Every business thrives off of being organised. Working in disorganised or chaotic environment isn’t conducive for anyone to achieve their goals, regardless of what individuals tell you. Whether it’s a brick-and-mortar business or an online one, there needs to be structure and effective planning incorporated into the model. Check out these tips for getting your online business organised.
VIRTUALISE your strategy
An online business might seem like an easier option for creating a business, as it may eliminate some of the things other business owners need to worry about, like creating a good work space for their employees but regardless of where your business is located and how you deliver your service to your customer, every business still needs a solid plan.
Create a fully thought out business plan and strategy for the product or service you provide, if you want your online business to be a serious business, working online doesn’t mean working with a half-thought-out plan.
Create a Workflow
Consider working with task management software to help delegate and organise how you and your team work. The software will improve your time management and maximise your productivity. Encourage everyone on the team to use the software so that as a manager you can see what’s getting done without having to be constantly be asking your team for status updates. It will also help your team to stay organised and better manager their individual time.
keep your boundaries
Don’t make the mistake that some online business owners do, by working without boundaries. Working online means you have the freedom to work anytime of the day or night and just about anywhere, but that doesn’t mean you that you always do that. Advise your team to do the same, you can try to create virtual boundaries like no emails after a certain time in the evening, this will work only when your team are in the same time zone but it’s important to set an example of what’s expected from your team and let them understand you don’t expect them to be always on.
Organise Your Spaces
Yes, owning a business online means your kitchen table, couch, or even a Starbucks table can operate as your office. However, those aren’t always the best places to work. And for some people, getting work done in the same space they relax can be a bad idea for their wellbeing.
There are other options for setting up a home office. Get creative and think outside the box. A garden room or what about a shipping container to create an office space for you and a few members of your team. It might be a good alternative solution to moving into office building.
Track Your Finances
Keep a close record of finances. Tracking all of the money your business takes in and pays out. There are many online software packages for managing your money like Sage or Zero.
While you will already have set up a business account, consider setting up a second account for tax so that you can always keep that money separate to your daily incomings and outgoings and possibly a third account for savings.
Make sure to get your online business organised from the early stages so that when all the orders start sweeping in, you won’t be overwhelmed.
