There’s been a buzz going around with small business owners related to systems and processes.  After you get over the excitement of taking the plunge to start your own business, you begin to realize that in order to succeed you’ll need more than just your experience, talent, skills and strengths.  Basically, what I’m saying is you’ll need more than you.  No, this is not an email about outsourcing.  This is about the processes you use in your business.  Are you running your business in a systematic way?  Do you have written, detailed and effective Standard Operating Procedures?

If you’re looking at the screen with slight confusion, disgust or possibly dread, let me quickly break down SOPs for you.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) are written instructions that outline and standardize procedures within your company.  They are used in every industry in order to keep business practices in accordance with legal, financial, and industry regulations.  In easy to understand language, they’re basically the “how-to’s” of your business for EVERYTHING.  For example, a business would have SOPs in any or all of the following areas to help create a consistent, high quality standard, save time, boost productivity, increase efficiency and act as training guides for their partners, employees and contractors:

1. Production and Operations: How you create and deliver your product or service.

2. Human Resources: Hiring, training, managing, evaluating, and terminating employees.

3. Communications: Communicating externally with clients and customers, and internally among employees and departments.

4. Marketing and Sales: Ads, online marketing, communications with the press, tracking sales and marketing.

5. Customer Service: Response time, delivery time, customer complaints, and reputation management.

6. Financial Operations: Transaction management, bookkeeping, and tax matters.

7. Legal Operations: Ensuring that your company is in total compliance with the law.

8. Computers and IT: Computer and internet use, as well as network security.

I’ve compiled a list of over 101 Standard Operating Procedures that you can use in your business in the Productivity BOOST Standard of Operating Procedures Kit.

The Productivity Boost SOP Kit includes:

• a short action-oriented guide that provides you with the information you need to know in order to create your SOPs
• the Ultimate List of more than 101 Standard Operating Procedures you can create in your business
• a Standard of Operating Procedures Template you can customize for your business
• a Trello Board that contains 101 SOPs you can customize for your business

I’m excited to offer the Productivity BOOST SOP Kit at an introductory price of $17.