If you’re wondering what to outsource as a business owner, you’re not alone.

Growth eventually forces every founder to choose: keep doing everything yourself, or start leveraging other people’s expertise.

But here’s the nuance most people skip.

You don’t grow by outsourcing everything.
And you don’t grow by holding onto everything either.

You grow by outsourcing strategically.

What to Outsource as a Business Owner

The goal isn’t “get everything off your plate.”

The goal is:

• Stay in your genius zone.
• Protect your energy.
• Multiply momentum.

Here’s what we outsource – and why.

1. Accounting and Bookkeeping

Let’s be so for real, we’re marketing girlies. We look at Xero and immediately feel overwhelmed, but that’s why we get help. Because you can’t be good at everything. And not only is outsourcing your accounting and bookkeeping a sanity saver, but it’s a strategic shift in your business.

Why it drives growth:

Clean numbers create confident decisions.

When your finances are clear, you can:

• Reinvest strategically
• Forecast cash flow
• Scale ads responsibly
• Hire at the right time

Outsourcing bookkeeping improves financial visibility, which directly impacts marketing ROI and sustainable scaling.

This isn’t admin. It’s strategy.

2. Recruitment and HR Support

Hiring manually works – until it doesn’t. 40+ hours spent on updating systems, sifting through resumes, organising interviews and don’t even get us started on the emotional and mental toll…

When you need senior talent quickly, recruitment specialists reduce:

• Time to hire
• Risk of poor fit
• Onboarding delays

Stronger hires mean:

• Better client delivery
• Higher retention
• More referrals

And referrals are one of the highest-converting marketing channels available.

That’s full-funnel thinking.

3. Website Development and Technical SEO

Your website is not a digital business card.

It’s a conversion system.

Outsourcing website development ensures:

• Faster load speeds (critical for SEO rankings)
• Conversion tracking
• Optimised user journeys
• Clear call-to-action flow

Technical foundations matter.
Traffic without conversion is just noise.

4. Brand Photography and Visual Assets

High-performing content relies on trust signals.

Professional imagery and videography increases:

• Engagement rates
• Ad performance
• Website conversion
• Brand authority

Familiarity builds trust.
Trust drives enquiries.

Outsourcing visual assets strengthens marketing performance across every channel.

We even offer a done-for-you content creation service which is designed for time-poor business owners who want to batch create scroll-stopping Reels or TikToks – without the stress. Find out more about that here.

5. Operational Systems (Onboarding, Automation, CRM)

When we upgraded our onboarding software, and it meant that we no longer needed to hire a VA or Admin support for our biz.

And it improved:

• Proposal clarity
• Conversion rates
• Client experience
• Speed to onboarding

Operational systems aren’t separate from marketing.

They are marketing.

Because the client experience begins before the contract is signed.

Should you Outsource your Marketing?

This is where most people get stuck when deciding what to outsource as a business owner.

We don’t always recommend outsourcing marketing immediately.

Not because agencies don’t work.

But because marketing is an amplifier.

If your offer isn’t converting yet, more traffic won’t fix it.
If your positioning isn’t clear, more content won’t solve it.

Before outsourcing marketing as a business owner, you need:
• A validated offer
• Clear messaging
• A mapped customer journey
• Consistent revenue

Then marketing becomes leverage.

When Outsourcing Marketing Makes Sense

Outsourcing marketing becomes powerful when:

• Your offer has validated demand
• You consistently convert enquiries
• You’re generating steady revenue
• You’re hitting capacity
• You can reinvest without financial stress
• You want to optimise and scale, not experiment

At that stage, marketing becomes leverage.

Paid ads scale proven offers.
Email marketing nurtures existing demand.
Content strengthens authority.
Data informs smarter reinvestment.

That’s when an agency becomes an accelerator.

Not an expense.

Outsourcing VS doing it yourself

As a business owner, you either invest:

Time
Or money
Or a combination of both.

DIY marketing works when:

• You’re validating your offer
• You’re refining your positioning
• You’re building traction

Outsourcing works when:

• Your time is better spent delivering
• You’re ready to scale faster
• You want systems and optimisation

Both are valid stages.

The key is knowing which stage you’re in.

How to decide what to Outsource

Before outsourcing anything, ask:

1. Does this directly impact revenue?
2. Does it require specialised expertise?
3. Is it pulling me away from my highest-value work?
4. Will outsourcing improve retention, conversion, or visibility?

If the answer is yes to two or more, it’s likely strategic.

If not, it might just need better systems, not spending.

Sustainable Growth Isn’t Built on Panic Investments

We’ve outsourced recruitment.
We’ve outsourced technical systems.
We’ve invested in infrastructure.

But never before the foundations were ready.

Because outsourcing should feel like momentum.

Not desperation.

Not sure you’re ready?

If you’re still clarifying:

• Your offer
• Your positioning
• Your funnel stages
• Your messaging

Start with strategy.

Build the engine before you hit the accelerator.

That’s exactly why we created our Digital Marketing Playbook – to help service-based business owners design a funnel and marketing roadmap that actually converts before scaling execution.

Feeling ready? Here’s what’s next…

If you’re reading this thinking,

“Our offer converts.”
“We’re consistently generating revenue.”
“We’re hitting capacity.”
“We want smarter growth, not more hustle.”

Then this is your green light.

Because once your foundations are solid, outsourcing your marketing isn’t risky.

It’s powerful.

Here’s what scaling with the right agency actually looks like:

• We map your funnel end-to-end, so no leads fall through the cracks
• We optimise your messaging using behavioural psychology
• We build content that nurtures before it sells
• We layer paid ads on top of proven conversion systems
• We track performance so every dollar reinvested is intentional

This isn’t “let’s just post more.”

It’s:

Let’s turn momentum into multiplication.

When you’re ready, marketing becomes the accelerator pedal.

And we don’t press it blindly.

We press it strategically.

Here’s how to know if its your moment…

You’re likely ready to work with a marketing agency if:

✓ You can comfortably reinvest for 3–6 months without financial stress
✓ Your offer has proven demand
✓ You know your audience and positioning
✓ You want to scale faster than your time allows
✓ You’re looking for optimisation, not experimentation

If that’s you?

We’d love to meet you.

Because we’re not here to “try marketing.”

We’re here to build sustainable growth systems that convert secret admirers into obsessed repeat buyers.

The next steps…

If you’re still building foundations, start with strategy.

If you’re ready to scale, book a discovery call and let’s design your next level.

Book your 30-minute clarity call here:
https://tidycal.com/kaitlyn-gillies/30-minute-discovery-call-direct

Or explore our Service Guide to see how we approach scaling sustainably:
https://www.getdrip.com/forms/458425237/submissions/new

Growth shouldn’t feel frantic.

It should feel aligned.

And when you’re ready?

We’re right here. 💘

FAQs

What should I outsource first as a business owner?

Most business owners start with bookkeeping, website development, or specialist expertise that directly impacts revenue and visibility. The best first outsourcing decision is one that frees you to focus on your highest-value work.

When should I outsource marketing?

You should consider outsourcing marketing when your offer converts consistently, your revenue is stable, and you’re ready to scale. Marketing works best when foundations are already strong.

Is hiring a marketing agency worth it?

Hiring a marketing agency is worth it when you want to optimise and scale proven systems. It may not be effective if you’re still validating your offer or refining your positioning. Want proof? Check out our case studies here.

What tasks should small business owners outsource?

Common tasks to outsource include bookkeeping, technical website development, brand photography, recruitment, and specialist marketing execution once growth foundations are in place.