Entrepreneurs LOVE to create; they don’t enjoy setting up systems!
As solo business owners, that’s all we want to do – create products and programs, and come up with new ways of delivering our services.
So when the talk turns to systems and processes, this is where most business owners’ eyes will glaze over … after all it doesn’t sound like a very exciting way to spend your day, does it? But having the right systems in place really is the key to your success…
… creating the snazzy new program is not going to generate a ton of money for you if you don’t have anyone to sell your program to (list building system).
… creating a high-end coaching/consulting program is not going to generate a ton of money for you if you don’t have any clients to begin with (get more clients system).
… building a huge list of thousands of subscribers who you can sell your products and services to, is not going to generate a ton of money for you if you don’t have any business automation in place (automated marketing system).
Today, I’d like to share with you my top five tips for creating your systems for success so that you can create the business and lifestyle that you want.
1. Invest in a system for where you want to go, not where you are now. If you’re serious about your business, and want to make it a success for the long-term, then you have to be prepared to invest in the right ecommerce system for your business. I’ve had many conversations with clients over the years who have invested in expensive, high-end coaching programs … yet are not prepared to make the relatively inexpensive investment of having the right ecommerce system in place to grow their business.
2. Manage before you market. This simply means getting your foundational systems in place before you start to market. Once you start to market your business and you’re generating enquiries from potential clients, you want to be sure that you have the right system in place so that you can respond instantly and easily. It also means ensuring your financial management system is organized, your inbox is not in a state of chaos, and you can easily locate critical data. Once you start to get busy, you simply don’t have time to dig around for information, even if you do “have it here somewhere!”.
3. Get the right system for your business; not what everyone else is getting. Analyze your business and determine your long-term goals, and have a system in place that supports that vision. Too often I’ve had conversations with clients invest in a fancy bells-and-whistles ecommerce system because a “marketing expert” told them this is what they needed; or everyone else in their mastermind group was using it so they thought they’d better use it too! Just because others are using a particular system doesn’t necessarily means it’s right for you and your business.
4. Automate as much as possible. Any time you do “something” more than once, you need to create a system for it, so that doing it a second, third, or even a fourth time (and beyond) is quick and easy. It’s especially important to automate your online marketing system as once you start getting new subscribers on a daily basis, you want to make sure the information they requested is delivered to them automatically.
5. Don’t try and fudge different elements together because it’s cheaper. Now this is the opposite of number 1 above. Being prepared to make the investment in your business, but you make the “cheaper” investment by fudging together a series of cheaper alternatives and hope they’ll all work. In most cases they don’t and you end up with lost revenues, upset clients and customers, and a whole load of headaches!
I know having the right systems in place for my business has revolutionized it over the 13+ years I’ve been in business. Just some of the daily successes I experience in my business through having the right systems in place are:
- New subscribers – EVERY DAY!
- A pipeline of ideal clients.
- Marketing is systemized (and in some cases automated).
- Ability to take time away from my business, and cut back during the summer.
- 67% of each month my business generates revenue (approx 18 out of 31 days) i.e. those new order notification emails you get in your inbox!
Wouldn’t you like the same for your business too? Follow the success tips above, and you soon will have!
Are you struggling to set up the right systems in your business?
