Category: Operations

Systems are the cornerstone of your business.  Without the right office organization systems in place, you’ll very quickly become overwhelmed and frustrated.

I recently held a virtual workshop where I talked about the three biggest mistakes I see many business owners making in their business, and all of these mistakes had one thing in common: a lack of SYSTEMS.

One of those mistakes I shared was having the right systems in place, but in the wrong order.

Let me explain a bit more…

Over the 16 years I have been in business, I have become aware that there is a very specific order in which to build your business, and if you do any of this out of order, then at some point you’re going to cause some problems for yourself.

So, I took these steps and created a 3-step business management model. I refer to these three steps at the 3 “Ms” to Online Business Management Success, and it is this business model I follow and teach my private clients to follow too.

Put simply, the three steps in the 3 Ms model are:

• Step 1: Manage – build the foundations for your business by creating your core systems
• Step 2: Market – create visibility so that your target market knows who you are and what you do, and then build your database of potential clients and customers
• Step 3: Create Multiple Streams – when you get to the “bursting point” in your business repackage your expertise into various products and programs to leverage your time

I’ve written and talked about this specific business management model a lot previously, so I don’t want to focus on the process today. Instead, I’d like to share with you the results you get (or don’t get) when you do things in the WRONG order.

Scenario #1: Creating & Launching an Info Product Without Having a List in Place

Rather than focusing on building your list (step 2: market), you spend time creating a product (step 3: multiple streams)because that’s what you’ve been led to believe works … create a passive product that people can buy on your website and you become an overnight success!

So you create and launch your product, but you don’t get any sales!

Why? Because you don’t have anyone to sell to!

This is a classic case of going straight to Step 3 and completely missing out Step 2.

Scenario #2: Running an Advertising Campaign to Get New Subscribers/Leads

Let’s say you run a Facebook ad for your ezine, and it’s a huge success and you get a ton of new subscribers (step 2: marketing). If one (or more) of these new subscribers are then interested in working with you, what processes do you have in place to turn that subscriber from a potential client into a paying client? I.e. your client conversion system – and this is actually a part of your contact management system (step 1: manage).

So if you don’t have this system in place before the marketing, you’re going to have to scramble to get this set up and you could actually lose the potential client in the process.

This is an example of marketing your business (step 2) before managing your business (step 1).

So even though in the two scenarios above, you had the right systems in place, you were implementing them in the wrong order. The result is that both of these scenarios will have a very real impact on your bottom line:

Scenario 1: You put in hours of YOUR time creating an info product with no sales. What is your hourly rate? Multiply that by how many hours it took you to create the product and there is the cost of your lost revenue opportunity. That time would have been better spent focusing on getting new ideal clients so that you can fill your business and generate consistent revenues.

Scenario 2: You lose the sale because you don’t have your systems in place. The client goes elsewhere. What has that lack of systems just cost you in terms of business revenue?

Sometimes it’s the simple tweaks that can make all the difference!

And your “tweaking” your email system by automating and organizing is where you can see the biggest difference in your day-to-day productivity.

It’s time to ditch the email overwhelm and get organized!

We all know that email is a huge source of overwhelm for many solopreneurs, and also one of the biggest time drains. However, email is essential to a solopreneur’s success, so you have to find a way of organizing your emails. If organized properly you’ll quickly and easily be able to:

• Focus on the top priority emails first
• Skim your emails and see which ones need your attention
• Get quick and easy access

Now, I’m a huge Outlook fan and have written about how you can organize your Outlook inbox through setting up Rules and Filters. But recently, due to a LOT of business and personal travel which has taken me away from my office, I’ve had to work off my laptop, which posed the question of …

How do I access my emails?

Gmail was the obvious answer – I simply forward all of my email accounts on to my Gmail account and voila! I have access to all of my emails!

But…

All of a sudden all the wonderful rules and filters I’d created in Outlook didn’t  transfer to Gmail (obviously!), and so I ended up with this huge glob of emails in my Gmail account … and I mean there were hundreds. So, the Queen of Office Organization suddenly found herself overwhelmed by emails!

Enter…

Gmail Filters and Labels.

With a bit of research I found I could easily recreate the rules and filters I’d set up in my Outlook account to also work in my Gmail account – they’re just called Filters and Labels in Gmail. And once I knew how to do this organizing my emails became a cinch!

So, here’s how you can do this in your own Gmail account too:

1: In your Gmail account, click on Options > Mail Settings.

2: Click on the Filters link.

3: Click on Create a New Filter link.

4: At this screen you can now specify your filter criteria. It can be anything:

• From a specific email address
• To a specific email address
• With certain words in the subject line
• Specify certain words etc.

5: Once you’ve specified your criteria click on Next Step.

6: On your next screen you then say what you want to happen with your email:

• Skip the Inbox – this is an essential part of the filtering process. If you want to actually Move your email as it arrives so it ends up in an alternate folder (which is another name for a Label) then you want to make sure this box is ticked. If you don’t tick it you’ll end up with two copies of your email – one in your Inbox and the other assigned to your Label.
• Apply the Label – this is also another essential part of the filtering process. This is where you automatically assign a Label to an email and, if you’ve selected Skip the Inbox, your email will be assigned directly to this Label. From here you can also create a new Label.

There are also other options you can choose here too, but the ones I use the most are Skip the Inbox and Apply the Label.

7: You can also apply your newly created filter to other emails that meet your criteria. Simply check the box that says Also apply filter to X message below.

8: Click on Create Filter and you’re done!

You can create as many Filters and Labels as you want. Some examples of different Filters/Labels you may want to create are for:

• Individual clients
• Newsletters/Ezines
• Networking Groups
• Social media notifications
• New subscriber notifications
• New order notifications

This is just one of the many systems that are simple to create and yet make a HUGE difference in the overall success of your business. Once you’ve taken control of your emails you’ll become much more productive and efficient.

Most entrepreneurs wish for more time and money. Business people yearn for more time so that they can balance family life, friends, and their interests. Without sufficient planning, it can be overwhelming. To run a business and expand operations, you need money. As your business grows, you need to be able to scale that growth so that it does not hurt you in the future. Here is what you need to do if you want to scale your business:

1. Delight your customers.

In any business, acquiring new clients is a great thing. For the success of your business, you have to concentrate on the customers you have. If you work hard to impress your clients by giving them high-quality services, your company is likely to flourish. When you delight your clients, they are likely to spread the message to their friends, or even their social media pages. In business, your most significant salesman is your customer. Delighting your clients does not mean that you have to restructure your business model; all you need to do is to anticipate their needs and deal with them in the best possible manner.

2. Invest in your employees.

You might have probably heard of some privileges prominent organizations like Google offer their employees; free food, unlimited sick days, and bonus payments. Investing in your employees is a brilliant idea since you can get top talents who have a great work/life balance. Due to that motivation, the employees work harder. The moment you value your workers, they will share your vision with a passion and do all it takes to help your brand strive.

3. Do not work in your business, work on it.

Business people fail because of focusing on the wrong things. Concentrating on the details is crucial. If you do not pay attention to the things that help your business move forward strategically, you are likely to stagnate forever. Therefore, take your time and get to know the critical aspects of your business, and start working on each one of them.

4. Create great relationships and networks.

It is essential to be good at what you do and be proud of yourself when you add value to your clients. That is not enough since it all goes down to connections. In business, it is all about who you know. When you go to social places, make sure you interact with everyone; especially the most influential people in the society. When you do that, you are likely to get more business from these people.

5. Avoid shortcuts by all means.

AS your business grows, you may face the temptation of taking shortcuts to get to the next level faster. If you want to kill your business at once, try using the shorter way to success. Once you take shortcuts, you compromise on your values, ethics, and integrity. For you to make your business turn into an empire, be patient and avoid using the shortest route since it might turn out to be the longest route.

6. Concentrate on email marketing.

Online marketers and business owners know that email marketing is crucial when it comes to driving sales. Email marketing is not about the emails you send automatically, but the number of people you reach and connect with at once. That connection is what will help your business sell anything on autopilot. However, to ensure email marketing is well done, get a right Email Marketing Agency and your company will get more sales.

Conclusion

If you are overwhelmed, do not be afraid of hiring professional consultants who will give you appropriate advice on how to run your business. Therefore, concentrate on scaling your business and watch it grow from a small company to a vast empire.

 

Choosing to rent a computer is an optimal solution for businesses and corporate entities who require the use of a computer but prefer avoiding having to purchase entire systems brand new. Knowing when to rent computers for businesses is a way for you to ensure your staff has all of the resources you need at any time, even if you do not own the computers and equipment yourself.

Temporary Staff Needs

If you are in need of additional computers for a busy time of the year (such as tax time or Black Friday), consider renting computers to ensure your staff does not fall behind when completing their work. Renting computers for temporary staff needs helps avoid unnecessary expenses of investing in brand new computer systems.

Server Migration

When you are switching servers for your business, renting computers is a temporary method to continue working on tasks at hand while transferring and actually moving data. Renting computers for server migration allows your staff to continue moving forward with their work without losing total access to files and documents they have saved on their official work computers.

Classroom Training

Renting computers from a professional service is also ideal if you plan to host classroom training sessions or seminars in your workplace. If you are hosting classrooms and seminars, it is possible to rent the computers and other equipment your staff requires for a set length of time rather than purchasing all new computers.

Relocation

When you are planning to move your place of business to a new location, renting computers is one way to keep your employees productive even when they are temporarily unable to access their personal work computers. Renting computers throughout the process of moving and relocating allows you to stay on task while meeting deadlines and goals you have for your company. Avoid missing out on revenue-generating opportunities and managing your business during a move by choosing to rent the number of computers necessary in order to keep your staff working with little to no interruptions.

Trade Shows, Conferences, and Events

Computer rentals are ideal for professionals who are planning to attend trade shows, conferences, and other business-related events. Renting a computer for a trade show allows you to utilize top-notch equipment to show off your product or to provide a presentation for possible partners, clients, or customers. When you choose to rent a computer for a trade show or another business event, avoid using your personal work computers and putting any data or information you have stored on your hard drives at risk while you are traveling and away from your workplace.

Before you attend an upcoming trade show, conference, or event that is relevant to your business, be sure to inquire about the type of electrical setup that is available and fits your display needs. If you want to showcase a presentation to attendees, consider using iPads and other tablet devices in addition to large monitors that are also available to rent.

Working successfully in any industry or business requires the ability to think fast and put resources to use in any way possible, ultimately helping to reduce expenses while increasing the overall revenue you are capable of generating. Renting computers for business trips and other purposes helps you to stick to any budget in place without going overboard with computer and equipment investments.