For many small business owners, especially those with young kids on the cusp of summer break, there may be a sense of anxiety this time of year around creating systems that will sustain your bottom line while also allowing you to enjoy the fun that always comes during the summer months.
Whether you’re a parent or not, that shift into summer usually means slower days and more events added to the calendar so spend some time now setting your business up for sustained summer success! Don’t let the business you get to build stop you from living the best summer ever.
Let’s look at five simple things you can do to help make this summer your easiest yet!
#1 Take a realistic look at your summer business needs & challenges
Before you start planning your summer business solutions, spend some time assessing what’s ahead. This will give you a clear idea of what you have to plan for.
- Identify schedule & availability changes
How will your schedule change over the summer? What new activities, events or responsibilities will you need to accommodate? - Prioritize necessary tasks
Determine which of your business tasks are critical for day-to-day operation and which can be scaled back during the summer. - Set clear & actionable goals
What are your professional and personal goals for the summer? How can your business run efficiently while also allowing you time to enjoy the season?
#2 Automate routine business tasks
When we talk about giving you back your time but not missing out on leads and sales, automation is going to be your greatest ally!
Focus on automating these routine business operations:
- Email Marketing
Use tools like Automation On A Mission, Mailchimp or HubSpot to schedule email campaigns in advance. Be sure to segment your audience and personalize all messages so you can maintain engagement and relationship building within your automation. - Social Media Management
Social media scheduling tools, like Metricool or Later, allow you to plan and schedule social media posts across multiple platforms weeks in advance. Spend a few hours a week setting up your posts to maintain a consistent summertime presence online. - Invoicing and payments
Automating your invoicing process will allow you to maintain income while maybe reading at the beach! Set up payment reminders and automatic billing to keep your cash flow steady without needing to login every day.
#3 Plan, or revisit, how you will streamline your communication
When you don’t want to be tied to your desk over the summer, clear communication will be a crucial piece of your summer prep.
Create plans and communication that clearly shares any change in availability, sets expectations for returned communication and allows your leads and clients to still get fantastic customer service.
- Set up solid customer support
Implement chat bots or autoresponders to handle common questions on your website or social media pages. - Optimize your team collaborations
Use project management tools like Slack, Trello, or Asana to keep your team on the same page and accountable during the summer months. These tools can help manage projects efficiently, even when you’re not physically present.
#4 Be sure to delegate effectively
It takes a village, right? Before you can take a step back during the summer plan how you will delegate tasks, projects and responsibilities to your team – or outsource to contractors.
Delegation will be essential for managing a business while juggling your summer plans and activities.
- Identify which tasks to delegate
Decide which tasks can easily be delegated and outsourced. Think about the ROI on your time and budget as you make your list. - Hire summer help
Consider bringing on temporary, contract team members to manage summer business activity or to cover for other employees on vacation. - Utilize VAs
For routine administrative tasks, scheduling, or even customer service, virtual assistants can be a cost-effective support system.
#5 Prep Your Team For Summer Business
Take time to collaborate with your team and make sure everyone is on the same page for summer business.
- Be up to date on all training
Conduct any training sessions that will ensure your team members know the who, what and how for critical procedures and systems. - Put together clear resources
Create comprehensive guides and protocols so that team members have resources to refer to when needed. - Set your summer expectations
Clearly communicate with your team about your summer availability, their summer availability and the expectations you have for everyone.
The beauty of entrepreneurship is that you get to create the balance of work, family and fun that you want! And if fun in the sun this summer is what you want, then make it happen!
Creating systems, automations and procedures for your business so you can take more time off over the summer requires thoughtful planning and strategic implementation.
Take the time now to prep and prepare so you won’t miss a beat – even if you take a step back in the summer. Embrace the technology that’s available to you, delegate wisely and always communicate effectively to make this summer a season of growth and enjoyment – both personally and professionally!
Ready to start planning for your stress-free summer?
Reach out to us at Confluence Business Solutions! This sort of smart business strategy is exactly what we can help you with.
Click here to learn about Automation On A Mission, our all-in-one automation system, or book a free discovery call!
