1 – Use HubSpot (or another CRM)
- Why use a CRM: A CRM system is one of the best ways to increase your sales. It allows you to track of your clients and potential clients, and provides useful information in order to close your sales, make necessary follow-ups, or resell to existing clients. In other words, it’s magic!
- Why use HubSpot: Using an all-in-one service is the best way to keep your head in check. There’s tons of services that offer little bits of each, but at the end of the day, you don’t have time to learn all that.
RingRang Tip: Be sure to keep your CRM up-to-date – that way you actually have recent and useful information to make your business decisions.
2 – Use Central Cloud Storage
- Why use central cloud storage: Using a central place where all your files go not only makes it easy for you not to lose important documents, but more importantly, makes it easier for you to share with your staff.
- Best way to use cloud storage: Put all of your templates or instructions for common everyday tasks in an online folder. That way, when your employees have a question, they have a spot they know they can probably find the answer instead of having to bother you.
RingRang Tip: Take advantage of Google Drive. It’s super easy to use, makes it super easy to share with other people, it’s secure, and best of all, it’s free!
3 – Outsource when you can
- Why outsource: Every business owner wants to do everything. It’s in our blood to want to be in control. But you need to remind yourself, your time can be spent doing better things that create more value for your business.
- What should I outsource: Figure out what your core competencies are for your business. In other words, what are you really good at, and how do you create value for your clients? Everything else should be outsourced. For example, if you’re a lawyer, spending time performing repetitive data entry for administration purposes probably isn’t the best use of your time, when you could be billing another client.
RingRang Tip: Finding people to outsource to is not difficult! Check out Kijiji, Fiverr, or even post a part-time job for a high-school or university student!
4 – Have fewer meetings
Why have fewer meetings: According to the Harvard Business Review, 71% of
managers says meetings are unproductive and 65% say that meetings keep them
from completing work. So, think twice before booking that meeting – do you really
need it, or can it be a quick email?But be careful – email overload is an issue too: This seems to contradict the above,
but email overload is a big issue too. Just because you can now change your
meetings into an email, doesn’t mean you should spam emails instead.Be mindful in your use of the reply all feature, and only use an email when it’s truly the
best communication option.If you need to keep several people in the loop, or having many things going at once,
consider using a messaging platform like Slack or Microsoft Teams. These tools allow
your team members to keep all their messages in one central location, so they don’t get
5 – Use Virtual Receptionists!
- Why use a virtual receptionist: If you’re struggling to keep up with your phone, or find too much of your day is going towards dealing with client questions, a virtual receptionist is perfect. They take care of all of your client interactions, so you can focus your time on growing your business.
- How does it work: You forward your calls directly to a virtual receptionist, and they will answer calls on your behalf. Your clients will have no idea they’re speaking to someone outside of your business. After everything call, the agent can schedule any appointments or send you any follow-up emails, if needed.
RingRang Tip: Use RingRang!