Image by Magic Arrow Photography.
Your post-production work plays an important role in the success of your wedding photography business. We’re talking about communicating with clients, editing photos, implementing your marketing strategies, etc. The list could go on forever, and as much as you’d love to say you can do it all, it’s just not realistic. That’s where outsourcing for small businesses comes in.
Maybe you want a better work-life balance. Perhaps you need help with something you lack expertise in. Whatever position you find yourself in, we’re here to remind you that recruiting help is okay. And by outsourcing those mundane tasks, you’ll free up time to focus on what you do best—capturing those precious wedding day moments.
Still on the fence about whether or not outsourcing will work for your business? Here’s everything you need to know to determine if outsourcing is the right decision for you.
What is Outsourcing?
Outsourcing refers to enlisting the help of external sources or experts to handle various aspects of your business. These may include tasks you don’t have time for, lack expertise in, or simply want taken off your to-do list—that’s okay too. Outsourcing can take various forms, such as software, third-party companies, or freelancers.
Image by Jonathan Continente.
Pros and Cons of Outsourcing for Small Businesses
After getting a better understanding of what outsourcing is, it’s important to consider the pros and cons of integrating it into your business strategy. By weighing the benefits and drawbacks, you can determine if outsourcing could be a game changer for your business.
Benefits to Outsourcing for Small Businesses
Your business is growing, you’re booking more clients, and your schedule has hit max capacity. While this would be exciting, it probably means you might require additional assistance to keep up with demand. And with a long list of benefits, outsourcing is an excellent option to consider. Here are some of the advantages:
- Increases workflow efficiency
- It’s cheaper than hiring full-time staff
- It frees up time doing mundane tasks so you can focus on what you truly love doing
- You can work with experts that specialize in that one specific thing
- With more hands on deck, work gets completed quicker
Cons to Outsourcing for Small Businesses
While outsourcing is seemingly great across the board, that doesn’t mean it won’t come without disadvantages. Typically these tend to be the same concerns we hear from a lot of photographers on the fence about outsourcing. The number one concern is relinquishing control over certain aspects of your business. Here are more disadvantages you’ll want to keep in mind when deciding if outsourcing is right for you:
- Lack of control
- Lack of consistency
- Potentially a slower turnaround time when outsourcing
- You reduce the control you have over the quality of work
- Communication issues
Image by Mary Bell Photography.
Tasks You Can Outsource
When it comes to your wedding photography business, you can outsource a variety of tasks. From editing to posting on social media, here are a few behind-the-scenes tasks you should consider outsourcing.
1. Editing and Culling
Outsourcing your photo editing or culling processes can benefit you and your clients. By delegating this time-consuming task to a third-party company, you free up more time to focus on other aspects of your business. With the extra assistance, you can elevate the quality of your work, have a quicker turnaround time, and deliver more consistent results. By streamlining your workflow, you can provide the ultimate client experience—the key to scoring some excellent client feedback.
For wedding photographers looking to lighten their workload, check out the best editing companies for wedding photographers.
2. Marketing Duties
As a wedding photographer, marketing your business is crucial to booking more clients. But your marketing strategy stretches far beyond just managing social media platforms. And with a long list of responsibilities, it can be challenging to juggle everything on your own. That’s why outsourcing marketing tasks can be a smart move. Here’s a list of example tasks you can delegate to the pros:
- Social media management
- Branding
- Website design
- Writing and blogging
- SEO optimization
Image by Claudia Takes Photos.
Administrative Tasks
While many think a photographer’s job is just snapping and editing photos, that couldn’t be further from the truth. There are plenty of not-so-fun administrative tasks that wedding photographers need to take care of on a daily basis. And if you’re not ready to relinquish control over the more creative business duties, this might be your answer. Here are a few examples of mundane yet necessary administrative tasks you could recruit help for:
- Managing emails
- Managing scheduling
- Contract management
- Client invoicing
Outsourcing Avenues for Small Businesses
You’ve decided outsourcing is a good move for your business. Now it’s time to determine the best route to take. There are three primary options available: investing in software, partnering with a third-party company, or hiring freelancers.
If you’re looking for a cost-effective option, investing in software could be a good choice. If you’re wanting a more hands-off approach, working with a trusted third-party company is the way to go. For business owners seeking a more collaborative approach, hiring a freelancer could be the best fit. Do your research and carefully weigh the pros and cons based on your specific needs and budget.
Outsourcing is one way to revamp your business to create an efficient behind-the-scenes workflow. But there’s more where that came from. If you’re on the hunt for more subtle ways to tweak your business strategy to ensure it’s successful, check out these Photobug-approved business workflow tips.
Image by Andrea Cronje Photography.
