Setting priorities is a crucial time management tool that when used effectively can ensure that your business goals stay on track. If you start your day with a clear idea on what needs to be done first you will get more achieved through the day especially if you schedule your time. Most people use some form of to-do list to keep track of what needs to be done and when but a to-do list can be dangerous if it is not used correctly.
The Dangers of the too Long To-Do List
One of the biggest problems with to-do lists is that they can often become a rod that we hit ourselves over the back with. If you have more things on your list than you can comfortably do in a day then your list is too long. When you are faced with a too long to-do list you will get to the end of your day feeling weary and dejected because you haven’t finished all you set out to do. If you feel this way over a long period of time it is going to be harder for you to be motivated in your business and eventually you will be tempted to just throw out the whole business because it is all too hard. Ideally you want to finish your day feeling pleased with what you have achieved and motivated to start work again the following day.
The key to a good to-do list is prioritization. Most online businesses have three core components – clients, administration/support and building the business. Ideally you will want to work on each of these three components every day. Basically if you fail to do the work necessary to bring money into your business (clients, or buyers) then your business will not survive. If you ignore the administration and support side of your business then you won’t know if your business is actually working or not and if you ignore the business building side of things then you will find it hard to remain competitive in your area of expertise.
When you come to write your to-do list think of
1. Where is the money coming from;
2. Where is that money going and is it enough and
3. How can I grow my business today?
How to Prioritize When all of Your Clients are Important
If you are a Service Provider then you know the importance of making each client feel as though they (and they alone) are the most important person to your business. But often the very nature of providing services means you are going to be working with more than once client at a time. If you are selling products then you might find a similar dilemma in your customer support area – who gets priority over whom? This problem does take a bit of juggling. What you want to consider is:
1. Do you have clients that can be dealt with in a short space of time (less than 30 minutes)? If Yes then do them first.
2. Do you have deadlines for work to be delivered? If Yes then do that work next depending on the most urgent deadline first.
3. Have any of your clients already waited a long time for resolution (more than 2 business days)? If Yes then they need to get something from you even if it is an email saying “Sorry I am working on it”.
Do not make the mistake of thinking that the highest paying client you have should take priority over some of your smaller but regular clients. If you are building your online business as a long term venture then you should focus on regular repeat clients rather than the one client who spends one large sum of money once.
The Importance of Delegation
Regardless of what type of online business you are in sooner or later you are going to have to either hire staff or outsource work to freelancers so that your business can grow. Delegating tasks is the secret weapon used by all good managers and business owners and a great way of getting things done on your to-do list. In terms of prioritizing if you are able to delegate some of your admin or support issues, or get someone else to be working on the job you have due Friday while you work on the one due tomorrow then you will be better placed to meet your client demands. Delegating gives you the chance to work on those aspects of the business you are good at, while ensuring that the other components of your business are getting the same amount of attention.
Delegation can be hard for some business owners especially if they have high standards and they want the very best for their clients or customers. However all good Internet Marketers and Service Providers will tell you that delegation is crucial if you want your business to grow. There will always be a limit to what you can do on your own so get into the habit of outsourcing or delegating early on in your business and you will find prioritization a lot easier as a result. There are many benefits to prioritization. You will get a lot more done and you will be pleased with your progress through the day. This will become a motivating factor in your business. Higher productivity equates to business growth and as your business grows you will be closer to the ideal internet lifestyle you were dreaming of when you started your online business. Achieving this lifestyle is so much easier if you put your customers first and build your business based on the “what can I do for my clients today” premise. That is why prioritization is important.
