Business Systems Master Plan – Part 3

If you are in business with another person (spouse, friend, etc.) it’s wise to define each person’s role and responsibilities within the business. This gives each person confidence in one another and your shared goals for the business.

Manage Growth

Implementing business systems allows for managed and strategic growth to occur. Some business owners say that they need to systemize themselves and their own thinking first before they can expect staff to understand and adopt the same principles. In the beginning, the business systems that will make the most difference are the deceptively simple and small ones. Business systems help eliminate many of the daily frustrations and obstacles that prevent things running smoothly. Gradually, you should incorporate all the Businesses business systems, policies and procedures into a handbook which will become your Operations Manual, so everyone knows what to do, who does it and when it should be done. The problem with most small business owners is not simply that they are doing too much work, but that they are doing the wrong kind of work. They should be looking at where their input adds the most strategic value to the business. Put a value on your time. What is it worth to the business?

Business systems to Systemise your Business

Introducing and developing business systems will help you to organise and systemise your business. Here are some tips to create great business systems that will help your business to grow. Systemise your selling approach, your sales management and the marketing of your products and services. Develop individual businesses within your business and collect the combined efficiencies of many businesses working within one operation. Implement systems to let your specialists do what they do best. To learn the step by step process of “How to Systemise Your Business” click here

Eliminate Problem Areas

Creating systems to eliminate problem areas is a simple process of critically analysing the procedures of how you do them now.  Look at what is working and what is not, then you write down how to do things in an orderly way to achieve the results you are requiring, and voila, you have an operating system. Doing this will save time because you don’t have to repeat each task to anyone who’s new to your workplace it’s all written down for them in the company business systems section of your operations manual. But be sure to keep the systems updated each time your revisit them to test and measure their efficiency. Produce a policy and procedures manual. This includes your own mission statement as well as policies on sexual harassment, discrimination, workplace safety, etc. To discover how to make this whole process easier we have put together an ebook which leads you through each step of the way.

“How to Systemise Your Business”

To get your copy click here

{ 0 comments }

Getting Strategic

It's time to start getting strategic with your time. Your aim should be to free up at least one hour of your day every day. Create your future by scheduling this strategic time in your diary. When you have done that, you can begin to work on your growth plans and the systems that will streamline the work that needs to be done. Your goal is to use that time just to develop one system, so at the end of the week you would have five systems; at the end of the month, 20 and so on.

Remember these systems do not have to be perfect because you will be continually improving them over time, to guarantee your results are aligned with your vision. Incorporate into your planning the key areas your business will need to cover to ensure that the growth will be steady, managed and sustained.

The key areas of your business are the ones that make it work. For example, financial, administration, human resources, and marketing, etc. Once you have a plan and created your thinking and development time, look at what your business will need in order to grow.

If the answer is more sales, then maybe you should be looking and analysing your marketing strategies. If you have enough enquiries but are not converting them to customers, then examine what is happening in your conversion process. Are you confident that you and your team can deliver your products and services faultlessly and seamlessly? If not, then start looking at re-developing your distribution systems.

Remember there is absolutely no point in developing a marketing strategy to bring in more business unless you know your business systems can deliver on your promises.

Think of your business as having four key strategic areas: These could be Management, resources, marketing and production. Then break each of those areas down into key areas, such as leadership, finance, market research and delivery systems. Manage your time with these to begin with, as you are going to be responsible for developing the strategies in all these areas. To discover how to make this whole process easier we have put together an ebook which leads you through each step of the way.

"How to Systemise Your Business"

To get your copy click here

{ 0 comments }

Developing your business is going to be full of challenges.  To keep you on the right course to achieve your vision can be made easier by setting up a clear and focused plan for growth.  Over the next few posts, we will be giving you a few pointers to make your transition from where you are now to where you want to be as smooth as possible.

Your Business Systems Master Plan

There comes a point in most small businesses when the owner – you – acknowledges that it's time for the business to grow to the next stage. The challenge is, how do you do that? Doing more of the same?  Probably not!  You've done a great job to get to where you are now, but to get to the next stage you will need a plan.

Set aside some time to develop your vision. Concentrate on the word 'your' vision, as too many people build something for what they think someone else wants.  What do you want your business to become? How will it behave? What will set it apart from its competitors? What will your life be like when you are finished? Decide what your growth goals are and set yourself targets and some realistic milestones by which you can measure your progress. These will include your revenue targets, the time frame in which you will achieve these, the number of staff you will require and when they will join the business, the number of outlets, profitability and so on.

Plan for Systematic Growth

The key is to map out a growth destination that is real, but stretches you and can be broken down into smaller goals. Planning growth in your business also needs you to work on developing yourself as a manager and a leader. Be prepared to get out of your comfort zone and grow as a person – remember your business is and will be a reflection of you.

Your next task is to be really objective and honest about the business as it is now. If it has just come out of start up stage then it is almost certainly still very dependent on you. In other words, without you there it would not be able to operate effectively, let alone grow. This is your wake up moment, and a very valuable opportunity to transform the way your business is operating.  Because you are now able to ask yourself about what really needs to be in place for the business to be profitable without you being there and more importantly for growth to happen.

The first thing is going to be time, specifically yours. Without you dedicating your time to business development, nothing will change. You are going to have to create some time in your working week to work on your business in alignment with your vision.

Begin by identifying everything you do in a day, a week, a month. Work out which tasks you can delegate and to whom. (And if there is no one to delegate to, you may have to consider getting in some office support even if it's only a day or two a week.) Work out the instructions for each of the activities this person will be doing. Imagine you are there to tell them what comes next, and set it all out on paper.

These documented instructions must include clear steps, standards and timing. This is a system. Make sure each system is recognisable as such and follows the same format.

Look out for Your Business Systems Master Plan – Part Two coming in the next few days where we start to get strategic in planning the key areas your business will need to cover to ensure that the growth will be steady, managed and sustained

{ 1 comment }

Your Personal Aim is all about what you want from life, what truly satisfies you and feels rights for you and only you. Your Personal Aim is your inner most driving force. It is the source of your vitality, commitment and your vision. It is that which, more than anything else, gives you a sense of direction and purpose, motivates you to your highest energy levels and sustains you when the going get rough.
It is not some ‘New Age’ trend or the latest self help gimmick or management fad. Its about you and what you want. Yes wealth, status, respect, power, property, toys are not the real driving forces in YOUR life. They are important but in themselves they do not compel you to exert the extra effort and make you feel fulfilled. Your Personal Aim is an intensely personal process and it is unique to you.

For most people discovering their Personal Aim involves new ways of looking at themselves and their lives. It requires that you question why you do what it is you do, your assumptions, beliefs and core values.

You begin by making a list of all the things you want in your life and don’t want out of your life. Then reviewing the lists and focusing on the most important wants and don’t-wants.

What you Don’t Want

Often it is easier to decide what you don’t want rather than what you do want. A good way to begin is to list all the things that you don’t want.

Currently you are focusing on those things that you don’t want and are constantly reminded of them day-in day-out. The result is that you are mentally rehearsing them, practicing them and reinforcing them. This is negative visualization.
In sports you are taught to visualize the techniques necessary to better play the sport and what outcome you want. This is positive visualization.

If your habit is fault finding and focusing on what can go wrong, then your mind stays on the negative, even though you wish a positive outcome, you are rehearsing the negative. This negative thinking is a difficult habit to overcome.

What you Do Want

Think about what you do want when you dream, when you feel free. What gives you the most satisfaction or fulfilment? What is important to you? If you had all the money and time you needed what would you do?
A good technique to visualise your dream life is to collect a number of glossy magazines that you read, covering houses, cars, holidays, family, adventure, sport etc etc. From these cut out those pictures that excite you or form part of your dream life. Paste these cut out pictures on a large sheet of cardboard. Hand the picture in a prominent position so that you are reminded of what want each day. It will focus your attention and energise you

Some Questions to Stimulate your Thinking

The following list of questions will help you stimulate your thoughts and putting you in the right frame of mind. Take time to think about your answer to each question.
• What do you want your life to look and feel like?
• What do you value most? What is important to you?
• What matters most at this point in your life
• What would you say about your life after it’s too late to do anything about it?
• How do you want your life to feel on a day-to-day basis?
• What would you like people’s perception of you be?
• What do you daydreams about?
• Do you ever find yourself wishing you were different? For what do you wish? Why aren’t you that way? What gets in the way?
• Of all the things you have done in your life what has given you the most pleasure or satisfaction? What has given you the least pleasure or satisfaction’?
• If you no longer had to work, how would you spend your time? And with whom?
• I there anything missing from your life? When you find yourself wishing for something, what is it?
• What motivates you to perform above and beyond the call of duty?
• What are your greatest strengths? What are your greatest weaknesses?
• What do you want to achieve but find it impossible? What obstacles exist?

{ 0 comments }