There are more than 30 million small businesses in the United States. Each small business across the nation will have one (or sometimes more) owners who can sometimes feel like they’re struggling to keep up. However, if you’re among these struggling women small business owners, there’s good news. There are ways you can increase your productivity and improve your company’s chance of success.
Increase Confidence With Higher Education
You shouldn’t overlook the benefits of higher education for small business owners. Receiving a relevant advanced degree can help you feel more confident. When you feel confident, your productivity naturally increases. Degrees in business, marketing, and leadership from WGU.edu are all great choices. There may be additional options for your specific industry.
Small business owners have busy schedules, but you shouldn’t let limited time stop you from pursuing higher education. Many relevant online programs are affordable and can be done at your own pace.
Embrace Automation and Online Tools
Technology now allows for many small tasks to be automated. If you aren’t already utilizing automation, now is the time to begin doing so. Start with your website’s blog, email newsletter, and social media posts. These can be automated to push content weeks or even months in advance. Instead of trying to meet these deadlines at the last minute, you can schedule them when it’s convenient for you.
Another idea is to use an artificial intelligence bot to chat with potential customers who come to your website. These chatbots can help answer some of the most common customer questions. If they can’t answer the questions, the bots will redirect the customer to a live person.
If you don’t have an effective invoicing process in place, you need to get that rectified immediately. Proper invoicing allows you to get paid on time and can help avoid late payments. It’s easy to create a customized invoice using an online invoice maker. Once you choose a premade template, you can add your own text, colors, and images.
Learn to Delegate
It’s easy to fall into the trap of doing everything yourself; however, not every task has to be done by you personally. As a small business owner, you must learn when to delegate a job and when something needs your personal attention.
In-House Delegation
When you hire full- or part-time employees, remember to make a list of essential tasks they’ll need to complete in their position. When creating these lists, include minor tasks that they could complete which currently fall on your shoulders. For example, you can delegate emailing clients (for most things) to the head of either marketing, sales, or customer relations, and leave payroll to your accountant or (depending on your business structure) the HR department.
Outsourcing
Many small businesses lack the budget to hire additional in-house employees. This is why a 2017 study found that 57.3 million companies outsource work to freelancers. You could save money and increase productivity by outsourcing. A few prime examples include your payroll, HR department, and marketing. Some small businesses even find that outsourcing some (or all) of their sales department and customer service reps can prove beneficial.
Types of services you should absolutely delegate include web design and social media management. You can use a web builder to design your site, but when you work with the professionals at Digby Media, you’ll have a website that’s both appealing and functional so it’ll be easier to find and retain customers and clients.
Improve Productivity for Success
If you’re among the millions of overwhelmed small business owners, don’t fret. You can help yourself be more productive by increasing your confidence, learning how to delegate, and embracing automation.
Best,
Sarah Bull
sarah@economymom.com
Economymom.com