Business systems are an integral part of your success plan.
It all sounds so easy… slap up a website, stick a PayPal button on it, and rake in the cash. And voila! You have a successful online business.
Not quite.
While it might have been just that easy in the beginning (except that when I started 25 years ago there was no PayPal, and getting a merchant account was cost-prohibitive for a lot of people) but it’s not quite that simple anymore. Now you need to be strategic about what you do and how you do it, and that’s where business systems come into play.
It’s not enough anymore just to be creative and put your work on your website and hope it sells. But the problem as I see it – speaking from my own experience here – is that we creative types are great at creating, and not so great at the mundane stuff that feels like work!
You know what I’m talking about right… the bookkeeping, the emailing, the technical stuff, and all those “chores” that have to be done to keep your customers and the tax man happy.
Making the shift into business ownership can be harrowing when the realities of what is expected and required to run the businesshit home. While teaching your classes and selling your creations may be the goal, the government and your clients also require you to be able to deliver that service or widget along with excellent customer service and quarterly filed taxes.
That’s where business systems come into play and can set you free to continue your creative processes with a whole lot less stress.
What should your business systems look like?
Your systems can be anything from policies and procedures to products and tools that reduce redundancy and create shorter paths for literally any aspect of business.
The three main ways they help you get back to creating are:
- They allow you to streamline tasks to reduce the amount of time they take.
- They make it easier to train employees or outsource the work
- They make it easier to find automations will also reduce your workload.
That’s why it makes sense to have business systems in place, so that you are less stressed and can get back to doing the work you really love!
Here are just a few examples of where you can add systems into your business:
- Customer service
- Operations
- Lead Generation
- Content Creation
- And More!
For example, one of the easiest business systems to develop and automate is lead generation.
I’ve always believed that building a list should be your first order of business, because outside of your website it’s the one asset that you truly own. Yes, you can build your following on social media, but algorithms change and you could find yourself kicked off a platform or relegate to the bottom of the list through no fault of your own.
Using an email management system like ConvertKit* makes it easy to capture emails, grow your list and even make your first sales right through their platform.
A second type of system you need for running a successful business is sales systems. Having a way to sell to the people on your list is a must, and you can use something as simple as a WordPress Blog and a PayPal button to get started.
From communication to sales pages, systems are a great way to organize your business and help it run efficiently. Consider adding one per month until you have a well-oiled and systematic machine. The more you are able to systematize the processes that run your business, the more free yourself up to spend time on the creative side of your business!
If the idea of creating business systems has you running for the hills, my colleague Cindy Bidar can help. She has a membership called Six Figure Systems* where she shares her own processes and systems that have helped her build multiple six- and seven- figure businesses of her own. You’ll get access to her complete library when you join, with over 30 different trainings on the systems you need to create a successful business.
Cindy’s courses and templates are my go-to whenever I’m doing something new in my business. I’ve been a member there for several years now, it’s the one membership in my arsenal that is completely non-negotiable.
Check out Six Figure Systems Here*
*Note: This post includes affiliate links, for which I will receive a small commission should you make a purchase.
