<p>1. <strong>Know in your head why you're doing it and what you want to accomplish.</strong> Why <em>do</em> you want to do this? Because someone told you to? Because a business coach recommended it (if so, you won't get very far)? Is it just for you? Is it more of a tidying up than of a full out manual preparation or re-write? Is it part of your succession plan? Or is it a systematic systemization (ie: you're a details person and just like to have everything in order)?</p>
<p>In my case, I'm going through this process because I'm preparing for a huge pitch to a new market and I want to make sure I know my stuff inside and out. I want to be really prepared. For anything. For any questions the target market and/or the press may throw my way. I also want to ensure that the colleague who is coming with me also knows the business inside and out! Another reason is that due to this pitch opportunity, the business may very well skyrocket overnight and I want to be prepared to jump in and hire subcontractors as needed. I don't want to have to take precious time from networking, relationship building and signing new clients when I can have a manual all prepared to help new hires familiarize themselves with the way we do business.</p>
<p>2. <strong>Get crackin'!! </strong>Ugh. You mean actually <em>start</em> this process? This dissection of your business? Breaking down word-for-word, product-for-product, service-for-service and process-for-process? ARGH! But you know something? It's not that bad! Yes, if you had to do it for somebody else you'd probably be running for the hills, the border, or at least the local bar!, but this is <em>your</em> business. These are <em>your</em> products and services; these are the processes <em>you've</em> developed! It's your baby! It really won't be that bad. </p>
<p>"But Stephanie, I'm more of the ideas person in the business." Then capitalize on <em>that</em> gift and see the big picture, see the steps you have to take, see where you'll end up and have your business partner or someone else who's into the details do the breaking down and the writing and the execution.</p>
<p>3. <strong>Don't just sit there, do something!</strong> So now you have this pretty manual all ready to go. You've written and re-written. You've had a few rounds of edits. You've got more flow charts than you know what to do with. Or perhaps you only have ten pages in a duotang (or, if you're anything like me, it's in the "post it notes on various diary pages" stage right now!) Either way, you've made it through this exercise. And it wasn't that bad!</p>
<p>So do something with it. I've found that while I've been in the midst of this process I've discovered new niches that I'd never thought of, various marketing initiatives that I could explore, new services to offer, perhaps a few tweaks that could buff up the website's product page. Just do something with this new information that has shown itself to you. Afterall, you didn't dissect your business for nothing. Do something! Keep evolving!</p>
2008-09-18T20:20:37Z
2008-09-23T14:20:03Z
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systemization-it-doesnt-have-to-be-a-four-letter-word
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2008-09-19T22:01:53Z
2008-09-19T22:01:53Z
Getting your business in order, breaking down the policies and procedures, dissecting your product, your services. Seems overwhelming doesn’t it? It doesn’t have to be! It can be easy as 1, 2, 3….
Systemization – it doesn’t have to be a four-letter word
0
2009-02-24T09:46:04Z