With ongoing improvements in technology, more and more businesses are beginning to take advantage of outsourcing as a means to get things done without having to hire in-house employees. There are plenty of benefits to doing so, the main one being cost savings. It’s also a great way to free up yourself or your team to be able to focus on more important tasks, like increasing sales or landing new clients. If you’ve been thinking about outsourcing some of the functions in your office, but aren’t sure which ones would make the most sense, here are 5 tasks that you can, and should, consider outsourcing.

Data Entry – When you think of the term “busy work”, data entry seems to inevitably pop up at the top of the list. It’s a task that can be monotonous and time consuming, but typically doesn’t take a lot of expertise or special knowledge. That’s what makes it such an easy thing to outsource – that, and the fact that it can usually be done remotely. There are plenty of contractors available on the various outsourcing websites, like oDesk, that offer this service for very affordable rates. Just be sure that the person you hire has a good track record for producing fast, error-free work.

Social Media – One of the biggest reasons small business owners give for not participating in social media marketing is lack of time. But nowadays, having a presence on platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn is not just an option, it’s a necessity. So what do you do if you simply can’t fit these activities into your schedule? Hire a freelancer who can do it for you. Just be careful in your selection process, as the person you hire to handle your SMM will effectively be representing your brand. If you’re still not completely comfortable turning over the reins, there are a number of project management tools (such as those offered by Hootsuite) that allow you to monitor, edit and approve all posts prior to publishing.

Blogging – There are plenty of reasons businesses big and small choose to outsource their blogging activities. Some don’t have a flare for writing, while others simply don’t have the time to devote to truly keeping their business blog active. Whatever the reason, there are qualified freelance writers who can tackle this task for you and produce quality, keyword rich content that will get your blog noticed and keep web traffic coming in.

Email Management – Sometimes something as simple as an email inbox can bog us down and kill our productivity. If you’re finding it hard to stay on top of your incoming email messages, consider hiring a virtual assistant to filter them for you. They can take care of getting rid of junk mail, flag important messages for your review, and file away others in an organized manner. Be sure that if you do choose to go this route, that you are comfortable sharing your email with another person. If not, consider keeping a separate email address for personal emails that your VA won’t have access to.

Promotion and Outreach – Launching a contest or giveaway? Want to send out an email blast to attract new customers? These are tasks that can easily be managed by a contractor. Draft up a template and then ask your freelance provider to research relevant leads, come up with a list and then tweak and personalize your letter for each recipient. You’ll be able to get much more targeted with your outreach without having to spend hours of your own time doing so. Again, many freelancers specialize in this type of marketing, so give it a go!

Outsourcing can be extremely beneficial, particularly to small businesses who are working with limited staff and resources. Synclio can help in this regard as well! With our Live Receptionist feature, all of your incoming calls will be answered for you, by courteous and professional agents. Why not try outsourcing these or other manual tasks and see how liberating it can be to let someone else handle the day to day tasks for you, so you and your team can focus on more important things – like growing your business.