the Benefits of Systems (Part 2)

And we’re back with more system benefits to answer the oft heard question “what are the benefits of these systems you create?”

There are plenty of things in business which are easy to overlook at first but, if not embraced, can take a lot of work to overcome. Systems are one of those things that takes time to set up properly and to maintain, but without them there’s a lot more work.

If you missed the first three benefits you can check them out here.

Benefit #4 Systems Save Significant Amounts of Time

I like to use that old saying, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. To me systems are the GPS we all need in business to tell us where we’re going and how we’re going to get there. It could be a short distance such as from the office to the bank, or a long distance, from home to Uncle Marvin’s house. But no matter where we’re going most entrepreneurs have the same tendency. They say,

“Get in the car, let’s just drive around until we find where we’re going. It’ll be fun!”

And that sense of adventure is fun, for a while. But then there’s frustration and yelling and tears and a lot of wasted time.

When you have systems it’s a little like getting into the car with my Dad who has an expertly folded map, turn by turn directions, and estimates we’ll be at our destination in 23 minutes. Buckle up.

Systems tell you where you’re going so you can correct if you get off the path and so you know when you’ve achieved your goal. Whether that goal is number of sales, website hits, inquiries, affiliates or retweets.

Benefit #5 Systems Save a Lot of Money

You know what costs money? Aimlessness. Just like the car in my GPS example would waste a lot more gas driving around trying to “figure things out” you and your team are wasting a lot of income by stumbling around the business trying to reinvent the wheel or figure it all out.

If you’ve ever had a team member recreate a sales page or contract that was already prepared you know how frustrating it can be. Wasted time is also expensive, not just in salaries but in the opportunity cost.

Imagine that instead of walking through the weekly ezine with your assistant every single week you had an in place system as a guide. You’ve just gained 5 hours a week to create new content, market, develop affiliate relationships or serve more clients.

Benefit #6 Systems Mean Freedom

I’ve shared this before when I talked about how my schedule was in upheaval following the unexpected death of my cousin earlier this fall.

Systems give you choices, both in the moment and in the long term success of your business. Sick with a fever? You can choose to stay in bed and rest while your team reschedules calls and prepares your regular marketing.

Have the chance for a last minute vacation? Go while your business works on autopilot, bringing in new leads, serving clients and all while you enjoy the warm sand and salt air.

Need to help a family member move? Systems enable your team to work in spite of your absence making sure everything is aligned and ready for your return.

No matter how you end up using that free time, the point is systems allow you to make the choice. Too many entrepreneurs see systems as this burden which binds them into “one way” of doing things when in fact, systems are closer to that GPS. You know you need to get to your goal, and systems will show you to turn left then right or stay straight another 2 miles. There are always alternative routes and that’s part of the fun!

But systems are not just for you. When your team is on board you don’t want them confused and asking you for help every 30 minutes. You want them following your guidance, your GPS printout, to get the results you need in your business. That’s what creates the freedom. It’s equal parts trust in their capabilities and faith that everything will be fine, even if you step away for a short time.

There are so many more benefits to systems, I could talk about this for ages! But it’s rather high level and I love digging in to show you how each system benefits your business and you.

Have you taken the programs assessment yet to see which stage of business you’re in? Read through the descriptions on this page and discover what systems you may need most right now and how to get support for your business so you can know what’s working, understand what doesn’t work, prioritize your time, save more time, save money and experience more freedom.