Small Press Blog

What about that database, Tom?

A couple of months ago, I set a deadline to finish compiling a database that will then be used to generate a book series. The deadline was December 31. I'm not going to make it, but I'm probably not going to miss it by much.

Why?

I farmed it out.

If I had to do all that data entry work, it would have been more time. Time that I could spend writing books, creating websites, and earning college money for these children that continue to want to go to college.

So I farmed it out. I have a person that I work with on various projects (like my latest online high school project). He has folks who work for him for a reasonable hourly wage.

Should you outsource some of your work? My feeling, increasingly, is that it makes much sense. You do the work that requires your skill and expertise and let someone else do the rest. Yes, I could do the data entry into the database. Easily. The challenge is time and not ability.

I find that outsourcing works well for me. I needed that database developed. It cost me $60 on eLance. I needed some logos made. Same deal. Could I learn to do both of those things well enough for my purposes? Sure, but then I am not working on the core assignments that make all of this work.

And that is the name of the game.

Mike Rounds on Credibility

Working on the other stuff

As loyal readers know, I am an advocate of having multiple revenue streams. I know it doesn't sound as romantic as being solely a book publisher, but it certainly helps pay the bills.

I am also an advocate of making sure that all my products whether print or web are of good quality. A recent project that I have been working on is a redesign of my main website on online high schools.

So why a redesign? Here are a few reasons:

1. The site is three years old and looks much the same as it did those three years ago; and
2. There were things that I wanted to do that I could not do with the old design; and
3. I thought I could make more money with the site by doing a redesign.

The new site went live two days ago and it seems to be doing all three of those things. Perhaps. Always hard to know until you are a month or two into it.

So what does a website design have to do with publishing books. I am able to tell that many of the books that I sell come from folks who go to that site and then click through to Amazon. If that is your model, and it is certainly mine, then it makes sense to have a website that attracts folks and that provides a real service.

And that is redesigned upon occasion.

I encourage you to take a look at the new site.