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10 Tips To Fast Track Your Website Project

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Fast Track Your Website Project

If you want a way to fast track your web project and get a professional, profitable website on the web quickly, then you should consider the tips I’m about to share with you.

I’m certain that as soon as I tell you how to do this, many of you will see a big red flag pop up and your internal alarm system will be screaming, “Caution…this idea will cost money” and your alarm system will be right…it does require you to pull out your wallet.

But just for the moment, let’s pretend that money isn’t an issue. Let’s just focus on the objective, and that’s getting a site live which generates revenue as quickly as we can.

website project

I’ve been doing this since 2002, and the best way to fast track a project is through the judicious use of outsourcing services.

You Outsource Every Day Of Your Life

Think about it for a minute. We outsource all kinds of things everyday of our lives. You’d have to go back to pioneer days to find a family that was completely self sufficient. They grew their own food, built their own homes and made their own clothes. They had the skills, tools and time to do the tasks that allowed them to subsist.

Fast forward to today and most of us find ourselves without the skills, tools and time to do much more than the job we work full-time. We are not generalists – we are specialists, and our goal is not to just subsist but to grow and prosper. I don’t have the skill set to service a car, so if I need repairs, I’ll hire a mechanic. If I have a plumbing problem that can’t be fixed with a plunger, I’ll call a plumber who has the snake and other tools needed to do the job right. And I certainly don’t have the time to grow my own food, because I need something on the table now, not in six months. So I “outsource” my need for veggies and meat by shopping at the grocers.

Could I learn how to do all of this stuff myself? Maybe. But even if I could, it would take all of my time and my business, my livelihood, would go right down the drain.

Real Life Example of Outsource Decision Making

Let’s see how this outsourcing idea can work for your website and make you successful. The best way to do that is to share with you how my wife Arlene put together her website, EpilepsyMom.com.

Arlene’s experience with internet marketing was pretty much limited to writing articles for some of my projects. That made her the perfect guinea pig and allowed me to walk her step by step through the process of developing a successful website in one of my bootcamps. She knew what she wanted out of her own website, so she set out to create a blueprint for the format and features that would be included.

When Arlene completed her “website blueprint”, it became obvious that there were certain key elements that she just didn’t have the skill to do. She wanted a custom header graphic, an audio file embedded on the home page, the ability to post her podcasts, and a nice “cover” for the free report she was offering. In addition, the site was going to require way more content than she originally planned.

Freelancers to the Rescue

What to do? She could take the time to try and learn the skill sets she needed to accomplish the technical tasks, or she could have a professional do it for her. She decided to outsource those functions, and she has never regretted it.

You can literally outsource any part of a website’s design, development, or content. Graphics are always a challenge, and you can find a freelancer for simple tasks like doing a photo retouch, cover art and logo. Banners, headers, moving websites to different hosting services, and email campaigns all can be done through outsourcing.

It doesn’t end there. You can outsource almost everything. Bookkeeping, software programming, data entry, clerical work, and word processing. You are only limited by your imagination.

Where do you find these professionals, and how do you contact them? You can do a Google search or there are a number of outsourcing sites that cater to all kinds freelancers. Elance.com and vWorker.com are two of my favorites. Not only do they both attract quality freelancers, but their platforms give the buyer excellent control tools as well.

There’s an art to outsourcing successfully and getting exactly what you want.

10 Tips For Successful Outsourcing

  1. Don’t Assume It’ll Be Expensive – Don’t assume that outsourcing will cost more than you can afford. Think for a moment about how much it will cost you if you don’t outsource. Time lost on a project translates to revenue opportunity lost.
  2. Provide A Detailed Project Description – Know exactly what you want and be able to reduce it to a job description. The better informed the freelancer is, the better the results.
  3. Use Escrow & Milestones – Use escrow and milestones to protect your investment and to monitor progress. With escrow you don’t pay until you are satisfied with the results. Establishing milestones keeps you in the loop of the progress of a project.
  4. Evaluate Feedback – When evaluating bids, pay careful attention to the feedback that each bidder has received from previous buyers. Look to see how much repeat business they have. Avoid providers who have no feedback on their jobs.
  5. Negotiate Fees – If you find somebody you really like but their price is more than you can afford, negotiate.
  6. Respond Quickly – If your provider has questions and sends you messages, respond to them quickly. The better the communication the better the product.
  7. Pay Promptly – Everybody likes to get paid on time. Nobody likes to have to ask for payment. Remember that the provider can leave feedback on you as a buyer.
  8. Stay In The System – Occasionally, you will run into a provider who will want to take the project off the freelance site and work directly with you. They can offer a discount on their price because they won’t have to pay the site a commission on their work. Don’t do it. Not only is it a violation of most sites’ TOS, but you lose the protection of escrow.
  9. Develop Relationships – When you find a provider who consistently delivers quality work, build a relationship. Make sure you invite him or her for your future projects. You can build a mini technical team or stable of writers that are familiar with your requirements and can deliver good stuff on time.
  10. Build Your Feedback – Always ask for feedback from the provider. Getting positive feedback from a provider helps your brand and will attract the better providers to bid on future projects.

Now you know how to fast track your project and not be stymied by challenges you don’t know how to handle. Outsourcing will give you a professional edge and not only will it not be as expensive as you think, it will actually help you make money faster than you planned. Do it right and you’re on the way to a highly successful site.

Over to You

I am sure many of you have outsourced a variety of tasks. Others maybe considering doing so, but have been a little hesitant. Either way, let’s share our experiences and ideas in the comments.

About

James Martell is an Internet pioneer who discovered the lucrative world of affiliate marketing in 1999. He is a self-taught Internet entrepreneur and a leading expert in affiliate marketing training, outsourcing and natural search engine optimization. James is also the host of the "Affiliate Buzz", the first and longest running affiliate marketing podcast in the industry (since 2003). Google+ James Martell

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{ 21 Responses }

  1. Jitendra Singh says:
    It is always be a good idea to be free to think and outsourcing is the first step in it. Nice post.
  2. Dennis Edell says:
    I currently have two regular outsources, also considered part of my team...Design and SEO. I learned #'s 1 & 5 most recently with my SEO outsource. Seeing how I needed post by post SEO, I held off for months thinking I wasn't able to afford it on a continuous basis. I got a couple rather large quotes, thought all would be the same and gave up. Not only did my source negotiate, she came back lower then I gave her! She figured she knew SEO well enough to do it quicker then most and the fact that it was continuous work, she figured this would keep me around a lot longer. :)
  3. James Martell says:
    I share the same experience. I have a virtual team of people that are available to do graphics design, writing, tech support, software programming. Pretty much everything. I don't know what I would do without them all.
  4. Extreme John says:
    Great article! I can safely say that I interview, and hire using out sourcing tactics every single day and have done so for over 10 years. I might not outsource everything but I know what things I can get done and how quickly I can get them done when utilizing good outsourcing practices.
    • James Martell says:
      It is amazing how quickly you can get things. It's great to hear of your successes.
  5. Alex says:
    Hello James, I never thought it this way, but you are right, everyday we outsource something to someone. And we can even negotiate those fees in the market. Outsourcing can make your life easier but it's a vicious circle that can't create an addiction which can lead you in a condition where you are dependent on other to do your work so, outsource but try to control it.
    • James Martell says:
      It is important for sure to control the work being done. It really easy the basis for the entire 10 tips. It is all about being in control. It's also about freeing up time to get others to do the things that need to get done to be successful! ;)
  6. karan says:
    I really appreciate your views on outsourcing... Nice content btw.. Regards, Karan.
  7. Dave Grimes II says:
    James, I need some advice... I am a complete control freak. I become engrossed and obsessed with each project I undertake. Given this need for control and perfectionism that I "suffer" from... every time I've tried to use an outsourcer or freelancer, I've ended up altering and changing their final project to such an extent that I spend as much time on it as I would have to have done it myself from the start. Any advice for outsourcing, given my neurotic approach to my work? I could really use the freed-up time, but I end up driving myself nuts with this stuff.
    • James Martell says:
      Hey Dave, great question. I have found that if I take the time to very clearly specify and detail what I want done in writing and then take the time to find the right person for the job I usually get back what I wanted. I have also found that it usually takes more time to write the spec than to actually do the work. When it comes to writing it's usually 3-parts research and 1-part writing. If there is lots of research needed I will outsource that and then gone through it and and my notes and instructions to the writer. I would also suggest sticking to your area of expertise and outsourcing everything else to a professional for each other task. I remember deciding long ago that I wasn't going to even learn how to install a script on a server or technical issues. I can outsource all of that for $5 an hour to people who are skilled in this area. I would suggest doing what you do best and outsourcing the rest. You shouldn't see a dip in quality if you spec the job out clearly and find the right person for the task. You should in fact see an improvement in overall quality in many areas.
      • Dave Grimes II says:
        Cool. Thank you very much. I'll give these tips a try and let you know how things work out!
  8. semmy says:
    Hi James, I always interested this topic. The outsource topic. It's can help us to gain more times and money. I really love your topic. Thanks you want to share with us James.
    • James Martell says:
      Hi Semmy, thanks I am glad you enjoyed the article. I also see outsourcing as a way to really free up my time. I really see my role as the person responsible to make sure that everything is getting done -- and not doing it myself.
  9. divas says:
    very valuable info! If one is willing to make some initial investment, then outsourcing is very helpful to reduce your workload.
    • James Martell says:
      Yes, and it should increase your overall bottom line.
  10. Through the Lens of Kimberly Gauthier, Photography Blog says:
    I'm not ready for outsourcing completely, but I have embraced the "guest blogger." Of course, I'm also doing more guest blogging too - so I think I'm just trading one site for another. Maybe I need to think about what my plan is a little longer :) Thanks for the tips.
  11. James Martell says:
    I do the same. I use the same people over and over again. I get to know their work and they get to know what I like as well. It's a great way to go. It is very nice to have a virtual team of people available on demand.
  12. Lola says:
    I've outsourced before, and it wasn't the most pleasant experience, I feel like I wasted a few hundred dollars. I know most of us are specialist not generalist, if I want to be an expert at internet marketing I want to know how build a website that generates profit. Most CEO's and profitable entrepenuers know how every aspect of their business works. It does make sense though when starting out to outsource web creation. If I were to start a grocery store, or clothing store, I wouldn't do the construction and design myself, I'd hire someone more knowledgable. That is exactly like building a website it's just a place where we conduct business.
    • James Martell says:
      I am sorry to hear you had a bad experience outsourcing. I can relate to your grocery store analogy. I come from a construction background. I was a carpenter by trade who started a general contracting business so I am use to hiring sub-trades. I would like to hear what happened when you outsourced where it "wasn’t the most pleasant experience".
  13. Wasim Ismail says:
    I have just recently started outsourcing some of my tasks, due to overload of work :) what I have found is when you outsource, I tend to use the same guys over and over again, that they actually become part of my team, and they know how the business operates, what to expect and also what kind of customers we deal with, so now when I speak to them and deal with these outsources, its nor differ to speaking to one of my team members in the office.