8 Ways to automate your business online
When it comes to running a business, there are many different hats that you need to wear as a business owner, and at times, it can become stressful. That is why it is crucial to find ways to make it easier. The shift to automation has definitely made a substantial difference to productivity. Automation and streamlining your business online means that you can have these tasks running continually without taking up too much of your time.
In just two years, leaps and bounds have been made to implement automated digital solutions that help businesses stay ahead of competition. Take a look at some my 8 favourite ways to automate your business online in 2022.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is an effective way to connect with your current and potential clients directly in their inboxes, and it is also easy to automate. There are dedicated programs that help you to automate your email marketing. With this software, you can upload your email lists, save email addresses directly from your lead magnets, and create the emails and send them out as per your schedule. While the initial process of setting up your email funnels can take some time, once they are done, it is all automated from there and you save heaps of time! If your a new comer to email marketing – mailerlite is a great free tool to start with or Mailchimp. For some advanced functions and workflows – ActiveCampaign is my favourite.
Email Templates
Who doesn’t love a good template? Email templates are a lifesaver in business, saving you energy by reducing the number of times you have to type out the same kind of email.
Think of the different emails you send regularly and whether you can create a simple template covering most of the email. For example, a simple email that says: “Thank you for reaching out. We will be in touch with you soon.”
Email templates can automatically be sent when a certain trigger is activated. This can include when someone has downloaded your valuable resource on your website (lead magnet), a thank you email after a purchase is complete, or an email sent a few weeks after purchase to request a review.
Social Media Scheduling
Did you know that the average adult spends two hours a day scrolling through social media? This means that the potential for you to reach your target market on social media is very high. But it’s only effective if you post engaging content several times a week. Taking this time out of a busy schedule every day would be exhausting and set you behind on deadlines.
Automation scheduling programs like later.com will automatically send your posts out at the selected date and time. So with a little planning ahead, you can safely leave your social media to take care of itself for weeks while you focus on other business aspects.
Tip! Plan a content day each month and write all pieces of content to schedule.
AI Chatbots/Chat functionality
Having a chat facility on your website is one of the best ways to automate your business online. Chatbots are those helpful virtual ‘employees’ that prompt an online text conversation with your visitors to connect in a personal way without having to pay a human to do so. An example of this is when you visit a website and you see in the bottom right hand corner a little prompt asking if you have any questions or how they can help you.
With this kind of automation, you can offer better customer service by responding to your customer queries in real time. They also can make conversational chat and take their personal details so they can become your own lead generation personal assistant!
Automated Billing
Gone are the days of handwritten invoices and chunky receipt books! Automated billing allows you to charge customers for online purchases without manually sending out invoices. This method is great for monthly or recurring payments since if you or your client forget about a payment that is due, your system will remember it! It also allows you to go paperless as all financial statements, reminders, quotes and invoices are done digitally. My favorite and what I personally use is Xero – easy to use online accounting software for small and medium-sized businesses.
Accounting And Bookkeeping
With all these different ways to automate your business online, the main goal is to reduce repetitive activities and complete tasks precisely. This is needed very much in the accounting and bookkeeping department. Studies show that 30% of the work done by a full-time accountant could be saved with automation ‒ meaning more accuracy in less time.
Online Calendar
Having an online booking system where clients can book a time with you is a must! Leaving your number on your website and managing the bookings yourself can work in very small businesses, but you could miss appointments or meeting requests with an increased workflow. Softwares like Calendly or Dubsado are easy to set up and link to your emails, website and socials, and clients can easily book a time with you during business hours. You can also send appointment reminders to your clients.
FAQS
How many times have you had the same question asked by various people? One way to ensure your customers have all the answers to the common questions without coming to you is by having an FAQ section on your website. This way, visitors to your site can simply check the FAQs page to see if their question has already been answered.
Ready To Automate?
Your business is your baby, and it is important to give it the time and attention it deserves. But that doesn’t mean that you need to be sitting behind a computer all day, every day doing the long, tedious tasks. Take the time to automate your business so that it can continue to grow, be active and engage with your target market – even when you aren’t directly in front of it.
Want to have a chat about ways we can automate your business? Get in touch today and let me help you simplify those tasks!
Kaylee is a heart-centred, certified digital marketer and SEO consultant. She’s on a mission to see women in wellness get their business foundations right, so they feel confident in their online presence, in control of their marketing, and clear about exactly where their next clients are coming from. She does this through goal-focused marketing strategies, getting them found on Google, and creating clear plans for more predictable revenue.
