How Small Businesses Can Leverage Freelance Apps or Services to Grow their Business
As a solopreneur, these handy resources can help you take the flight
You rarely come across an economic report these days that has no mention of the gig economy. There are millions of freelancers spread worldwide offering a range of services on a number of freelance platforms.
It is great that some talented people are making a living or having a side hustle through sectors they are specialized in. But the best part is that many start-ups and small businesses are now growing and thriving with help from the gig economy.
Freelancers empowering small business owners
With the worldwide economy trying to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, small business owners are having a hard time figuring out how to survive this crisis; especially when so many small businesses can’t make it past a couple of years in operation. The importance of the gig economy has never been more with the uncertainty in the global economy and the cut-throat competition prevalent in almost every business sector.
The gig economy is allowing small business entities to compete with other businesses (even with the industry giants) more effectively. As you probably know, the gig economy refers to an environment wherein temporary job positions are filled by independent workers with short-term engagements. Big freelancing platforms like Fiverr and Upwork now have thousands of creative individuals eager to show their talent and any business can hire them with reasonable payments.
Why so many small businesses are hiring freelancers
The modern workforce is upgrading at an astonishing rate. The eight-hour workday will be a matter of past in the next few decades because today’s workers are looking for flexibility in their work arrangements. Freelancing is now providing that opportunity with a number of benefits for the business owners as well.
Let’s see what challenges small businesses face when trying to have a strong presence in their respective industries and how freelancers are helping them out.
a) Save money
A small business does not have a lot of capital — the reason it is “small” in the first place. Every dollar counts when you need to manage your expenses carefully. You can assign some of your tasks to a freelancer and make a one-time payment. This means you won’t have to hire a full-time employee and pay additional expenses like office space, insurance, medical benefits, and more.
b) Access to a talented workforce
Small businesses need to make a lot of decisions every day to survive and thrive, and they need talented individuals by their side to help them solve issues and get things done. You may not be able to afford a highly skilled full-time employee who will not only finish their tasks but will also provide you with new ideas to help reach your business goal. But this will be possible when you will hire a freelancer who prefers working on his/her own terms.
c) Spread your network
Networking is of the utmost importance when you need to expand your business and make new deals. You may think about hiring a marketing agency to help you tap a new market. But this is not the only way. Who knows you might be able to find a freelancer that is connected to industry experts who could benefit your business in the long run. If you share your needs, they might surely introduce you to their network.
d) Get quality work
This may not happen always, but there is a good chance that an expert freelancer knows the industry better than your in-house staff. This is because they have worked with so many organizations (some of whom could be your competitors!) and they know what works well and what does not.
e) Immediate support
Hiring a new employee is a time-consuming and complicated process that hampers the workflow of both large and small businesses. But won’t have to face this issue with a top-tier freelancer because there will be little to no paperwork and training sessions. You could actually have a seasoned employee by your side in a matter of a few hours.
Tap into an infusion of global talent
A recent Intuit study shows that by 2020, around 40% of the workers in the USA would turn into independent contractors. Even those who never hired a freelancer on a freelancing platform must be familiar with Airbnb and Uber. The freelancing industry has no shortage of platforms and some of the top freelancing platforms are — Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer.com, Toptal, PeoplePerHour, Simply Hired, The Creative Group, Aquent, TaskRabbit, Skyword, Designhill, Hireable, Guru, FlexJobs, Nexxt, Writer Access, and Crowded.
For small business owners in need of promoting their brand through posters, logos, or press releases; or requiring advice with social media audit or competitor analysis, Fiverr is the best place to get started. This platform gives you the opportunity to check out the finished services or products showcased by a number of talented individuals starting from as low as $5 a gig. You can easily choose someone who you think is competent enough to handle your project; hence removing the need to contact and hire freelancers one by one.
What services can small businesses get through outsourcing?
As a small business owner, you can get literally any kind of service on the popular freelancing platforms. There are even physical products delivered through the mail today! Below is a list of the services that are in high demand for small business owners –
a) Web design and development
b) Writing and editing content
c) Graphic designing
d) Digital marketing
e) Social media marketing
f) Email marketing
g) Accounting and bookkeeping
h) Photography
i) Virtual assistant
j) Translating
Anything to worry about?
Freelancing is so popular these days and the sector is expanding every other day. However, there is a lack of security; especially if you opt for a platform that’s not so popular and reliable. You might also miss out on the benefits that a full-time employee has for your organization e.g. timely communication and your feedback on the work. But the benefits surely overweigh the disadvantages and as a small business owner, you definitely have a lot to gain from popular freelancing platforms like Fiverr.
As an entrepreneur, you need to utilize your time effectively and these resources can surely help you delegate or automate your work process.
Wrapping it up
To conclude, the best friend that a small business has to help expand its business activities is the gig economy. More and more people are bringing their skills and expertise to this ever-expanding marketplace and you should not miss out on this great opportunity to hire creative individuals that won’t charge you much. No matter what industry your business belongs to, whether you need digital marketing services or web design and development services, you will surely find professional and timely delivery of the services you will get from top platforms like Fiverr.
