How do you feel about systems for your biz? Do you have some in place? Does thinking about implementing systems feel scary? No matter where you’re at, there are so many helpful tips in this post that will help you feel more confident in using systems in your business! I know you are super busy, so I want to help you get back some time and energy where you can–and systems are how you’ll get there. So, let’s jump right in. Here is how to create systems for your business.

 

 

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know how I feel about systems. I love them and think they are so important! And–say it with me–systems mean you’re serious. When you have systems in your biz it helps you sound more serious as a business owner and it helps you take your business more seriously. 

Since I’ve shared my thoughts on systems before, I wanted to interview a personal friend and one of the founders of Davinci (what I use for my email marketing system and more) on his thoughts! Benjamin Tyrrel is seriously one of the best people to talk about this topic. He is a business operations and marketing strategist. He focuses on helping entrepreneurs, and more specifically course creators and coaches input systems and get more organized in their businesses. 

So, between his and my expertise, this is really a killer post for those of you just starting out on your business journey. (But the podcast episode is even better, so give that a listen if you can!) 

 

 

What is a Business System?

So, first of all, what is a business system? Benjamin describes it as anything that can be automated in your business. You will be surprised by what can be automated in your business. To help you gain perspective, on average, business owners spend 10 hours per week on tasks that can be automated. Can you imagine how much you could do if you had 10 extra hours a week??

 

4 Types of Systems To Implement in Your Business

You may be wondering what type of systems to even put in your business. You may be using systems without even realizing it. And there could be places where you can input a system that will make your life so much easier. There are four main systems to focus on when first starting out in your business. The four different types of systems to implement in your business are:

1. Marketing System
2. Client Onboarding System
3. Business Operations System
4. Sales System

Do not feel like you have to implement all four systems right now. The first one to implement and focus on is your sales system because that’s what makes you money. The next one would be your marketing system because this is what builds your community and reaches more people. The other two will come as you continue to grow your business. Let’s take a look at each type and how to create systems for your business. 

 

Business System #1: Marketing System

Your marketing system is basically anything that is bringing traffic into your business world. This could be email, text, Instagram DMs/comments, etc. As I said earlier, I use Davinci for my email marketing system and I could not be happier. I switched over several months ago and it was a big deal for me to do it. I had been using Ontraport for years, but I made the switch mainly because I liked the format Davinci offered for my online courses compared to what I was getting with Ontraport.

Also, the price for Davinci is amazing!! You can do so much through Davinci. And that’s exactly what Benjamin said they intended it to do. They’ve created Davinci to be an all-in-one solution for implementing systems and keeping track of data, which both are super important for business owners to maintain. 

 

Business System #2: Client Onboarding System

Your client onboarding system covers everything from how you bring on clients in one-on-one formats to having hundreds of students be a part of your course. This system is set up so you can have a fast and smooth onboarding process for anyone who purchases your classes or signs up for a meeting/appointment/etc. with you. 

 

Business System #3: Business Operations System

Everyone does not need a business operations system. It looks different for every business. Basically, your business operations system is what automates routine tasks. For example, if you have monthly calls with clients, you can set up a system that automatically sends reminders for appointments rather than you having to remember to do it manually each time. Depending on the type of services or products you sell, this may or may not be a helpful system for you to implement. 

 

Business System #4: Sales System

Your sales system is the most important part of your business. If you don’t have a sales system then you don’t really have a business, right? Your sales system includes your sales pages on your website, the payment processing you have in place, and how you fulfill product orders. 

Since this is the most important system, in the next section we listed the first 3 steps you need to take to implement this system and how you can perfect it if you already have one in place.

 

 

3 Steps to Creating a Sales System

Sales System Step #1: Create your Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

Standard Operating Procedure is such a corporate-y term! Haha, but an SOP is basically your handbook for running your business. It’s where you write down from start to finish any system you have in place. So, what’s your process for selling products and receiving income? Write those steps down. What’s your process for building a relationship with your customers? Write those steps down. 

Having an SOP for those systems helps you document how your business runs and helps you keep track of how to improve. It also helps you have things in place for when you’re ready to hire on help. It will make the onboarding process SO much easier for you and your new employees. 

 

Sales System Step #2: Get a Website

There are a handful of ways for you to make money for your business, but the best place is through your website. Your website is your home base where people can take a journey through your pages that end them on the products page ready to buy your stuff! (Click here to get tips on how to make that happen!) When you can get your audience to go through your website to purchase products, this creates traffic for your site but also encourages these customers to be loyal to your brand.

 

Sales System Step #3: Set up a Sales Page/Payment Processing Procedure

This was just mentioned, but have a sales page on your website where people can purchase your products. Along with that, you should have a payment processing procedure–which is what happens after someone makes a purchase. This includes having a place where your orders are processed and keeping track of who bought which product and how they found out about it. (Davinci can do all of this for you!) This could also include the confirmation email customers receive once purchasing your product. 

 

 

Questions to Ask Yourself When Deciding What Systems to Implement First

Are you feeling overwhelmed yet? Remember, you do not have to do all of this at once! Just think about what stage your business is in right now and that should help you know where to start. Asking yourself these three questions should help you know what next steps to take as well.

• Business System Question #1: What SOP should I start with first?
  • Think of what is making you the most money right now. Write that process down from start to finish. You will be able to see any holes that you need to fill in in order to keep clients or find more clients as well.

• Business System Question #2: Where am I feeling the most frustrated in my business?
  • This could be having to set up interviews, or having to send the same emails too often. Whatever it is, write about that process from start to finish. This will help you discover a solution. You will be able to see if this frustrating task is something that can be automated or something that you can become more conscious of in taking the necessary steps to make this system run more smoothly. 

• Business System Question #3: What am I doing over and over again in my business?
  • Are you doing any tasks over and over again? It can probably be automated. Whether it’s signing up for Davinci or something similar resource, or creating some templates that you can copy and paste from, it’s worth putting in the effort now, so you can save time later. What tasks can you automate right now?

 

 

How to Create Systems for Your Business

Alright, biz sister, do you feel like you know how to create systems for your business now? How are you feeling? Just take a deep breath and ask yourself what you need next in your business and then start there. 

Systems do not have to be scary. They are here to help you be more efficient and effective in your business. We know you don’t have time to waste. You are really busy–and systems will help you save so much time and headspace. It’s so worth it! 

I have to note, however, there are definitely some things in your business you should not automate. We’ve all experienced it–there’s nothing worse than communicating with a business and just feeling like another number. So, find the things that can be automated, so you can spend more time creating an authentic relationship with your customers!

Benjamin has a QUIZ to help you know which system you should focus on for your business! If you’re feeling like you don’t know where to start, this quiz is it! Do it now! Follow me on Instagram @iammichellegifford for more tips and tricks for running and growing a successful biz. And, if you haven’t joined Money Makers yet, now is the time. I want to help you grow! And it’s so much more fun to do business together.