Run Your Business Efficiently to Reap the Rewards

So, with the festive holidays now over, my focus this month will be very much about what I will be concentrating on this year; new changes to my business, organising more events (online and physical) and implementing procedures, which will allow me to run my business more efficiently. One of the jobs at the top of my list was to give my office a thorough sort out, which I did last week. I now feel so much more relaxed, knowing I’ve had a good clear out, set up new files and tidied those annoying bits of paper away that were cluttering the working space. I even tidied my email inbox and folders up!

With the new year, we always want to set goals and objectives and strive to do our very best for our business, ourselves and our loved ones and as we settle back into work there is always those little things which stop us from doing everything on our ‘to do’ list.  I’d love to share with you my tips for helping you to structure your day, being mindful of the time you have, not to mention looking after ourselves, which often a lot of us forget to do.

Here are some tips I’d like to share with you which will help you with running your business on a daily basis.

Tidy desk, Tidy mind
As well as telling our children to tidy up their bedroom and playrooms, it’s time for us to have a good old sort out of our desk and office – set an example! As well as physically going through paperwork, drawers, files etc, make sure you go through your inbox. Set up folders and an archive folder if you’re not too sure if you want to permanently delete an email right now.

Diarise ‘work’ time and important appointments. Invest in some oxygenating house plants as these we’ll help with concentration and also add a dash of colour to your office. 

Take a Walk 
Talk a walk in the fresh air. Being outside in the open really does help to relax you and is a great opportunity to have some thinking time, exercise and a little time to yourself. Even if you can manage 15 minutes every day, this will do you the world of good. Fit this in either before you start your day or at lunchtime.

Eat Healthy & Drink Plenty
We are all guilty of not drinking enough water. We all know it’s vital to feed our body good nutrients and to keep ourselves hydrated. Try and avoid too much coffee which we know a lot of people are addicted to. If you can, swap to decaf or herbal teas – there is so much choice in the supermarkets now. Pop a piece of lemon or orange in a glass of water if you’re trying to avoid sweet sugary drinks. Make sure you’re getting plenty of protein, veggies and nuts and pulses, these will all help your brain to concentrate and help your body to function well.

Be Ahead of the Game
Plan, plan, plan! Get out your diary and plan ahead. Whether it’s networking events you’d like to attend, 1:1’s to arrange or catch up calls with your clients or suppliers. Get the meetings in the diary and then you can work around these important meetings. If you’re diary is organised this is half the struggle. Good time management helps so much when you’re running a business. 

Blogs & Social Media
These are two jobs which can be very overwhelming for a business owner and I often hear clients spending a lot of time thinking about it but go round in circles with not knowing what to do or how to do it. I would recommend setting up a spreadsheet, one for Blogs and the other for Social Media posts. When thinking about what to write for any marketing content, you need to consider your audience, where their potential problems are and how you are the expert to solve them. Offer your readers advice & tips, answer their questions and direct them to your website. Take inspiration from newspapers, magazine articles, blogs and people who are in the same business as you and make yourself a list of ideas. Monitor your social media posts closely and note the posts which have received the most engagement. Use eye-catching images too!

Outsource!
Outsource where you can. Whether that’s working with a bookkeeper, accountant, content writer, marketing consultant or Virtual Assistant, allowing you to get on with what you do best! Let’s face it, no one can possibly be an expert in everything. Using a professional person can be a revelation. It will save you time and money, not to mention stress. You’ll feel so much better and ask yourself ‘why didn’t I do this a long time ago?’. These service business will often offer a retainer rate too, so make sure you ask when you are enquiring.

Action Plan
And last, but not least have a Business or Action plan for the year. Break it down into short, medium and long-term goals and be kind to yourself.

Create a monthly Marketing Planner – this can display all of the marketing activities you are planning week by week. 

Create a database if you don’t already have one. Make a list of potential clients you would like to work with and update information on the 1:1s you have had, including people you have met at networking events.

Work with a Business Coach, who will provide you with clarity and accountability.

If you write all the projects and activities you are currently working on, pin it up in your office, as you’ll be more inclined to get on with the tasks if it’s visible. 

I hope the above has helped you and even if you change a few things in your daily schedule, you will reap the benefits. If you’d like to chat more on how to go about producing a Marketing Planner, please feel free to get in touch: deborah@queenbeeandco.co.uk.

Bye for now and good luck. 

Deborah