outsourcing | Erin Blaskie | Digital Vanguard, Speaker & Content Producer

Don’t Make This Cheap Outsourcing Mistake

Posted by Erin Blaskie on Feb 16, 2010 in Business Tips, Virtual Assistance | 24 comments

I get a lot of e-mail and I’m betting that you do too. Lately, I’ve taken to unsubscribing from nearly every publication that I get e-mailed to me. If it’s another pointless newsletter filled with salesy garbage, I don’t want it. There is enough of that “stuff” circling the web as it is.

Today, as I was going through my e-mail, I received yet another newsletter. Going through the motions to unsubscribe, I realized that this one was different.

This one had my e-mail address, and a group of others, in the “To:” line of the e-mail. Realizing that my contact details were exposed, I scrolled down to the unsubscribe button and clicked it… only to realize that I was met with a Constant Contact “Test Message Only” error. Turns out, I was forwarded a test e-mail that someone had generated from Constant Contact… I couldn’t even unsubscribe.

Scrolling back up, I noticed that the e-mail was in fact forwarded from the e-mail address that the test had gone to. Not only was this particular e-mail not in compliance of CAN-SPAM laws, it was just a messy way to get a message across to your audience!

After realizing all of this, I sent the following e-mail to the company’s owner:

“Please remove me from this mailing list immediately. Your unsubscribe button doesn’t work because this was sent out as a test instead of an actual e-mail. If you have an assistant looking after this, he/she may want to know that it’s against CAN-SPAM laws to not allow unsubscribe from your e-mail list.

Also, my e-mail address was exposed (as were your other recipients) in the “To:” line of your e-mail. I don’t want my contact details shared with anyone that I do not share them with as I get too much e-mail as it is. Exposing my details goes against CAN-SPAM’s privacy laws.

Hopefully you understand that these suggestions don’t come from a place of negativity but being an Internet marketer, I do my best to inform people about the things that are happening in their business that may not be compliant.”

The owner of the company promptly wrote back an apology, which was appreciated and included the following line:

“I have an intern from the college i teach at doing this and will look into it.”

This is where I stopped in my tracks to write this blog post.

Too many business owners are cutting costs in the WORST place in their business — their operations. Instead, they pour buckets and buckets of money into coaching, info-products, training, seminars, networking events, etc. and they scour the Internet looking for CHEAP outsourcing.

Why?

When we’re investing in more information, more training, more networking and we’re lacking on the investment back in the business’ core, things WILL fall apart when your momentum picks up. Or, you won’t have time to implement 3/4 of what you learn so it becomes a waste of capital.

The worst part is, when all of the mistakes happen, the messy business operations happen and the business’ image is flawed (as the above example shows) the business owner places the blame on their team. The very team that they went cheap with because the value of that particular service, to the business owner, just wasn’t there.

When you invest in your team, think about the fact that they are your core. They maintain your operations. They make sure that your professional image is carried through everything you do. Outsource cheaply and you cheapen your image.

Luckily for this particular business owner, I was willing to point out where the errors had gone wrong and how they were in violation of the CAN-SPAM Act. Had I been someone who didn’t care as much about informing them or who was really irritated over the situation, it could have gone very sour. That business owner could have lost their right to their Constant Contact account, their ability to send out e-mails without being blacklisted and who knows what else.

However, this is just my opinion… what do you think? Do you think outsourcing cheaply cheapens your business or do you think budgeting this area is important?

P.S. — I’ve been told that this video has helped people understand the value of outsourcing. Check it out:

New Video: Ideal Clients

Posted by Erin Blaskie on Aug 20, 2009 in Business Tips, Videos | 4 comments

What are your thoughts? Leave them as comments below.

How Can I Afford Outsourcing? (Video)

Posted by Erin Blaskie on Jul 28, 2009 in Business Tips, Videos | 12 comments

A new video from Erin Blaskie… The drawing in this video is by far the best part

It answers the question: “How can I afford outsourcing?” or “How can I justify paying someone else to do something that I can easily do?”

Or, watch it here on our YouTube channel.

I Ain't Gonna Work Wit' You!

Posted by Erin Blaskie on Jul 17, 2009 in Business Tips | 16 comments

Okay. If you know me, you know I write in two ways… (1) In real-time and (2) Honestly.

There are benefits to this… I get to be present, in the moment and writing about things I’m actually going through and in being honest, I help out other people or at least let entrepreneurs they are not alone. There are also downsides. Generally, when I write about an issue I am going through, the person reads it and thinks, “That’s about me!” and is either right and gets to learn about my way of thinking or is wrong and hates me for having an opinion about them when it was never about them in the first place.

Luckily, I’m willing to take that chance and write honestly.

Way back in the day when I was struggling for new clients and prospects, I used to bend over backwards like crazy for clients. If they wanted me to fly to the moon, jump through five hoops of fire and walk across coals while eating cockroach legs, I would… and I did. Now, I still love and cherish and honor the process of getting a new client and I still stand in the place of gratitude of receiving this new, awesome business but I no longer compromise my own needs and my desired lifestyle to do so.

Case in point: I have a 100% virtually based business. I don’t have an office, I don’t have a physical space, I tried to do co-working once (even bought a certificate at a Twestival) but they never opened their doors so even that failed. I have a love / hate relationship with working from Starbucks (love – coffee… hate – people who bring their babies into Starbucks and the babies cry and I can’t write a sentence with words let alone anything intelligent… just sayin’.. Mommas, don’t be angry – it’s just the crying ones that force me to do that!)

I also have zero local clients. Well, I have one but we’ve never met in person so it’s almost like she’s virtual too! I’d say I was sad about this but I’m not. I like to live my life online… I like being on the Internet. I get more done. In-person meetings are ineffective for me because of the time it takes to get dressed up, drive, find parking, get to the location, etc., etc., etc. In fact, the minute someone suggests meeting in-person, I immediately realize it isn’t going to work.

I’m not trying to be mean to the people who like in-person meetings, it’s just not my style.

Ya... So! I Live Online!

So, what do I do? Well, I could compromise my working habits but that’s not me. I am the kind of person who, when she realizes that travel puts a damper on her creativity, cancels a fun trip to San Diego. You might say fun police, I say honoring what I need as a business owner and as a person. Maintaining happiness and sanity.

So instead, I just don’t do it. I’d rather take the chance of losing business than do something that goes against my own beliefs, needs and standards of work. It’s me and I need to honor that. Most of my clients are fine working virtually. We do great work, they are millions of miles away, some are in other countries and it works out great. I get more done, I can stay in my pajamas and do what I do best… Building kick ass online businesses.

What do you do when faced with something that compromises your beliefs and needs?