One of the greatest challenges that I find my clients tend to struggle with is what to outsource first. It’s rare that my clients have a business plan, marketing strategy, and PR strategy all written out with specific tasks. Most of them have a goal in sight, but have not thought much about how to get there.

Here are a few points to consider when outsourcing so that you maximize the billable hours and enjoy the results.

1) First consider what the big picture outcome looks like. What does your business look like? What does your personal life look like? How is your business structured?

2) Thinking about the big picture, where are you one year from now? Two years? Three?

3) The distance between where you are and where you want to be can be large or small depending on where you are in your business, but it’s not unreachable. You just need a plan.

4) Determine your market. Who is your target client, specifically where are they located, how old are they, are they male or female, what is the income level, what clubs and organizations do they belong to, are they “internet savvy” or would they respond better to TV, Radio, or print ads?

5) Once you have identified where your clients live and who they are, you can think about how you will campaign for PR and advertising. Think about your overall budget and start with the most specific and focused method possible. For example, a business that caters to mostly women might advertise in a local women’s paper or magazine. This type of targeted advertising will be much less expensive then advertising with a national magazine or newspaper. Join online communities that serve and support women.

6) After you have determined what methods of PR and Advertising you will use to reach your market, you’re ready to formulate a plan and consider how an outsourced professional can help you to get there. Do you want to learn how to leverage Social Media, blogs, and articles? A Virtual Assistant can help. Most VA’s are willing to consult for a flat rate and assist with implementation on a low hourly fee. Do you have a website with outdated content or content that does not speak to your target market? A good VA can help to revise the website copy and make the updates live.

7) If you’re still not sure what elements of your business strategy you are comfortable outsourcing, start with this question: “What is the number one thing that I know I need to do to grow my business, that I either hate doing or procrastinate doing the most.” Whatever the answer, that will help you identify what key tasks to outsource. In business you should always start with what is most comfortable. As you grow you will sometimes find that your comfort level changes as you enjoy success. A VA can’t market your business for you 100%. When it comes to your business, you are the expert and you have to be willing to sell yourself as the expert. But a VA can help by “lightening the load” so that the process is a bit more comfortable to you.