A Growing Web Design Team’s Guide to Delegating and Managing Workflows
As an entrepreneur, it’s tempting to do everything yourself. But as your web design business scales and responsibilities increase, delegating tasks becomes essential. If you limit yourself to what you alone can accomplish, you’ll inevitably hit a ceiling. Your to-do list will keep growing, even when you’re working around the clock. You may also find that you won’t be able to serve as many clients, produce as much work, or generate as much revenue as you could with a team.
Having more work than you know what to do with is a good thing: it means your business is growing. But to sustain that growth, you have to ask for help. Read on for practical tips for expanding your web design practice and delegating responsibilities to trusted collaborators and team members.
Understanding when to delegate
A growing business should keep you busy, not overwhelmed or burned out. If you’re struggling to meet deadlines, produce high-quality work, or get through your to-do list, you have two options: reduce your workload or expand your team. By thoughtfully delegating responsibility to others, you can build a business that grows and endures.
As you scale your business, your workload will also expand to include tasks you may not be well-suited to or enjoy, and you may want to broaden the kinds of services you offer clients. By focusing on your strengths and outsourcing your weaknesses, you can elevate your business without compromising quality. You can also reduce stress and spend more time doing what you love.
Deciding which tasks to outsource
Outsourcing requires you to thoughtfully consider your bandwidth, skill set, and goals.
Start by examining your workload. Do you have time to take on new tasks? If you’re pulling all-nighters or struggling to get everything done, it may be time to offload some responsibility. Identify tasks that someone else could complete and outsource them.
Next, optimize your workload for efficiency. As an entrepreneur, your attention will be pulled in multiple directions. But some tasks consume excessive time, compared to the value they deliver. Delegate tasks that deliver a lower return on investment and direct resources where they can make the biggest impact.
When it comes to delegating effectively, consider your strengths and weaknesses. Do you have the skills, background, or expertise needed to complete a given task? If you encounter a task you can’t confidently complete without investing time and money into additional learning, outsource it to an expert who can accomplish it quickly.
As your business scales and your team expands, be even more selective: are you truly the best person for the job? Effective delegation isn’t about what you can do, but what you should do. For example, if you’re a capable copywriter but a best-in-class designer, focus on design. Delegate writing work to a passionate expert who can save you time and ultimately strengthen your final product.
When delegating, keep your goals in mind. Are you trying to maximize revenue, offer a wider variety of services, or make your days more manageable? Your priorities will give you clarity, helping you understand when to delegate, what to outsource, and who to collaborate with. Learn tips for effective collaboration through outsourcing.
Finding the right collaborators
Successfully delegating tasks demands building a great team made up of diverse roles. Some tasks may call for seasoned experts, while others require someone who’s helpful and eager to learn.
Potential team members include:
Personal assistants
SEO specialists
Social media experts
Writers and editors
Designers
Web developers
Learn more about the common roles that make up a web design team.
Depending on your business model and goals, one trusted collaborator might be all you need—or you may choose to grow a more robust team over time. To get the right support for your business, try mixing and matching full-time and part-time team members.
There are many places to find great talent. You can turn to freelancing platforms, networking groups, agencies, and more. If you’re looking for additional design talent to bolster your team, the Circle Forum is also a great place to connect with collaborators in the Circle community.
Delegation best practices
Effective delegation takes time, effort, and consistent communication. As you build your delegation skills, keep the following best practices in mind:
Set clear expectations
When delegating tasks, be clear. Team members should know what their deliverables are, when they’re expected, and how their work will be evaluated. If you expect team members to use certain file formats, meet specific word counts, or adhere to in-house guidelines, clarify those expectations ahead of time. Consider creating reference guides that spell out in-house best practices.
Streamline team communication
Quash confusion before it crops up. Establish clear channels of communication, so people know where to go with questions and everyone knows what they’re responsible for. Assign site permissions based on each team member’s responsibilities. You can get even more granular with Squarespace Enterprise, using roles and permissions to assign capabilities to team members and using tagging and filtering to track the progress of different tasks.
Provide constructive feedback
When team members turn in work, provide clear feedback. Let people know what they’re doing right, and when they miss the mark, tell them what went wrong and how they can fix it. Remember that training takes time, even when you’re working with experts, so resist the urge to make changes without explaining them. People can’t improve unless they know what mistakes they’re making. Investing in training now can save you hours of editing later.
Review and improve your system
Over time, your business will evolve. Your goals may change, your needs may expand, and your team members may develop new skills or interests. To keep pace with these changes, schedule periodic check-ins. Vet your delegation system for inefficiencies, and ask your team members where they see room for improvement.
Delegate to elevate your business
Effective delegation can transform your growing web design business. Whether your goal is to save time, maximize profits, or serve more people, the art of delegating can help you get there. For more insight into growing a successful web design team, read our interview with Circle member and Squarespace educator Paige Brunton.
This article was originally published on July 28, 2023. It has since been updated.
Want more?
Check out Squarespace Circle, Squarespace’s program for professional web designers, developers, digital entrepreneurs, and creatives. Along with exclusive content, discounts, and other perks, Circle brings professionals together from all across the globe to exchange advice while connecting with new clients and collaborators.
