Sometimes we have thought that we are the only ones who know how to handle specific tasks of a business because we do not want to delegate. I felt a lot about how to fix this and then I said, let’s do what’s called a four-list business systems exercise.
Basically, in an Excel spreadsheet, column one is where you’re going to list everything you do in business, email, billing, billing, going to the bank, cashing checks, whatever, you’re going to list them all the things you do.
It begins with the tasks of the large companies you will perform and will list them in the first column. Then how much time does he spend on that task per week? Then, in the third column, he puts what you don’t like to do; you’re not good at it and shouldn’t be doing it. The next column is that you would like to do it, do it very well, and want to do more. And finally, a check box.
As your business grows and changes, this will be one of those documents that will give you a clear idea of when you need to hire someone. This is an excellent opportunity for you to outsource things that you don’t want and shouldn’t be doing and that someone else can probably do better than you, but it gives you a roadmap.
Maybe you could hire a virtual assistant for two hours a week to cut that thing off your to-do list that you hate doing and shouldn’t be doing; maybe you don’t like making phone calls, and perhaps you’re not doing it. Customer service calls: Maybe you’re not sending thank you cards, you don’t want to propose, or you don’t want to communicate with your vendors and get pricing.
Maybe you don’t want to propose; perhaps you don’t want to follow up on our proposal. Maybe you don’t want to reply to your email, and the list continues. When you first start the business, you are doing it all.
What to do with this worksheet?
This allows me to share my screen with myself when I am doing a task and do the task log; now, it becomes a training module, a system, a process, so to speak, for that item.
So if you don’t take the time to do it, ultimately you have to, or you will always stay small; you will always say stay, never, never grow, or have anything. I’m never going to take a vacation or anything. And it sounds like I’m tough, but I’m only challenging myself because I’ve been there; I’ve painted myself in the corner so many times.
Business strategy
Performing this worksheet as a strategy will dramatically increase your closing rate because instead of just telling them about the services, you will have them go through their audit, they will give you their master list, and you will say, well, we want to do whatever we can do that we can. have us make that sign here.
How often is it recommended to do this?
If small business owners want it to be a list when they start, it will always be ongoing. If we can create a spreadsheet where they can keep an endless list, when things are added, they are added to the list.
It is a constant document, but I evaluate it once a quarter. So, my clients do it independently when they learn it.
But I would look at it once a quarter and assess what else you don’t want to do. It is much easier to ensure efficiency and have a mentor who holds you accountable.
Alan Reeves Experience
He mentioned McDonald’s to us. Ray Kroc was an absolute genius at locating where food preparation comes down to processes. They created a methodology where anyone can put anyone in there. And as long as they follow a process, they can produce the product. And it wasn’t two hours later that a Harvard Business Review article crossed his screen. And there is an article on five quick tips to scale your business, and one of them was McDonald’s. And that, the idea of process translates very, very well. And it is much easier to do it at first than to try to catch up.
Extra tips
Once your business earns 100, 250, 300, 1,000, or 2 million dollars a year, you begin to calculate what an hour of your time is worth.
It is fantastic and how much money you lose due to inefficiency. So, you know, you want to do the number of them, take the number that you want to make, be it $ 250,000 a year or $ 100,000 a year. Take that as $ 250,000 a year and divide that by 2080 hours, that is, 40 hours a week, and your hour is worth $ 120 an hour. So, are you spending time doing a $ 120-an-hour job when you can delegate it to someone for $ 15 an hour? The best advice I would give you is to hire a virtual assistant.