The Organization Overhaul That You Didn’t Know You Needed
Creatives and business owners alike have much to attribute to their successes – a collaborative team, an eye for detail and design, passion for giving their clients an experience of a lifetime. The list truly goes on. We work tirelessly in an industry where we’re rewarded tenfold with the end result.
Yet, there’s one more thing that sits at the root of our endeavors, and it’s the well-oiled machine of automation and organization.
Truthfully, I would not be where I am today without taking advantage of technology, streamlining tasks, and internal organization. Let me tell you about some of my top organization tips that allow me to be hands-off with day-to-day tasks allowing me to be more hands-on with clients.
Address Your Pain Points
To get started with your overhaul, we’ll need to start with step one – identifying your pain points. Admittedly, this can be easier said than done. I know that, personally, it’s sometimes difficult to take a look at your business and see that something isn’t quite working. For example, you might notice that emails aren’t being answered promptly or that your contract software is outdated. Maybe your communication methods with clients and/or employees could be more accessible. All of these things are fixable, and most importantly – they’re completely normal.
It’s also important to note that you don’t need to make drastic changes and uproot your entire system. Instead, fine-tuning the smaller details can be the catalyst you need to start recognizing what was previously weighing you down.
Examine Client-Facing and Internal Organization -They Are Equally Important
Simply put, how you do business with your clients should be on the same playing field as how you manage your employees. If you’re unorganized behind the scenes, that will ultimately reflect in your client interactions. Spotting a professional that’s messy, all-over-the-place, and late to meetings is incredibly easy, and I can promise that the first impression is the one that sticks.
This can be settled by establishing expectations for yourself and your team. Make it a point of setting a precedent for keeping all of your appointments in order, a tidy workspace, and implement consistent tasks so that you can create a routine to follow.
Implement Change
Now, here’s the part you may be dreading – carving out the time to make the changes. For me, my schedule is so busy on any given day that I completely understand what a hurdle this can be. However, these automations don’t have to be over-the-top.
If you struggle with staying organized with client inspiration and projects, consider utilizing a tool like Evernote, where you can keep everything in one place. Better yet, this allows your clients to be in the loop about your design process, and it’s easy to divide photos and documents into folders.
Make a point of taking control of your Google Calendar and block-schedule client appointments, employee meetings, event setup days, delivery days, etc. This is something basic that can be a huge game-changer in how you approach daily tasks.
Lastly, you need to ensure that you’re setting your team up for success. If you need to, set up a Google Drive that’s constantly updated with documents, floor plans, and anything you might need to pull off an event. Anyone can go in at any time of the day and pull the information they need, and it eliminates the last-minute scrambling for that lost sticky note or vendor phone number.
These may seem like no-brainers for keeping yourself (and your team) sane, but you’d be surprised at how quickly something can fall through the cracks. I’m confident that these basic habits and minor tweaks will have even the most tenured business running much more smoothly!
