HOW TO APPROACH OUTSOURCING & QUICK, PROFESSIONAL WEBSITES

PROBLEM

I use a webmaster for my websites. It takes time to get things uploaded quickly. I notice that you get everything up and going so quickly, and it looks good. How do you maintain your websites?

SOLUTION

Great question. There are two important things to consider:

1. How you approach outsourcing
2. How you can get things up and going quickly with a professional look

HOW YOU APPROACH OUTSOURCING

I want to appreciate the source of my comments here. Insights come from the award-winning GeniusCourse.net (The #1 genius course on the Internet). These ideas set the context for one way to approach outsourcing.

I follow the 4 "D's" of decision-making when choosing to "delegate" something like web design to an outside source.

1. Drop it
2. Delegate (outsource) to genius's
3. Do it
4. Develop my skill at it

I choose to "drop" (#1) or "delegate/outsource" (#2) a task in one of my incompetent, competent or excellent zones:

--INCOMPETENT Zone - These are tasks others can do better than you. These are activities you're no good at or that you don't enjoy. My examples: Plumbing, keeping plants alive, sewing. We persist in doing "incompetent" activities because we are unconsciously addicted to "suffering" and "frustration".

--COMPETENT Zone - These are tasks that others can do just as well and that you do well, but they aren't ultimately satisfying. My examples: Shopping, landscaping, washing the car, reading out loud. We persist in doing things that we're competent at because we are unconsciously addicted to sleepwalking, going through the motions, and maintaining the status quo.

--EXCELLENT Zone - These are tasks that you can do better than just about anyone else and that you consistently get positive feedback about your work. You do them extremely well, but they are NOT ultimately satisfying. Grant writing, managing accounts, and keeping people on task are some of my examples. We persist in doing what we're excellent at because we are unconsciously addicted to glory, approval, comfort, and doing well but playing safe.

Here are 2 tips:

Tip #1 - "Drop" or "delegate/outsource" tasks in your incompetent, competent or excellent zones. When you consider delegating/outsourcing, I recommend that you ONLY delegate to people who are in their genius zone (see below). Avoid the urge to cut corners or settle for less (i.e., people in their competence or excellence, perhaps even incompetence).

Tip #2 - "Do" (#3) the task yourself or "develop your skill" (#4) ONLY if the activity IS your expertise OR leads to the full expression of your creative genius.
So, what is your expertise, your genius?

--GENIUS Zone - Your "genius" is your unique talents. It is when doing the task, work doesn't seem like work. It is super easy. It brings you the most joy and aliveness. You produce the highest ratio of abundance per time spent. It's what you can't wait to wake up in the morning to do.

This leads me to how I chose to "develop my skill" in web design rather than "delegate/outsource" it. As I mentioned, I "develop my skill at it" if it allows me to express my creative genius more fully and organically.

It just so happens that I can create and complete high-quality products and services very fast. I like to move quickly on ideas. I hate waiting. I also see little value in paying lots of money to someone else to modify things as often as I like.

What I've discovered over the past 11 years are "basic tools" needed to get things up and running quickly with a professional look. There is a learning curve. The next section will make that learning curve smaller and easier.

HOW TO GET THINGS UP AND GOING QUICKLY WITH A PROFESSIONAL LOOK
Eleven years ago, I chose FrontPage as my web design software. I know that there are other design programs like Dream-Weaver and iWeb that are visually more powerful. Plus, more software and templates are being developed all the time.

Ask yourself, "What do I want in web design software?"

What I want most in web design software is something I can "copy and paste" easily, upload directly, integrate well with other MicroSoft products, learn quickly and update quickly. I like to know that features (like FrontPage extensions) are supported by the host service I use.

Currently, I am also using (as a novice) WordPress for web design of blogs. I only started learning it several months. I must admit that I am still barely "competent" with it. I see the value in using it and teaching it to my clients for them to develop their own content for books, newsletters, and other products through blogging. I think my blogs look professional. I imagine in 12 months, my blogging and the look will be light years ahead of where it is right now.

Back to basic web sites. FrontPage serves my needs and feeds my creative genius. Here are 3 top lessons I've learned regarding web design:

1. Market only one product or service per webpage. Then, drive traffic to that site.

2. Find templates for web pages, such as survey forms, order forms, sales pages, thank you pages, etc. Look at other comparable websites to yours. See what they do that you like, that you can adapt to your site. Reuse the templates (pretty much "copy and paste") for additional products, services and web pages.

3. Learn "just the basics" to be able to design the layout of a webpage that has a professional look, including fonts, color scheme, spacing, graphics (again, "just the basics" will do), and a little HTML code.

Here are 5 strategies I invite you to test for yourself in designing your web pages:

1. Focus on "conversion" rates (i.e., how many people "click on" and "sign up" or "buy" something) rather than just static "giving information."

2. Give away something of tremendous value to people who visit your site(s). Continually check in with your visitors and subscribers to find out what they want and need. Design products and services around the problems, needs and opportunities of those who visit your site(s).

3. Use free E-Books, videos, audios, etc. to build trust and let people get to know you digitally. Most people my age (almost 40+) are not used to surfing and shopping line. This is rapidly changing. So, while you sell your products and services, teach our generation how to be wise Internet consumers and hopefully Internet producers.

4. Upsell "high end" products and services like classes and programs that generate more money than books, CD's and other "low end" products. In the grant and fundraising industry, we have a saying that "It's sometimes just as easy to write and get a $1 million grant as it is a $100 one."

5. Focus on "keywords," market research and salescopy (i.e., benefit-driven URL's and titles, headings and sub-headings; short, power words; etc.) for each website right upfront. Don't cut corners here. Most web designers are usually weak in these and other "branding" skills. They may be great at the technical aspect of making sites look beautiful with bells and whistles, like animation and super graphics. However, few are trained in "conversion" and "branding" strategies that lead to direct sales.