She’s Got Systems

Find the systems you need to grow your business

Overcoming Email

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I’ve attempted writing this article many times and usually words fail me. So I just have to ask: do you love email?

We remember when it was new and each email was announced with a cheerful you’ve got mail! and even if it was spam from AOL, it was exciting! And then as email became more pervasive it wasn’t exciting or fun or even tolerable.

Email became a chore.

Just one more piece of noise to manage and like 100 tv channels it was never “off” because there was something more happening.

There are plenty of people who advocate chucking email all together and migrating to Twitter, Skype calling or using assistants exclusively.

Erica gave up email, kinda, and wrote about it here.

Mike suggested “killing email” which sounds a little… violent.

For those afraid of the cold turkey version, some suggest Email Free Fridays.

But no matter how strongly you feel about the issue, it can be a powerful thing to revamp your email system.

Hint: if your system is 1) get email 2) procrastinate and 3) respond later then it’s not a real system.

Imagine if you were as intentional receiving email as you were sending email. I don’t know of many people who email haphazardly anymore.

A few weeks back I decided to do a major email overhaul and intended to fully document my process so I could later teach it, to you. No I wouldn’t just do this for the sake of the exercise because (honestly?) it’s a pain in the ass.

I was forced to admit how many ways I had given out my attention, my bandwidth, that I did not care about. Store promotions, credit card offers, mortgage companies, newsletters, ezines, daily deals, family, charities, program notifications… each of these were flowing into my inbox daily.

If you’re anything like me having unanswered or undealt with emails is a stress. Another thing on the to do list that never gets done. How stress free it must be to give all that up right?

Well, it’s been a few weeks since the migration started and I’m still not ready. Not prepared to announce and set up that autoresponder and commit. Because I’m still getting emails that I want to receive from people I respect and admire. For every three email subscriptions that are complete junk there’s one that I want to receive, one that brings value to my life and business.

This process is not for the faint of heart and includes a good amount of back end set up to start but with the combo of forwarding, multiple sign ins, filtering and spam detectors I found myself spending less time managing email (moving it around for later) and more time taking in email and being responsive.

Change is hard, harder when you’re stubborn. But the beauty is that we can reclaim our email inbox back from the spammers, the joke forwarders and the salesy crap that makes an already unending chore more arduous. No matter how you choose to show up in your business, there are guidelines and systems that reflect you whether you manage your own incoming mail or work with an assistant.

How can an email system make your life easier? Is it worth the effort to you to put some of these tactics into place?

Systems and Soul Death

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I don’t talk much about my soul deadening desk job that prompted me to finally (and forever) forsake the cubicle lifestyle. The truth is, I don’t think about those days much. Occasionally when I’m going to the Post Office for my mail or down to the Opera House to meet a friend for coffee I’ll see the old building and wonder what’s happening inside.

Thankfully, I don’t need to go back into that building to know that the same people are working in the same jobs doing the same tasks as they’ve always done. You may think I applaud this as a system of consistency but honestly, it’s just sad.

I knew the day my boss told me I was “too efficient” that my time was limited. That I had been drawn into a business model that rewarded the time spent instead of the outcome and lured people in with the false hope of security and benefits. In this model everyone loses.

The owner loses because they will pay more for substandard work because employees have no incentive to be more effective or efficient in their job. The employee loses as they are metaphorically chained to a desk, often pretending to work while screwing around online, for the 8+ hours the owner thinks it takes to complete a set of tasks. And even the customer loses, paying a premium for work that’s done whenever it gets done, for products and services that could have been completed quicker.

Systems are not intended to create more work for the people smart enough to use them… but instead free you from it. A high level system will automate and standardize the basic tasks so you have more time and energy to handle the complex tasks.

One example of a high level system that stands out in my mind is my collegiate debate team. I went into the activity having no idea what was included. Arguing, right? I can do that!

The truth is that collegiate debate is highly competitive and structured. To win a debate you must be technically proficient at responding to the arguments (what is not answered is conceded) as well as persuasive and able to grasp the big picture. Stacks of paper, reference materials in 60 pound tubs and talking 60 words a minute are all part of the activity.

A new documentary, Fast Talk, gives the best inside look and this 1 minute clip will give you a pretty good idea of the intensity that goes into each round.

To play at this level the structure and systems within your team are critical. During the years I participated there were systems for practice debate, for speaking drills, team meetings, evidence assignments, evidence updates, updates of the evidence updates, filing, dress code, judges, mentoring, traveling, meals, strategy sessions, winning, losing and scouting.

Everything that our team did was designed to be collective and build on the previous stages. One person determined our evidence research assignments so we could work knowing everything had been researched. One TA was responsible for evidence distribution. Even within the two person teams it was critical to divide up the responsibilities in and out of rounds.

But we were successful and secured tournament titles and national wins across all divisions most years.

Turns out the system didn’t guarantee success. After all, everyone on our team had access to the same content, similar coaching, and evidence.

The system allowed the victorious teams to rapidly adapt the proven strategies in the midst of enormous pressure to succeed.

And we did succeed and the growth was sustainable. Part of the reason for our unending giddiness was that with this win my debate partner had burned Junior Varsity eligibility. The following weekend we advanced to Varsity at a National tournament and came out 3-3 having learned more lessons, upleveled our game and were ready for the next tournament where we won 4 out of 6 rounds.

Business works the same way, we learn and grow and advance much quicker with the use of systems which we can replicate. And then when we hit those milestones, we advance to the next level.

Systems that are designed to shut down independent thought, deaden your soul, and trap you into a Groundhog Day-esqe cycle are not my systems.  The structures, processes, and techniques used in the Playbook are just like Debate theory – they lay the foundation and open up space for you to meet the challenges ahead, adapt, and win.

Instead of being trapped in tedious work, the Playbook opens you up to experience more, play a bigger game, and enjoy the process.

I hope you’re ready to Play a Bigger Game and get started with a Playbook that serves your growth. It’s intense and fun and scary and exhilarating and nausea inducing all at once – those first Varsity rounds I was scared out of my mind.

Start by receiving the Free Tool to get started with your Playbook – it’s not just theory but the implementation steps you need – and get the support you need for those systems that will lead your team to success.

Get the Playbook here.

Travel Systems

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In one of those fun “both/and” paradoxes, I love to go on vacation but hate to travel. Of course I don’t let my dislike of travel hold me back from going and, as I prepare for my next trip, I thought I’d note a few of my favorite travel hacks.

As with most systems, getting the right tools is key. Check out the movie Up in the Air to see how George Clooney’s character moves right through airport security: To Know Me Is To Fly With Me.  Creating a system for travel can move you through the lines, the stress, and prevent trouble with airport security.

In the days and weeks before leaving you can use systems from your Playbook:

Having the right identification and ensuring your passport is valid
Bringing the right credit card and reservation numbers
Holding your mail, stopping the newspaper or pausing services (like house cleaners or babysitters)
Getting to all of those last minute bills, appointments and errands
Packing your suitcase – see this slideshow for tips

Keeping these lists and systems for reference from trip to trip which will save you time and money and ensure you never get to your destination and find yourself missing an essential item.

A complete travel system will also cover:

Having the right size suitcase for a carry on
Keeping liquids and restricted items out of your luggage
Wearing the right clothes and shoes to move quickly through security
Time needed to get through airport security and to pick up luggage, rental cars or get through customs

Of course all of this varies based on where you’re going, for how long, and your life and business; but creating systems for vacation can take some of the stress out.

When I headed to Scotland and England for a 2 week trip in 2010, I had all of the travel confirmations and maps in one thin binder arranged by date. On any given day I could pull the confirmation for the master suite in a 16th century castle, directions to the Lochs and museums, and even notes for the places we stopped and places we loved.

Knowing that everything is taken care of at home and in the days ahead enables true relaxation.

With all that worry time now unnecessary, once you actually get on the plane or train, it’s all about passing the time. Here my favorite tool is the iPad so I can read books, listen to music, play a lot of games, and write and edit articles. All without getting out of my seat to reach into the overhead compartment. Add in the boot up time for the iPad is 2 seconds, and I can work or play from take off to touch down. Takes up a lot less room than my laptop too.

So when I prepare my travel Playbook and checklists, I take into account each of these systems for packing, for reservations, and for leaving home behind.

To get started with your Business Playbook to implement these systems in your business subscribe here for instant access and newsletter updates on building your Playbook from the ground up.

Why I’m Going to Miami

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In one week I’ll be leaving for Miami to participate in the Client Attraction Inner Game of Abundance Mindset Retreat with Fabienne and Derek Fredrickson.

Normally, I’m not one for events, refusing to fall into the trap of the hype and promise. I know that business building is a process and for every amazing coach and mentor there are five more who over promise and under deliver. Usually at the expense of your time, energy and finances.

Finding genuine people in this industry who live and work in integrity is incredibly hard. Derek and Fabienne are those people, the ones who walk the talk in their business, providing amazing customer service and a ton of value.

In the online business world just about anyone can build a website and call themselves an expert. There are so many people clamoring for your attention and trust it takes dedication to filter through the b.s. And find the genuine people.

Everyone has their personal standards and will be drawn to different personalities so it’s difficult to narrow down the wide array of noise.

One of the hardest things for me personally is knowing what to focus on first. There are experts who teach everything from list building to conversion and from copywriting to teleseminars. Knowing where to start can be difficult and it’s easy to get overwhelmed.

I found that I work best focusing on one thing at a time in my business while I track those experts who I want to learn from next. The best mentors will build trust by giving you high quality free information via their website, newsletter and free calls.

Everything I’ve experienced from the feedback of other entrepreneurs to the content coming from Camp Fredrickson has built my trust. So much so that I was willing to invest several thousand dollars in learning from this amazing team, starting with the Miami Mindset Retreat.

One of the biggest breakthroughs I’ve had already is that we only limit ourselves in fear and scarcity thinking. Envisioning a big vision for your business, one that serves thousands or tens of thousands of people is challenging. Many times it takes investments in your team, your education and your systems of doing business to grow into the next level.

Are you content with your current level or aching to grow? So tell me, how are you growing?

P.S. Check out Fabienne in this video where she talks about an issue that’s the core of my business: how to stop doing everything yourself

Your Vacation Ready Playbook

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The end of summer and start of fall is officially upon us and so, naturally, I want to talk about vacation.

Do you take time off in the summer, around the holidays or are you planning on attending an out of town conference in the coming months?

If so, the Business Playbook is your saving grace when you will not have the time you normally do to work in your business. The Playbook, in case you’re unaware, is the detailed account of how you do things in your business. The Playbook enables you to automate work through systems and as a result you work more efficiently, and gives your team a necessary resource to support you.

In a normal week the Playbook enables you to focus on serving clients, creating content and growing your business. But in the times when you’re away from your home base the Playbook enables you to truly relax knowing everything has been taken care of.

Does it mean nothing will ever go wrong? Of course not, but having the Playbook means you’ll be able to determine what wasn’t covered much easier and adapt next time.

What kind of things should your Playbook cover in case of vacation?

How about auto responders for your email instructing colleagues who they should contact in your absence? And not just your email but phone answering service, messages received via social media and any member platforms you host. You might also consider a weekly checklist of all the things you review in your business. Before a trip it’s also a good time to prioritize what you must do when you return so the first days back are productive and focused.

I’m definitely a list maker and last year, before leaving for a trip to the UK for two weeks, I made a comprehensive list for my house sitter. It included police and fire department numbers, emergency contact in town, what day the trash went out, timing for the sprinklers, key to the wine cabinet, the wifi password – all the necessities.

And for my next trip I don’t have to rewrite that list, I simply open the document and make a few updates such as my arrival and departure date. In doing so I save myself time and energy so I can relax during the trip knowing everything is handled.

How much more important is it to have things covered in the business?

This is truly a critical step to growth as the solo entrepreneur can never truly take time off – you’ll see them posting and answering customer service on a trip, they’re the passengers on the plane who buy wifi access so they don’t miss a moment and are instantly checking their phones for messages upon arrival.

Some will call it dedication, others will call it obsession. But the business owner who cannot ‘power down’ and enjoy the relaxation of a trip or staycation is going to burn out.

I’ve got my own trip coming up and as I build systems I have an offer for you. Opt in below and receive a complimentary 2 hour session to build out a custom system for your Playbook. I call it the “Get me Vacation Ready” Playbook session and spaces are limited and based on availability so sign up today and you’ll hear back from my team within 1 business day so we can get started!

Sign up for details on how the session works and time slots available and even if all the appointments are booked, you’ll be the first to know when I open up more time.

Think of sitting on the beach, listening to the waves break over the sand and feeling your body and mind relax knowing that your business is okay. Together we can get you to that place whether you’re on a beach, skiing the slopes or skydiving.

Tackle Tasks Without Procrastination

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The most difficult thing to accomplish is something you’re putting off to the point when it becomes increasingly worse. The task may vary based on each of our businesses but there are some common ones: bookkeeping, invoicing, and updating records.

I shared about my gardening failures and didn’t mention that very early on I hated doing even the most routine maintenance such as mowing the lawn. It would take me 40 minutes to do two very small sections of grass and everything bothered me. The lawn mower bag was hard to empty, the motor stalled, it was like pushing a boulder around my yard.

Recently I went outside to mow, grumbling all the way, and realized that it had only taken 10 minutes and wasn’t such a chore after all. I considered why with all that free time since I’d just earned 30 minutes of my life back.

Now I have a system so the whole process of accomplishing a routine task is much smoother:

Sprinklers start every morning,
I cut the grass in the afternoon when the grass is dry,
I empty the bag immediately when it gets full,
and most importantly…
Regular maintenance makes it all easier

I realized that the motor didn’t stall once and I didn’t need to stop when I was halfway done to empty the bag. Since I had just mowed the weekend before it wasn’t such a chore. Instead of waiting a month (or two) and letting the grass grow so much that I had to fight it, only making it worse, I was staying on top of mowing and now each time it was much easier.

And we do the same in our businesses. We wait until April 14th to sort personal and business receipts for the past 12 months. We gather names and ideas and tasks on a dozen scraps of paper and in emails but can’t get them in one place. We don’t check our metrics or do billing until we have months to catch up on. And the more we put off these regular maintenance items, the harder it becomes to get motivated, tackle the task and stay on top of things.

You’ll hear this from the entrepreneur who says “I have a list but I haven’t emailed in 3 months and now I don’t know what to say.” Procrastination gets in the way and there are more and more obstacles in the way until we’re paralyzed in inaction.

So how do you solve such a phenomenon when you see it happening around you? My favorite hacks are to use triggers and assistants.

Triggers are the first step in a system. For my mowing it’s Saturday afternoons after the grass dries, I’ve done errands and before it gets too hot. That’s my trigger to roll out the lawn mower and get it done.

Systems don’t have to be complicated to be effective! It can be as simple as: mow the lawn, empty the bag, put away the mower.

Regular triggers can be added to your calendar – take 10 minutes to stretch every 2 hours you sit at a desk. Clear out 10 emails by delegating tasks every afternoon. Run reports and track conversion rates every Friday. Archive any incoming newsletter one day after they arrive if they’re not read.

You’ll be most successful at keeping these routine tasks completed if you automate. Direct all unsubscribes to one folder and handle them once a day. Filter all customer support to one place and respond daily. The more you automate with the use of technology, the less you’ll find yourself procrastinating.

When the task is irregular it can be difficult to set a trigger so you’ll want to internalize the first step of the system. If you’re reading a newsletter and see something you like in the formatting, the copy or the design don’t leave it in your inbox. Move it through a system by forwarding to your assistant with a few notes. If you get a customer support email and note that you need to make some changes in a program or be clearer in your copy don’t leave it to fester. Copy those thoughts to your program manager or into your online management system for programs.

David Allen covers this in Getting Things Done when he writes

“If there’s something that needs to be done about the item… then you need to decide what exactly that next action is. “Next Actions” again, means the next physical, visible activity that would be required to move that situation toward closure.”

As you can see, it’s not just setting triggers and automating them when possible. Having support can really take these maintenance tasks and keep them from being overwhelming.

But if the assistant doesn’t know what to do and you assume all is well you’ll find a much bigger mess to clean up when you take back responsibility.

So create systems for these tasks, all the important things that you need to do on a regular basis to keep the business running smoothly:

Updating contacts in InfusionSoft
Responding to unsubscribe requests
Approving new members into a private forum
Answering basic customer service requests
Formatting your newsletter
Running reports
Updating and renewing web domains
Tracking business receipts and financials

You have to be willing to dig in, have clarity around what needs to be done, and teach your systems to someone on your team. If you find you don’t want to do it on your own then work with an Online Business Manager who gets it. Then your system will consist of checking in with your team and you can go on to build your business without the undone tasks weighing on your mind.

And for me, I can walk to the mailbox without dreading the day I finally unearth the lawn mower and tackle the jungle formerly known as my yard.

Start With Your Calendar

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Business is busy, am I right? Summer is over, everything is ramping up for the 4th quarter and making plans for 2012 and you’re busier than ever staying on top of it all.

So I understand if you’ve been too busy to download and read the Playing a Bigger Game Business Playbook and I’m here with immediate actions you can take to get your calendar under control so the important things get done.

Figure Out What’s On Your Calendar

Let’s start with the essential first step from David Allan’s Getting Things Done: Fill your inbox with all of your pending projects and tasks.

Yes, it’s daunting and yes it can show you that you have way too much going on if you ever want to sleep ever again.

But if you don’t know what things are taking your time, you will never be able to control your time.

Once you’ve got that long list ahead of you consider your ideal week. Let’s take a random 7 day stretch and imagine how you would ideally use your time.

Would it be researching articles, running numbers on your conversion rates and updating your website code? Or serving a small group of clients, converting high level private clients and speaking to online groups about your field?

Look back on the last few months; how have you been spending your time? Are your days structured or do you just flow with anything that pops up? What times have you been most productive? How did you manage your time?

Keep in mind that being productive doesn’t mean that you’re spending the most time working, it should mean you get more accomplished in a limited amount of time.

Many people find their productivity peaks right before a big event: vacation, the birth of a child, in the days before a major launch.  Let those times of intense productivity be proof that you can be extremely efficient with your time with the right motivation.

Isolate the Tasks that You Can Remove From Your Calendar

First, anything you don’t need to be doing can be removed without guilt. Posting on sites that give you no measurable return. Continuing to market and sell a program that your audience does not want. Updating your social media status every few minutes.

Free yourself up by not trying to do everything all by yourself. Know what doesn’t need to be done at all and then what doesn’t need to be done by you.

While I do have a longer resource on creating a calendar that works which is coming via newsletter for those who download the Playbook, I do have some tips to get you started now.

Pick one thing you want to do on a daily or weekly basis. Let’s use website posts as an example: it’s one way to communicate with your audience and provide fresh content to introduce them to your work.

Start by deciding the blocks of time you want to aim for to write for your website. Some people want an hour daily, others prefer one block of time. Now, schedule the time that you want as a weekly block beginning this week.

If your calendar is simply too packed then slot the time at the ideal time, even if it overlaps with other commitments. Don’t worry about cancelling other calls or appointments to make the exact time work BUT do not schedule over this time block moving forward.

It may take several weeks or months until your time block is open and you have this committed time but it’s worth the practice. And until that time you can adjust the time as your schedule permits.

Now that you’re seeing how you want to spend your time and creating time blocks to get the important actions done it’s time to delegate.

The most efficient way to extend your reach without cramming your calendar is to outsource.

If you’ve never worked with an assistant I’ll help you get started slowly. Set your weekly budget and create a list of tasks you want handled.

Messages:

Voice Mail
Email Spam
Travel coordination
Data Entry
Calendar Management and booking appointments
Managing contacts

Blog Management including:

format and spell check articles
posting entries
posting articles to other sites
approve blog comments

With the beginnings of a list and an idea of how much you can invest in recovering your time it’s time to get started.

If you’ve worked with an assistant in the past you may have a network to reach out to; otherwise you can begin searching for someone qualified. I haven’t had much luck with blind luck so referrals are key.

There’s so much out there about finding good assistance but the short list is to find someone who is responsive to your requests, able to communicate clearly, and technically capable of completing the tasks.

If you’ve been looking for that first system you can put into place to make your time more efficient and your business run smoother then the calendar is a great place to start.

Easy is Not a Synonym of Simple

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While they get interchanged often, easy is not the same as simple and vice versa.

A process may be simple to comprehend in its execution but not easy to do. For example, write a blog post. Understanding the concept doesn’t help you when staring at a blank doc wondering what to say to your peeps today.

Similarly a task that you’ve done for years may be easy due to practice but is anything but simple. Sending out a newsletter in HTML format for example.

Let’s take the job of receptionist for any mid sized company. The task is simple: answer the phone when it rings and transfer the call to the correct employee. For the employee who has walked those halls for a decade and knows Mary in accounting from Mary in marketing, it’s simple. For the trainee wondering “which Jim works on that project?” it’s anything but.

Michael Garber teaches in the E-Myth that for any company to grow out of infancy, the owner and those who begin work before the sign is hung on the door need to document the process and encourage the evolution of each system.

Owners and managers must find a way to bridge that gap so that the learning curve is steeper.

For the receptionist that may mean a phone list with each employee named alphabetically by first name. Possibly by last name on another sheet and by department on even another sheet. What may seem silly at the creation of the company when the list has but two names, is now an important process to make a relatively simple task easier.

It takes a new hire a few minutes to become acquainted with employees across the company instead of months.

And while creating a system takes a simple task and also makes it easy, that doesn’t mean you’ll take all the guesswork out of work.

Yes, systems are created to demonstrate “how things are done around here” which makes work flow faster, employees transition smoother and allows the owner to refocus attention.

But a system cannot and should not address every contingency that may come up in the future.

Unless you want it to read like the Tax Code.

Instead give specific direction, outline principles and provide guidelines for exceptions.

Tim Feriss explained this best in the 4 Hour Work Week when he empowered his fulfillment team to make customer service decisions up to $200 without approval. Above $200 and they would present to Tim for approval.

The best employees are ones that understand direction and are able to discern missing links and proactively resolve questions.

The receptionist, for example, may be trying to connect a prospective client with the VP of financing with little luck. A good receptionist will check the company calendar to note if the VP is out for a conference or in a meeting. Finding nothing, the great receptionist will call an employee whose office is close to the VP to ascertain their location. Finally, a stellar receptionist will return to the caller, explain what steps have been taken and offer to take a message to deliver when the VP is located.

A poor receptionist may check the phone list, dial the extension and hang up when the VP does not answer.

An otherwise simple job can be made easier with a process to follow.

How about in your online business?

Do you have systems for your telesummits like “If the host drops the call, here’s how to keep callers on the line until the host reconnects.” How about systems for launches regarding your follow up campaign and tracking conversion?

The goal of your system should be to make each step easy to understand and the whole process simple to follow.

Tomorrow I’ll be showing you how to develop your first system and a great place to start.

Get the Support To Grow

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As an online entrepreneur, you’re in the company of some amazing people doing great work. And the circulation of the local Yellow Pages or how far a client is willing to travel no longer limits our reach.

And while the internet is a wonderful thing, it makes it difficult at times to see and understand what is happening behind the wifi curtain in other businesses.

So ask around, check out others in this industry who are doing what you aspire to do someday, those who launch products, run successful programs and have their shit together. Talk to your clients, your mentors, your coach, your friends.

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