Category: Run a Home Business

    Biz Systemization for the Sole Trader

    Biz systemization is big news right now with every manager and business owner thinking they need to apply these processes to their organization in order to get more out of them, increase profits and improve resiliency.
    And they’re not wrong. Biz systemization is simply the smart application of various strategies that can enable a business to run itself or at least to run more effectively in the absence of a manager or company owner.
    But surely this doesn’t apply to the sole trader? How can a gardener or a freelance writer apply biz systemization and stand to benefit?

    Why Biz Systemization Matters for Sole Traders
    Even if you have a business consisting of a single person and the service or product you provide is supremely simple, it’s important to recognize that biz systemization still applies to you. The reason for this is simply that what you do will still be based on systems. Even if your system is just to cut hair, this will consist of multiple little procedures and processes that help you to get clients, to get to your customers and to provide them with the best and quickest cut.
    In the case of sole traders, the objective isn’t to create a business that could run without you as that is going to be impossible in many cases. However, simply by running your business in a more effective manner, you will be able to expand. And actually this is even more important when there’s just one of you because it’s the only way you can expand your business and increase turnover and sales.
    You aren’t taking more staff and so the only way to make more money is to work faster and to work better.

    How to Apply Biz Systemization to Your Trade
    So how do you apply biz systemization to your trade if you work independently?
    One option is to use tools and software. There are programs and apps out there for instance that exist to take over whole aspects of your business. If you’re a web designer for instance, then using the right software to create templates can save you a ton of time.
    Likewise, just using checklists and flowcharts can help you to avoid making mistakes and to work more quickly and effectively. Even if you know your job inside out, these prevent complacency from leading to mistakes and they ensure you are working in the most effective way possible.

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    PHPCollab Fantastic Project Management for Freelancers and Online Entrepreneurs

    PHPCollab is a project management tool that is perfect for internet entrepreneurs and online businesses. As the name suggests, the tool is used mainly for collaborative projects (usually online) and is coded using PHP.

    How it Works
    PHPCollab is a simple project management tool, but that is a strength. Users can create projects and then assign them to users with specific due dates. Likewise, unassigned tasks can be viewed by anyone, and files can be uploaded with relative ease.
    So, a simple use scenario might be if a company was working on a website and had outsourced things like the coding, the design, and the content creation to different members around the world. Using PHPCollab, each freelancer could log-in to their account and then see which task they had to work on and when it needed to be completed by. Once they finished creating their PNG, their Word document, or their HTML code, they could simply upload it and mark the task complete. From there, they could wait for another task to be assigned, or take the initiative and find an open job to start working on.

    The Benefits and Drawbacks
    PHPCollab is a little different from other project management tools like Trello. This is a very bare bones  tool and one that favours a structured task setting approach. For certain types of project and business though, that’s perfect and it really can streamline the process of working together online  or even in the same office. There’s never any need to send an e-mail to get more work and everyone knows what they should be doing at any given time.
    But at the same time, PHPCollab is also very limited in what it does. There’s ways to upload multiple files simultaneously for instance which is pretty basic stuff for a tool of this nature. Likewise, while it’s possible to add comments to a file or a task, there’s not really any way to edit a file live or to engage in an active discussion. For a tool that focuses on collaboration it’s a little short on actual teamwork.
    That said, if you’re running an online agency or are part of a team, then PHPCollab may just have the tools you need. If you can overlook the limitations and the bare-bones presentation, then it can be a great aid to your workflow.

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    4 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Picking a New CRM Service or Software Package

    Let’s take a look at some of the most common mistakes that businesses make when they are moving to a new CRM system. Moving to CRM based customer tracking can be a big shift when everything goes right let alone when you make mistakes right off the bat.

    With so many options out there (and more coming!) you need to be careful.

    Hopefully, this list will help you make an educated decision about which CRM system to choose.

    Mistake #1. No Social Media Integration

    Social media is will be one of the main ways you interact with your customer base. You do not want a CRM system or software package that does not take this into account. Social media is a great way to build long-term relationships with customers and you need a CRM system that will keep track of this important communication.

    Mistake #2. No Integration with Email or Bookkeeping Software

    Automated email tracking and updating of bookkeeping software is also a necessity. You want a CRM system that will work with your other applications seamlessly, especially email and bookkeeping so, at the very least, your employees will not have to enter details twice.

    Mistake #3. Not Keeping it Simple

    You have done the research and decided to purchase a CRM system. You are really excited about it, and you want everyone else in your company to be just as excited about it. You want to be careful at this stage because you do not want to alienate your employee base. Start slow and keep it simple. Just stick to the core features in the beginning. Roll out new features as they become necessary.

    Mistake #4. Putting Too Much of a Load On Your Workers Shoulders

    In tandem with mistake #3, putting too much of the load on your workers shoulders can be the death knell for employee morale. Once you purchase a CRM system, you might want to hire a project manager – someone who knows and likes the system. Someone who will make sure your employees are taught how to use the system and what it can do for them. You do not want to make employees fill out every single field for every customer, add in a bunch of unnecessary stuff all over the place, and make them do 100s of things over the course of the day that are completely unnecessary as it will make your organization more inefficient.

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    How Useful is a Stylus for a Business Phone?

    If you use your smartphone for business and you’re looking to upgrade, then you should take some time to consider your options so that you can ensure you get the most productivity and power out of your new device. With that in mind you might be looking at things like screen size, RAM, processing power and more in order to ascertain which gadget will give you the most bang for your buck.
    But there are other factors to consider here too  such as the various different features that specific devices offer as differentiators over their competition. Take the Note series of phones and tablets for instance and their styluses are these a useful accessory or are they just a gimmick?

    The Different Types of Stylus
    First of all, it’s important to understand the difference between the stylus on the Note 4 and a capacitive stylus. A capacitive stylus is basically a piece of foam that can mimic the effect of a finger, thus allowing you to interact with your phone as you would with your hand, but using an item shaped like a pen. Unfortunately though, it is no more accurate than using a finger and has no other features.
    With the Note 4 however, you get a digitizer pen. This means that the screen has a thin mesh underneath it that allows you to use the Note 4 pen in a far more accurate and varied way. For instance with the Note 4 you write precisely and it will look like your handwriting and you can also benefit from other features such as the ability to use a hover pointer (useful for dropdown menus) and to select text from websites more easily.

    The Benefits of a Digitizer
    So is it worth getting such a stylus for your smartphone if you intend to use it for business purposes? Well, if you’re interested in writing on the screen and taking hand written notes, then the answer is definitely yes as they likely won’t be highly legible with a capacitive stylus. Other than that, they may be useful for artists but the features like being able to select text are only a nice bonus and not worth a large extra expense.

    Ultimately then you need to ask yourself: do you use Evernote or other note taking software often? Will it be helpful to take down notes and draw diagrams with the pen? If so, you should consider a Note 4 or another device with a real stylus.

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    Automation and Force Multipliers for Business

    Biz systemization is a term that is getting a lot of attention lately but really it is nothing new. Since businesses first started cropping up we have always been looking for ways to make them more efficient and more self-sustaining. The ideal situation is to create a business model in fact that is so self-sufficient that it runs itself with no necessary input. Normally though, it simply means creating a system where as much as possible is automated and systemized resulting in better outputs and less time spent on the nitty gritty.
    And one of the best and most reliable ways to do this? That’s to use better tools.

    What Are Force Multipliers?
    Tools that are used for these purposes in business are often referred to as ‘force multipliers’. What this means is that they multiply the amount of force or effort that is being used and thus result in an amplified output.
    The most obvious example of a force multiplier by far is a hammer. Here, you or your client strikes a nail with a certain amount of force but the force that hits the head of the nail is much greater. This saves a huge amount of time and effort versus trying to build a boat with no tools.
    Computers are also force multipliers because they make communication, design and word processing much faster. Forklifts too are force multipliers in a very classic sense.

    What is Automation?
    Automation takes this one step further and is the application of devices and systems that carry out a task entirely without input. These create their own ‘force’ and simply need pointing in the right direction for impressive output.
    The most obvious example here is the assembly line or a digital manufacturing line. These can create thousands of identical products with no input from a human being and this is a fantastic example of business systemization.

    The Benefits and Risks
    The benefits of these tools are clear. By increasing output without increasing your workforce, time or overheads you gain in profit and can increase turnover.
    What’s important though is to also be aware of the risks. The problem is that force multipliers also magnify error (as anyone who has hit their thumb with a nail knows) while automation will automate errors. The more you use tools to systemize a business then, the more you need to constantly check and recheck that they are working efficiently.

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    How to MacGyver Your Own Project Management System Out of Parts

    There are plenty of great project management systems out there, which range from Trello to Orchestra to PHPCollab to Asana.
    But, while all these project management tools have their uses, none of them is quite perfect. For starters, many of them cost money. Then, there’s the fact that once you get too deeply entrenched in one system, you’ll find it hard to migrate to any other. Then, there’s the small matter of having introduce everyone you work with to that system.
    And on top of all that, project management tools are generally too broad and don’t specifically cater to your business or workflow. Now, one solution to this is to create your own project management tool, but if you don’t know how to code and don’t have the resources to outsource that, then this can be tricky.
    Fortunately, there are ways around this problem. Read on to learn how you can MacGyveryour own project management system out of parts.

    A Simple Note Taking Solution
    Note taking apps like Evernote are highly popular, but they present all the same problems that the aforementioned project management solutions do.
    But, really, why do you need one if you have a basic operating system? Create a directory on your computer called Notes, and then, add subdirectories and sub-subdirectories for each category of note. You can add text files to be those notes, images, and anything else. You can do the same thing for tasks.

    Cloud Storage
    Only instead of putting this subdirectory on your Desktop, you’re now going to put it in your Dropbox folder or in your OneDrive folder. Make this a shared folder, and that way, you and all of your teammates can edit it. This is, essentially, a project management system!

    Extras
    If you need a little more structure, then you can also add a spreadsheet for assigning tasks and discussing them. Likewise, if you use a tool like IFTTT (If This Then That), you can sync your different accounts up so that your Google Calendar is populated with the new tasks you add, for instance, or so that a spreadsheet keeps track of everything you upload and edit.
    If you’re using Dropbox, then you can also use an app called Dropsync to sync those folders and files to your mobile device.

    Conclusion
    There are many more options here, and really, you don’t have to use any of these suggestions. The point is that there are enough cloud tools and other apps out there that you can now create your own project management system that fits your workflow. As long as everyone knows the system, the sky is really the limit!

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    3 Great Reasons Why You Need CRM

    Before reading this, let me just give you a word of caution. This is not a comprehensive list of reasons why you need Customer Relationship Management or CRM. If it were a comprehensive list, it might fill up a whole eBook. The goal here isn’t to provide a completely exhaustive list, but just to encourage you to go online and investigate CRM software or subscription services for your business.

    #1. It’s Critical That You Know Your History

    You have to know where you have been with each customer. Everyone in your organization has to be able to look at any customer’s history. Imagine any employee being able to look at any customer’s interactions at any time from any device anywhere in the world. Not only can they pull up their data, they will be able to pull up the entire stream of communication you had with that customer. Now, that is a pretty special thing and that can make your customer service staff a lot more efficient.

    #2. Emails Are All Over the Place

    You probably think your email inbox is the perfect solution to managing your customer interactions. You can filter, search, and label anything you want, but you might want to rethink that. The problem is that you will have to start syncing all your email on all your devices. And, what about your employees? They will need access to those customer service emails. You will have to remember to CC or BCC all your employees on every email you send out. Communications may get lost and your customer service will suffer because your employees will have a hard time keeping track of your customer service emails.

    #3. Competition Is Good For Your Company

    It’s good to have a little competition in the workplace. It keeps things exciting, fun, and moving fast. You don’t want a stagnant workplace and you want to motivate your employee base to do better than they ever have. With a CRM system, you will be able to see who is doing well, how they are doing well, and you will be able to reward and promote them.

    So, there you have it! Three solid reasons that you need a CRM system, software, or subscription. It’s hard to make your business soar without it. It needs to be fluid, flexible, and holistic, and it’s hard to get those kinds of things without a robust CRM system.

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    Can Your Smartphone Replace Your Desktop Computer for Work?

    Many of us consider our desktop computers primarily as work devices. These are the machines we use when we’re writing documents, updating spreadsheets, creating slideshows and presentations and pretty much whenever we have any kind of work to do.
    But desktop computers are not portable and they are prone to going wrong occasionally. As such, it’s very possible to imagine you might end up stuck without your computer and having to make do with your smartphone  which is always on and always on your person.
    Could you make do?
    Let’s find out.

    Software
    The main challenges would be finding compatible software. If you only tend to use Microsoft Office for your work, then the good news is that both iOS and Android have fully functional office suits from Microsoft in the form of Office365. You’ll need an Office subscription and some features are lacking but overall it will be sufficient for most people looking for a way to write their documents on the move.
    If you don’t have an office subscription then you can alternatively use free alternatives like Kingsoft Office or Documents to Go.
    Unfortunately, some businesses will require their own specialist software and this is where things can get a little bit more difficult for those who need to work on the move. Unless you can find a way to stream your computer to your smartphone (which will be fiddly) you’ll probably be stumped.

    Input
    The other challenge with working on a smartphone would be the input. Fortunately this is a matter that is considerably easier to solve. If you’re someone who owns an Android, then setting up a compatible Bluetooth mouse and keyboard is actually very easy. If you then prop your phone up with a stand you can have a set-up that is reminiscent of a very tiny computer and this can be used to work anywhere. You can even get foldable keyboards allowing you to keep the whole set-up in your pockets. With an iPhone on the other hand, you won’t be able to get mouse support but with a capacitive stylus you can achieve much the same thing.

    And if you aren’t on the move, then you can even rig a smartphone up to a television or a monitor in order to get a big screen experience. While it’s not quite perfect yet then, most smartphones can be used to emulate the features of a full-blown PC.

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    Are You Working IN Your Business or ON Your Business?

    One of the biggest reasons that ‘business systemization’ is so incredibly important, is that it allows you to step out of your business for a while and to focus on ways to make it better. Often we are too concerned with working in our businesses to the extent that we stop working on them and when we allow this to happen it can often represent the start of a vicious circle and a road to nowhere.
    But what’s the difference you ask? And how does biz systemization help? Read on and find out!

    What’s the Difference?
    If you’re someone who is only working in your business, then you’ll likely be arriving at work with a long to-do list, working through that and then leaving the office once it’s completed. Get to work tomorrow and you’ll have a new huge list of things you need to be doing. It’s relentless and it feels like you are always only just managing with your workload rather than having time to move around more freely and to come up with new directions and new ideas.

    If you are working on your business though, then that means you’ll be spending time in R&D, it means you’ll be looking at potential future markets to move into and you’ll be forecasting your profits over the coming months and years. In other words, working on your business means that you’ll be finding ways to expand, grow and develop  rather than just looking at ways to continue with the status quo.

    How to Get to That Point
    As you might have imagined, the general idea is to reach the point where you work more on your business than in it. In other words, you should be working to either increase the profit you’re bringing in or to decrease the amount of time you’re spending working. Either way, you’ll be improving your position and that’s ultimately the point of a business.

    Biz systemization helps you to get to that point by automating parts of your business and handing it over to your staff so that you can concentrate on other things. This way, you won’t be constantly putting out fires because you’ll have systems in place to do that for you and you’ll have staff who can handle almost every challenge for you.

    Biz systemization makes your business more efficient and that means your business can grow or you can step back. Either way, it’s the first step in a more fulfilling business and life balance.

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    An Introduction to Project Management Tools

    If you work online and, especially, if you often find yourself collaborating remotely, then you might have heard good things about project management tools. These are tools and apps that essentially allow you to organize your tasks and projects and share them with the rest of your team.
    But with so many different tools and options available, where do you begin? And what can you expect to gain from these apps?
    The Benefits of Project Management Tools
    If you’re juggling multiple tasks and projects at once, then having a structured tool where you can lay out all the individual steps and goals is a great way to ensure that you’re staying on track. What’s more, this allows you to share your plan with colleagues so that you can communicate what needs to be done quickly and effectively.
    But project management tools go beyond this. For starters, project management tools are normally cloud based. This means that your team doesn’t have to be in the same place in order to see their assignments and goals. This, in turn, liberates you to work remotely while still ensuring everyone is on the same page.
    What’s more, project management tools often sync up nicely with other online tools, including e-mail, chat, and to-do lists. This means that you can automate much of your workflow, and save yourself a lot of time.

    Choosing a Project Management Tool
    When it comes to choosing a tool for project management, you aren’t going to be stuck for choice. To name just a few of the popular options, you have:
    Trello
    Asana
    Basecamp
    Orchestra
    Flow
    PHPCollab
    Todoist
    Smartsheet

    On top of this, you also have a host of different tools and apps that you can use in conjunction with traditional project management software, including video conferencing software, cloud storage software, social media, and more!
    Each of these tools is slightly different and better suited to specific types of work. For instance, options like Orchestra and PHPCollab are particularly well suited to agencies and other scenarios where you have a client and freelancer.

    In some cases, though, you may find that the project management tool you’re looking for still doesn’t exist. In that case, you can look at creating your own software from scratch, either by coding it manually or by outsourcing the process.

    This is an advanced option, but if you create something that perfectly suits your workflow, it can be more than worthwhile.

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