How to spend more time on your core business
Setting up a new business is easier than ever before with access to technology meaning you don’t need a lot of capital, staff or even storage for inventory. There is a wealth of online tools available for entrepreneurs looking to build from nothing or improve on existing business practices. Such technology can have a big and positive impact on even the smallest businesses.
Reclaiming time from admin tasks
One of the biggest problems for small business owners is that they spend too much of their valuable time managing the business and not enough time growing it. One industry survey revealed that many business owners spent as much as 40% of their time on tasks unrelated to the growth of their business. Here are some helpful ways for small business owners to reclaim some of that precious time:
- Clever marketing
There are clever ways to make your company look bigger than it really is by putting aside a little budget for marketing your brand. By creating a website and making use of social media, you can create an identity and brand ethos that will give you a bigger profile.
Automate and outsource
- Automate and outsource
To free up valuable time to focus on core business needs, automate or outsource as many time-consuming admin tasks as possible. Tasks like invoicing, payments, email marketing and payroll can all be automated or outsourced. It also guarantees that jobs don’t get forgotten or done poorly because you’re too busy or don’t have the relevant expertise.
- Hire a virtual assistant
Running a small business means you’re wearing many hats and who has time for scheduling meetings and making reservations? In this era of instant messaging, your assistant does not need to be in the same office as you or even the same time zone! Outsourcing this job will save you money on salary and overhead costs. Your time will now be freed up to engage in the things that really make an impact on your business. For Virtual PA services, visit https://www.mushroombiz.co.uk/homepage/services/virtual-pa/
- Use your size as an advantage
You might not have the luxury of big departments and huge budgets, but you do have certain advantages with being small. Being a small business means you can move faster, change your course quicker, be more agile and engage and connect with your customers in a way that large corporations simply can’t. Only you know how small you really are, and your customers will think you just care more than competitors.
Working beyond your desk
- Don’t stay bound to your desk
You don’t have to feel chained to your desk from 9 to 5 every day. With all the amazing technology we have these days, you can run a business from virtually anywhere. Applications like Skype allow you to connect and network anytime of the day as long as you have an internet connection. It doesn’t matter where in the world your customers, employees, partners or investors are when you can all access collaboration apps like Google Docs. You can even use telephone networks that enable remote working with land lines that forward calls to your mobile phone at anytime and anywhere.
Summary
This article gives tips for small business owners to spend less time on admin and more on growing their business, noting that many owners spend up to 40% of their time on tasks unrelated to growth. It recommends automating or outsourcing tasks like invoicing and payroll, and using technology to work flexibly rather than staying deskbound.
Questions this article raises
- Which admin tasks give the best return when automated first?
- How much does hiring a virtual assistant typically cost for a small business?
- What tools work best for staying connected while working away from a desk?
