1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:05,120 The biggest, most exhausting mistake that I see online business owners making is trying 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:09,800 to do all of the marketing things without really any idea of what they're trying 3 00:00:09,839 --> 00:00:13,839 to achieve. Posting all the reels, engaging with all of the other accounts 4 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:19,399 on Instagram, maybe even running Facebook ads, but with no real strategy behind 5 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:24,440 it. Welcome to imperfect Action. I'm Steph Taylor. For years, I 6 00:00:24,519 --> 00:00:28,280 read all the books, downloaded all the freebies, and did all the courses, 7 00:00:29,079 --> 00:00:32,920 but it wasn't until I started taking imperfect action that my business had its 8 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:38,920 first million dollars year. Imperfect action is about doing things before you're ready, 9 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:44,880 prioritizing consistent action over perfect action, and moving forward even when you're not sure 10 00:00:45,039 --> 00:00:49,039 you're doing it right. On this show, you can expect mindset advice, 11 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:53,719 actionable marketing tips and strategies to build a business that brings you more profit, 12 00:00:54,119 --> 00:00:59,320 more freedom, and even more joy. Are you on the list to get 13 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:02,880 my daily business Says? Every day, I'll send you a bite sized prompt 14 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:07,040 designed to help you grow your business in a more intentional way. Sign up 15 00:01:07,079 --> 00:01:10,959 at steptaylor dot co, forward slash DBB, or at the link in the 16 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:18,159 show notes Hey, welcome back to in Perfect Action this episode seven hundred and 17 00:01:18,239 --> 00:01:23,359 ninety two. Today, I'm sharing five ways to simplify and streamline your online 18 00:01:23,599 --> 00:01:27,159 business because I think when we've been running a business for a while, it 19 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:34,200 can very easily grow into a little bit of a monster, let's say, 20 00:01:34,239 --> 00:01:38,120 an untidy monster, where we just keep adding more and more and more without 21 00:01:38,239 --> 00:01:44,040 really stopping to think about whether we need the things that we are doing, 22 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:48,359 or whether we need to be doing more and maybe we need to be doing 23 00:01:48,439 --> 00:01:53,680 less. So today, let's dive into the strategies to simplify and streamline your 24 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:57,560 online business. So, the first way to streamline your online business is to 25 00:01:57,599 --> 00:02:02,680 really identify all all of the areas that are taking up a lot of your 26 00:02:02,719 --> 00:02:07,759 time or that are taking a lot of manual work from you, and then 27 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:12,280 start to put a strategy into place for how you will save time in each 28 00:02:12,319 --> 00:02:16,520 of these areas. Now, I know it feels really counterintuitive because it can 29 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:22,319 feel overwhelming to do this kind of work, like you're probably too busy to 30 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:25,560 sit down and write down all of these areas that are taking too much of 31 00:02:25,599 --> 00:02:30,360 your time and to really, you know, look at all of these things 32 00:02:30,439 --> 00:02:34,879 on one piece of paper, but overwhelm aside, you're not going to solve 33 00:02:34,879 --> 00:02:38,039 it all overnight, And if you can see where your time is going, 34 00:02:38,039 --> 00:02:43,360 then at least you can start to put a strategy into place to save your 35 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,560 time and your energy. For example, if somewhere that a lot of your 36 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:53,080 time is going is chasing up client invoices, well maybe you could delegate it, 37 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:55,199 delete it, or automate it. So what would that actually look like. 38 00:02:55,560 --> 00:03:00,479 If you were to delegate the task, you would maybe need to put 39 00:03:00,479 --> 00:03:05,080 together a process for how you would chase up those invoices, and you need 40 00:03:05,199 --> 00:03:08,080 a person who can execute on that process for you, such as a virtual 41 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:14,240 assistant. Or maybe your other option is to delete the task. Now, 42 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:19,439 you can't really delete chasing up client invoices because then you just wouldn't get paid. 43 00:03:19,879 --> 00:03:23,000 But there are other ways you could remove this task from your to do 44 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:28,719 list. For example, you could require that your clients pay upfront via a 45 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:34,240 checkout system rather than you invoicing them after you've done the service. You know, 46 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:37,439 so they have to actually pay before they can book in the project, 47 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:43,039 or before they get delivery, or before they book in the call. The 48 00:03:43,199 --> 00:03:46,719 third option is automate, So this might look like setting up automated follow up 49 00:03:46,719 --> 00:03:53,240 emails when someone's invoice is overdue, or maybe you could even as part of 50 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:58,159 the automated emails, you could remind them about that clause in your contract that 51 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:03,840 states you charge a percentage interest on over to you invoices. Okay. The 52 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:12,639 second strategy to streamline and simplify is to lean on the tech systems and tools 53 00:04:12,759 --> 00:04:16,519 that are available now. When you think of simple, I know that tech 54 00:04:16,639 --> 00:04:21,279 and systems are probably the last words that come into your mind. And this 55 00:04:21,319 --> 00:04:25,000 is fair. You know, they can be really complex if you don't know 56 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,879 what you're doing, but in reality, they've come a really long way since 57 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:31,959 all of the clunky things that were available to us ten years ago, you 58 00:04:31,959 --> 00:04:36,879 know, And right now, a really simple way that you can streamline things 59 00:04:38,079 --> 00:04:41,560 is putting in a scheduling system, a booking system, like if you are 60 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:45,639 going back and forth with a client trying to schedule their coaching calls, use 61 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:49,839 acuity or calendarly so that they can find a time that works for them in 62 00:04:49,879 --> 00:04:54,360 your calendar. And you can even use these tools to collect payment so that 63 00:04:54,399 --> 00:04:57,920 you're not having to chase up those client invoices. And it saves you from 64 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:00,959 having to calculate time zones. It saves your million emails of does this time 65 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:04,040 work for you? What about this time? And it's a nightmare trying to 66 00:05:04,079 --> 00:05:08,360 do that kind of stuff. So that's a really simple one to set up. 67 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:13,600 Another example, if you are constantly forgetting to follow up with people who 68 00:05:13,879 --> 00:05:17,720 inquired about working with you, look to potentially using something like click up, 69 00:05:17,759 --> 00:05:23,079 a task management system where you can keep track of your pipeline and you can 70 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:26,480 see who you need to follow up with and when you need to follow up 71 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:33,279 with them. The third way to really streamline and simplify your business is to 72 00:05:33,439 --> 00:05:39,480 get really clear on your marketing and sales processes and streamline and automate as much 73 00:05:39,519 --> 00:05:44,439 of them as possible. Now, the biggest, most exhausting mistake that I 74 00:05:44,439 --> 00:05:48,560 see online business owners making is trying to do all of the marketing things without 75 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:54,000 really any idea of what they're trying to achieve, posting all of the reels, 76 00:05:54,079 --> 00:05:57,319 engaging with all of the other accounts on Instagram, maybe even running Facebook 77 00:05:57,319 --> 00:06:01,759 ads, but with no real strategy behind it. And I could talk about 78 00:06:01,759 --> 00:06:06,319 the importance of strategy in your marketing and sales literally until the cows come home, 79 00:06:06,759 --> 00:06:11,839 but this episode isn't about that. Now. Instead, instead of trying 80 00:06:11,879 --> 00:06:14,600 to do all of the things, get really clear on the journey that you 81 00:06:14,639 --> 00:06:18,079 want somebody to take with your business. For example, let's say they see 82 00:06:18,079 --> 00:06:23,000 your Instagram carousel, they read the call to action, which is to download 83 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:26,560 your free ebook. Then they visit your website and they download the ebook. 84 00:06:26,759 --> 00:06:30,759 Then they receive an automated email sequence that nurtures them, and you give them 85 00:06:30,759 --> 00:06:34,120 a call to action to book in a call. And by setting up this 86 00:06:34,319 --> 00:06:39,040 one automated sales process, it's selling for you. And then all you need 87 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:42,800 to do is think about how you can get more people to download that free 88 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:46,720 ebook. And you can do this by plugging in literally any of the tactics. 89 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:48,680 You can post reels, you can run Facebook ads, you can do 90 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:54,279 podcast episodes, you can do interviews on other people's podcasts, et cetera, 91 00:06:54,399 --> 00:06:58,000 et cetera, et cetera. But by having the actual process in place, 92 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:02,639 then you're not constantly on this hamster wheel of nurturing people and attracting people at 93 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:09,360 the same time. Okay, the next strategy to streamline and simplify, to 94 00:07:09,399 --> 00:07:14,480 become really intentional about what you do and what you don't do in your business, 95 00:07:14,519 --> 00:07:17,839 and doing less can feel really hard when you have spent most of your 96 00:07:17,959 --> 00:07:25,319 career thinking that your value is defined by how productive you are. And if 97 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:28,360 you're an overachiever like me, I know, I feel you. I feel 98 00:07:28,399 --> 00:07:31,720 you, and especially in business where the input that you are putting in directly 99 00:07:31,759 --> 00:07:35,800 can influence the end result. Now, you can do anything, but you 100 00:07:35,839 --> 00:07:41,279 can't do everything, and you're actually more effective when you're doing less but with 101 00:07:41,519 --> 00:07:46,759 more focus and intention. So spending a little time each month or each quarter 102 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:49,439 planning for things, what are your goals for this quarter? What actions do 103 00:07:49,439 --> 00:07:53,839 you need to take to get there? And all of this becomes even more 104 00:07:53,839 --> 00:07:58,680 important when you have a team. Otherwise you run the risk of running your 105 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:03,480 business really reactively doing the things that pop up as the most urgent tasks, 106 00:08:03,879 --> 00:08:09,319 rather than proactively and intentionally doing the things that move the needle. And I 107 00:08:09,399 --> 00:08:11,240 know I'm guilty of trying to achieve all of the goals all at once. 108 00:08:11,439 --> 00:08:15,879 I get this, I get this so so well. I understand it, 109 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:18,839 like even this quarter, at the moment, I'm looking back at the goals 110 00:08:18,839 --> 00:08:22,639 that I set for the business and I'm thinking, Wow, I really underestimated 111 00:08:24,079 --> 00:08:26,040 how long it would take us to do all of these things. And it's 112 00:08:26,079 --> 00:08:31,920 not the first time I've done that. What complications can you remove from your 113 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:35,240 business? That is number five the fitth strategy. What complications can you remove 114 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:39,320 from your business? Now? When I say complications, what in your business 115 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:43,919 feels a little bit icky or doesn't feel aligned? Like, what is it 116 00:08:43,919 --> 00:08:46,440 that you dread doing? What have you been putting off for months? What 117 00:08:46,519 --> 00:08:50,240 has been sitting on your to do list every day that you keep delaying. 118 00:08:50,759 --> 00:08:54,600 What is taking a lot of your time and energy that you don't love and 119 00:08:54,639 --> 00:09:01,279 that doesn't deliver a worthwhile return on time invested. You know, for example, 120 00:09:01,279 --> 00:09:05,519 if you are posting to Instagram daily and you hate it and it takes 121 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:09,480 you half an hour to write one caption, that's a really easy complication you 122 00:09:09,519 --> 00:09:11,799 can remove. And you might be thinking, but won't that stop me from 123 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:16,360 getting new clients? Well? Will it? I don't know. If you've 124 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:18,440 looked at your numbers and you know that this is where new clients are finding 125 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:22,519 you, then great, keep it, but find another way to get that 126 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:26,639 complication off your plate. Maybe hire a copywriter to write the captions or batch 127 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:30,039 them and do them once a month or once every two weeks. So there 128 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:35,759 you have it. Five strategies to simplify and streamline your business. Number one, 129 00:09:35,879 --> 00:09:37,919 identify all the areas that are taking a lot of your time or a 130 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:41,200 lot of manual work, and put a strategy in place for how you will 131 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:45,799 save time here. Number two. Lean on the tech systems and tools that 132 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:50,000 are available. Number three, get really clear on your marketing and sales processes 133 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:54,360 and streamline and automate as much of these as possible. Number four, become 134 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:58,679 really intentional about what you do and don't do. And number five, what 135 00:09:58,799 --> 00:10:03,600 complications can you from your business? Identify them and get ruthless with eliminating them. 136 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:09,080 That is it for today's episode. Keep the awesome reviews coming, guys, 137 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:15,919 like I've been really enjoying reading everyone's rating and reviews because I've been focusing 138 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:18,039 on asking you to leave them, so I've been seeing a lot more coming 139 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:20,919 through. Please keep them coming. If you haven't left a rating and review, 140 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:24,159 leave it. I will. Honestly, I read every single one of 141 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:28,320 them and they make me smile. So please make my day and do that. 142 00:10:28,879 --> 00:10:31,799 And that is all from me today. Thanks so much for listening. 143 00:10:31,879 --> 00:10:31,639 Catch you next time.