| The best projects have clearly defined goals and | | | | not harder and with one or two freelancers your |
| detailed requirements. Before you begin planning, the | | | | workload was eased, but as you added more and |
| following points are good to keep in mind with project | | | | more your day has become so full of communicating |
| planning and process. | | | | with and managing freelance staff that you're back to |
| Define the nature and the perimeters of the project. | | | | square one! Exhausted and with barely any time to |
| There is no way that your provider can accomplish | | | | focus on your business the way you wanted to. By |
| the job for you without understanding what you need, | | | | taking the time to do some thorough project planning |
| how you want it done, and when the deadline for | | | | right at the beginning you will save you and your |
| completion is set. You may even break bigger projects | | | | freelance staff a lot of heartache. |
| down into steps with separate deadlines so you can | | | | Communication: |
| keep an eye on its progress. | | | | - Do you communicate with your staff mainly by |
| Speak regularly about the progress on the project. | | | | email? |
| There is no such thing as a project that goes off | | | | - A weekly conference call? |
| without some sort of hitch. At some point in the | | | | - A forum? |
| process, there will need to be modifications to the | | | | - How will important company messages be |
| original model for some reason. The more open and | | | | delivered? |
| consistent the communication flow between you and | | | | - Who will know what? |
| the provider, the quicker these small bumps in the road | | | | - How will issues be dealt with? |
| can be addressed and resolved. Decide how and | | | | Accountability: |
| when you will touch base. During the initial project | | | | - How will you measure the productivity of virtual staff |
| planning stages you can set time intervals to manage | | | | members? |
| these communications. | | | | - Will there be a weekly status report that must be |
| Plan to View Drafts | | | | filed? |
| During the project planning stage, set times to view | | | | - Specific tasks that must be completed on a daily or |
| drafts of all necessary documents, long before the | | | | weekly basis? |
| project completion date. A quick review of the first | | | | Coverage: |
| draft of the documents will help to keep both you and | | | | - What will happen when one of your virtual staff |
| the provider on track with your vision. | | | | needs time off? (Even persons who are working on |
| Solid communication together with clear and concise | | | | outsourced projects get sick, or need time off for |
| project planning will help to keep everything running | | | | some reason.) |
| smoothly, even when there are little things that need to | | | | - Do you have contact with enough freelancers to |
| be adjusted. | | | | ensure you have backups? |
| Managing Your Outsourced Projects | | | | We hope you take advantage of this opportunity and |
| Once you are further down the track with your | | | | experience how outsourcing can free up your time |
| outsourcing, you may discover a potential problem. | | | | and grow your business. Here's to successful project |
| You began outsourcing so you could work smarter- | | | | planning and your outsourcing success! |