4 steps to systematize your company (use it)

Lost? Get a map.

Since last weeks newsletter, I have had over a dozen calls with overwhelmed business owners and they all had the same question.

"I don't even know where to start. What is the first step?"

I felt for them. The anxiety that grips you when you are uncertain of where you will be by the end of the year is constant and draining.

The fear that sits deep in your gut when you ponder if you have gotten yourself in way over your head. There seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel.

BLUF: I tried to give them hope and a starting point.

The Rub: It won't be easy and more than a few will fall flat on their face a couple times before getting it. That's okay. I've broken my nose a few times from falls and I think it looks better now (at least that's what my therapist tells me).

If you can sympathize with with the owners I talked to or you are trying to get your business in a better place than it was the day before, I am about to show you how to begin systematizing your company.

Here we go.

If a picture is a thousand words, then what does this one tell you?

It says CLARITY to me.

This is a detailed work-flow process diagram that shows the flow of every task within Best Staffing Company Ever (not real company name).

This took a few weeks and multiple meetings to get right, but once it was complete, it was a game-changer.

No more questions regarding next steps or confusion as to where the bottleneck was.

It was clear and actionable.

If you want to do this for your company, then here are the steps to do it.

Step 1: Break down your company into departments.

Sales, marketing, customer service, etc. You might have only 2 or you might have 20. Take the time and break them down. You might have more departments than you thought when you start to analyze it.

Step 2: List the tasks in each department on a numbered list in order.

This is a running list of everything that needs to be done in order to fulfill the dedicated task. You cannot have too much detail in this exercise. Put everything.

Step 3: Analyze the department lists and see where there is redundancy.

This is usually an enlightening exercise. Most owners do not realize that more than one (one company had 4) person is responsible for the exact same task.

This creates two major problems right off the bat.

1. If more than one person is responsible for the task, how do you hold anyone accountable when the task is uncomplete?

2. This is an obvious redundancy that is taking time and productivity away from your team that could be placed elsewhere on another task.

Step 4: Automate Automate Automate

This is one of the most exciting steps in the entire process.

At this point you have mapped out your entire workflow, removed any redundancies, and are now staring at something that looks like the map I posted above.

Now it is time to take those same workflow and replicate them in your software of choice. Now most of the project management software out there is not ideal to build your "operating system" as it has limits to it's integrations and functionality.

That is why I use ClickUp. It is super customizable and has hundreds of automations that make it the most powerful system out there.

I believe in it so much I actually a partner in a company that builds custom operating systems for businesses so that you can experience clarity and scalability.

It is called ClickDown and you can check it out here.

In order to automate, you need to look at your workflow map and identify all the steps in your workflow that can be automated.

For example, a sales call itself cannot be automated, but the process of getting it set up and all the information regarding the prospect at your fingertips ready for the call can be automated.

Here is my process:

1. Write Twitter thread (me)

2. Prospect clicks on Calendly link in the call-to-action at the bottom of thread (not me)

3. Prospect is routed to a Calendly form that asks some qualifying questions. If prospect answers them correctly, they are directed to choose time on my calendar (not me)

4. Prospect then chooses time of call and gets the call link and a message to prepare for the call (not me)

5. Prospect name and answers to survey are sent to my ClickUp Dashboard where I am able to organize their information for follow up and next steps (not me)

6. I sit down for a zoom call with the prospect and talk about my service at the predetermined time (me)

The only part of the 6 step process that included my time and energy were the thread I wrote (30 mins) and the actual call itself (30 mins).

From that one thread I booked 10 calls. So my total time spent on acquiring a new clients was 6 mins per qualified lead.

That's powerful!

This is a simple example of an automation, but I have clients who are able to save 60+hrs/month in admin work because of the processes that we put in place. That enables them to spend more of their time and energy on activities that they enjoy and grow their business.

To recap, here are the 4 steps to systematize your business:

• Break down your company into distinct departments

• Number the tasks in each department

• Find the redundancies

• Automate Automate Automate

Onward,

Ben