So many business owners think automation is for “down the line,” or “when I have a bigger team.” But the truth is… automation should begin from Day 1. Automation is vitally important for better predictability and productivity, AND it allows you to create more space for the important work that supports innovation! If you are wondering how to automate tasks to increase business efficiency, you have come to the right place. 

Entrepreneurs often assume innovation means something “NEW”, but making an existing product/service better, and retaining and/or upselling an existing client base is more cost-effective and better for scaling! And what do you need to do to improve lifetime value and set yourself up for scaling?! You guessed it. Automation. 

How to Automate Tasks and Buy Back Time  

1. Email Marketing Automation

Your list is the only thing you own, and it should be a major focus in your business (Don’t rely solely on your social media database). But that doesn’t mean you should be manually handling list management. Use tools like FloDesk, ConvertKit, or ActiveCampaign. Schedule and segment email campaigns. Set up automated email nurture sequences for new subscribers, lead nurturing, and live conversion events. 

2. Social Media Automation

Tools like Buffer, Hootsuite, or Later allow you to schedule posts in advance, automatically share new blog posts using plugins or integrations, and offer valuable analytics so that you can make decisions on what to automate and when. 

Looking for digital marketing tips? Read my blog post about 2024 marketing trends!

3. Appointment Scheduling

My platform of choice when it comes to incorporating a user-friendly booking system is Calendly. But you can also use Acuity Scheduling, Honeybook, or HubSpot. When handling a high volume of prospects and clients, it is most convenient and time-saving to have a platform for managing calls and ensuring things flow seamlessly without a lot of back and forth. 

4. Financial & Accounting

In my years consulting with business owners, I’m always surprised by how many business owners do not have an automated system for invoicing, expense tracking, and financial reporting. You can also automate expense categorization, receipt scanning, and set up recurring invoices for long-term clients. Remember, what gets measured gets managed. And creating an automated system for managing your finances is crucial. 

5. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Automating your customer management means you are always staying on top of lead generation and sales. Whether it’s a Google Sheet or a platform like HubSpot, automate your lead tracking, set reminders for follow-ups and segment customers for targeted marketing.

6. Task Management & Productivity

Whether you are a team of one or many, I highly recommend using a task management tool. I recommend Asana, but you can also use Trello or Notion. A task management platform allows for automating task reminders and set up workflows for recurring tasks.

7. Data Backups

When growing or scaling a business, it is important to protect yourself from data breaches, viruses, and human error. Cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive, or Backblaze can automate daily backups of important and/or confidential data.

8. Customer Support

Use chatbots on your website for 24/7 customer queries using tools like Intercom or Tidio. Automate FAQ sections or knowledge bases for common questions.

9. Lead Generation

Tools like ManyChat, TextMagic, and Chatfule make it easy to automate the process of capturing and nurturing leads. Integrate with your email marketing tool for seamless lead nurturing.

10. Onboarding and Training

Use platforms like ThriveCart, Teachable or Kajabi to automate course or program delivery. You can set up automated email sequences for new course enrollees. This is not only time saving, but it also improves customer experience and the client journey. 

Learn How to Automate Tasks with Coaching and Accountability

At the end of the day, the only way to ensure you’re ready to scale your business is by not only knowing what to do, but to take action and apply the things that will ensure you’re ready for massive growth. 

Automating tasks in your business will allow you to maximize your team’s effectiveness, improve the client journey, and allow you to focus on maintaining innovation!

Book a call to learn how we can help you automate tasks for improved efficiency, predictability, and productivity!