Introduction
Ever find yourself staring out the window as you copy and paste from one spreadsheet to another, thinking, “There has to be a better way”? I’m here to tell you, there is! These automations are the perfect place to start bringing more efficiency into your business. They’ll help you reclaim your time and focus on the work you love.
When deciding where to start with automations, consider these three questions:
- What tasks do you do often?
- What do you dislike doing or frequently put off? (For me, it’s invoicing and—okay, fine—some emails too. Social anxiety hits hard!)
- Where do you find yourself repeatedly copying and pasting?
While there are endless ways automation can increase efficiency in your business, these three simple places are perfect starting points.
1. Automate Lead Management
Leads are precious. They’re your opportunity to grow your business and keep it thriving. Handling this information with care is critical, so let’s ensure your leads get where they need to go without any falling through the cracks.
How to get started:
- Identify your lead sources: Do they come from forms on your website? Emails? Social media?
- Map your destination: Are they ending up in a CRM, spreadsheet, or database?
- Connect the dots: First, check if your destination platform has built-in automation you can leverage. For example, with FloDesk, you can set up your form with segmentation and automatically add leads to your audience database (plus streamline those follow-up emails!). If built-in options aren’t available, consider Zapier integrations to move data from point A to point B.
Benefits: No lead slips through the cracks, follow-up becomes seamless, and you save precious time.
2. Streamline Appointment Scheduling
Oh, the joy of trying to find a time that works for everyone! If you’re not already using an automated scheduling tool like TidyCal, Calendly, or Google Calendar scheduling links, now is the time to jump on board.
How to get started:
- Choose a free or affordable scheduling tool
- Link it to your calendar and create your scheduling link (settings are usually built into your chosen tool)
- Keep that link handy for easy sharing
One of the best perks? Automated reminders and follow-up emails mean fewer tasks cluttering your plate and fewer no-shows disrupting your day.
Benefits: Eliminates the back-and-forth email dance of finding meeting times and creates a smoother experience for everyone.
3. Automate Feedback and Testimonial Requests
Feedback and referrals are essential for sustaining your business. That social proof? It’s one of your most powerful tools. While it’s nice when testimonials come to you naturally, most of the time you have to ask and it’s all too easy to forget or put it off. Don’t give yourself that option!
How to get started:
- Determine the timing: Decide when the request should be sent. For example:
- When a project is marked complete
- 30 days after a project starts
- At a specific milestone in your process
- Draft your email: Keep it simple and friendly:
- Ask for a quick response or provide a link to a form for more structured feedback
- Remember: Even if the initial data isn’t perfectly structured, AI tools can help format it later!
- Store the results: Save feedback in one centralized place, whether that’s Google Sheets, Airtable, Notion, or another tool you’re already using.
Pro Tip: Add a checkbox on your feedback form asking for permission to share their response as a testimonial. This saves you from having to circle back later!
Benefits: Streamlines feedback collection, ensures no client gets overlooked, and builds a growing library of testimonials to showcase your expertise and impact.
Conclusion
Three simple automations to start building sustainable systems in your business. With these tools, you can create predictable outcomes from a set of initial instructions, saving yourself time and energy for the work that truly matters.
If you’re interested in learning more, YouTube and the blogs of these automation tools are fantastic resources to dive deeper.
And if you see the need in your business to implement systems like these and beyond, let’s get in touch! I love helping womxn-owned businesses get set up with tools that empower you to excel on your terms.