subject: Quick Outsourcing Tips [print this page] Outsourcing is becoming increasingly popular as the affiliate marketing scene becomes even more saturated. Everyone knows affiliate marketing is a numbers game and this requires a lot of man hours. Here are my tips for anyone looking to do any outsourcing.
1.) Never pay for work in advance when doing any kind of outsourcing. I believe this is fair as I have never in my life had an employer pay me in advance. The odds of you losing money when you pay prior to the work being done are very high.
2.) Use reputable outsourcing websites. A reputable outsourcing website should offer an escrow option. It should also offer a lot of data about the providers such as total time as a provider, total earnings, customer reviews, verified credentials, and tested skills.
3.) When communicating with the providers do not be afraid to ask questions and ask for more samples before awarding the respective provider.
4.) Start out small when hiring a new provider on any outsourcing website. By starting out with a small project there is much less chance for either party to be unhappy with the final results. Gradually work up to larger and larger projects with new providers as they prove themselves.
5.) If you are not completely happy with a specific provider then don't be afraid to try a different provider the next time around.
6.) Finding a good writer is hard. If you go outside the U.S. to hire an inexpensive writer than the odds are you will get broken and hard to read articles that do not catch the readers attention. It may be worth it to fork over the extra money to hire a writer in the U.S. for better quality.
7.) Do your homework. Make sure the job that you are outsourcing is not just something you could do very quickly and easily yourself with just a little bit of homework on your part.
8.) If you are going to hire a company to build you a website then be sure you have them put the website on your hosting account. Furthermore, be sure to have them build it on an existing platform such as WordPress, Oscommerce, Joomla, or drupal. By using a companies home made platform you put yourself at risk of hackers and the probability of having zero support when something does go wrong.
9.) Be sure the outsourcing provider offers an open line of communication. Nothing is more frustrating than not being able to get a hold of the people working on your project. Skype is a must for any professional outsourcing provider and my personal preference for communication.
My last piece of advice is to take your time and find excellent providers and build relationships with them over time. The companies that you choose can ultimately be your key to success.
