As we cover different ways in which you can gift your
business this holiday season, we need to focus on adding team. For many small
business owners, it can feel overwhelming tackling all the different aspects of
owning a business. There is a lot that goes into what you do that is most
likely outside of your passion
or your calling. Or there is a stack of work that keeps piling up but you
haven’t been able to figure out how to find more time in order to tackle all of
it. If either of those cases sound like you, it’s time to find help.
What Type of Help Do
You Need?
When it comes to finding help there are a variety of
different methods available to business owners. You could go find and hire an
employee. You could hire a company or vendor and outsource the work. There is
also the possibility of hiring an independent contractor on a project or task
basis. What are the differences?
Employee
An employee is someone that works for you and you are in
charge of the work, the output, the hours and other aspects of the role. As a
company, you will need to provide equipment, space, payroll and a set number of
hours. An employee will represent your
company and all work will be completely under your control. This can be an
expensive choice for small businesses in the beginning due to the overhead
costs of hiring your own team member.
Vendor
There are plenty of reputable
companies available that specialize in the type of work you need help with.
Contracting with a company for a project or service is as simple as finding a
landscaper or plumber for your personal residence. You’d contact them,
interview them, discuss costs and payment and set up an arrangement. The
project, staff and delivery method would be discussed up front but that is
where your control of the work ends. However, you would be able to terminate
the service at any time without fearing legal repercussions.
Independent Contractor
An independent contractor is a blend of the two options.
They can be tasked like an employee but provide their own equipment and set
their own hours. You would pay them like a vendor and would not need to be
concerned with payroll or benefits. They have control over how they accomplish
the task given, but you can work closely with them to establish a better working relationship than
you would be able to with a company or service provider.
Using Social Media to
Find Team
There are a lot of traditional ways to find and recruit team
members. However, since my realm is social
media I’d like to focus on using social to find help. The first step in
transitioning connections into team is to make sure you have built a brand,
company culture, with your own social media.
The impact of attempting to recruit using social is that interested team
members will go to your social media first to determine whether or not to work
with you. By focusing on your social
media you are building a funnel of connections automatically – so, attracting
the right type of connections will be so much more effective. This is a way to
encourage the right person to want to sign up for what you do even before you
start posting for help.
Ask Your Network
The first thing to do when seeking help using your social
channels is to simply post asking for referrals.
In your vast network of followers and fans, someone will probably know a person
that is able and willing to do the work you need help with. Be sure to bring it
up at networking events and ask for suggestions in that network as well. For
Twitter, plan to post at least once per day that you are looking for
assistance. On Facebook, plan a post per week until you find what you are
seeking.
LinkedIn
When thinking about recruiting, people often think of the
local classifieds, staffing agencies and top recruiting websites. However,
LinkedIn is not only the social media platform for businesses and professionals but
it also has a fantastic built in recruiting area. While you could pay money to
post a job ad, try just posting an update asking for help first. Your LinkedIn
network will see your update and might know a great place for you to look!
Use Groups
Facebook and LinkedIn both have group functions that can
connect you with a like-minded
group of individuals. It’s a great spot to ask for help or simply to ask
for ideas on where to find help. Utilize the expertise and knowledge of the
people in these groups to find the team members you need to be successful in the
new year.
Finding team members via your network or social media is
not a complicated process and doesn’t take up a lot of time. However, locating
a valuable individual to help unload your plate so you can focus on being more
strategic is a great way to start off the new year on the right foot. I want
you to #BeAwesome in all that you do and that is why spending time this month
to #GiftYourBusiness will help you become more successful.
~ Social Media is changing the way people do business.
Don't get left behind ~
Be sure to Follow us and Let's Engage!
Hollie Clere, of The Social Media Advisor is a "#BeAwesome" Developer, Social Media Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn,Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+ , YouTube,Pinterest, Instagram and the tools to manage them.
Click here for her Social Media Workshops, Classes and Seminars.
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