Entrepreneurship is a cornerstone of the United States economy. According to Inc., there are over 27 million entrepreneurs in the U.S. A segment of those are solopreneurs—business owners working independently. And while you can do it all when it comes to your company, there are ways to boost your business without spreading yourself too thin.
Delegation Doesn’t Mean Less Control
As a solopreneur, you likely prefer to go it alone. But the more time you spend on lesser tasks, the more you miss out on growing and developing your business. According to Harvard Business Review, delegating is critical to prevent you from feeling overwhelmed when juggling many responsibilities. It’s also essential for enhancing your productivity.
In many cases, you can hand off work to freelancers and save yourself time and money. The right job board can connect you with dependable and qualified candidates, so having to recruit freelancers doesn’t have to be a nightmare. You can find a professional for every niche, too, from administrative tasks to marketing.
Be Sure to Hire the Right Way
Though hiring freelancers can be a tricky business, there are steps you can follow to ensure you find the right candidate. One of those measures is running a background check on potential hires. However, you must follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) rules for doing so.
Essentially, you must inform applicants that you will perform a background check, and the candidate must submit written consent. It’s also important to note that by law, you may not be able to use criminal convictions to deny someone a job. Per the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), certain criminal records do not bar someone from an opportunity at employment. Knowing your local laws is vital for making just—and legal—decisions.
Digital Tools Can Take the Place of People
If you’d rather not deal with hiring freelancers, consider tech-based tools for strategizing your business. From website-building tools to social media scheduling tools, there’s something for every organization’s needs.
For example, if you are a consultant in any industry, a website can help you build an email list, highlight your presence offline, and increase sales. As HostGator explains, website builders give you the benefits of a website designer without the cost (or collaborating on a time-intensive project). Most web design tools are intuitive and straightforward, even for those solopreneurs who aren’t digital experts.
Another consideration is social media scheduling. While opening a Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram account is easy enough, how active are you in promoting your product or service online?
As Hootsuite highlights, there are endless benefits to social media for building your brand— including your personal one as a professional. The bottom line is that you’re potentially reaching billions of users. And tools like Hootsuite’s scheduling platform let you pre-schedule tweets, Facebook updates, and more without living on social media.
Another helpful tech tool involves graphic design. Instead of (or in addition to) hiring a professional designer, you can create social media, blog, and marketing graphics with free or inexpensive tools. Digital branding guru Neil Patel lists graphics tools like Pablo, Canva, Skitch, Easel.ly, Over, and Pixlr for creating imagery you can use all over your professional materials.
Have a Good Smartphone Plan
If you intend to take your business with you outside the office—whether you need to phone a client, upload product photos, or manage your website and social media accounts—you’ll need a good smartphone plan and a reliable provider to back it up. The right plan will give you all the data, texts, and minutes you need to carry out business tasks smoothly, while the right provider will ensure the network’s speed and quality remain consistently high. For example, Verizon not only offers a range of plans to suit any needs, it’s also been highly ranked for its network quality and reliability. It’s important to keep top-rated phone companies in mind if you plan to use your device for business-related purposes.
In an age where, Forbes reports, over 41.1 million adults work independently, knowing what tools and support you need is crucial for making a profit. Whether it’s hiring freelancers or using digital tools to boost your business, streamlining operations is the key to expanding in your market.
This article was written by Courtney Rosenfeld
