by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Aug 29, 2013 | Entrepreneur, Small Business
Wandering aimlessly in the entrepreneurial desert generates a destination unknown. You need processes, procedures and best practices to instigate change and growth in your business. Successful entrepreneurs aren’t about being willy nilly but instead, implementing systems for a well-defined and productive business machine: The Company.
“Business System Planning (BSP) is a method for analyzing, defining and designing an information architecture of organizations. The result of a BSP project is an actionable roadmap that aligns technology investments to business strategy.” Wikipedia
- Direction and clarity will ensure a positive journey to your success.
- Systematizing your business flow and daily operations is only part of the expansion channel.
- Systems and plans help build momentum.
- Systems help you to uncover your low-payoff activities
- Systems allow you to teach others to do many of the daily tasks so you don’t need to wear all of the hats.
- Systems save time and money
It is easy to get caught up and manage your business on auto-pilot; just taking care of whatever comes your way and some of yesterday’s hits but unless you clearly outline your objectives, something is bound to get lost in the shuffle.
“A system breaks down your businesses processes and sets verifiable checkpoints with expected outcomes for each task. Bulletproof business systems that boost profits while freeing up time and expenses.” Nick Reese
2 things you should have:
- Systems: Documentation of your processes/procedures for general structure and policies as well as your online activities
- Planning: Goals/action steps
Some may believe that this kind of structure is too rigid but being the architect of your life and your business, is the road to achievement. Systems create routine work in a standardized way with implementable action steps to scale your company.
Systems are your framework to outline expectations for yourself and those your work with. Embrace organization to achieve excellence. Once you invest your time and energy on the foundation, your day becomes more simplified. More productive. More profitable.
“A business without a commercial sales/marketing system is the same thing as trying to drive from Chicago to New York without a map, while blindfolded. The chance of getting to where you want to be is next to none!” Michael Trow
Creating Systems:
- Make a list of your systems: sales, marketing, social media, accounting, customer retention…….
- Record the procedures that are vital to your everyday operations.
- Note who is responsible for each step and level within your organization.
- Make sure your team follows through with their processes as well.
- Anticipate problems and solutions as part of your methodology.
- Document the desired outcomes with answers to different potential scenarios and how to handle them.
- Use flowcharts and or spreadsheets
- What systems or procedures can be automated?
- How will you implement your automation (document it)?
- Track your digital automation procedures/successes
With a system in place, you will know exactly what needs to be done, how, when, and why.
“The development of internal processes and systems is vital for defining the parameters by which specific tasks are to be accomplished. The trick for the leader is to not get caught up in weighty process and the metrics they produce, but to authentically be aware of the activities on the front line that contribute to happy customers.” Patti Blackstaffe
When you systemize your business, you learn how and what to automate enabling you to also delegate routine tasks so that you can grow faster and focus on doing what you love. Imagine the time you save with your systems in place. Your day would flow with greater ease. You would have more structure and a deeper understanding of the daily processes. Your team would have clarity and accountability. Your business would be positioned for growth and increased profits.
Jump start your business with systems. After you have completed this process, the next step is your planning of goals and action steps for each day, each month, for the year.
Make it happen.
Image credit: Pixabay.com
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Aug 15, 2013 | Guest Blogger, Small Business
Focus on sales to reach calculated, repeatable success. Why? Mediocrity is, well, ‘boring’!
If you’re reading this the chances are that you are working with Ace Concierge (or thinking about how a Virtual Assistant can help your business) and enjoying the gift of time.
Kudos!
For most businesses (of any shape, size and look) outsourcing areas of business is a must. You know you have special skills. You know you have passions. You know your strengths can’t possibly lie in all the areas required to run a business.
So what now?
Does outsourcing mean you can spend more time on the beach sipping fruity cocktails out of a coconut shell?
Possibly.
The likelihood is that you are looking to leverage the new found time, peace of mind and rejuvenated focus working ON your business.
Where do you start? Well, that depends entirely on you, your business and the priorities that you feel deserve the attention you can afford them.
Where will you need to focus your attention? Sales.
(Save the jeers and tomato throwing!)
Yes, at some point to reach a point of predictable success your business will need to focus on sales and processes.
Marketing is vital. Especially if you think about marketing as the act of raising awareness of your business to your target market(s).
Sales is essential.
In essence, as small business owners our goal is to spend as much time as possible service those we are meant to serve. Our ideal clients.
In order to this we need to have a proportionate amount of sales conversations with prospects to encourage them to make the step up from prospect to highly valued client.
This much, we know.
Getting to the point of having these sales conversations is subject largely to the processes that we have in place to enable this to happen.
There 5 processes to implement on the road to successful growth.
5 Commercial Processes To Address In Your Business
- The Lead Generation Process – The act of encouraging prospects to have a sales conversation
- The Sales Process – the process of taking a prospect from potential target, through qualified prospect to valued paying client
- The Follow Up Process – The act of ensuring all leads are informed through the process
- The Lead Nurturing Process – A process dedicated to those that have illustrated an interest in your offer but have declined to purchase at this time
- The Data/CRM Process – The strategy behind contact management and analyzing your progress
Without knowing you I would like to say that I believe you to be compelling, genuine and passionate when speaking with prospective clients. Most small business owners and solopreneurs are and this is because of the belief you have in yours and your businesses ability.
Complacency can creep in bit by bit. As such, generate and implement process to ensure continued success and longevity.
This will make the fruity cocktails taste oh so much sweeter.
If you’re interested in learning more about this, sales processes and more, download a free copy of my report and short e-book here.
Guest Post by Michael Trow
Michael Trow is the owner of Michael Trow Enterprises LLC where he helps small to medium sized businesses grow by working with them to improve the effectiveness of their sales and marketing. Michael is a facilitator at the Workforce Development Program locally and has been sitting on the board for the Tallahassee chapter of The ASTD.
Michael has lived and worked in four continents, done business all over the world through a 12 year sales and marketing career. During this time he has helped launch new business units, lead and train sales teams and been responsible for growing businesses through front line sales and marketing. He is a self-proclaimed dog lover, wine appreciator and out of practice musician!
Connect with Michael
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Aug 8, 2013 | Entrepreneur
How do you value or measure your success? Many place financial gain as their metric for success but does this really encompass all that you strive for? It is certainly one component but is it the “be all” to gauge your accomplishments?
There is always going to be someone else with more: more money, more things, more status, more friends. You name it; we are a society of more and that is unfortunate. This mentality leaves some in a state of inadequacy, never feeling secure, successful or complete.
When you are able to turn inward and discover your own strengths it becomes a healthier motivation for achievement. Remove the emotional tickers and learn what is good for you. How you can be better at your career, relationships, parenting, and in your community.
The desire to grow should be a daily goal but based upon you and not your perceived success of others as you are a unique individual. Sure, be inspired for change, realizing it on your terms, your gifts to make a difference in your unique value proposition.
Just the other day I was speaking with a client about measuring success against the success of others and she told me: “You have arrived.”
Did I dance a bit? Heck yes.
Did I believe her? Yes, I did.
Have I compared my success level to that of others in my industry? Honestly? I have. It became a powerful learning tool for me as I was able to look deeper into my company, what I am doing, what is different, what is the same, what is (isn’t) working, what are my strengths and where can I improve. I set my intentions, manifested goals, and knew what needed to be worked on.
Am I a success? YES and on many levels: as an entrepreneur, a mom, a caregiver, a thought leader, a friend, and even an X-wife. I love what I do and do what I love. I am a passionate business owner driven to help others succeed.
I think my greatest accomplishment is being the best mom in the world or so I have been told. My daughter recently graduated college with a degree in forensic science from VCU and I still get the calls: “I love you so much, mom. You are an amazing role model.”
My most personal empowering experience? During my daughter’s sophomore year in college, she wanted home closer than 12 hours away. Twitter directed me to North Carolina: a quick flight in August 2009 to find an apartment and then the solo 16-hour drive from NH to NC in October to begin my next adventure.
The most impactful would be caregivers for my mom and sister while they battled breast cancer. As my sister and I were leaving Dana Farber after her stem cell transplant, she looked at me and said: “I never could have gotten through each day without opening my eyes and seeing you in that chair.”
Treasured notes: one from my dad telling me how proud he is of me, my accomplishments, and my company. I love my dad.
Business successes are numerous: they can be counted, measured, and shared. “I have arrived” and I know this from the recommendations on LinkedIn, website testimonials, word of mouth referrals, shout outs on social media, growth of my client base, the client calls I receive just to hear their successes because they partnered with Ace, the positive network of other virtual assistants and colleagues, the expansion of my community, earning the trust and respect of others, and the recent opportunities for interviews, guest author posts, and podcasts.
This is my view of success or at least part of it.
Life and business are constant opportunities for growth. If we stop learning, we stop living: we stagnate. Create richer value to share and assist others. Look for ways to instigate change (the infamous words of Chery Gegelman of Giana Consulting).
Have I achieved everything I want on MY terms? Not yet but that is why I have goals and action steps.
Do I facilitate daily growth and change? YES. I have a thirst for knowledge and a quest for learning to benefit myself and my clients.
Am I ready to buy my private plane or oceanfront home? Not yet but it isn’t always dollars it’s YOUR view….
More importantly: Am I satisfied and content with my place in this world? A resounding YES!
“The joy of life consists in the exercise of one’s energies, continual growth, constant change, the enjoyment of every new experience. To stop means simply to die. The eternal mistake of mankind is to set up an attainable ideal.” Aleister Crowley
The day isn’t over and I am still breathing.
Watch out world because I have arrived.
What is your measure of success? Is it only financial gain or are there other more intrinsic metrics to exemplify your growth achievements?
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Aug 6, 2013 | Blogging, Social Media
Blog syndication provides a distribution channel to enhance your readership and exposure. You can’t just write a post and hope that it is found. In our last post: Why Should Your Business Bog? you learned about the purpose of a business blog as well as some core best strategies.
You have heard “content is king.” It is your currency to drive engagement, authority and conversions. After you have written such rich and educational content, share it on your social channels and start the buzz to develop your quality relationships and branding.
“Not only are bloggers suckers for the remarkable, so are the people who read blogs.” Seth Godin
Social media and SEO are related as you have seen in your social searches and Google has validated this as well with Google+ and Google Authorship. Content that is relevant and can be trusted as authoritative will help drive both search engine and social media marketing. Content that is shared on your SM channels is prioritized and has a great deal of influence with search engines and your audience. When people see that your content has been liked and shared, this becomes “social proof” and they are more apt to visit your website and read your content. Content that has a social connection is presented more often in search results, giving you the opportunity for a higher ranking. Your social shares help to promote more inbound links, increases page rank and influences SEO with your use of keywords.
“Social proof, also known as informational social influence, is a psychological phenomenon where people assume the actions of others in an attempt to reflect correct behavior for a given situation. This effect is prominent in ambiguous social situations where people are unable to determine the appropriate mode of behavior, and is driven by the assumption that surrounding people possess more knowledge about the situation.” Wikipedia
How and where can you promote your blog?
- Leverage the power of your website with a link in the navigation bar
- Link internally to other posts
- Use sidebars to promote popular posts
- Add a link in your email signature
- Include your blog in your email marketing newsletters
- Create a weekly or monthly digest of your most popular posts and email this to your opt-in list
- Add a blog link to your business card
- Include your blog on your social media profiles
- Share your posts with your network
- Become a guest author for other industry thought leaders
- Include social share options on your posts
- Add an RSS and Feedly button at the top of your blog
There are many other sites and different types of blog and article directories to help push your content for further exposure and notoriety. While the list below is short, it is a baseline to start the process of promoting your posts.
Here are some other resources and articles you may like to read:
TopRank Best List of RSS Blog Directories to Submit Your Blog and Feed
Link Building Strategies – The Complete List
The Content Marketing Conversion Funnel [Infographic]
YOU are at the center of The Conversation Prism
What steps do you implement to promote your blog content? Do you have any favorites that have considerably driven your engagement or met your goals?
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Jul 29, 2013 | Entrepreneur, Life Thoughts, Small Business
How often do you step away from your office and take a break? Just shut down for a bit to refresh your brain matter and gain clarity? We all need a respite or as Jennifer V. Miller of the People Equation says, a “staycation.” It is a short mental holiday from the hustle and bustle of our information overloaded lives. We are constantly on overdrive, meeting extensive demands and teetering on a tightrope.
Whether at your home or office take a break and slow down a bit. Life won’t stop if you do, but it may if you don’t.
Say YES to you.
Learn to give back to yourself; rewards, small pleasures, time to do nothing, time for YOU. A few simple steps toward SELF will reduce your stress, give renewed focus and refresh your whole soul to keep pushing forward.
ME time can be anything you want or need it to be, but just do it.
You may be thinking that ME time is being selfish. On the contrary!! Please don’t believe that you are a superhero and can only give to others. While that is a commendable quality, you can’t continue to empty your tank. You must make deposits to refuel. Aren’t you worth it?
If you are a solo-preneur, you are fortunate to be able to create your own stress breaks, but if you are an employee, you may need to implement some of the suggestions in Jennifer’s blog post above.
In either case, you still have other hours to choose from, so schedule ME time.
- You are entitled to it.
- You earned it.
- You deserve it.
Get More Out of Life: 5 Tips to Focus on You
My ME TIME is my mornings to lift at the gym. My phone does NOT go out on the floor with me. It is locked up. I put my earbuds in and tune out everything else around me.
This afternoon’s brain break is the image above: homemade watermelon sorbet with my Champion Juicer. I needed to step away from the computer for a bit. It didn’t take long to make. I could still check my Smartphone if needed, but the world didn’t stop while I cleared my head.
How will you gift yourself today?
