Would you like to save time, streamline your business activities, and steward your time wisely? Systems will help you do this, and this episode will get you started with understanding and creating systems in your business.
In Episode 11, I shared with you about one of the ways that I’m able to manage the various activities and responsibilities I have, including 2 podcasts, a service-based business, digital products, and more. And today I’m sharing the second thing that truly helps me keep my business running: systems.
1. What is a system?
A system is the process you use to complete a series of tasks that all result in the final product. It’s usually going to be several aspects that are interconnected to reach a completed project or task.
2. Why do you need systems in your business?
- Systems will save you time
- Systems make it easier to delegate work
Simply stated, creating systems in your business is necessary if you want to grow. Up to a certain point, you can manage winging it and going with the flow. But if you want to truly take your business to the next level, then you need systems.
And as a Christian, there’s another perspective here. I believe systems help us to be a good steward of the time God has given us. If you can systematize some of the things in your business, that allows you to have time to focus on some of the more important things, like sharing your message or spending time with your family.
“Systems help us to be a good steward of the time God has given us.”
3. When do you need systems in your business?
You need a system when you have something that you will be repeating in your business on an ongoing basis. Anytime you find yourself doing something over and over, it’s time to create a system.
Another time you need a system is when you start to feel overloaded with everything you have going on in your business. Systems will help you streamline what’s happening and get really clear on the important steps that have to be done.
4. Aspects of your business that might need systems
- Content. Creating content for your blog, podcast, or social media can benefit from having a system set up.
- Client communication. If you work with clients, you need a system in place to manage the process from start to finish.
- Launching products or programs. If you are someone who is creating digital products or even group programs, you can create a repeatable system rather than reinventing the wheel every time.
Those are just a few examples of the types of things within your business that can benefit from a system.
5. How to create systems in your business
There are 3 basic approaches to creating systems:
- You wing it every week and hope you don’t forget something important
- You go by memory and just do all the steps because they are in your head
- You have a system documented and the steps are outlined for each phase of the process
My hope from this episode is that you see the value in working towards the third approach, even if you’re not naturally organized.
Steps to creating a system in your business:
- Document every single step of what you do from start to finish. It will be annoying at first, but trust me, it’s worth it! If you prefer, you can create a screen sharing video of the process if you are more of a visual creative thinker. If you do a video share, you’ll then need to have someone on your team go back and document the steps.
- Put the system into a tool you will actually use. I love Trello for documenting my systems.
- Make sure there are people assigned to the phases/tasks.
- Set up due dates for each task or phase, so that the person assigned (even if it’s you) knows when to get the items done each week.
- Lastly, use the system! It might be tempting to skip using it especially if you are solo. But I highly recommend getting into the habit of using the system you create so that you are ready to pass on certain parts when you hire or outsource. Also, you will feel less overwhelmed if you do this because you will always know where you are at with each project or process you are working on!
Next Steps for Creating Systems in Your Business:
I have created a free video series for you on using my favorite tool, Trello, to manage your business or life, and I’ve even shown you the basics of creating a system within Trello.
This is broken down into a few short videos so that it’s not overwhelming, and it’s totally free. Grab the free video series here or go to: christianwomanbusiness.com/trello.
Connect with Me:
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