Delegation

When you have a great deal of content to create and manage, you might consider outsourcing. Believe it or not, there are people out there, like ME, that enjoy getting your content out into the world.

One good reason to outsource is that as your business grows, so do your content needs. Or, you may choose to hire someone because you don’t enjoy writing or feel you aren’t good at it. Or, you could be a good writer but have no time or interest in using all the different mediums to get your con…

Now it’s time to interview your new team members.  Some suggestions:

1. Send questionnaires. These allow you to really think about what you want your potential hire to know and what you want to ask.  They’re a good “introduction” to both of you. If you both communicate better in person or by telephone, however – for example, if you are hiring a videographer – adjust your initial communication to your mutual learning styles and preferences.  

• Meet in person, if you discover you live within d…

Don’t stop at just one pick, unless that person promises to be beyond perfection or you know them and have already “clicked”:  Select several candidates for each position on your team. Once you have found at least three or four likely candidates (or they have contacted you), it is time for you to make more in-depth investigation and inquiries.

1. Check the websites of likely candidates. Look for information on rates – and don’t be put off if you see messages like “contact me for a quote”:  All t…

Now comes the moment you have been waiting for:  Finding your perfect team members. If you don’t already have someone in mind per position, here is how to ensure that you find and hire the best candidates for the job…

1. Find your perfect online employee or contractor… online. Before you start to Google, however, check the social networks you use most.  Top contractors should have a visible professional presence there – and how they handle their LinkedIn profile or Facebook Page should tip you o…

Before you ever begin the hiring process, write down a Profile Sheet for each new Team member, detailing specific duties you want them to perform.  And be as detailed and specific as possible.  Don’t just put “write copy” beside “Task # 1”; put down “write 2 eBooks, 4 work sheets, 4 checklists and 10 blog posts per month.” Then write down whether or not you expect the writer to:

• Supply graphics to accompany their written content
• Format copy into HTML or .PDFs

The more specific you are, th…

Building a true “Dream Team” team starts well before the hiring process:  It begins the instant you first think “I need help with my online business”.  In fact, it may even begin before that:  If you are experienced at business planning, you may have planned to grow your business from a single owner enterprise to a full team-based business right from your first daydream. Your business predecessors often learned from trial and error in hiring and managing teams – and that goes double for online t…