You’ll thank us later.
Imagine: vacationing on a sandy beach and splashing around in crystal clear blue water. The sun is shining. There’s a calm breeze blowing. Ah. Sounds nice.
Wake up! You’re a business owner! You don’t have time for dreams, vacations, or warm sandy beaches. There’s too much you have to take care of: marketing, employees, finances, utilities, invoicing, meetings, buying equipment, selling your product/service, etc., etc. It is your business, after all, so all of these tasks fall on your shoulders.
Well, what if there was a way to ease some of that burden so maybe, just maybe, you could start at least thinking about taking a dip in that warm, bright, inviting water? Spearhead is all about making doing business easier! Here’s how:
“What’s that?” you might be asking. That doesn’t sound straightforward or simple.
Trust us, it is.
Do it or lose it
All the things you have to do daily as a business owner are vital to the success of your business, your long-term financial health, and ultimately, your retirement. You probably did all these processes without thinking about it. Well, shouldn’t you share some of them with your employees? What happens if there is an emergency and you have to rely on your employees to handle, say, invoicing your top client? Can they do it? What about meeting with a hot prospect to discuss an upcoming project? Does someone else have the capability to close the sale, or know what steps need to be taken?
Taking your business to the next level
Another reason to document your business processes is the prospect of a future sale. If, excuse me, when, your company gets to a point where you are looking to sell it, a potential buyer will probably want to know that all of your processes are professionally documented, cataloged, and your staff is trained on the proper ways to handle everyday situations. The ability of the new owners to pick up where you left off will go a long way in securing an appropriate asking price.
So, these are all great reasons to document your processes, but the big question is, how do you do it? We’re so glad you asked. Here are some tips:
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Determine what processes need to be recorded
As mentioned above, everything needs to be documented:
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- How you fill out particular forms
- When you invoice
- How do you onboard a new employee
- How to adjust the thermostat
- How to login to WIFI
- The location of employee benefit forms (and how to fill them out)
And everything else!
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Be detailed when you write
Don’t just write: “Fill out section 1 on the benefits form.” Be as detailed as possible: “On Form #2B: Employee Benefits Acceptance Worksheet, Section 1, complete the following information in black ink: Name, address, home phone number, email address, social security number, and birth date.”
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Train (and encourage) your staff to use the documentation
As you’re writing out your documentation, make sure the appropriate staff members know where it’s located, understand how to use it, and are part of the process.
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Keep the documentation safe
Since you’ve gone through all that work, you want to keep your documentation safe. For easy access, you may follow the documents in a central location in three-ring binders, but you MUST have them in a digital backup, preferably in the cloud. Don’t forget to train your staff on how to access, update, and use the documentation!
Don’t worry; you won’t have to start with a blank piece of paper. One of our favorite automation tools, ONTRAPORT offers an easy-to-use business Process Creation Worksheet (free .PDF download) to help you get started.
Speaking of automation…
Automation
All the documentation is excellent, but what about the processes themselves? With all the technology available today, there are always better ways to do business. One fundamental way is automation. There are ways to automate a host of different functions, from marketing to IT and human resources to finance.
We’re especially keen on marketing automation from services like HubSpot where you can automate portions of your sales, customer service, and marketing services. ONTRAPORT, as mentioned above, is another excellent automation tool, for marketing campaigns to customer reporting.
Contact us today to experience how Spearhead Sales and Marketing brings maximum and sustainable impact to businesses that are dedicated to optimized sales and growth. We focus on tailored programs in both the traditional and digital spaces that maximize relationship building, lead generation, innovative marketing technology tools, sales partnerships, digital services, and strategic planning and development to build your customer base and close sales. Spearhead will be your agency of record for record-breaking performance!