You want your business to be a rousing success, and even though you might start off strong, chances are you will soon come to a plateau. This is a problem for many business owners. They don’t know how to grow their business, and they simply continue doing the same things they’ve been doing while hoping for new results. Having a great product and engaged team members is only one piece of the puzzle.
Those new and better results won’t come if you are stagnant or in chaos. You need to learn how to truly develop your business the right way – to be scalable. Namely, you need to cultivate systems and processes for your particular business – these processes are the keys to your company’s success. However, you need to know how to create and implement them correctly to create efficiency and scalability. Each of the following sections covers improving the processes and systems in your business and you will find that they will work for any type of business. Improving the Work Flow Take a moment to consider the work “flow” for your business – all aspects of your business. There are different duties and jobs within your business, and you really do need to look at each one of them individually, as well as how they flow together. If you make a change to one area, for example, it has the potential to affect other processes down the workflow line. Consider every element of the work process and look for ways to improve the efficiency. Map each of the current processes in the workplace, and then analyze those processes. Ask for feedback from team members who actually work that process daily. They may have some insight that you might overlook. Are there bottlenecks? Find ways that you can streamline and redesign the processes, and you will find that the daily work at the company will flow smoother. Even a few small changes can make a big difference overall. Key to Success: While it is necessary to review, develop, and document effective processes, it will do nothing for your company if those new processes are not communicated and implemented. Implementation requires accountability for the new process – so be sure those in your organization that are responsible for executing the new process know it….and are doing it – properly! An Example: Developing your Sales Process and Workflow A great place to start is to review your Sales Process and Workflow. This process is what drives Revenue into the business – a very important process! Start with how you located and develop your target audience. What happens once you find your target? How do you approach them? How do you follow-up and in what time frame? Are there specific emails or documents that are sent after you meet with a potential client? What happens once they buy? What happens if they don’t buy…the first time? Create, document and communicate the sales process and system – step-by-step. Interview your most successful salesperson and your least successful. Those interviews and the output will provide insight into what is really working versus what is not. Create a document that encompasses all of the relevant questions, follow-ups, and documentation required to define a successful sales interaction. Then use that information to train new sales people, measure success, and make changes as necessary – remembering to communicate the process and create accountability along the way. Processes = Profitability. No Process = Chaos. Although, a company in chaos may succeed, they will always “leave money on the table” – and it will not be a fun place to work! You need to be willing to look at your business practices and systems with a critical eye and cut out the parts that don’t work. It might take some time, but the results will be well worth it. Click here to see what workshops we offer to help you create your company’s blueprints.
