09.07.2018
[outfit_details] I realized the other day that it had been quite some time since my last blogging post, and I instantly felt the need to sit down and write a post to shed some light on my business for other […]
[outfit_details]
I realized the other day that it had been quite some time since my last blogging post, and I instantly felt the need to sit down and write a post to shed some light on my business for other bloggers out there or readers trying to launch a blog. When I first started blogging I got all my tips and tricks for how to scale my business from my marketing professors in college, from emailing bloggers and most importantly reading other blogs; so I knew I always wanted to carve out space on my blog to shed some light on my business structure and hopefully help some fellow bloggers out. With that being said today I’m talking about the key to running a successful online business in 2018, delegating.
Contrary to what many people might say, running a blog or simply being an influencer, which could mean a variety of things from just posting on Instagram to running multiple social media networks like me, can be A LOT OF WORK. I mean, talk about keeping up with the Jones, if you want to be an influencer with consistent content you need to be on top of creating content for Instagram, Instagram stories, Instagram TV, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, WeHeartIt, Bloglovin, Tumblr, Youtube and maybe even Twitch if it’s relevant to you. With all that being said creating content is a job within itself, especially with all the unique content that needs to be created and properly distributed for each platform, I mean truth be told it can feel overwhelming. Which is why I’m here to talk about having no shame in delegating!
Real quick before we jump into the nitty gritty of business, it’s always important to look the part too. Recently I’ve been wearing this Brooks Brothers Ponte-Knit Sheath Dress, currently on sale, and scarf combo non-stop. It’s the perfect blue hue as I prepare to transition into fall wear while still dressing practically in this 91 degree September weather. Okay now back to business.
Sometimes I struggle with justifying, delegating a job that so many people see as simple, but at the end of the day, in order to grow my business, I need to be working on my brand and not in it. Basically working on your business means you’re focused on figuring out the steps needed to scale, where your brand is moving next in the big picture, and what specific steps you need to accomplish to get there. Now, what does working in your business look like you might ask, well it can look like anything from spending hours editing video content to a day of replying to emails. Overall as a business owner, the last thing you want to get wrapped up on is tasks that you’re either not good at and take you longer than necessary or tasks that can be easily outsourced for a simple cost.
Below I’ve decided to list a few ideas for tasks you can delegate and how I went about delegating them within my business:
+ Graphic Design: Having aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate graphics is essential to any blog platform. For the longest time, I was my own graphic designer, which meant my graphics stunk and I was getting frustrated with myself and my work on a daily basis. From simple tasks like Youtube thumbnails to larger tasks like animated video graphics, I knew I NEEDED to outsource. Graphic design was chewing up way too much of my time, and at the end of the day I’m not a graphic designer and will never be and that’s okay! Quickly I was able to find a graphic designer in my area, via Instagram Stories and the rest is history. I’ve worked with my graphic designer now for over six months and would easily say it’s worth every penny.
+ Influencer Manager: I get countless emails from you all about hiring or even just my personal experince when it comes to finding a business manager for your blog or brand. Honestly it was something I was really unsure of how to go about, when I was first interested in taking one on so I’m happy to shed some light on this experince. Personally, I wouldn’t take on a management team until you’ve taken your blog full-time or feel stable in your blog’s finances. My main reasoning behind that, is, that it needs to be financially viable for everyone involved since managers usually get paid by taking a percentage of the sponsored posts you feature. With that being said if you are a full-time blogger I would highly recommend a manager because they are another great form of delegation for your admin work. Managers often take on tasks such as brand outreach, emails, negotiating contracts, legal work, tracking of payments and most importantly being a great sounding board to bounce ideas off of. If you are an influencer looking for a management team I would highly recomemend finding one in your region; and don’t be afraid to reach out!
+ Photographer & Videographer: If you have a limited budget for outsourcing and really don’t have the camera equipment, time or editing skills you need to complete a project…this is where you SHOULD spend your money. Over the years I worked with several blogger photographers, from Carter Fish out of NYC to Beckley out of Dallas; and let me tell you, it’s always money well spent. Photographers know what they’re doing and are instrumental in helping you stay on top of your content production. With that being said now that I’m back in New England, Tessa Yandow, my younger sister, is my go-to videographer and photographer. We shoot basically our entire week’s content on Saturdays and spend the week dividing and conquering what needs to get accomplished in post-production. Since Tessa is only with us part-time I take on the task of calling and editing the photos, while she dedicates her time to editing video content. Tessa is truly a key to our success and one of the main reasons we were able to launch our Youtube channel! Oh and if you can’t afford a professional photographer just yet, don’t be afraid to reach out to your local colleges to see if any photography majors would want to work together at a discounted rate.
+ Coding: Okay, I’m not a coder and never will be. With that being said, having a coder in your address book is ESSENTIAL if you’re running a online business in 2018. I hired Chloe Digital way back in 2013 and have been using them ever since. They providing influencers with the infrastructure needed to grow their unprecedented business potential. Simply put, they are there for me if my site crashes (it’s happened twice), needs maintenance (it happens all the time) or if I’m looking to upgrade some coding features. If you are having issues with coding, I’d highly recommend their team.
+ Assistant: As we head into busy season sometimes you just need a little extra help. Never be afraid to hire on seasonal help like an assistant who can help you distribute your content onto all social platforms, organize your calendar, help prioritze your to-do list so you don’t miss any sponsored post deadlines, or simply prepare your blog posts. All of these tasks eat up time and having an extra hand to handle the day-to-day operations is never a bad idea.
At the end of the day, it’s important to put your business first which means investing back into it and delegating as needed. I honestly wouldn’t be where I am, with my blog today, if it wasn’t for all the extra hands I have working with me behind the scenes on a daily basis. So if you’re feeling like it’s time to expand or if you just want to step up your content game, think about delegating a task that makes sense for you.
Oh and just a guideline never delegate something you’re good at, for instance, I love planning, purchasing props and organizing shoots; which is why that’s something I’d never outsource to an assistant. Anyway, I hope you found this post helpful and I can’t wait to see where you’ll take your platform next.
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Delegating is key when you want a business to grow and it’s hard for a lot of people to do so as they fear to lose control. This leads to many failures!
Great post and a lovely outfit … as always 😉
Happy Friday xx
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