Small business owners are well aware of the demands on their time. Feeling like there just aren’t enough hours in the day while juggling multiple tasks. And when ready to grow, the workload can ratchet up until you are in a position to employ others to take some of the burden off your shoulders. Given this inevitable requisite to building a business, the prospect of automating tasks using specialist software is likely to appeal.
1: Use spreadsheets to automate tasks
Excel is a commonly available application as part of the Microsoft suite of tools. If you don’t have Excel any spreadsheet software would work. With most software such as Excel you could generate reports, charts, graphs and other visual representations of your data. You could also create quotes that can be converted to invoices with simple mathematical calculations carried out automatically.
2: Use Zapier to connect tools
Zapier is a powerful tool that connects software using what they call ‘Zaps’. The software allows non coders to set up automations with templates or user designed application programming interfaces (APIs). Zapier try to make the learning curve as easy as possible with instructions and videos.
There are countless applications that can be connected with Zapier to create automated workflows for a variety of tasks. For instance, you could use Zapier to connect your customer database with your email marketing software. This would allow you to automatically send out marketing emails based on customer data. You could also connect your inventory management system to your payment processor. This would allow new orders to be automatically fulfilled without manual intervention.
Or you can use Zapier to connect your project management software with your customer support system. This would allow customer enquiries to be automatically directed to the appropriate email. Or, if you’re in a position to employ others, to the appropriate team member.
3: Create an appointment assistant
If you’re a business owner looking for an effective way to manage your appointments, then you should consider using software to help. Software designed to assist with appointment management can be incredibly useful for streamlining the process and making sure that your customers and clients can easily book appointments online. Some of the most popular software solutions include Google Calendar, Appointy, Acuity Scheduling, and Genbook. In each case the software has their own unique features that make them worth exploring, depending on your intended use.
4: Use IFTTT to connect services
If you’re looking for an easy way to automate your digital life, IFTTT (If This Then That) is the perfect tool for you. IFTTT is a service that allows you to connect different web services and products in order to trigger automated responses. IFTTT allows you to set up “recipes” that will automate certain tasks based on certain conditions. For example, you can set up a recipe that allows you to automatically post new Instagram photos to your Twitter account. Or you can set up a recipe that turns on your lights when you arrive home, or one that automatically sends you an email when it’s going to rain. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
5: Use software to send emails
If you’re looking for an easy way to manage your email marketing, there is software that can help with that. Mailchimp, Constant Contact and AWeber are examples of software designed to send emails, track their performance, and understand the results. You will be able to monitor campaigns in real time and break down the data according to detailed criteria.
Such software is really useful in sales and marketing. It allows you to target specific segments of your market with emails designed just for them and to analyse the data. It allows you to identify trends and make data driven decisions going forward.
And finally…
If you’re technically minded, using software to automate tasks can save you a lot of time. Such software will make you more efficient and often do the labour intensive jobs more thoroughly than if you had had to do the work yourself. Technology is becoming more and more user friendly. There is no need to code. A willingness to learn how to operate new software is all that’s required. And with templates, detailed instructions and videos there should be everything you need to learn.
If you don’t feel comfortable setting up automations for your business but can see the benefit, find someone who can do the work for you. Fiverr is a useful platform for finding technically savvy freelancers to do such work at an affordable price.