Part of having a successful business is making your life easier.
It can seem difficult to extricate yourself from the day-to-day running, but there are some smart things that you can do to help put processes in place, systemise your day, and get some much needed time back.
Try the following tips, implementing some of these will really help to streamline your day.
- Get yourself a Dictaphone (you can even use an app on your phone). Use it to make notes as you think of things, but more importantly, if you need to write a letter, a blog, or any other document then speak it into your Dictaphone, and then pass it onto a PA to type up. This means that you can undertake tasks when travelling for example, maximising your time, and making the most of periods which would otherwise be redundant
- Take some time to write up processes into a manual. This can be for anything from scripts to use on the phone, right through to how to request holiday. This will help employees know exactly what to do, and will also make it easier when new people begin
- Make your website work for you. There will be people visiting your site, and so you want to try and turn them into a customer without too much of your involvement. Therefore, it’s wise to look at investing in a CRM system which can automatically send out emails to people visiting your site. For example, if you put something on your site which is available to visitors to download, such as a free guide, hints and tips etc., they will leave their email address to access it. You can then set up a system such as Clickfunnels whereby you can email those people, giving them more valuable information, and encouraging them to get in touch with you. All of this can be happening in the background without any involvement from you
- Install an online project management system into your business. Systems such as Basecamp are great, because you can allocate tasks to staff members with deadlines, everyone can update on progress, so that all are clear what the latest status is. It’s also a central system to keep all documents which can be accessed at any time by all members of staff
- Document roles and responsibilities. Start by writing down EVERYTHING which happens in your business. Don’t forget anything. Then allocate those tasks to employees. There shouldn’t be any overlap, so you don’t want more than one person doing the same thing. It also helps to make it clear who is responsible, so that you avoid any situation which means that something doesn’t get done as one person thought the other was doing it. It also helps you to see if one member of staff is overworked, or who has capacity to take on additional responsibilities
- Accounting software. This can shave hours off your admin tasks. Software systems such as Xero can mean you can send invoices in seconds, collate receipts, systemise your cash flow, and much more. It can even help you to chase overdue payments by sending automatic emails. Spend some time working out which system is the right one for you
- Outsource. If you can’t afford to cope with the additional time needed to manage taking on staff, then consider using freelancers, who will undertake the tasks needed, and you can take them on for as much, or as little time as possible. You won’t need to organise performance reviews, set up payroll systems or anything else that comes with employing staff
These are all easy to integrate into your business, and the difference it will make will astound you!
And if you need help to get your business flowing smoothly, then get in touch, and I can help make the transition for you.
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