How Local Outsourcing Can Help Keep Your Business Moving In The Right Direction… Even In Tough Economic Times

Has the recent news on the economy got you feeling down or tying your stomach up in knots? No need to fear.  In this article, we discuss how practically any company with limited staff can still be productive and stay competitive in the marketplace … even in a soured economy.

When it comes to outsourcing projects or administrative tasks, you might have some reservations, and understandably so.

In most businesses, there are learning curves. One of the questions you might have is, “who can I trust?”

There are various ways you can do this with out frustration or worry that your hired help will lack the necessary skills or knowledge about your business.

Outsourcing Former Employees

If you’ve recently had to lay off employees, one of the things you might consider is contacting former employees and inquiring if they would like to do work on a contractual basis. This could be for either long or short-term projects. If you and the former employee are willing to do this, make sure you do the following:

• Have them sign an agreement which states they are working as a contractor and not as an employee. The agreement should be very clear and states that they will handle all of their own tax filings.
• Have them sign a W-9 form. You can obtain this form by visiting the official IRS website. The W-9 form is used to get pertinent information so you can issue a 1099 at the end of the tax year. Note: Even if you already have this information from previous employee records, it is recommended that you have this information updated as it is another document showing that you are hiring this person as a contractor and not an employee.

Chances are that if your former employee has been out of work for a while (and they left on good terms), he or she will be happy to do this. It helps pay the bills and it also gives them a chance to re-connect with their old friends and co-workers.

Hire A Staffing Agency

Although hiring a staffing agency might cost you a little more than doing the hiring yourself, at least you’ll know that the staff you use have already been screened and in most cases have the experience and knowledge to do the required tasks.

Some employers even hire their own people and have them set up under these agencies. This can be a great benefit, not only for the employer, but for the employee they’re hiring as well.

Example: If the employer is trying to keep the overhead low or doesn’t have the resources to set up a human resources department, they can use the agency for this. In many cases the hired employee gets a reasonable benefits package along with employment. So it’s a win-win for both parties.

One of the greatest benefits in hiring an agency is that most of these agencies handle all the taxes and benefits, so there is nothing you need to do in way of paperwork except sign an agreement with the agency. If you feel their employee is not working out, you can ask for a replacement without any quarrels or personal confrontations with the employee. In other words, you have no personal obligations to this agency employee (if they are the ones who did the actual hiring).

If you need a reliable outsourcing agency, I recommend Administaff. Our company has had the pleasure of working in their corporate office and dealing with them personally. Last year we played a part in upgrading their corporate building’s fire alarm system, so we got to know some of these fine people on a first-name basis.

Administaff is known as a PEO (Professional Employer Organization) service. Although the Administaff Corporate office is just a stone’s throw from our office in Kingwood, Texas, they have satellite offices all around the country, so you are bound to find an office near you.

This is definitely not one of those fly-by-night companies you see pop up from time to time. They have been around since 1986 and they know their business (and yours).

Use A Freelance Contractor

If the tasks can be performed away from a normal office environment (ie. a virtual office), then one of the things you can do is use a freelance service. Many of these can be found online by searching Google, Yahoo, or one of the other major search engines. One I have used in the past is eLance.com

Something you should keep in mind when using these services is that you may be dealing with contractors from other countries that speak very little English. This can be extremely frustrating, especially if you need to make one-on-one contact over the phone to discuss business or ongoing projects.

My advice is to only hire those who reside in the USA and can show good communication skills. Another reason for doing this is that we should all be trying to stimulate our own economy, not some one elses.

I know,  it’s not politically correct to speak out against our “new world” economy, but many of us in the good old USA still believe in sovereignty and generating our own wealth at home.

Hire A Professional Copywriter For Your Advertising Needs

When times get tough and you have to tighten your belt, so to speak, you need to make sure that every penny you spend on advertising and marketing counts.

If you are going to spend thousands of dollars on advertising copy, you need a dependable, experienced copywriter that not only knows how to write, but also is proficient in marketing as well in order to see a return on your investment.

A good friend of mine, Bruce Wedding, owns a website called the Copywriting Board. It’s a community where hundreds of copywriters get together and discuss the copywriting business and where they sharpen their skills as professional copywriters and marketers.

I’ve known many of these fine people for years and they cover all genres. Some of them write for Internet marketing, pharmaceuticals, weight-loss, you name it.

If your product or service needs to be sold, these people are the experts! Many of these people have spent years studying their craft and have made their clients millions of dollars.

If you would like specific information on any of these copywriters, contact me personally or better yet, visit the Copywriting Board, sign up as a member and simply send a few private messages inquiring about their services. They’ll be happy to discuss whatever your needs may be in way of advertising or marketing.

Watch This Short Video On Outsourcing Overseas from TheOnion.com

Although the outsourcing I’m referring in this article to is slanted more towards “local” outsourcing (as in outsourcing within your local community or in the USA), I found a very funny video about parents outsourcing their child care needs overseas. It’s from TheOnion.com

Don’t blame me if you bust a gut after watching this funny video on outsourcing… Enjoy!