There comes a time in every business where you realize you simply cannot do it all yourself.
Sure, when you’re just getting started you really are the “Sales, Marketing, and Social Media.” But as your business grows, it becomes painfully obvious that trying to do everything is only going to lead to:
- Frustration (when tasks don’t get done and potential leads slip thru the cracks)
- Burn out (when you’re working another 12+ hour day)
- Overwhelm (when you feel like you just spinning your wheels and not getting anywhere)
There are many ways to combat this hurdle, but one of the best is automation. Imagine having hands-off systems that work for you even when you’re hiking on a remote mountain or lounging at a luxury spa.
But here’s an even better reason to automate: it lets you scale your business. Think about it, the less manual work you have to do, the more time you have to do the money-making tasks such as networking, marketing, and client support.
So what can you automate? Almost everything, but start with:
Agreements & Invoicing
Do you have clients that you bill on a monthly basis? Do you have agreements or contracts that you use with your clients?
Wouldn’t it be great if your invoices go out on ad scheduled without you having to create and send them, or reminders and late notices going out without you having to create and send them. There are tools that can not only automate your invoicing but the agreements too so that they can be sent out, the client signs online, and any follow-up messaging can also be sent automatically.
Email Funnels
What happens when a new subscriber joins your mailing list or someone buys a product? Do they just sit on your list until you have time to send an email?
While emails have their place be sure to set up an autoresponder series to:
- Welcome new subscribers and deliver the free gift, newsletter, or current blog posting.
- Nurture those on your list by keeping in contact on a regular basis.
- Make additional offers based on previous purchases or inform them on your new products or programs.
And the best thing? Once your autoresponder is set up, it will continue to work even when you’re not.
Social Media Management
Yes, it’s important to be personable and engaging on social media. But that doesn’t mean you have to log in to Facebook just to post a link to your latest blog or YouTube video. There are tools that can help you automate certain types of postings so that your blog can be sent out to your social media platforms and posted for you. Automating that kind of social media posting can save you hours of time each and every month. Not only that, but you won’t have to worry about missing an update, either!
Calendar Management
If you have clients, partners, a team, or are often asked for interviews, then an automated calendar is a must. Rather than endless back-and-forth emails trying to find a mutually available time slot, simply send your calendar link and let them choose a time that works for them. Things to look for when choosing your technology is something that will integrate with your website, and online meeting platforms like zoom. Having the ability to automate the meeting confirmations, reminders, and to reschedule without you are also key to help streamline your calendar.
There are dozens of options for automating every aspect of your small business. As you grow, you’ll find new and better tools to make everything run more smoothly. For now, though, implementing these four ideas alone will save you hours of time every month.