When you're just starting out with your small business, the urge is omnipresent to try and do as much as you can yourself. This is not only from a cost standpoint, but also a sense that you can do this. While it's a smart idea to have a basic grasp on things, there are plenty of things you'll need help with, and they just don't make sense to try and learn.
For instance, coding a website from the ground up takes a skill set you probably don't possess, and would take some time to learn. Better to hire that out. This isn't always true. Some things you can and should do. Let's have a look at several of the factors that will inform your decision whether to go with DIY or DFY.
Is DIY or DFY better for your small business?
#1. Ask yourself what you really want to do in your business. Do you want to be the one doing all or most of it, or do you not want to “work” in your business much at all, wanting instead to be the executive or visionary.
#2. Really interview yourself as to whether or not you have the skills needed to do what you seek to do, or if it would be better to hire people who are well-versed in the subject.
#3. If you opt to outsource your work, try to know who you are hiring, preferably by way of a recommendation from someone you know. Also, stagger your payments to a new outsourcer, as an insurance policy that the work will actually get done.
#4. One item you might want to consider outsourcing is your sales and email copy. These are vitally important pieces, and it's easy to write bad or mediocre sales copy. This will do you incalculable harm. There is an art and science to this, so make sure whoever does it knows what they are doing.
#5. Strive to stick to an overall vision for your online presence. This is especially important if you are hiring out a lot of the work, as competing viewpoints can creep in, clouding your original vision. Stay true to your view!
At the end of the day you'll have to make a decision which style, DIY or DFY, best suits your business. Just make sure the decision is one that's in the best interest of the business!