5 steps to set your business up for success in Q3

5 steps to set your business up for success in Q3

As a business owner, you’ve probably noticed that the year follows a well-worn track. There are busy months, quieter spells and sometimes seasonal peaks and troughs. Traditionally, Quarter 3 is a busier time of year as people return from holidays and settle in for a long run until the end of the year…

If this sounds about right for your business, here are five steps you can take to get your business ready to maximise its performance during this important part of the year.

1.???Declutter

To deliberately misquote, a tidy desk means a tidy mind, and it may well be that you’ve worked from different locations or want to have a clear out in your office ready for Q3. It works wonders to do this as you are mentally discarding lots of clutter by having a physical clear out. You’ll feel lighter and more prepared to hit the ground running.

Decluttering also applies to our online data. It’s critical that we keep this current and?under control?so that we can meet?GDPR?guidelines and, of course, put it to its?best use?for our business.

2.???Automate MORE

You can never have too much automation, especially as your business grows. There’s a lot of benefit from using systems and processes which save you reinventing the wheel, but automation just keeps getting better as new apps and tools are launched almost daily.

Regular users of my favourite?CapsuleCRM?will know that the latest lot of upgrades have involved amazing email automation which saves bags of time when it comes to keeping track of your client interactions. There is now an email extension which, when downloaded enables you to save conversations to your Capsule projects and even creates tasks from within your email screen.

3.???Outsource whatever is not your area of expertise

Outsourcing can be a challenge for business owners; we are often a little unwilling to hand over responsibility, and there’s also the issue of accepting a charge for the service but this is really an investment that is essential if you want to scale your business.

Smaller businesses usually find they need to outsource their admin tasks first, seeking out a Virtual Assistant (VA) to run their diary and perhaps some of the less customer focused activities. Capsule is also excellent and very cost effective as a multi-user platform so the good news is, you can share it with your VA and ensure both of you have full visibility of the latest developments.

4.???Upgrade to online accounting software

It’s rare to meet a business who doesn’t use one of the fantastic accounting apps these days. My favourite is?Xero, especially because it integrates seamlessly with?Capsule, but there are many options on the market, and all have their pros and cons.

Making Tax Digital has been on the horizon for a while now and has been relevant to all UK-based VAT registered businesses since April of this year. It is set to impact most other businesses in April 2024. In a nutshell, it means all your tax affairs will need to be done online and you’ll be required to keep digital records. So, it’s well worth getting to grips with online accounting soon so that it’s second nature to you once the legislation is live. It saves a lot of time too, with no more manually tasks or spreadsheets and the ability to generate invoices directly from Capsule if you opt for?Xero.

5.???Create a system that works for you

Perhaps this is the year you get smart with your business and implement a purpose-built CRM that can help shoulder the burden when times are busy. Even when things aren’t manic, having a CRM like Capsule means you can ensure consistently high standards of delivery and, even on days where you just aren’t feeling it, your delivery can happen almost on autopilot.

Building, running and growing a business is a journey through a series of challenges but ultimately very rewarding once you’ve navigated successfully. I think it’s critical for our health and wellbeing that, as business owners, we find as many ways as possible to share the weight and volume of work.

Whichever of these tips resonate with you, I urge you to investigate them all and give yourself a more rewarding business life.

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At Blake Consultants, we’re experts in helping businesses just like yours to grow. An extra pair of eyes, some knowledge and experience or a canny question here and there can yield amazing things. Give us a call on 01635 592020 or email?[email protected]?to find out more.