Do you ever feel like you’re a hamster in a wheel when it comes to running your business and just ‘wing it’ when completing repetitive tasks?
Let me introduce you to SOPs and get you ready to improve efficiency and accelerate business growth!
What on earth is a SOP?
A SOP or Standard Operating Procedure is a step-by-step guide to completing routine tasks and recurring events in business. They include the objective of the task, the intended goal, who is responsible, the expected timeframe for completion and what resources are needed. Think of them as a roadmap or recipe for success.
SOPs can be produced for virtually any task that needs to be continuously repeated, particularly those that are vital for keeping the cogs turning.
Some examples may include:
- Onboarding new clients
- Customer service – handling customer requests, bookings and complaints
- Operational tasks such as packing and sending orders
- Content creation – email marketing or blogs
- Sales process
How can they help my business?
As a solo business or small business owner with a few staff, SOPs are the key to creating consistent and streamlined processes which save time, increase productivity and reduce mistakes.
You may feel as though you’ve been doing the same tasks over and over so you know what you’re doing. It’s all in your head. But what happens if you get sick and need someone to take over or you suddenly find yourself overwhelmed and need to hire extra help?
SOPs are ideal for solo business owners who are experiencing rapid growth and are ready to outsource tasks such as admin, marketing, accounting and HR. Just hand them over and your Virtual Assistant or hired support is ready to go, with much less time spent on training.
If you invest some time into producing SOPs and then outsource tasks, you can focus on building a long-term strategy, interacting with clients, and the parts of the business that you’re passionate about.
There is no end to the benefits of creating SOPs for small businesses but consistency is the aim of the game. Everyone will be singing from the same hymn sheet, fewer mistakes will be made and clients will know what to expect.
- Streamline processes
- Save time and increase productivity
- Accelerate growth
- Manage expectations
- Reduce chaos and improve organisation
- Less mistakes = more success and greater client satisfaction
- Create a benchmark of quality and service
- Don’t lose important info
- Written record for legal purposes if needed
Where do I start?
- Make a note of all the repetitive tasks in your business, particularly those with many steps.
- Group tasks into sections based on function, such as marketing.
- Start mapping out the processes, keeping your audience in mind. Add screenshots for clarity.
- Share the completed SOPs with your team or outsourced support and communicate how they will benefit the business going forward. Ask them for feedback as they may have a more efficient way to complete a task.
- Save them in clearly marked folders where they can be easily found.
- Implement!
- Monitor and improve them regularly. SOPs are live documents designed to be continuously tweaked and added to.
- If you already use automations in your business, you’ll know what a game changer it is. Once you have everything on paper, you’ll be able to clearly see which processes can be automated, thus saving you even more time and enabling further growth.
What do I include in a SOP?
The content and presentation of a SOP will vary depending on your company and industry but the basic structure should be as follows:
Headline
Task to be completed
Purpose/Objectives – problems it solves
Who is responsible
Steps to be completed – perhaps in a checklist format with estimated times for each
It’s also a good idea to include some contingency planning in the event of an unexpected issue. These instructions could be added at a later date, as the SOP is put into practise.
Remember to keep them clear and concise, try and stick to one page per task and avoid lengthy jargon.
From simple written instructions in a Word doc to a flowchart with eye-catching graphics, SOPs can be produced in a variety of formats. The key is that they can be easily understood, adapted and can be repeated over and over again.
Why not make them fun and engaging and therefore, memorable!
Producing SOPs for your business really is a no brainer but we understand that they can be time-consuming to create.
Let us know how you get on and if you need further support with putting them together, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Have you enjoyed this blog exploring SOPs? I would love you to share it with your audience or those who may find it useful.
