12:29 PM
Elise Connors
You are a freelance business consultant, and you are experiencing high demand for web design services. However, you don't have the skills to take on this work yourself. Until now, you've been referring this work to a fellow freelancer. However, you feel a web design offering would be a good complement to your existing line of service. What do you do?
You have a few options:
1. You can take courses, read material, etc. to "brush up" on your web design skills.
2. You can continue to refer clients on to your fellow freelancer.
3. You can offer web design services and outsource the work to another provider - keeping the profit for your business.
Option 1 is "doable". This will take time, however. Do you have time? Possibly. Is it worth the time required? Maybe but not likely.
Option 2 is "typical". You can refer clients to another provider. They may or may not pay you a finder's fee. You normally don't get anything else from this situation - other than a "thank you" from the other freelancer.
Option 3 is "smart". You can wrap these services under your business and provide them to your client. You can markup the cost you are quoted by the freelancer and keep the difference for yourself.
Options 1 (if the time investment makes sense) and 3 are the best moves for growing your business. Your clients already know and trust you, so the purchase will be much easier for them and require less "selling" from you. After all, you exist to service your clients and increase your profits - not serve as a referral source for other freelancers. Outsourcing the work normally makes the most sense (both time-wise and money-wise) for freelancers - especially if they are operating as a one man band.
How do you find a person/company to outsource the work to?
Either way, you may want to ask for references and samples of their work (depending on what type of project you need help with).
Finally, once you've made the decision to outsource your work and have chosen a provider, you have to decide whether you want to provide your services as an agent for the company you're sending work out to or if you want to hide your relationship and white label the services. The choice you make here will determine how you will interface with the client on these services and ultimately how you will price this new offering.
Now that you've figured out all of these details, it's time to start letting your clients know about your new offering. All that's left is this point is ensuring all of the logistics work well and waiting for the money to start rolling in...
What has been your experience with outsourcing some of your freelance work?
Option 2 is "typical". You can refer clients to another provider. They may or may not pay you a finder's fee. You normally don't get anything else from this situation - other than a "thank you" from the other freelancer.
Option 3 is "smart". You can wrap these services under your business and provide them to your client. You can markup the cost you are quoted by the freelancer and keep the difference for yourself.
Options 1 (if the time investment makes sense) and 3 are the best moves for growing your business. Your clients already know and trust you, so the purchase will be much easier for them and require less "selling" from you. After all, you exist to service your clients and increase your profits - not serve as a referral source for other freelancers. Outsourcing the work normally makes the most sense (both time-wise and money-wise) for freelancers - especially if they are operating as a one man band.
How do you find a person/company to outsource the work to?
- One way is to use a "bidding site", such as Elance, Freelance.com, Guru, etc. With these sites, you are able to post the work you need help with and receive bids from a variety of contractors who are interested in doing the work. You compare the bids/workers and decide who to hire.
- The other way is to use your favorite search engine and find companies that do the work you need help with. You can contact the individual companies, meet with them (either in person or via phone), get a price quote, and make a decision between the companies you are considering.
Either way, you may want to ask for references and samples of their work (depending on what type of project you need help with).
Finally, once you've made the decision to outsource your work and have chosen a provider, you have to decide whether you want to provide your services as an agent for the company you're sending work out to or if you want to hide your relationship and white label the services. The choice you make here will determine how you will interface with the client on these services and ultimately how you will price this new offering.
Now that you've figured out all of these details, it's time to start letting your clients know about your new offering. All that's left is this point is ensuring all of the logistics work well and waiting for the money to start rolling in...
What has been your experience with outsourcing some of your freelance work?
Posted in: outsourcing
