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Yesterday I gave some tips for newcomers to this industry in the hope that they would find them helpful and help them get in touch with reality rather than the fantasy that many people have when they first come into this business. Today I want to talk to those who've been around for a while and are moving up to the next level.

If that's you then you're thinking of expanding your horizons, maybe using a graphic designer to do some specialized work for you and perhaps even getting a programmer to write a few scripts for you. It's a great time because expanding your business is always exciting but it's also a time that's a little dangerous because you letting the total control of your business slip out of your hands ... just a little.

It's also a time when you can burn a whole lot of money without seeing any return for your investment. You'll be dealing with people you don't know; ultimately you'll be relying on your own judgment and quite often that judgment will not be based on anything concrete. So it's a time when you have to take extreme care as you do something that is basically outsourcing.

With that in mind here are three rules of outsourcing.

The first rule of outsourcing
Get several quotes for the work that you want done. Don't automatically choose the first person who responds to your requests for help because there are a lot of sharks out there circling and waiting for people like you. They respond quickly, overwhelm you with their offer, get your money and then they disappear in a cloud of excuses and stalling tactics.

That's how they make their living and that's how you will get ripped off.

So get several quotes, ask to see examples of their work and ask for the names of people who can provide references. And when you have that information be sure to go and check them. Look at the examples and examine them carefully ... look for mistakes and don't be afraid to drop that person from your list if you don't like what you see.

Talk to their referees too because you might find that what the referee says is quite different to what the person who provided the names expects them to say. Quite often you'll get the truth and it may not be very flattering.

The second rule of outsourcing
Don't accept the lowest quote unless you're sure the person who gave you the quote really can do the work at such a low price. Quite often the person who puts in the lowest quote is the one who is desperate for the work and desperation is no substitute for experience.

Experienced designers and programmers don't work for peanuts; they know the value of their work and they aren't about to sell themselves to you for anything less than what they're worth. At the same time the person who submits the highest quote isn't automatically the best choice either. Sometimes the high price is not reflected in the quality of the work and so you won't get the return on the investment that you had hoped for.

That doesn't always apply though because sometimes the highest quote is the one that is best able to work to your deadlines and you will get the quality you want too. And while we're talking deadlines let me also say that if you choose the lowest quote then be prepared for some missed deadlines.

It's not always going to happen but there are times when the person who puts in the lowest quote will be so overwhelmed with work that they'll never be able to meet any deadlines. Early last year I arranged for a writer from India to supply some text for one of my own sites at a rate that was simply ridiculous and there was no way I was going to pay them until the work was done.

The deadline was a week after I placed the order and I'm still waiting for the first installment of the work.

The third rule of outsourcing
Don't pay in advance unless the designer or programmer has an exceptional reputation. By all means pay half in advance but don't pay the remainder until the work has been completed.

I'm one of those providers who always expects to be paid in advance but then I've been doing this for many years and my reputation is solid but don't be bluffed by others who have no reputation. When they ask for payment in advance politely offer half up front and if that doesn't suit them then take your business elsewhere.

Follow those rules and your outsourcing experience should be positive and your business should continue to prosper and grow.