Why Systems are the Key to Running Your Business Like a Well-Oiled Machine
Introduction:
I’ve met many business owners who think they can grow their business by making the right investments. They focus on investing in coaches and platforms, all in an effort to take their business to the next level.
What they don’t focus on is how important it is to establish systems in their business. Systems are the key to ensuring that your business is organized and streamlined. Systems also ensure that your business can run without you having to be there.
As an online business manager (OBM), one of the first things I focus on with new clients is to establish systems and processes for their business. Usually these clients have been keeping all of the systems for their business in their head. Sometimes they have no systems in place at all.
Systems are important for the following reasons:
- They allow the business owner to focus on the parts of the business they love the most.
- They establish how repetitive tasks in the business should be completed.
- They give the business much needed structure to keep things organized.
- They ensure that everyone on the team knows what to do and how to do it.
- They help set boundaries with your clients, your team, and yourself.
1. Systems allow the business owner to focus on the parts of the business they love.
When most small business owners start out, they are the ones responsible for doing everything in the business. This includes tasks like content creation, lead generation, client delivery, and administrative tasks.
As the business starts to grow, many business owners find themselves spread thin. The amount of clients they work with has grown, but they are still having to find the time to work on administrative tasks.
Even if they start to build a team, many business owners find it hard to get out of the weeds of their business because there isn’t a roadmap for their team members to follow.
Systems allow your team to have ownership over the areas that they are experts at. The business owner also gets time back because they’re no longer handling administrative tasks. Systems give the structure to your business that your team can follow. This allows you, the business owner, to focus more on serving your clients and audience.
2. Systems establish how repetitive tasks in the business should be completed.
Think about the tasks that are done in your business on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
Tasks like posting content for social media, onboarding new clients, sending newsletters to your email list, and tracking data are all what I call repeatable tasks. They are done using a specific step-by-step methodology.
Repeatable tasks are easy to establish systems around because they are usually done the same way each and every time. These tasks are easy to hand off to an assistant as long as they have a written or recorded document showing them exactly how things should be done.
3. Systems give the business much needed structure so things stay organized.
When there is a systematic way of doing things, organization usually falls into place.
Long gone are the days of searching for things, recreating processes over and over, and having a different client experience for every client. Systems cut down on a lot of the ambiguity in your business and forces things to be streamlined and efficient.
4. Systems ensure that everyone on the team knows what to do and how to do it.
A common complaint I get from business owners is that their team members won’t take ownership of their responsibilities. The business owner will often take over to ensure that things get done.
In some cases, the wrong person has been hired to handle specific responsibilities. A more common reason for team members not knowing what to do is that they’ve never been told what their exact responsibilities are.
As part of the onboarding process for new team members, there should be a meeting between the business owner (or OBM/DOO) and new hire to go over how things are done in the business. You can read more about what the onboarding process should look like here.
Systems will help guide your team members so they know how and when to complete specific tasks in your business. While there may be a learning curve for new hires, over time you’ll notice that there will be less dependence on you, the business owner, in ensuring that tasks are done correctly and on time.
5. Systems help set boundaries with your clients, your team, and yourself.
Maintaining boundaries is essential for the mental health of everyone, including your clients and your team. Systems help establish certain business functions like when and how your clients can contact you, when and how your team communicates with you, and your office hours.
When you have boundaries, you will no longer be working long hours trying to satisfy the needs of your clients and team members at the drop of a hat. The time working on your business will be protected, allowing you to really focus on things like working with your clients and marketing.
Bonus: What systems can look like
When I first approach business owners about creating systems for their business, they are immediately concerned about the financial and time obligation that it takes to create them.
In some larger businesses that are rapidly growing, systems can be complex, with lots of technology and processes that work together. But for businesses with smaller teams, I’m a big fan of keeping your systems as simplified as possible.
Systems can be as easy as creating:
- Checklists
- Templates
- Canned emails
- SOPs
- Automations
Additional Resources:
[BLOG] How to onboard a new team member with ease
[IG] Systems are the key to running your business like a well-oiled machine
[IG] What happens when you put off creating systems for your business
Conclusion:
Creating systems for your business is one of the most important things you can do if you want your business to grow.
Systems keep your business organized and efficient and reduce the mental strain of keeping everything in your head.
If you have questions about small business systems, put them in the comments below or send me a DM on Instagram.