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To outsource? Or not to outsource?

That…is the (entrepreneur’s) question.

If you’re a business owner, chances are the decision of whether or not to outsource talent is something you grapple with all the time.

Do you recruit, hire, and train a fulltime team member?

Or do you find a specialist from outside your organization?

What are the benefits and challenges of each approach?

Outsourcing Talent: The Good and the Bad

When your current team is running out of bandwidth, or when it seems like there are lots of new business opportunities just beyond your reach, that may be a good time to bring on another staff member.

But sometimes it makes more sense to test the waters by outsourcing a specific part of your business.

There are many functions you may not want to handle in-house:

• Does your company really need a full-time payroll or HR person?
• Bookkeepers?
• What about someone to run paid ads or buy media?
• Content writers?
• Graphic designers?
• Assistants?

How to Determine What to Outsource and What to Keep

This week we’re talking about strategies to consider when you look at your company’s strengths and needs, to understand which tasks you can outsource and which you should keep.

You might be surprised by how many of the “essential” duties might be better performed by someone outside your firm.

However, there are some key elements like business strategy and customer engagement that you should never give away.

Do you outsource talent? How do you determine your needs?

Share your answers in the comments below.

About Gini Dietrich

Gini Dietrich is the founder and CEO of Arment Dietrich, a Chicago-based integrated marketing communications firm. She is the lead blogger at Spin Sucks and is the founder of Spin Sucks Pro. She is the co-author of Marketing in the Round and co-host of Inside PR. Full bio