systems and automations
When you start a website project, be sure you’re thinking about all your tech, not just your website because your website ultimately is the hub of your business. Even though systems and automations take time to strategize and implement this time pays off hundred fold in the time it saves you from doing monotonous tasks over and over again.
Your web hosting platform should do double or triple duty, not only should it be lightening fast, it should also have automated security features and set up the auto billing so you don’t loose your site!
Your email marketing platform needs to be flexible and scalable. So even if you don’t segment your list now or have automated email sequences, as your biz grows, make sure your email marketing system can keep up with you. And of course this platform needs to have great integrations so you can add it to your site.
Social media. Yes, you have to. Pick 2 platforms, stick with it and get a management system to help you bulk produce and schedule updates so you don’t waste time every day creating content. Be sure to integrate your social feeds onto your site for fresh up to date content with no additional effort.
Client management software. Please oh please do this for yourself to manage leads, proposals, quotes, contracts, questionnaires, and all the other nitty gritty around clients. You can get paid on time with automated invoicing and add a nice client portal button to your website so that your clients can easily find out when that next invoice is due!
Content management system. With so many website platforms to choose from, be sure the one you choose is powerful enough to integrate with your other systems AND handle the functionality you want on your site, from e-commerce, to lead generation, to paid advertising. Don’t just choose a system because it’s the hot system right now.
Scheduling system. We all have to have to schedule meetings, consults and appointments. So, make it easy on yourself, pay the $10 a month and save yourself 10s of hours a month with a scheduling system that integrates with your google or ical. Send a link to a client or prospective and they can book themselves right into your calendar without all the back and forths.
Project management system. Chances are the projects you do have a flow that you use for all your clients. Document this, get it into a workflow or project management system and use it. If you are a product or event based biz, your staff can all be on the same page. If you have a service based biz, be sure to hook it up to your website again so clients can easily access it and see exactly where they are in your project.
What other systems and automations do you use in your business? Having a clear strategy how all these pieces communicate to each other will save you tons of time and you’ll feel like your business is running you instead of you running your business.
