3 Tips To Building Internal Systems Without Tanking Your Revenue
Have you ever gotten so busy building internal business systems that you overlooked bringing in new clients/customers? I know, I know, the irony is while you’re so concerned about improving your online presence and user experience, you can neglect speaking with real humans who are interested in buying your products/services.
Well, that was me over the last 6 months. The good news? Not only have I lived to tell the tale, I am happy to impart some useful tips based on my own experience… Hope they help you avoid the pain I just endured!
1. Be Strategic
While it might seem counterintuitive, it is possible to fix the metaphorical plane while in flight– so long as you plan the work and work the plan.
The key is to execute a parallel strategy where you are simultaneously attracting and serving clients while also building solid internal systems.
Think of these as complementary (vs. competing) priorities that are both essential for long-term growth and scalability.
Create a realistic project schedule to develop your systems and remember the old adage, “Rome wasn’t built in a day!”
2. Delegate Well
When you are juggling multiple priorities, delegating clearly and frequently is essential to keep things running smoothly.
If you do not have the organizational capacity to delegate to anyone, I would suggest figuring out this piece before overfocusing on internal systems.
If you or a colleague are typically in charge of business development and sales, for example, you probably want to hire/designate a qualified operations manager to develop and implement internal systems, i.e. automated marketing funnels and email sequences.
Remember to outsource for expertise and speed when needed so your core team can stay focused on their zones of genius. While some learning curve is generally positive for staff members, too much can hinder your progress and generate more frustration than it’s worth.
3. Leverage Technology and Client Feedback
Since you will likely be delegating more during this time, you will need a project management platform such as Asana, Monday.com, ClickUp, or even a simple shared spreadsheet to assign tasks to specific owners by certain dates.
Technology can help you with both of your goals– system building and client acquisition– if you set up automated scheduling, follow-up, and marketing tools to help you get more done in less time.
Do your best to keep the communication lines open with your current and potential clients; their feedback is absolute GOLD when you are building and refining your business systems.
Pay attention to their complaints and pain points and align your system building with real client needs. This customer-centered approach will result in both increased efficiency and credibility… Win-Win!
Tell me– what was most useful about this blog? I’d love to hear what you liked best and what else you might recommend to others looking to achieve sustainable long-term growth and scalability without sacrificing their short-term momentum.
We live and learn, right!? Thank goodness I learned.
To Your Success!
Amy