Systemize Your Online Business
It's time to systemize your business!
Want to save time, money, and energy? Then you need systems.
Either keep reading or watch the video below:
Today I am going to talk about the process and the benefits of systemizing your online business.
What are systems?
First, a quick intro to what systems are in case you need it.
Well, you could say that a system is a manual for running your business, but to be more specific, systemization is the process of documenting and organizing a collection of processes or standard operating procedures, in order to help your business run efficiently.
Standard Operating Procedures
A standard operating procedure (SOP) is basically a list of step-by-step instructions put together by you or your team members to help carry out processes within your business.
Common SOP formats include checklists, hierarchies, and flowcharts.
SOPs are essential guides because they eliminate uncertainty/miscommunication about how to best complete routine tasks, help the business processes run well, maximize efficiency, and minimize waste of time and resources.
To create effective SOPs you should include :
A clear title which gives context to the reader.
Defined goals where you explain the results you expect.
Vital information.
Step-by-step instructions to carry out the procedures.
Assigned role and responsibility to each member of your team.
References which provides supporting guidelines for the various procedures, such as screenshots within the steps, or a video overview showing the whole process.
I love to use Asana to store all of my SOPs. You can get access to my SOP Bank System for free here. Grab it now and start systemizing through SOPs!
Business Systems Examples
Business systems are used in every industry, from independent freelancers to giant companies like McDonalds. They are vital to the success of a business, no matter which industry you are in.
Some examples of common business systems which you can implement in your business are:
Project management
Client management
Marketing
Sales
Bookkeeping
Why should you systemize your business?
You are most likely pouring a lot of time and energy into making sure that everything runs smoothly in your business but let's be honest, after a while it can become mentally draining and you will eventually end up burnt out.
So when you systemize your business, you get a bunch of benefits.
Let me list some of them:
Increased Efficiency
When you systemize your business, you should document processes and procedures. Outlining processes step-by-step lets you spot mistakes easily and those unnecessary actions that have crept into the day to day operations. In turn, this means you get to make these processes more streamlined and efficient, leading to reduced costs while also freeing up more time for higher level work.
Cost Reduction
One of the most appreciated benefits of systemizing your business is that you will automatically reduce unnecessary steps, which will result in less time and money wasted.
Small cost savings add up over time.
Knowing exactly what your team should be doing, based on your systems, means that you can see what they’re actually doing, while tracking time and money spent, which can increase your profit.
Business Growth and Scale
You can scale your business much easier by having reliable systems in place. Systems ensure that your processes are streamlined, efficient, and repeatable.
When you have reliable systems, you eliminate the guesswork and reduce the risk of errors, which means you and your team can focus on what really matters—growing your business.
With routine tasks automated, effective delegation strategies in place, and consistency in your services, you will save time and money.
Systems also improve your customer experience, making it easier to scale your operations without compromising on quality. With the right systems, you can handle increased workload seamlessly and be prepared for future growth, giving you a solid foundation to build upon.
Client Satisfaction
Obviously, this is a very important area that can make or break a business.
As a successful business, you need to make sure that your systemization extends to the way you manage your clients.
Every aspect of the client’s interaction with a business, from the initial inquiry through to sales and support need to be every bit as systemized as the marketing system used to capture the lead.
And I saved the best for last:
Taking well-deserved vacation time
For an entrepreneur it may seem as if there will never be an opportunity to take a break and spend some time away from the business, especially if you are the only person who knows how things work.
There is always something that needs to be dealt with. Service delivery, customer enquires, and so on.
And that's where, once again, systemizing your business comes in.
By implementing a proper system, you can rest assured that your team members will be able to run things without you needing to be there, because they have access to all the information and instructions they will need.
And let's imagine if an issue would occur during your absence, it should be relatively easy to determine how to handle the problem because everything is documented with great detail in the SOP.
So by systemizing your business, you will be able to dedicate your time, mental energy, and focus on tasks that will help you expand your business so that it can thrive, while you save money.
And also, you will be less stressed!
How to start systemizing your business
Ok, so you have decided to systemize your business but you don't know how to start?
My advice is to look at where you can see clear holes in your operations.
Ask yourself these questions:
What tasks are the most time consuming?
What is the most stressful or overwhelming?
Where are things slipping through the cracks?
These questions can help you come up with areas to start creating systems. When you have identified your holes, you will be one step closer to figuring out how you can fix them.
