Running and managing a business is a demanding job. It’s not always an easy task and it takes time to morph and tweak functional aspects to make it work as well as possible. Schedules become full in a matter of minutes, task lists multiply in page numbers, and you’re still perfecting the supposed ‘2-hour project’ you started last week.
Owning and running a business can be a 24-hour job if you let it. If you’re solo managing all the tedious (yet necessary) tasks, and you sleep with your email inbox open, then it might be time to consider implementing some more structure into your processes and systems.
If organisation isn’t one of your strong suits, then trying to run a business without applying systems and processes into your business’s functionality could be problematic - particularly if you complete all of your tasks without strategy. Rushing through your task list without considering your processes can result in some negative outcomes, miscommunication, and unhappy customers.
Implementing the correct processes and systems can revolutionise the scale of your achievements and help you reach milestones quicker. Having these milestones in place is important in a business as they are helpful guides which illuminate a clear pathway towards a successful business. But achieving these milestones requires a heavy dose of organisation and structure.
Realistically, could you achieve your business goals without any kind of structure? Being gung-ho is great, and a necessary attitude to have when running a business - but blind confidence can only get you so far. Having more of a structure implemented into your business can really help you get results in a more measurable and evaluative way.
The benefits of structuring your processes
Establishing measured structures and processes within your business is like curating an algorithm: the system is the structure by which your business adheres to, and the process is the execution of this structure. Combined, these can help you formulate a generalised, blanketed approach to your business’s functionality. It makes sense to have a structure that is coherent and easy to follow, so that new trainees can learn the mechanisms of your business with clarity and ease.
It also ensures consistency throughout the business and retains a level of regularity, so that all your successful business outcomes are dependable every time. You can apply the same processes to everything - once you have a structure in place, it makes it easy to train new employees. Structure is comfortable. It’s a safety net for you and your employees, and a guidebook to your business.
Be realistic
Having goals and milestones is great - but are they realistic goals and milestones? Giving yourself mammoth workloads and fantastical goals just adds unnecessary stress and heavy pressure. Being realistic allows breathing space to complete your goals, whilst giving you time to reflect and evaluate on your processes and business functions. Try not to make promises that aren't deliverable, and take baby steps. Taking things slower is more calculated and tactical, and it provides you with a more well rounded insight into what's working, and what could be improved.
Spring clean your task list and invest in smarter software
Implementing a decent, solid structure into your business starts with a good old fashioned clear out. Task lists can get messy very easily, and they can get filled up with unnecessary tasks. Prioritising your tasks in order of importance can help you 'throw away' the unnecessary tasks, or delegate them to technology.
We are living in a digital age, and there are revolutionary technological advancements happening all the time. Technology is doing the jobs that we don't want to. Apply this concept to your business, and allow technology to be your 24-hour employee. Use technology to track your processes, so that you can assess the quality of your functions.
Free up your calendar with HubSpot's automation tool
As a HubSpot partner, we are huge fans of HubSpot's automation tool. Automation allows you to focus on achieving your goals with a clearer task list and a more flexible calendar. HubSpot's automation tools are wholly adaptable to your business, and they allow you to track specific types of analytics which are most valuable to your business's progress, via knowledge management systems. A knowledge management system cleverly tracks the correct data all the time, which is accessible via multi-departments. Your sales department can have it's very own automation system, so that leads are automatically nurtured - and this could be accessed by your customer service team to ensure smooth communications, shortening the task list.
Ultimately, automation and CRM systems (such as HubSpot) allow you to focus on what really matters most, and gives you the time and flexibility to reflect on your milestones. It gives you time to make those important 'going forward' decisions. After all, as a business owner, decision-making is the heart of the role; it demands you to make choices which not only affect your working structure, but your business's structure as a whole.
