Take a moment to reflect and re-evaluate: On a scale of 1-10, how organized do you feel right now? here are plenty of little changes you can make today to make tomorrow much more efficient for the rest of us.
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When it comes to business growth, putting some extra effort into organizing these eight areas will pay off.
Organizing Your Content Marketing Activities
You can easily gain the trust of prospective clients if you use effective content marketing. Small business owners often lack time for content strategy, creation, and distribution. This is why they should organize their efforts. Some ideas include:
Editorial calendars should be created. Make sure you're creating content consistently by setting a calendar. Need help getting started? Use the free template and tools provided by the Content Marketing Institute. TestRigor reviewed some scheduling software that could help.
Make wise choices when it comes to social media. The number of social networks out there can make one feel overwhelmed. Consider what channels your audience is likely to use. Make a presence on 1 or 2 first, then add more if it makes sense. An effective social media strategy can help you take a bird's-eye view of where you are.
Use email marketing to your advantage. It’s still one of the most effective ways of reaching existing customers.
Provide outsourcing services. Hire a freelance writer to help you fill out your editorial calendar if you have some extra money in your budget. You can find the most qualified writers for your posts using sites like Upwork.
Look At Your Project Management
No matter how small or large your business is, you will have to manage and coordinate projects with other contractors or employees. You are more likely to succeed when you're an organized leader. Here are a couple of ways to better manage your projects:
Take advantage of project management software. It is easy to assign tasks to employees and contractors with solutions like Yalla or Basecamp and keep communication channels open.
Identify project milestones. Prepare a schedule with specific project milestones to ensure everyone understands what to expect and when.
Aim For Flawless Finances
Even if you don't like doing business finances, they are an essential part of doing business. Your business will grow faster (and you can avoid an audit) if you keep your financial ducks in a row. This can be accomplished by understanding your expenses, expected income tax filings, and working capital.
Several small steps can have a big impact on your financial organization:
Cloud software should be invested in. To keep track of income, expenses, and projects, use an accounting system (such as FreshBooks). Especially during tax season, this will simplify financial reporting. Since it's cloud-based, you can also manage your finances from anywhere, decreasing the likelihood of forgetting anything.
Plan your budget. This simple, yet essential financial move will help you manage your expenses, plan for the unexpected, and protect your income.
Streamline Your Scheduling
It's probably a good idea to consolidate your schedule if you are using more than one app or calendar to schedule. The easiest way to ensure you don't miss an important event or double book yourself is to keep both your personal and professional life in one place.
Time management mastery
Management of time is crucial to the success of your projects and your overall productivity. Here are some tried, tested, and true techniques to try out if you have yet to find a system that works for you, for example:
Put the Pomodoro Technique to the test. With this technique, it is important to break the work up into 25-minute chunks and take a five-minute break in between each. A break can help you improve your short-term focus by knowing that you will always be able to find some time to relax.
Make sure you try the ABCDE method. There is a method that you can use if you have a lot to do and are not even sure where to begin. It can help you determine where you should begin, what you should complete, and where you should conclude - taking you from overwhelmed to prepared, one step at a time.
Make sure you follow the 80/20 rule when making decisions. The general principle, in applying it to your workflow, is that 80% of your results are yielded by 20% of your effort. As an example, identifying which clients or projects do not make the most effort and pay the most can set the wheels in motion for your business growth.
Is it possible that you are not using your time wisely? Keep a record of how you use your time. This is a great tool if you want to see where your time is being spent and how effectively you are using it.
What are some tips you can share with other business owners to help them become more organized? Would love to hear them in the comments below.