As the leaves change colour and begin to fall, we inch into autumn a season of great change that brings with it a natural sense of reflection. As we contemplate the effects of this seasonal change on our natural surroundings and ourselves, it’s the perfect time to be directing some of that reflection toward your business too.
Taking the time now to sit back and consider what’s working in your business and what could be improved is a great way to make use of this sense of reflection and change that we can feel all around us during the autumn.
And with the plans you decide upon ready to be put into action during winter when all is on pause ready for spring renewal, you can improve and strengthen your business for the months and years ahead.
Take the time for a quick review
It’s often suggested that we do our business planning and vision board making around the New Year but did you know that October is the Celtic new year of Samhain? What many of us know and enjoy as Halloween! Perhaps that’s why September/October can feel like the perfect time of year to take stock, declutter and get ready for new beginnings.
If you don’t have the time to spend a day reflecting on your business, just an hour will do. Try splitting it into three twenty-minute chunks:
- Quickly jot down all the things that are going well in your business and that you want more of in the future
- Make a note of all the things that aren’t going well, what the problems are and any mistakes or failures you’ve had
- Reflect on what you want to feel like in your business in the future and what that will mean for you, your customers and your family.
Just writing down your goals and intentions can help your mind focus on them in the future and help bring them to fruition when the time is right.
Don’t be surprised if you start getting brainwaves and new ideas when you least expect them as a result of this reflective work!
Consider the changes you can make in your business
Sometimes we can get stuck in a rut with our business activities, doing things the same way because they’ve worked so far for us, so why change? But do take some time to consider if this is really the case? Could making some changes now help to improve your business in some way? For example, is your customer onboarding up to scratch, are new customers feeling loved and looked after when they join you or buy from you?
Another example could be streamlining your appointment/meeting scheduling. Many of us choose to use phone calls or emails to discuss and manage appointments but this can turn into a lot of work with lengthy email exchanges when trying to work out the best date and time for everyone.
A quick solution is to use an online booking system where you can sync your calendar to the system and your client can see at a glance the dates and times available for them to choose an appointment that suits them best at a click of a button. With automatic emails sent to both of you, it really can save you time and energy in your business that can be better spent elsewhere.
What are the other systems and processes in your business that could be streamlined and made easier by tweaking a few things or using software to make your day-to-day business management easier?
Think about outsourcing those time and energy-draining tasks
If you are overrun with admin, it can be difficult to focus on your core business and find the time, energy, and resources to make the changes you need to ensure your success in the future.
One of the quick changes you can make this autumn is to outsource your admin to a trusted virtual administrator who can whisk that workload away and give you more time to spend on what’s important in your business right now. A lot of VAs will also be able to offer help and advice on how to streamline the backroom admin to allow it to flow more easily.
Some of the administrative tasks a VA can help you with may include:
- Diary management
- Email management
- Data entry
- General admin
- Research
- Client response
All too often these are the tasks that can eat away at your time and energy while making it feel like you’re not really achieving anything in your business. Rather than doing this all yourself to keep things ticking over, why not outsource to a virtual administrator like myself, so you can focus on the tasks that will take your business to the next level?
Many VAs, myself included, can help you with other tasks like website and marketing support. Whatever it is that’s stopping you from taking your business to where it needs to be, consider whether outsourcing it to a trusted professional could be of benefit to you.