Tons of business owners are always looking for new ways to improve and streamline their businesses. If being a busy business owner has dominated your life, it’s time to regain control. Below are some helpful tips you can incorporate into your everyday work habits. Simplify your business so you can spend time on what matters.
Take your business digital
One of the best things you can do for your small business is take it online. Your website is the backbone of your company and it’s where your current and potential customers will learn more about you – and more importantly find your products or services. It’s essential your website answers your audience’s questions. This can include contact information, address, FAQ pages and product pages. By providing this content on your website, you prevent frustrated clients from moving onto other competitors.
On top of your website, you can create a digital marketing strategy which involves using different online channels to promote your business. These channels come in the forms of social media, content marketing and PPC (pay-per-click ads) and search engine optimization (SEO).
With the help of a digital marketing strategy, you can stand out from competitors and it allows you to get creative in saturated markets. One of the main goals with going digital is using your campaigns to support your company goals and mission. This is how you can attract your ideal audience and make them resonate with your brand.
Automate your internal processes
A lot of small businesses spend a lot of extra time doing manual tasks that can be easily automated. If you’re someone that needs to focus their attention on other areas of your company, consider automating your demanding tasks.
For instance, you can create standard operating procedures (SOPs) where both you and your team can document different processes. This not only helps you save time, but it can act as a resource hub for new hires too. SOPs provide detailed instructions on how to complete tasks and processes internally. If your business requires you to schedule posts on social media (ie. Facebook or Instagram), you can use a digital tool that posts for you. You can do further research into your audience and find out when users are most active and post around that time.
As a business owner, it’s important to identify your paint points so you can become more efficient. If you can outsource specific tasks to experts, it’s worth the extra money – and you can even get some time back for yourself.
Try using a coworking space
If you want the flexibility of a hybrid solution for your business, then a coworking space might be for you. Flexible work spaces offer offices that can help inspire and boost creativity for entrepreneurs and businesses. Originally, coworking spaces were thought to mainly target digital nomads and freelancers. However, many small businesses and start-ups have also started using these spaces. Here are a few of the benefits they provide below:
- Networking opportunities
- Meeting and conference rooms
- Amenities and central location
- Improved business productivity
- More flexibility
- Less overhead costs
Minimize your meetings
According to a Harvard Business Review study, they found that of 182 senior managers, 71% of respondents don’t find meetings effective. Some meetings can be crucial to both you and your employees, however, make sure they’re streamlined and have a process. A lot of leaders realize that most people don’t like meetings, so try to make it efficient and fun whenever possible. A few things you can do to improve efficiency including:
- Provide a meeting outline or agenda
- Explain next steps
- Encourage open discussion
- Include relevant teams or people
- Break down timelines
So, based on the research, it’s clear that too many meetings can tamper with productivity and make people irritable. With the proper tools and planning, you can reduce your meeting times and improve employee satisfaction.
Hire an electronic assistant/mail service
Hiring an electronic assistant and mail service can be an efficient way to simplify your business. At Telsec, we offer VoIP and virtual assistant services that can streamline your processes. You can use the mail forwarding, telephone answering and reception services to make your life that much easier. This will show your future clients and audience that you have a professional home-based, even if you work remotely most of the time.
Create a dashboard to help with management
Staying organized is another key ingredient to company success. If you’re not naturally inclined to stay organized, there are tools you can use that help arrange your tasks and deliverables. Some online time management tools also include timers for logging and tracking time so you can see how long tasks take. Based on these findings, you can find ways to become even more efficient with your time and see where you can cut resourcing.
Make payments easy for clients
Cash and check payments have been on the decline for years. That’s why having electronic payment options is key for your clients and online customers. If you don’t provide these options, you could potentially miss out on sales opportunities For service-based businesses, you can allow customers to pay their invoices through an online accounting or invoicing system.
Simplifying your business may seem like a chore, but it certainly doesn’t have to be. At Telsec, we will help manage your professional brand image for you while maintaining an air of professionalism. Contact us today to set up and customize your virtual office solutions or coworking space.