This is a guest post by Wendy Dessler.
Growing a business can create challenges that often seem insurmountable on the surface. Even though we’ve spent many hours researching our business before opening our doors, and we’ve accumulated many years of experience, it’s still challenging to master the skills needed to achieve lasting business growth.
Do I finally get my email inbox under control? Do I get my butt in gear and master time and task management at work? Do I stop messing around and make outsourcing a greater priority?
These questions are all valid and deserve specific answers.
With that said, we will answer these questions in greater detail. Hopefully, when we are through, you’ll have a clearer path to achieving business growth at a level most comfortable for you and your team.
Do I Finally Get My Email Inbox Under Control?
Many people spend a large portion of their day battling the email inbox blues.
No matter how hard we try, we just can’t seem to get a handle on our day-to-day email tasks. And new messages continue to roll in as our clients demand more of our time and attention.
Winning the war against the email inbox blues is possible.
The strategy is simple: start implementing email management tips. Before long, you’ll have no problem staying on top your inbox.
For starters, you have to start managing your email in batches.
Instead of checking email 300 or 400 times a day, set aside one or two times during the day to read incoming messages and answer the most important emails.
Second, you have to turn off your email notifications.
They are a huge distraction and you’ll keep checking your email all day long if these notifications tell you that new messages are coming in. So put a stop to them immediately.
Third, become best friends with email filters.
When you think about it, a large portion of your email doesn’t need to take up your time or attention right away. If you start using email filters, you can focus on the most important items in your inbox while the less important emails are filtered to another folder that you check at a later date or time.
By getting your email inbox under control, you’ve taken the first step to freeing up your time. And when you have more time, focusing on business growth tasks is the next natural progression.
Do I Get My Butt in Gear and Master Time and Task Management at Work?
If it seems nearly impossible to manage your time at work, you certainly have to do something about this. The following tips will make it easier to manage your time and your most important tasks during the day.
If you work in a busy office, the first thing you need to do is start shutting your door.
Stop letting everyone distract you all throughout the day. Make it a priority to eliminate as many distractions as possible. When your door is closed, your employees/coworkers will know not to disturb you unless it’s absolutely important.
Second, you have to start tracking your productivity using time management software.
Clockspot is one program to use to track productivity and manage timesheets. You’ll have better opportunities to grow your business once you’ve finally become an effective time manager.
Do I Stop Messing around and Make Outsourcing a Greater Priority?
Expansion is only possible if you have a team in place to handle the additional workload.
You could hire in-house employees for the additional tasks. Or, you can save money and hire qualified outsourcers from all around the world.
To expand your business via outsourcing, please consider the following strategies:
First, treat every potential outsourcer like you’re hiring a full-time employee.
Make sure the outsourcer has the experience to get the job done. And when you talk to this person, make sure you are compatible so that you can communicate on the same level.
Second, price is important but it isn’t everything.
Hiring outsourcers is great because they are cheaper than hiring full-time employees. But don’t make price your only priority. Make sure the people you hire are qualified to do the job correctly.
Finally, it’s best to start out small.
Do not immediately overload your outsourcers with tons of work. Break them in slowly so they get used to their new projects.
By starting outsourcers slowly, you are giving them a chance to grow and learn at a comfortable pace. When the workload finally does get hectic, they’ll be ready and capable of handling anything that comes their way.
Conclusion
It’s challenging to grow your business. No one would deny this fact.
Consider everything that we’ve discussed today. If you can master these key areas, you’ll have no trouble growing and expanding your business for years to come.
Author Bio
Wendy Dessler
Title: Super-Connector at OutreachMama Wendy is a super-connector with OutreachMama and Youth Noise NJ who helps businesses find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, and networking. She frequently writes about the latest advancements in digital marketing and focuses her efforts on developing customized blogger outreach plans depending on the industry and competition. You can contact her on Twitter.
