Module 10 – Reconsider Your Business Processes & Tools

The processes and tools you use in your business need to suit both you and your team, and are especially important if you employ remote workers. Their purpose is to make the work go smoothly so that you can assign tasks and know that they will be done in the way you want.

In this module you’ll look at the business processes you have in place and the tools you use, and asses if they are the best ones to support your growth.

Pick Your Processes

The processes you have in place demonstrate how you do things currently. Their nature will depend on the type of business you have, but they will usually include ways to:

• Generate new leads
• Convert new customers
• Train a new team member
• Set up a sales funnel
• Launch a product

You will already have some processes established in your existing business. You may have developed them consciously or they may have evolved over time.

Take another look at your key processes and assess how happy you are with them:

• How efficient are they?
• Do they meet your business needs?
• What could be improved?
• Where could you free up more time?
• How are these processes increasing your team efficiency?

Now think about what process you’ll use for prioritizing any changes you make in your business moving forward. What criteria will you use? For example, you may want to focus first on those things that you can easily outsource, so that you can free up time to then focus on the areas that require your personal involvement. You’ll need to set up your own process and criteria for prioritization so that you keep the core business going while you’re growing.

Track Your Tools

Alongside your processes, you’ll be using many different tools in your business, especially if you have remote team members. These can be tools for productivity like our partner Notion.so, Basecamp, or Trello, for sharing information like Google Drive or Dropbox, and/or appointment scheduling one of the features found on the Befinite.co , etc.. Depending on your business needs, you may use other types of software for various purposes.

Review the tools you use to see if they are still valid for your business. They may have worked for you at one point but are no longer suitable for your future business plans. You might have something new that you bought and which you could now bring into use. Make sure you aren’t paying for something that you don’t use – either use it or cancel it.

There are new apps coming on the market all the time. Yours might need updating or replacing with something more recent.

Rethink your customer management tools like email marketing systems, follow-up methods, and ask yourself:

• Is it time to invest in a more comprehensive email marketing system that allows segmentation and high-level CRM, e.g. on Beinfinite.co

Look at your other tech tools such as sales page builders like Beinfinite.co or webinar platforms like StreamYard.com, Zoom, or Demio. With business growth in mind, ask yourself:

• Do I need to switch to a one-stop-shop system where our marketing, sales, and product delivery is handled in one place? For example, a tool that includes:

• Main website
• Blog
• Shopping cart
• Landing pages
• Email marketing
• Appointment Booking
• Much more.

• Examples of one-stop-small business automation platform is Beinfinite.co! They offer a 10% discount for members of The Business Minds.

Key Takeaways:

• Review your business processes regularly.
• Keep productivity tools updated for the best performance.

Action Steps:

1. Quick Win: What is the most useful tool you use? Do you have the latest version?
2. Review the processes you have in place and assess how happy you are with them by answering the questions listed in your Action Guide.
3. What criteria or process will you use to prioritize your business changes so that you keep the core business going while growing?
4. List all the tools you use and their cost. Assess their strengths and weaknesses to your business. Cancel any subscriptions you have that you don’t use and have no intention of using any time soon.