Just because things slow down in warmer weather, it doesn’t mean you can’t experience business growth in the summer. This is the best time of year to shorten your work schedule because of what is called the “summer slowdown”. Your clients are taking vacations. So you don’t have to stress so much about being in the day-to-day operations of your business. Now while this is a natural season all of us experience, I don’t want you to fully unplug and lose momentum in your business. There are several things you can do to enjoy the summer that will enable your business to continue to grow.
Plan your week for business growth in the summer
If you don’t already have a day that you plan your week, now is a great time to pick one and create a new habit. Trust me you will thank me later! So whether you’re new to this podcast or you’ve been listening for a while, you should know I am a huge fan of time blocking. I time block my schedule year round. But I modify my time blocks depending on the season of my life. And definitely based on the season of the weather. In warmer months I shorten work time blocks as much as possible. I also increase the time blocks for life outside of my business.
The key to success with this method is to keep the blocks flexible so you don’t get overwhelmed. You can choose the specific tasks and activities that will be assigned to the time blocks. Then you lay them out on your calendar.
Now the next logical question is how do you pick the tasks for your time blocks? Start by creating a list of priorities for the week. When you do this, include personal and business priorities. Then based on that list, assign your priorities to a time block. And it’s summer time so make sure you keep your work schedule light. If possible, I recommend you arrange your schedule so that you have a four day work week. And the most important rule to remember is, no multi-tasking!
Focus on one task at a time. Don’t move on to another task until the first one is complete. To learn more about how I time block my schedule, be sure to check out this blog post.
And I must confess I am a paper junkie! So I use a paper planner and a digital planner and they mirror each other. I go into detail about my hybrid method in this blog post. The next tips goes hand in hand with you being intentional about how you are going to use your time by planning your week.
Maintain your routines for business growth in the summer
You need to stick to your routines as much as possible, especially if you have a morning routine. My morning routine is a non-negotiable for of daily self-care for me. I get up before everyone else. That way I can sip my coffee on my deck while it’s quiet. I also do my Bible reading for the day.
A morning routine is a great way to start the day with intention. Plus it puts me in a state of mental peace so I can take on whatever lies ahead in the day with less side effects. My most productive days are ones that start with my morning routine. “Either you run the day, or the day runs you.”
And here’s the great part, it can be as little or as much time as you would like! This is a slice of time that is just for you so you can develop healthy habits and prepare your mind for anything! Not to mention a lot of what we do is automatic and helps us conserve energy. So why not create a simple process that helps you connect more deeply with yourself and your purpose which increases your productivity.
And there are a number of routines you maintain or even start while things slow down during the summer. If you’ve been putting off getting in exercise daily, start by taking a walk outside for 10-15 minutes and increase the time.
Are you getting enough sleep at night? If you aren’t, your electronic devices may be one of the reasons. They generate a lot of light that actually stimulates our brains and makes it difficult for us to relax when it’s time to go to sleep. So create an evening routine for yourself.
Pick a time to put down your technology in the evenings. I try to put my phone down 30 min to an hour before bed time. Most of the time that works. And when it doesn’t, I give myself some grace. You can also be more present at dinner time with your family by implementing a new tech at the table rule. That’s what we had to do to make sure we were actually listening to each other talk.
These are just a few simple routines that will conserve your energy and your sanity. That in itself will boost your productivity so that you can get things done during those working time blocks on your schedule. And the next tip should not surprise you.
Get basic systems in place for business growth in the summer
You need to have systems in place to save you time and energy. Systems are the key to working efficiently which saves you time. And systems complete routine tasks for you which saves you time. Now when I say system, I am referring to a documented step by step process that tech tools can be integrated into for automation. Then you can identify what is left that has to be done manually by a person and identify who that person is. And it doesn’t have to be you! But your systems have to be in place BEFORE you try to delegate to a VA or anyone else.
What I’m about to say is contrary to popular opinion and honestly I really don’t care. You should not try to hire a virtual assistant just because you’re overwhelmed by your business. If you hire a VA and you don’t have any systems in place, both of you are going to be frustrated. And you’re going to spend a lot of time putting out fires during the summer.
Before you outsource…
Make sure you have either a checklist or some detailed instructions ready that you can hand off. And all of your standard operating procedures or SOPs should be stored in a central location. This is 𝑽𝑬𝑹𝒀 important because it provides a point of reference. It also removes the guesswork without you having to walk the VA through the way you do things.
While you shouldn’t have to train your VA to complete the work they are hired to do for you, you do need to invest time to help them get familiar with the way you operate your business. That means you need to invest time to create systems BEFORE you hire. Then you can easily integrate them into your existing system.
So if you have little to no systems in place right now, the summer is actually a great time for you to give this some attention. And if you have some systems in place, this is a great time to audit those systems to make sure they are efficient. There are six core systems you need to have in place. The three you definitely need to implement and/or update are your filing system, your scheduling system and your communications system are described in this blog post.
One of the main systems that fall under the communication umbrella is a customer care system which starts the moment a person reaches out to you online or through your website and inquires about your services. The first impression you make is a lasting impression and there are no do overs.
The truth is that you can take care of all of your potential customers without having to live your entire life in your inbox or constantly waste time on the phone following up on dead end leads. You need a documented process, templates and a scheduling system.
Why customer care is a priority
Research shows that 35% of customers prefer scheduling appointments during non-business hours. And 40% of online bookings actually happen after working hours.
The bottom line? People want to book their appointments with you when it’s most convenient for them. And in the busy and fast-paced world we live in, that can often mean doing it outside of your business hours. I hope you have set business hours. But that is an entirely different topic I’ve already covered in multiple episodes.
Since you don’t want to have to sit by the phone 24/7, an online scheduler enables you to attract customers even when you’re not available. Existing customers have the same access to your calendar as well. And the great part is you can create intake forms that gather the data you need BEFORE you get on a call with someone. It starts the screening process for you and you can gauge whether or not they are a good fit for you. How cool is that!
Now I can go on and on about the different types of systems and how they will save you time, but I won’t do that today. I want you to enjoy your summer as much as possible!
How I can help you with this
So if you would like to pull back the curtain so I can take a look at your back office, then I encourage you to schedule a back office assessment with me. It’s a 2 hour recorded call on Zoom where we do a deep dive into your current operations so that I can get a better picture of what is/isn’t working in your business. But more importantly we also talk about what needs to change so that your business can support your why. After all, that’s why you started your business right?!
After the call, you get a customized action plan that is based on the things we discussed during your assessment. Then we reconnect on Zoom to go through the action plan together and you can ask any questions you may have. We also discuss the next steps and the ways I can work with you to get the plan implemented. I guarantee you will feel relieved after our call because you will have a better picture of your business operations. You will have a better idea of what you already have in place, what gaps you need to fill in, and I will be there to help you.
Links mentioned in this post:
How to Time Block Your Schedule to Boost Productivity
Paper Planner vs. Digital Planner – How to Combine Both Tools to Be More Productive
3 Sexy Systems You Need for Startup Success
Schedule a Discovery Call to discuss any questions you have
Schedule a Business Assessment and let me identify the gaps in your operations you need to address so your business can grow even when you’re on vacation
Let’s connect online!
On Instagram @the_shannonbaker
