If you want to be successful in today’s ever-changing business world, you need to automate tasks. It’s not just about time saved, it’s also about efficiency. Automating your work will free up your brain power so that you can focus on more important tasks than routine or mindless tasks. The more efficient and well-organized your workflow is, the better your business will run. Here are some tips for automating your business so that you can focus on other important aspects of running a successful company.
Automation is important for your business
One of the most important aspects of running a business is to focus on what needs to be done. If you’re not focusing on the important things, your business will flounder. Automating parts of your workflow can help with these tasks while also freeing up your brain power so you can focus on other, more pressing issues. When it comes to getting work done, there are two main areas that are ripe for automation: social media and email marketing.
What is workflow?
Workflow is a system that lets you automate tasks. It helps you to do more with less effort. In a business setting, workflow can be used to prioritize and complete tasks effectively and efficiently. For example, if your entire company is running on a workflow system, it would tell your employees what tasks they need to do first so that they can work on more important projects.
A good workflow also improves the productivity of workers because it allows them to focus on their most productive tasks. When employees know what needs to be done first, they are able to move on from the routine or mindless tasks that don’t require as much focus or skill.
Tips for automating your workflow
- Document your processes.
- Automate tasks that you repeat on a regular basis, for example emailing newsletter signups and sending internal emails.
- Use templates and/or macros to speed up repetitive tasks.
- Develop a system for filing and retrieving documents or data files so that you can find them easily later on if you need to refer back to them.
- Keep important documents in the cloud (e.g., Google Drive) so that they’re always available on any device with internet connection (e-mail, phone, desktop).
- Consider using online tools like Zapier to automate some of your workflows by linking apps together automatically when certain conditions are met (e-mail is sent from MailChimp = send an invoice from Xero).
Identify the most time-consuming tasks in your workday
Identifying the most time-consuming tasks in your workday is an important first step before automating your business. It’s often the most repetitive tasks that are the most time-consuming. For example, when you have to enter data into a spreadsheet or when you have to create invoices for customers with certain requirements. Once you’ve identified which parts of your work are taking up the most of your time, you can start automating them to keep yourself organized and on-task.
Identify what tasks are routine or mindless
Jot down the tasks that are repetitive or mundane for you. For example, do you always have to change passwords? Do you have to send transactional emails regularly?
Automating these tasks will not only give you more time to focus on other aspects of your business, but it will also make sure that all of these tedious tasks are completed reliably and timely each day. You can use tools like Google Sheets, Zapier, and IFTTT to automate low-level tasks. These programs will help you easily set up workflows so that emails are sent out at certain times, passwords are changed automatically, data is updated, and more.
Create a master list of all the tasks you do on a daily basis
The first step in automating your workflow is to create a master list of what you do every day. This will help you identify the tasks that are repetitive or get done over and over again.
After you have identified your daily tasks, it’s time to get them automated. One way to do this is by using a CRM system for all your contact information. With CRMs, you can automatically input customer data into other programs that require that input, like sending emails. For example, if someone emails you for more information about your business, instead of manually adding their information to an email marketing campaign, you can just sync the contact information with the email marketing program. Click Here to learn more about this amazing CRM!
Another thing that can be automated is social media management. You can set up social media automation tools so that they post on your behalf when you need them to and even schedule what days and times those posts go out so they aren’t clogging up your feed with unimportant content every day.
Automate your work with these four steps
It’s important to identify what tasks you can automate and what tasks would need your personal attention. This all comes down to the type of business that you have.
If you’re a service based company, then it will be difficult to automate tasks that require more human interaction. For example, if you’re a software development company, then maybe your workflow could include automating customer service tickets or running some reports for analysis.
Step 1: Identify what tasks can be automated
The first step is the hardest, but it’s also the most crucial step in automating your business. You want to make sure you know which tasks are a good fit for automation and which ones aren’t. If you don’t know where to start, use a flowchart or process map of how work flows through your business. You’ll want to examine each phase of the process from beginning to end and ask yourself if there are any repetitive tasks that could be done by an automated system instead of a person.
Step 2: Create automated workflows
Once you’ve identified the tasks that can be automated, it’s time create a plan for how those tasks will get done automatically. Figure out how each task fits into the whole process so that each one is streamlined and efficient for everyone involved – not just a machine doing a job humans used to do! There may also be some new processes required as well as adjustments made to existing processes now that they can be done by machines too (like adding additional security
Save time by using templates
There are many tasks in your business that you will need to complete time and time again. Create templates for these tasks so that you can save time each time you need to complete them. For example, create templates for all the emails you send out or social media posts you publish. Just write them once and then use the template when it’s applicable, saving yourself lots of time in the future.
Create shortcuts on your computer, phone, or tablet to save time
One of the best ways to save time is to create shortcuts on your computer, phone, or tablet. Creating shortcuts will help you find information faster and do simple tasks quicker.
For example, if you’re always signing into different websites and/or apps, you can create a shortcut on your desktop that opens the website. This way, when you want to visit the site again later, it takes just one click!
You should also take advantage of other shortcuts such as keyboard shortcuts for things like copying and pasting text. These shortcuts will save you time without taking up any extra space on your device.
Set up automated reminders and notifications that speed.
Set up reminders and notifications on your calendar to speed up your workflow. For example, if you have a sales team that needs to follow-up with leads every week, set up a weekly reminder for them. You can also use this to remind yourself of important meetings or deadlines.
Some business owners use pop-up notifications on their desktop as a way to stay on top of things. Pop-ups are especially helpful for routine tasks that need to be done every day or every week.
Eliminate manual work by creating templates and documents that teams can then simply pull from when they’re ready to use them again. The more templates you create, the less time it takes for everyone in your company to get the information they need. Want to learn more about getting marketing automations and workflows set up for your business? Click Here and book a 20 min discovery call.