the role as needed. This helps keep everyone happy and working at their best.

Freelancing Platforms: Where to Hire and Manage Your VA

There are several online platforms that you can use to hire virtual help. Our go to platform is …

#1. Upwork.com

It’s a popular platform as it has a large pool of talented candidates from around the world. Most of our amazing virtual staff was hired and is managed on this platform.

Why do we love it so much? It’s a user-friendly platform that makes it easy for you to quickly post job listings, review applicants, and communicate with your team. The platform includes a built-in time-tracking system, allowing you to accurately track the hours your team has worked.

Upwork also provides payment protection for you, ensuring that you only pay for work that meets your standards. Each freelancer on the platform has a comprehensive profile complete with reviews from past clients, portfolios, and other relevant information to help you make informed decisions when choosing the right virtual help.

#2. Fiverr/99Designs

Fiverr is a popular online marketplace that offers a wide variety of services, including writing, programming, digital marketing, and more. With jobs starting at just $5, it is an affordable and accessible platform for businesses of all sizes.

On the other hand, 99Designs is a dedicated platform for finding affordable and talented graphic designers. Whether you’re looking for a new logo, website design, or any other type of graphic design work, 99Designs makes it easy to find the perfect designer for your needs.

Both Fiverr and 99Designs are user-friendly and easy to navigate, making it simple for you to find the services you need.

#3. Indeed

A Local Hiring Solution. If you’re looking to hire someone locally (personal assistant), Indeed.com is a great platform to consider. This job search engine provides a wide range of job postings, making it easier for you to find the right candidate for your needs.

Efficient Virtual Assistant Tracking:

If you’re concerned about your virtual assistant’s productivity when the platform doesn’t include a built-in time-tracking system, consider using a third-party tool like TogglTrack.

This timetracking software provides valuable insights into your VA’s work progress, including the amount of time they’ve spent on each task. Additionally, it takes random screenshots of their screen to provide an added layer of accountability.

Essential Tools and Software To Help You Manage Your Virtual Team:

At the heart of our business success is our commitment to streamlining processes and optimizing our workflows and SOPs (standard operating protocols). These tools have been instrumental.

Slack— This free all-in-one communication tool is essential for staying connected with your virtual team. With features like screen recording, voice messages, and customizable channels, Slack makes it easy to collaborate with your team and keep everyone on the same page.
Zoom— This video conferencing platform is a game-changer for remote teams. With its cloud-based technology, Zoom makes it easy to have face-to-face conversations with team members from anywhere in the world.
Trello— This free project management app is perfect for keeping track of tasks and progress. Assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress all in one place, making it easy to stay organized with all your team’s SOPs and on top of your workload.

Over to You

There are lots of myths going around about outsourcing, but one thing’s for sure:

Outsourcing is a huge piece of our multi-million-dollar business puzzle!

If you’re in network marketing and you want to get the most out of it, you need to work ON your business instead of IN it.

So will you give outsourcing a chance? Let us know in the comments below! And if you found value in this training, feel free to share it with your teammates! They’ll love you extra!

Additional Resources to Help You Build Your Business:

Want to Know What Tools We Use to Build Our Business and Our Brand?

Resources – we often get asked what tools we use and recommend, so we put together one page with all our favorite resources. Enjoy!

Feel free to share this with anyone who might enjoy it and also comment below on your favorite tip or your biggest takeaway. We can’t wait to see your comments!

Email: support@mylifestyleacademy.com

We are home business and lifestyle experts, personal branding and online marketing strategists. We pride ourselves on helping thousands of entrepreneurs and network marketers all over the world build their home business empire leveraging Social Media.

PS: Listen up! Each Week we Bring You the Most Current Social Media Tips and Strategies, Interview Top Industry Leaders and Share Real-World Advice. Join us and Get Everything You Need to Build a Profitable Home Business Around your Life.

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