I’m thrilled to introduce you to one of our standout students of The Client Attraction Business School™, Katie Mazzocco, The Small Business Systems Strategist. Please welcome Katie as a guest contributor to the Client Attraction blog. As always, we’d love to hear your feedback. Please post your comments and questions below. ~ Fabienne. Connect with Katie on Twitter here.
As entrepreneurs we started out having to master every aspect of our business: marketing, sales, technology, content creation, customer service, client delivery, web design and more. It’s amazing how quickly we become control freaks and how much it benefits us, at least in the beginning.
Ultimately, as we grow, the propensity to micromanage slows us down and holds us back from growing our income and impact in the world. There’s only so much that one person can do alone, and the same is still true if you have a micro-managed team.
So there you are in a Catch-22: the mindset and mechanics that used to fuel your small business growth in the start-up phase now hold you back and prevent the growth you want.
To reach big numbers in your small business, you need to shift to a new mindset of productivity and delegating. (Click here to tweet this.)
Here are the necessary action steps to achieve your dream:
1. Strategic Planning
If you don’t know where you’re going, you definitely won’t get there. You need to know where you’re going (goals), how you’re going to get there (strategy), when you need to take action to make it happen (timeline), and why, to keep you inspired and accountable (purpose).
Routine strategic planning leads to the best results because it keeps your goals at the forefront of your mind. This regular planning also enables you to identify when you’re off course so that you can get back on track.
2. Systematize
I hear people say all the time that they don’t have time to delegate. The truth is you have time to delegate, but you just haven’t taken the time to create clear, repeatable systems so that it’s easy to do. Any millionaire entrepreneur will tell you that the “self-made millionaire” is a myth. It takes a team. To run a successful team you need systems. It’s that simple.
3. Delegate
Once you’ve documented your systems, use them to efficiently communicate tasks, expectations and processes to one or more team members. Be sure to create an open line of communication while also cultivating independence in your team members.
Your Productivity Assignment
Do you know what you want to delegate next? Make a list of routine activities you do that do not directly use your unique talents (tasks like formatting weekly ezine, editing videos, bookkeeping or scheduling). Now choose one and schedule time for you to document that system this week. Then delegate it, reap the rewards and repeat the process with a new task.
Katie Mazzocco, The Small Business Systems Strategist, is the creator of The Chaos to Cash System™, the proven step-by-step process that teaches you exactly how to transform your chronic-overwhelm and business plateaus into increased profits and systematic business growth through systems and strategic delegation. To get your free report How to Transform Your Chaos Into Cash™ and receive Katie’s productivity success videos on increasing your income and expanding your impact in the world visit www.FullSpectrumProductivity.com.
This is just one of the many best practices we dive deep into with the students of The Client Attraction Business School, the premier training school for growth-minded entrepreneurs looking to quickly attract more clients and make more money. If you’re interested in finding out more, visit www.ClientAttractionBusinessSchool.com for more details. To speak to an enrollment coach, click here.
[youtube width=”600″ height=”367″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA_idflHwy0[/youtube]
My video tip for you today is all about the importance of creating your signature system – and how to get started today. Your signature system is really key to multiplying your business over and over. It becomes the basis for your bootcamp, three-day workshop, even the book you’ve always wanted to write. I’ve done this with my own Client Attraction signature system and I teach my Platinum and private level clients to do the same in order to leverage their business. So, where do you even start? Come on, overcome your analysis paralysis with me – watch this short video for this important strategy for growing your business.
Your signature system is actually rather easy to put together. You want to start by getting everything you know about your system down on paper. Document your unique process from start to finish – and don’t worry so much if you’re leaving something out. Your signature system brings your clients in so you can always give them more later.
Your Client Attraction Assignment
- Write down all the key components. Use bullet points. Include everything you know for sure about your system. Brainstorm.
- Group all your bullet points into categories. Then give each category a label.
- Put your categories in logical, chronological order. You want them to follow a step-by-step order that makes sense to the user.
- Lastly, give your system a results-focused title. And Voila! You’ve got your Signature System.
An effective signature system is the basis for multiplying your business in so many ways. It’s an essential tool for multiplying your business to that next BIG level. Have some fun with it – the key is to just get it done.
© 2011 Client Attraction LLC. All Rights Reserved.
If you enjoyed this video, please post your comment or question below and share it with your friends and colleagues who would find it beneficial.
[youtube width=”600″ height=”367″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwJfD7abZMc[/youtube]
Today’s video is about how to stop doing everything yourself in your business. No matter what level of business you’re in, you need the right resources and systems to grow your business to the next level.
Ever been to a restaurant and notice the number of resources they have on hand to serve you? It’s all about the “front of house” and “back of house.” Front of house means the Maitre D’ and the servers, all the beautiful tablecloths and flowers, and more, all the things that belong to the experiential part of your visit. Back of house refers to all that goes on back there in the kitchen that you never really get to see, the” administrative stuff,” if you will.
Most likely, you’re trying to do both “front of house” and “back at house” in your business, at the same time, all on your own. There are so many behind-the-scenes aspects of running your business, that at some point of your business success, you can’t actually do them ALL, however much you want to hold on to the controls. When you do so, you leave a lot of money on the table.
For you to grow your reach (and grow your income), you need more time to focus on what actually brings in more clients and income. How do you get more time in your solo business? LEVERAGE. Leverage is getting the necessary resources (people, systems, automation and delegation) to free up your time so you can focus on the money-generating activities (client work, marketing, business development, etc.).
Your assignment today is about leveraging certain aspects of your business by using systems and support. Create more time in your day so you can attract more ideal high-paying clients and make more money.
Your Client Attraction Assignment
- Make a list of ALL the tasks you’re doing during the day.
- Add a dollar amount to each item you think you can pay someone else to do that for you like errands, filing, scheduling, shipping, editing, phone calls, etc. (it’s actually more inexpensive than you think).
- Group similar tasks together by dollar-amount and then by category (website, administrative, personal, etc.).
- Identify the resources (assistu.com, craigslist.com, elance.com, odesk.com, guru.com) where you can hire someone who would be happy to take these tasks off your plate.
- Start to delegate the lowest dollar amount tasks first and focus your available time on further business development and marketing to your ideal clients (and making room for more clients).
If you enjoyed this video, please post your comment or question below and share it with your friends and colleagues who would find it beneficial.
Fabienne Fredrickson, The Client Attraction Mentor, is founder of the Client Attraction System®, the proven step-by-step program that shows you exactly how to attract more clients, in record time…guaranteed. To get your F.R.E.E. Audio CD by mail and receive her weekly marketing & success mindset articles on attracting more high-paying clients and dramatically increasing your in.come, visit www.attractclients.com.
