S T R A T E G I E S 01
CREATE SYSTEMS
03
Develop procedures that allow you to ensure complete, quality work.
02
AUTOMATE PROCESSES
INCREASE REVENUE STREAMS Discover a passive way to generate sales and minimize active revenue streams.
04
MAXIMIZE THE MOMENT Always be ready for opportunities that arise.
Use simple tools to get everything done in a timely manner.
05
DELEGATE Know when to ask for assistance and trust the provider.
I WAS SO TIRED... I ALMOST GAVE UPÂ As a solopreneur, I am responsible for the sales, marketing, customer service, quality assurance, follow up, portfolio management, product development, service delivery, financial analysis, networking and even janitorial services for Financial COMFORT Consulting LLC. I was wore out always thinking there were not enough hours in the day.
Right when I was about to give up on entrepreneurship,, I developed systems as a last ditch effort to keep my business. And... IT WORKED So, now I want to help you employ the same systems and start working SMARTER instead of harder. This Finesse My Time Management System has five strategies that allow me to manage my multiple clients, my businesses, my time and my personal life simultaneously. Now, I have passive income that allows me to travel and take flight lessons while my bank account continues to passively soar... Are you ready to Finesse Your Time Management and soar into passive income as a solopreneur?.
TNEMEGANAM EMIT YM ESSENIF • 1 EGAP
I didn't think I had enough work to justify hiring some help. I kept telling myself that once I got organized things would flow smoother and I wouldn't have to work as hard. After lieing to myself for five years, it never got better.
TNEMEGANAM EMIT YM ESSENIF • 2 EGAP
NOW, I HAVE PASSIVE INCOME THAT ALLOWS ME TO TRAVEL AND TAKE FLIGHT LESSONS WHILE MY BANK ACCOUNT CONTINUES TO PASSIVELY SOAR!
CREATE SYSTEMS IMPROVE QUALITY ASSURANCE The only way to have quality assurance is to do the same thing, the same way - every single time creating a easily duplicative system. Having a system decreases mistakes and problems while improving confidence and customer satisfaction in your service delivery. Believe it or not, quality assurance is actually more important than having a good product. Mediocre products outsell amazing products every day as long as they are backed by great quality. Take Subway for example, their system is consistent throughout the 44,000 locations across the world. Being the largest franchise, they have developed processes that allow them to have continuity of service whether you get a sub in Columbus, Ohio or Luxenberg.
We have to have similar systems in our businesses in order to ensure that someone who takes advantage of our offering in February 2017 get the same quality as someone who takes advantage of offering in June 2019. That is not saying that a system can’t be improved or altered overtime. That just means that there is a system in place that customers come to expect and does not vary so much overtime that they’re confused about what they’re getting.
TNEMEGANAM EMIT YM ESSENIF • 3 EGAP
The system they employ involves a bread choice, then meat, then cheese and condiments. You cannot go into a subway and start with the lettuce and tomato. That system is successful because it’s done the same way every single time at every single location. The customers have come to expect the same system when they are ordering a Subway sandwich.
One of the best systems that I developed in my business is ensuring that every single client (whether old or new) fills out my assessment prior to making an appointment. My assessment is simple but it gives me a roadmap to navigate the conversation and ensure that the client is getting the best from the time that we are spending together.
TIME OUT Write down the steps it takes to perform a service or complete a sale from beginning to end. Make those steps into a checklist. #createsystems
USE SIMPLE TOOLS
It takes true discipline to run successful marketing campaigns, follow up with potential clients, ensure your bills are being paid timely, determine scope of project and even making sure you have a quality work/life balance. Without discipline, you will accomplish very little success and always feel like you are running around in circles with no time left over. Automation is the new discipline! Making sure that your processes are taking place regardless of what you’re doing, is the best thing you can do. And nowadays it very easy to do with all the apps and webbased programs available for free (or very minimal cost). For example, it is best to schedule your weekly posts on social media on one set date rather than spending hours daily ensuring that your digital marketing is taking place. It may take you a couple hours one day to schedule all your posts across all the social media platforms for the entire week or even month resulting in a time savings of more than an hour for seven days.
TIME OUT Choose one thing to automate. Sign up for the app that would help you do it quickest and cheapest. #automateprocesses
TNEMEGANAM EMIT YM ESSENIF • 5 EGAP
AUTOMATE PROCESSES
Some of the tools that I use for social media automation are HootSuite, Promo Republic; for bookkeeping - waveapps; for sales funnels, email marketing and landing pages - convertkit/seva and constant contact; for project and time management - asana; for savings - digit and self lender; for bill pay - my banks on-line system.
CHOOSE THE PASSIVE WAY
Often times, entrepreneurs will say the lack of working capital as the reason for their business failure. But, upon taking a forensic look at their finances, it is easy to discover that their problem was deeply rooted in cash flow deficit. Cash flow is just really a matter of timing - having money come in faster and flowing out slower. The longer you hold on to the money, the more positive your cash flow.
All revenue streams are NOT created equally! It is important to be strategic about the revenue streams you employ in your business.
Passive revenue streams continue to pay you even when you aren’t actively working. You develop a product once and then continue to get paid from it after it is produced. Some classic passive revenue streams are Books, Having a positive cash flow is the Videos, Subscriptions, answer to a lot of business problems. Memberships, Swag, Having multiple revenue streams Sponsorships and even Vendor decreases cash flow problems greatly. Events. But, not just any ol’ revenue streams! The most advantageous revenue streams to have, are passive.
TIME OUT
Yet, you don't want to diversify too quickly and veer away from your core offerings confusing your clients.
Determine the easiest, best #passiverevenuestream to incorporate into your business.
TNEMEGANAM EMIT YM ESSENIF • 7 EGAP
INCREASE YOUR REVENUE STREAMS
TNEMEGANAM EMIT YM ESSENIF • 9 EGAP
MAXIMIZE THE MOMENT ALWAYS BE READY Opportunities have an expiration date, They are only good if you seize and capitalize within a timely manner. Most missed moments never come back around, yet the regret can seemingly last a lifetime. It is important to always be ready! When you are ready you can maximize every moment. Always have something for a potential client to take away, even if it is just a text message. Being present includes your appearance. Don’t get caught in the grocery store looking a hot mess and act surprised because you run into somebody you know. Be prepared to run into somebody you know and also meet someone new. I purposely meet a stranger every single day! I offer potential clients my digital business card. And I send it via text message to their cell phone. And then once I have their cell phone number, I schedule invitations to learn more about my services. I continue to follow up every two weeks until I get a response or until they tell me to stop. So it appears that I am thinking about them when in actuality I thought about them at that initial onset. I use every opportunity to connect with current and potential clients. When I do something amazing, I capture it in video and/or pictures and share it via direct message.
TIME OUT Purposely meet someone everyday for five days. Get their cell phone number and follow up with at least two text messages introducing them to your business #maximizethemoment
SEEK HELP WHEN NEEDED You may find that after you have created systems, automated your processes, increase your revenue streams and maximize every moment that you still have too much on your plate. And if that’s the case then it’s time for you to get some help! As a solopreneur, there are times when I assign and/or transfer some of my activities to other professionals. I have a list of people that I trust for different things. For example last year I was unable to attend a workshop, that I had already been paid for, due to an emergency. I was able to contact another Entrepreneur and set up for them to facilitate the workshop without having to process a refund while still delivering quality service.
Another very beneficial way to decrease your workload is to hire an intern. There are tons of aspiring professionals seeking opportunities to grow their resume with actual work experience. Most colleges have staff dedicated to placing students in internships. Additionally, I use fee for service providers for special projects. For administrative support - elance, for digital marketing, and graphic design - fiverr; for social media marketing katbro; website updates - jbugg; for event table decor - Sweet Serendipity; for photography - Moments Tayken.
TIME OUT Develop a list of activities that take up too much of your time and #delegate someone to to do them faster and cheaper.
TNEMEGANAM EMIT YM ESSENIF • 11 EGAP
DELEGATE
TNEMEGANAM EMIT YM ESSENIF • 31 EGAP
BONUS!!! USE THESE WORKSHEETS TO START A NEW HABIT OF PLANNING, MEASURING AND COMPLETING NEW TASKS!