how to outsource your way to a smarter business

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

How to Outsource Your Way to a Smarter Business

Jess Ostroff Director of Calm

@jessostroff

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Who Is Jess? •  Director of Calm at Don’t

Panic Management •  New York City resident •  Started freelancing in

2009, started Don’t Panic in 2011

•  Lover of wine, live music, and the color purple

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

What is Don’t Panic Mgmt? •  Full-service virtual assistant agency •  Focused on PR and marketing professionals •  Operations, administration, social media,

content creation, WordPress, project management, bookkeeping, event planning, and much more!

•  Based in NYC with 4 team members (New York, Connecticut, Chicago)

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

What is Don’t Panic Mgmt?

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Who Are You?

•  Aspiring business owners? •  New business owners? •  Seasoned veterans?

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Why Are We Here?

•  Being a small business owner is hard •  Manage clients •  Manage money •  Manage workload •  Manage contractors •  …all while still trying to grow your business

and enjoy your life.

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Why Are We Here?

•  You don’t have to do everything yourself •  Outsourcing to contractors, software, and

online tools will change your life

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

“You should only do what you are uniquely qualified

to do.” - @jaybaer

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

What Do You Hate?

•  What do YOU have to do? •  What can you HIRE someone to do? •  What can you utilize SOFTWARE to do?

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Business Pain Points

•  Accounting/Bookkeeping •  Project Management •  Marketing •  Productivity

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Contractors and software can handle all

of this for you

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Accounting & Bookkeeping

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Accounting & Bookkeeping

•  Paying bills •  Sending invoices •  Tracking expenses •  Depositing checks •  Handling payroll •  Taxes

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Accounting & Bookkeeping •  Freshbooks – www.freshbooks.com

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Freshbooks

•  Invoicing •  Expense tracking •  Time tracking •  Reporting •  Mobile application

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Freshbooks

•  Pricing – Free!

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Accounting & Bookkeeping

•  Harvest – www.getharvest.com

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Harvest

•  Estimate creation •  Time tracking •  Invoicing •  Expense tracking •  Reporting •  Mobile application

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Harvest

•  Pricing

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Accounting & Bookkeeping

•  Expensify – www.expensify.com

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Expensify

•  Expense tracking •  Reporting •  Exporting •  Receipt manager

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Expensify

•  Pricing – Free!

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Accounting & Bookkeeping

•  Mobile banking – Make transfers – Deposit checks – Bank statements

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

You can hire someone to manage these tools for you.

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

What Can a Contractor Do? •  Send invoices •  Pay bills •  Import and manage expenses •  Send payroll to paycheck company OR

schedule bank transfers •  Pull bank statements and expenses for tax

purposes •  Employee benefits

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Accounting & Bookkeeping

•  Taxes? •  Business projections? •  Advice?

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Hire a lawyer and an accountant.

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Project Management

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Project Management

•  Scheduling projects •  Collecting assets •  Creating deadlines •  Holding people accountable •  Creating task lists •  Assigning due dates

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Project Management

•  Basecamp – www.basecamp.com

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Basecamp •  Multiple projects •  Multiple team members •  Different permissions •  Dates •  File upload •  Discussions •  Text documents •  Reminders •  Assign and compose via email

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Basecamp

•  Pricing – Starting at $20/month

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Project Management

•  Producteev – www.producteev.com

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Producteev •  Task management •  Multiple team members •  Multiple projects (labels) •  Subtasks •  Reminders •  Priorities •  Mobile & desktop applications •  Assign and compose via email

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Producteev

•  Pricing – Free!

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Project Management •  Flow – www.getflow.com

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Flow

•  Task management •  Delegation •  Multiple projects •  Multiple team members •  Mobile applications •  Assign and compose via email

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Flow

•  Pricing

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

What Can a Contractor Do? •  Break down projects and tasks into

actionable items •  Schedule due dates •  Assign tasks •  Keep the trains running on time •  Hold people accountable •  Be flexible •  Make sure the work gets done

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Online Marketing

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Online Marketing •  Social media setup & management •  Website development •  Blogging •  Email marketing •  Copywriting & editing •  Community management •  Listening •  Measurement

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

You can outsource it!

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Social Media Management •  Sprout Social – www.sproutsocial.com

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Sprout Social •  Social media management •  Scheduling •  Multiple team members •  Listening •  Discovery •  Reporting •  Multiple social profiles (Facebook, Twitter,

LinkedIn, Google+) •  Does not support LinkedIn Groups

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Sprout Social

•  Pricing – Starting at $39/month

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Social Media Management

•  Hootsuite – www.hootsuite.com

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Hootsuite •  Social media management •  Scheduling •  Multiple team members •  Multiple profile accounts (Twitter, Facebook,

LinkedIn, Google+, YouTube, Instagram, Tumblr, Foursquare, Flickr)

•  Most support for unique social channels •  Listening •  Reporting (a la carte) •  Collaboration

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Hootsuite

•  Pricing – Free trial

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Social Media Management

•  Argyle Social – www.argylesocial.com

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Argyle Social •  Social media management •  Scheduling •  Multiple social profiles •  B2B focused •  Tracking sales leads •  Notifications •  Custom URL tracking •  Marketing automation •  Reporting •  Campaigns

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Argyle Social

•  Pricing – Starting at $200/month

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Social Media Tools

•  Favorite social tools for small business – http://www.convinceandconvert.com/social-

media-tools/favorite-social-media-management-tools-for-small-business/

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

What Can a Contractor Do?

•  Write social media messages based on overall marketing strategy

•  Create a social media editorial calendar •  Schedule across channels •  Monitor brand mentions •  Identify and interact with influencers •  Create monthly reports to track progress

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Social media isn’t everything.

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

What ELSE Can a Contractor Do? •  Write blog content •  Write newsletter content •  Format and edit copy •  Add/format images •  Add SEO data •  Set up guest blog content for you and approve/

schedule guest blog articles for your blog •  Set up podcast feeds •  Transcribe podcast content

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Content Tools

•  WordPress Editorial Calendar (scheduling plugin)

•  Inbound Writer (SEO) •  Yoast/Genesis/All In One SEO Pack (SEO) •  Mailchimp (email marketing) •  Infusionsoft (email marketing/CRM)

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Productivity

•  Action Method – www.actionmethod.com

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Action Method

•  Notebooks •  Online and mobile applications •  Task management •  Delegation •  Goal setting

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Productivity

•  Producteev – www.producteev.com

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Productivity

•  Workflowy – www.workflowy.com

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Workflowy

•  Mindmapping •  Organizational structure •  Task management •  Great for high level planning and project

task to-do lists

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Figure out how you spend your time. Spend one week writing down what you do every minute of every day.

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

How do I get so much done?

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Productivity is about doing the most difficult things first and saving menial

tasks for later (or for other people)

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

What about procrastination?

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

When it comes to getting things done, the less you have to think about the

process the better.

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Do not decide on a tool right now. Spend one full week with a tool, use it

every day, and then decide if it will work.

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

How to Hire a VA

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

How to Hire a VA •  Look for someone who has experience in your

industry •  Visit LinkedIn profile •  Look for recommendations •  Get referrals •  Evaluate communication style •  Do a trial period •  Set up clear contractual terms and

confidentiality agreements

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Questions to Ask

•  How do you like to communicate? •  What’s your rate structure? •  What kinds of clients do you like to work

with? •  How do you get your work done? •  Do you outsource your work? •  How do you track tasks and time?

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Communication skills are the most valuable skills you and your

VA can have.

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

What’s left for you?

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

What’s Left for You? •  High level strategy •  Developing your product/service •  Nurturing new business leads •  Networking •  Podcasting •  Speaking •  Writing •  Enjoying your life

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

How much are you willing to grow?

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

How much are you willing to let go?

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt

Thank You

Where to Find Jess: •  @jessostroff •  Linkedin.com/in/

jessostroff •  Facebook.com/jess.ostroff •  jessostroff.com

Where to Find Don’t Panic: •  @dontpanicmgmt •  Facebook.com/

dontpanicmgmt •  dontpanicmgmt.com

http://slideshare.net/jessostroff

@jessostroff @dontpanicmgmt