Are you trying to do it all? That’s a mistake. As an entrepreneur, there are two main reasons you should be delegating. Firstly, you simply can’t do everything within your business – it will limit your growth potential. If you try to do everything then your business (and life) will always be governed by the hours you’re working. And secondly, delegating to a team you trust has the potential to give you a better work-life balance. But we know that learning to delegate can be difficult. In this quick read, we’ll touch on 17 tasks you can delegate right now to save time and boost efficiency in your business. Let’s get into it.
1. Calendar management
Managing your schedule can be time-consuming and unnecessarily complicated. This is something that can be delegated to someone on your team who is skilled in handling administrative tasks like calendar management or even a virtual assistant. By having someone else manage your calendar for you, you effectively have someone protecting your time and you’ll likely find that fewer people will use your time unnecessarily as they know they’ll have to go through a gatekeeper first.
2. General admin
Administration is another task that’s a total time thief and really not something you should be focusing on in your business. By asking the right questions, you’ll be able to determine who on your team is able to effectively tackle your admin. If you feel that no one on your team should be bogged down with admin, consider hiring a virtual assistant to carry some of the load.
3. Booking appointments
Although there are certain aspects of your personal life that you want to keep separate from business, having someone who can help you handle your appointments can be a huge time saver. Whether it be dentist appointments or meetings with suppliers, let the person managing your calendar handle these responsibilities.
4. Reception work
Did you know that you don’t have to have a receptionist who is physically at your office? A virtual assistant stationed pretty much anywhere in the world can still screen and answer incoming calls and emails. They can also call any guests who’ll be visiting your business ahead of their arrival to inform them of your Covid protocols.
5. Filing and organisation
Filing is really a tedious and cumbersome task, but having proper organisational systems is important when it comes to saving time in the future. It’s best to delegate this out to someone with time on their hands who is naturally organised.
6. Email management
On average, professionals in the UK spend a whopping five hours a day checking their emails. That is a massive amount of time wasted that you could be spending on getting things done, generating new ideas for your business, and delivering results. Delegate the management of your email inbox to someone else and you’ll be surprised how many hours of your day are freed up for more important tasks.
7. Research
Let’s say you’re testing the viability of a new product or service, or looking to compare pricing and features on new software for your business – you’re probably going to need to do significant research. When you’re too busy trying to do everything yourself, tasks like these tend to be rushed. Getting someone else to do the research for you and present their findings in a concise format is a great way to save time.
8. Website maintenance
If regular website updates such as uploading new products, publishing blog posts or maintaining your SEO are important to your business, get someone on your team who is qualified in this area to handle the daily maintenance of your website for you. If there isn’t someone suitable on your company to do this, hire a skilled virtual employee to do it for you.
9. Social media management
Being on social media is critical to many businesses these days, but it can be a real-time thief. If building brand awareness through social media is central to your business, then think about delegating this task to someone else. Speak to your team and find out if any of them have experience in social media management and delegate to them. If you don’t yet have the right skills in house, there are other avenues you can explore, such as hiring a virtual marketing assistant or a virtual social media marketing team.
10. Keyword research
Keyword research is useful if you want your website or blog to rank highly on search engines through Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). This is another task that you can delegate internally if someone has the know-how to do it. Otherwise, have a look online for a virtual SEO specialist with reasonable rates to help you.
11. Writing
Whether it be blogs, newsletters, social media posts, or course material, don’t waste time trying to craft all the content on your own. Delegate this to a freelance copywriter or find out if someone in your team has the aptitude to do it.
12. Editing
If you are going to write the content yourself, it’s important that someone proofreads and edits it for you, particularly if you are selling it as a product or as course content. A fresh eye can do wonders for spotting errors and sprucing up your writing. Even if you ask your nearest colleague to handle this for you, it’s best to delegate this task rather than tackling it yourself.
13. Invoicing
The level of detail involved in invoicing and accounts receivable are best handled by someone who has the time to focus on this task and do a thorough job. This is not something to rush through carelessly or attempt late at night when you’re tired from a long day. This is one task that can be quickly and easily delegated, saving you time. And when delegated to the right person with ample experience, you’ll also have peace of mind.
14. HR and recruitment
There are a few ways to streamline this area of business for maximum efficiency. You could hire someone to manage your human resource responsibilities permanently or you could outsource to a recruitment agency and manage staff yourself. Many businesses are also opting to outsource to virtual employees. This way you eliminate the need for recruitment and HR management completely. Recruitment, hiring, benefits management, and leave are all tasks you should consider delegating out to enjoy more time to be productive in the areas that matter.
15. Finances
These days, delegating the financial aspect of your business is often a far better option than trying to juggle it yourself. It’s a big responsibility and it should be handled not only by someone who has experience in business finance but someone who has the time to focus on the minor details it involves. Delegate this role to a virtual financial director or an accounting firm.
16. Bookkeeping and payroll
According to UK-based research conducted by Sage, 35% of employees would look for a new job if their employer paid them incorrectly, just once. A further 51% would lose trust in and resent their employer. For this reason, it is vital that you get your payroll and bookkeeping right. If you don’t have the time to manage this area of your business properly, it’s important to delegate.
17. Reporting and analysis
As a business owner, it’s important that you know whether your goals are being achieved and that essential KPI’s are being met. But you don’t have to waste time crunching those numbers yourself. Your first step should be to use automated analysis tools like Google Analytics and Data Studio. If you need help then your next consideration should be to delegate reporting to someone who is analytically minded.
Summer is here, the school’s out and there are so many things you could be doing rather than filing documents and fielding unnecessary emails. The main reason why delegating is important is that it can make you and your business more efficient. By delegating the tasks listed above, you’ll free up your time to do the things that matter most.
