So How Do I Create This Wonderful Business System?
Whether you already have a business and find yourself exhausted from all the work each day, or plan on opening a business soon, there is still plenty of time to get into the swing of systemizing your business venture. Many of the steps in the process are common sense, once you actually begin to work on them. Let's take each step in turn and talk about what you want to accomplish with that step.
A. Make a list of all the general functions that apply to any type of business. It doesn't matter if you are thinking of a brick and mortar business, an online business, or a hybrid business that involves an Internet presence as well as a physical site. Some examples of the general functions that will always apply are:
- Accounting. Simply put, you have to create some sort of process for keeping track of what comes in and what goes out. Not only do you want to make sure that the business is working its way toward profitability; you also have to deal with making sure there are records to back up your tax filings, that you have indeed paid your vendors, and that your customers are paying you within terms. In addition,
someone has to make sure you and any other employees you have get paid on time, have the right amount of taxes deducted from their gross pay, and all those other little things that keep the finances in order.
- Product Development. The bottom line is that unless you have something to sell, no one is going to buy it, and your company ceases to have a reason to exist. Product development is not just about coming up with a better widget. It is also about making sure that better widget is likely to offer something that people want. Extra bells and whistles are of no value if nobody wants to play with them.
- Marketing. No matter how good your products are, unless people know they are around, there is no chance of ever getting your Internet business off the ground. Marketing involves creating strategies, learning how to reach niche markets among consumers, how to position your product to best advantage, writing effective marketing copy for use on your web site and in general marketing collateral, etc.
- Sales. While many people lump sales and marketing together, they must be treated as different functions in order to truly be a systemized business. Think of marketing as the way of getting the general word out and creating the basic tools that Sales will use to go after and win specific customers.
- Administration. Somebody has to mind the store and make sure the day to day tasks are being accomplished properly. Depending on the size of your venture, this may involve one central manager or supervisor, or several managers who oversee one or more departments or sections of the business. Keep in mind those managers will be your pipeline to what is happening in every area of your business.
- Technology Support. It is nearly impossible to operate any type of business these days without some sort of resource that can help keep your web site functioning, your servers running and your work stations from losing important data.
- Human Resources. It doesn't matter if it is only you and one other person involved in the business venture. The bottom line is someone has to make sure you are functioning within any guidelines or regulations that may apply to the type of business you are operating. Managing HR policies and procedures can get very involved, so this particular function must be managed by someone with an eye for detail and the ability to assimilate a lot of data.
- Purchasing.<