
Being an online entrepreneur is awesome and comes with a lot of advantages. It also comes with awesome responsibilities. As an online entrepreneur you need to not only do everything, you need to figure out what it is you need to do.
There are so many things to think about online that without this one secret you are almost destined to fail. But, the good news is that with this secret you are literally guaranteed to succeed.
What is this one secret that can make or break an online business owner?
Systems. Simple straightforward, easy to implement…systems.
I know….
BORING. I’ll grant you that.
As a matter of fact, we rebelled against systems for years. And then we started making real money.
Some people call them processes. Some people call them procedures. Others still call it documentation.
The point is that as an online entrepreneur, you need to have systems in place that clearly define everything you need to do, when you need to do it, who needs to do it and how it is to be done.
It would be difficult to define which systems are needed by which online businesses, because all businesses are different.
There’s affiliate marketing, product launches, joint ventures, e-mail marketing, article marketing and many others. Some online businesses do them all.
Having said that there are certain business functions that most businesses have in common. For instance:
Either production or fulfillment depending on whether you are a manufacturer or distributor (sometimes both)
- Customer Service
- Accounting (accounts payable and receivable) and Finance (P&L, Balance Sheets and Cash Flow)
- Marketing and Sales
- Advertising
- Management (Staff or outsourced consultants/functions)
- Problem resolution
- Research and development
These should be present in almost every online business. Sometimes they have different names and sometimes you share the burden of certain processes with partners or outside consultants, but they are there. Some people say “fulfillment” while others call it “delivery”. Same difference, different shoes…:)
Systems can come in many different forms:
- Hardware systems can handle capacity, storage and facilitate speed and security
- Software systems can handle much of the load for reporting, communication and follow-thru, automation of customer service and production…
- Flow charts can define the order of processes.
- Process maps can integrate the steps involved and the owners and priorities of the steps in a process.
- Online manuals and other documentation act as references for FAQ’s about processes.
- Visual aids such as white boards, diagrams and videos can be used to visually reinforce processes so they become habits.
When the proper systems are in place they create and reinforce certain behaviors that engage the culture of the organization or the individuals themselves such as;
Focus – People are more likely to know EXACTLY what is expected and when. They are more likely to be highly proactive and less likely to be distracted. You’ll find that more of the right stuff gets done in less time.
Measurement – With solid systems in place you can track the businesses “KPI’s” (Key Performance Indicators) and begin to predict the state of the organization in the future and make proactive adjustments. Profits go up and surprises go down.
Satisfaction – With clear expectations and the ability to be proactive, people experience higher levels of satisfaction and less stress.
Productivity – All these factors contribute to a cycle of higher productivity
Goodwill – This stuff spreads like wild fire through the business and out to the customers and partners.
As incredibly yawn-inducingly, snoozefest producingly, bland as dirt boring that “systems” are, they can insulate any online business from failure and help any online entrepreneur succeed in the most difficult of economies.
Try injecting some systems into your business and enjoy some peace of mind around the corner.
Take out a piece of paper and start scribbling out your business processes and then scratch out some systems to support the processes. Then put some spit and polish on them and come up with your own fancy names.
You know you can sell those fancy named processes later as you perfect them (think of the last few internet products you bought-they either defined, documented, automated or integrated some online processes…didn’t they???)
best ed pill
over the counter cialis walgreens purchasing cialis in the usa cialis vs viagra cost
viagra cialis on line parmacy buy cialis using paypal where can i buy cialis online in canada
cialisonline cialis usa online cialis, 20 mg, canadian
cialis duration cialis usa cialis online purchase
buy prednisone online from canada buy prednisone how to get prednisone without a prescription
prednisone 20 5 mg prednisone daily where can i get prednisone
cialis sales cialis pills is super active cialis a scam
ivermectin reviews stromectol from costco ivermectin (stromectol
pet antibiotics without vet prescription canadian drugs online pet meds without vet prescription
ivermectin for demodex mites in humans goat lice treatment ivermectin ivermectin mites
buy prescription drugs from canada cheap ed meds online canada how can i order prescription drugs without a doctor
best non prescription ed pills herbal ed treatment best ed drugs
ed medication online medicine erectile dysfunction buy ed pills online
buy ed pills best ed medication top rated ed pills
legitimate online pharmacies india buy prescriptions from india pharmacy buy medication online from india
buying from canadian online pharmacies discount prescription drugs online canadian pharmacy certified canada pharmacy online
buy provigil pills order modafinil 200mg online cheap order modafinil pill
modafinil for sale provigil online order
purchase modafinil pill
generic drugs without doctor’s prescription legitimate online pharmacies india overseas pharmacies online
order provigil pills order modafinil 100mg without prescription modafinil 100mg pill
viagra tablets for men price for viagra viagra where to buy
cialis 20 mg price cialis from india price of cialis 20 mg
prescribing stromectol ivermectin without a doctor prescription prescribing stromectol
stromectol prescribing stromectol stromectol
clomid tablets buy clomid 50mg buy clomid 50mg online
stromectol for sale stromectol 12 mg tablets ivermectin label
stromectol for humans for sale stromectol for humans for sale stromectol for sale
stromectol 12 mg tablets stromectol xl stromectol for humans for sale
buy viagra online canada viagra buy viagra online canada
over the counter viagra sildenafil 100 mg online doctor prescription for viagra
buy real viagra online viagra viagra cost per pill