Last week you started thinking smarter by using other people time (OPT) and other people expertise (OPE) by focusing on delegating something new.
This week we’re going to use the powerful Idea Generator tool for the next step in working smarter, not harder.
Each day this week – we’re going to break down this new step into 10-15-minute Idea Generator brainstorms.
To get the maximum out of the Idea Generator..
In one “sitting” you should come up with at least 10 ideas. When 10 ideas popup easily for you – come up with at least 5 more ideas after you thought you can’t come up with more ideas.
This week we’re going to use the same multi-step process we used for delegating, in order to get your business more (and smarter) automated.
Work Smarter, Not Harder – Part 3
A quick reminder: Master Entrepreneurs are those that go from where they are now to where they want to be in the minimum amount of steps. That’s what it means to work smarter.
When you get there – doing business becomes easier, life is more flowing, you get results faster…
The third habit you must “install” to become a Master Entrepreneur is using technology to automate (leverage) what you’re already doing and maybe add an innovative automated process that would make doing your business easier, cheaper, and more valuable.
Automation basics
Automation simplifies your business (and life) by automatically accomplishing tasks that you or your team would otherwise have to do manually.
Look at your email inbox to see automation in action…
The birthday coupon from a restaurant, the reminder from a webshop that you added a product to your shopping cart but never clicked “buy”, the “thank you for subscribing to our newsletter”, the actual weekly newsletter are just a few examples of automation…
CLICK HERE to read 10 ideas of things to automate in your business.
Here are some things you must do for successful automation:
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- Start small and iterate regularly
Don’t make the mistake of trying to automate too much, too soon.
Automation is a process and skill you learn with practice.Start with a simple but super helpful automatic workflow.For example, you could automate your appointment scheduling by using a tool like Calendly or 10to8.
Or setup an opt-in form and email autoresponder by using a tool like MailChimp or ActiveCampaign.Then, once you get comfortable with simple automations, you can start to add more steps and more logic.
- Choose which tasks you’re going to automate (and which you’re not)
Although you can automate a lot of your tasks/processes – you probably shouldn’t.For example… you can automate translation, web design and content writing – but those are not as good (and may never be as good) as what a human could do.Instead, you want to automate tasks that are repetitive, time-consuming and easy for algorithms to handle 100% accurately without your input.
For example, publishing your blog posts to social media at specific times, sending invoices once the job is done (or payment is collected), rewarding website visitors based on their actions (see how we do it each time you comment), automating email responses and funnels…
- Choose your automation tools
Once you know which tasks/processes you’re going to automate, it’s time to choose the tools you’re going to use to make things happen.There are so many automation tools, software and platforms available that it’s difficult to know where to begin.I would suggest you do your research and then get recommendations from colleagues you trust…
The good thing is that most tools would have a free trial (either limited by time or by number of actions) – so you can give them a try before committing to a monthly payment.
Here are the tools I/we use every day and would recommend without hesitations:
- My phone reminders App as my brain’s harddrive
(free) - My phone alarm app to remind me of all the recurring things I do every day
(free) - WhatsApp for business for all our WhatsApp broadcasts
(we use the free version both on the phone and desktop computer) - ActiveCampaign for all our email automation and funnels
(free version is limited to 100 email subscribers) - 10to8 for appointments booking, scheduling and reminding
(free version is limited to 100 appointments a month) - WooCommerce for accepting payments on our website
(a free plugin – if you’re using WordPress to build your website) - Stripe for processing payments (including credit cards, iDeal, SEPA, etc…)
(it’s free to setup, you pay a small fee for every transaction) - Morning Fame for all our YouTube SEO research and automation
(free trial is limited to 30 days) - Integrately for advanced integrations between different platforms/applications
(A cheaper alternative to Zapier. This is advanced automation – not for beginners) - Custom-made WordPress plugins for extra functionalities on our website
(We use Fiverr to find coders – this is advanced stuff – not for beginners)
- Start small and iterate regularly
Let’s start with your MINDSET…
What is automation?
It is setting up systems that run on their own, to clear space and time for you to focus on more important work.
So, what is an automation mindset?
It’s a mindset that keeps automation as an important part of your daily activities. Instead of automation being an afterthought, you proactively think about how automation can streamline your work processes.
For example:
- Someone WITHOUT an automation mindset waits for a problem before considering automation.
- Someone WITH an automation mindset is proactively thinking about how automation can help them get more done in a less stressful environment.
How to develop an automation mindset
Begin by looking at your work processes and evaluating how automation can streamline operations, accelerate growth, increase reliability, reduce mistakes and more.
There are three things to look for in a task or a process that clarify it should be automated:
- Repetitive: mind-numbing work
E.g. copy/paste, data entry, answering FAQs… - Fragile: work that sees a lot of human error
E.g. typos, making changes in all the right places, following checklists, forgetting steps… - Timely: recurring tasks
E.g. reminders, automatic responses, scheduling appointments…
Throughout the program we’re going to use the MG-SPI system for success
- M for MINDSET
To be successful in anything you do – you need to have the “right” mindset; - G for GOAL
If you don’t know where you’re going, you have very little chances to get there; - S for STRATEGY
If the goal is your destination, then the strategy is the vehicle to get you there; - P for PLAN
This is your roadmap – how are you going to “drive” your “vehicle” in order to get to your destination; - I for Implementation
You can have the most supporting mindset, the clearest goal, the best strategy in the world and a perfect plan… But without actually taking action – following the plan – you will NOT achieve your desired success.
Set your GOAL for this week…
Here’s a great goal for you:
I am going to become great at automating.
How’s that for a 5-day challenge?
Choose the STRATEGY you will use…
If you have never automated – then this week will be about taking the first step in automating… If you’re already automating regularly in your business – then this week you will learn to automate strategically.
And again, we’re going to use… the Idea Generator
Remember – your brain is an answering machine… so let’s give it a great question each day of the week:
- Day 1 – WHY automate
Come up with as many purposes for automating in your business (e.g. save time, save money, eliminate mistakes, decrease frustration…)
Remember… when you run out of reasons/purposes – you need to come up with at least 5 more.
Write them ALL down in the comment box below.
Then choose the most important 2-3 reasons. Write them down. - Day 2 – WHAT to automate
Read the 2-3 most important purposes you chose yesterday and come up with a list of all the tasks/processes you could automate to achieve those most important purposes.
Make sure you keep going for 5 more when you run out of ideas.
Write them ALL down in the comment box.
Then choose ONE task/process you’re going to automate and write it down. - Day 3 – WHAT tool will you use
Remind yourself of the task/process you’re going to automate and research (Google, recommendations) a list of tools you could use to automate.
Make sure you include in the list both free and paid options, both low cost and more expensive.
Write them ALL down in the comment box.
Then pick the best tool/software for your current situation and write it down. - Day 4 – HOW to automate
Remind yourself the tool you are going to use, what are you going to automate, and why… and then come up with a list of ideas HOW are you going to make sure that the automation will be a success (goals, expectations, learning curve, getting support, how will you measure results, how will you improve…)
Write them ALL down in the comment box. - Day 5 – putting it all together
For the Friday Celebration post a clear, concise plan – WHY are you going to automate, WHAT task/process, WHAT tool/software, HOW you’re going to make sure it’s a success, and WHEN are you going to start…
PLAN your actions in your agenda…
Your next step is to actually plan this process in your agenda.
Plan to invest 10-15 minutes EVERY DAY in the coming 5 days to follow the process above.
Now it’s time to IMPLEMENT…
Take 10 minutes, right now, and…
- Day 1 – come up with at least 10 ideas WHY to automate and choose the 2-3 most important ones;
- Day 2 – come up with at least 10 ideas WHAT to automate and choose the ONE task/process you’re going to automate;
- Day 3 – research WHAT automation tools could you use and choose the tool/software you’re going to use;
- Day 4 – come up with at least 10 ideas HOW to automate;
- Day 5 – put it all together WHY, WHAT, WHAT, HOW, WHEN…
As soon as you have them… write them down in the comment box.
My commitment to you…
- I’m looking forward to read your process and ideas below;
- I will be there for you on Wednesday to support you with any question, challenge or setback you encounter;
- I’m looking forward to celebrate your progress and results on Friday (I’m curious to hear what you’ll come up with).
Live fully, stay awesome,
Nisandeh
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AUTOMATION 1/5 - WHY AUTOMATE?
Catching up from next week. 15 ideas instead of 10.
- Creates space for more important business tasks
- Creates space to work on good habits
- Creates space to enjoy life more
- Can improve quality of outcome
- Saves procrastination of boring tasks
- Saves frustration and procrastination of those frustrating tasks
- Makes working in my business more fun
- Increases customer happiness
- Makes me feel more confident of the business, as some of the 'keeping the balls in the air' is now done automatically instead of all by me.
- Saves stress = better health
- Automated tasks are done 24/7 ... while my time is limited to 8/4 (that's 168 hours a week vs 32!!!)
- Makes the business processes more conscious
- Saves money (eventually)
- Allows me to service more clients = generate more income
- **You do not rise up to the level of your goals, but fall to the level of your systems**
(a quote from Atomic Habits by James Clear - which I'm currently reading...amazing book)
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MOST IMPORTANT 3:
- Saves stress and increases my happiness
- Allows me to service more clients, better, in the same amount of time = generate more value and income
(or another way to say this: allows me to work less to create the same value and income)
- Automated tasks are done 24/7 ... while my time is limited to 8/4 (that's 168 hours a week vs 32!!!)
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Day 5 – putting it all together (week 3)
I already automated most of my processes. Before I went on vacation, I automated a pop up with a message and a present for my customers. Free shipping during my vacation. It is a great success. Furthermore, when I get back (still on vacation) I am going to make a plan for automating my social media. I already have some ideas, so looking forward to implementing them. But first I am going to enjoy my vacation (and still doing some of my homework...)
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Week 3 - 1 of 5
WHY automate?
1. Save time
2. Convenience
3. Make fewer mistakes
4. Create time to work on my business
5. My ability to respond to leads or prospects is increasing
6. Increase the possibilities to research what my potential customers find important
7. It increases the ability to run my business independently of my presence.
8. Take repetitive work off your hands.
9. It limits stress.
10. It saves money.
My 3 main reasons are:
1. It increases the possibilities to run my business independently of my presence.
2. My ability to respond to leads or prospects is increasing
3. Increase the possibilities to research what my potential customers find important
Week 3 - 2 of 5
WHAT to automate?
1. Put LinkedIn Posts in application LATER.
2. Put mail campaigns in ActiveCampaign
3. Put planning social media posts in excel file
4. Standardize webinars
5. Thank You Emails
6. Customer Birthdays, Personal Mail
7. potential customers make an appointment via online agenda.
8. Lead and contact management
9. Sales funnel for online lessons.
10. Preparation assignments for training courses or workshops
11. Default message for new LinkedIn contacts
12. Standard follow-up mail after a training or workshop
13. Building my mailing list
My head is exploding. So many possibilities that suddenly unfold. Where do I begin?
The task/process I'm going to automate is:
Building my new mailing list.
Week 3 - 3 of 5
WHICH tool are you going to use?
In any case, I'm going to use Active Campaign. I have it, but not fully using it yet.
Week 3 - 4 of 5
HOW to automate?
1. Improve the Active campaign list and application together with the VA.
2. Decide which texts should be included in welcome emails, bi-weekly blogs and instructions for online program
3. Experiment with backgrounds and fonts
4. Use good photos and use them in emails and blogs.
5. Find out what words potential customers hook up on.
Week 3 - 5 of 5
Everything in a row
The questions in this week were really 'brain teasers' for me. On day 2 I was delayed in my process, also due to other things I had to watch out for. Others' answers and Nisandeh's tips really helped me move forward. What I want to celebrate is that I will start with a VA from Monday 11 July.
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Day 5 – putting it all together
WHY: Expand customer experience
WHAT Create new follow up mail sequence for buyers of online courses, using ActiveCampaign
HOW: Do some research about follow up email sequences (eg. Russel Brunson)
Write a trigger based email sequence with at least 5 emails and one offer.
WHEN: Next week
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Day 4 – HOW to automate
The tool: ActiveCampaign, already use it for years.
Do some research about follow up email sequences (eg. Russel Brunson)
Write a trigger based email sequence with at least 5 emails and one offer.
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Day 3 – WHAT tool will you use
I'm currently using:
Wordpress for my website
Woocommerce for my webshop
Mollie for payments
Moneybird for bookkeeping
ActiveCampaings as CRM and ESP
Google Business Page
Facebook Business Page
Whatsapp Business for leads
For my ONE task I'll use Activecampaign to set up the new follow up email sequence.
The best tool ever to collect, remind, plan, review and so much more: Asana
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Day 2 – WHAT to automate
- Opt-in collection and thank you on website: already automated
- Webshop purchase- invoicing - payments - banking system - bookkeeping: already automated
- Online courses: already fully automated sequence after purchase
- Abandoned cart: sequence already automated
- Birthday card for clients: already automated
- Recurring payments: already automated
- Recurring processes (like VAT etc): already automated
- Opt-in form: already automated
- Contactform: already automated
- Whatsapp Business: already automated
- FAQ / Support page: already set to answer 99% of the questions
- Birthdays of family and friends in agenda: already automated
- My personal-, Business and my children's agenda's: already integrated
My ONE task: Create new follow up mail sequence for buyers of online courses
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Day 1 – WHY automate
save money
save time
avoid mistakes
more efficient
automations run 24/7
more time for me to focus
more time for me to be creative
support growth
More controle
Forces to think on strategy level
Forces to streamline processes
Forces to analyse business
Forces to think ahead about the outcome
Less frustration
Less use of headspace and trying to remember that task
Expand customer experience
Most important:
save time
Expand customer service
Less use of headspace
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I haven't posted the Wednesday and Thursday assignment. This is because I already knew what and how I was going to automate. When that's the case idea generator doesn't work for me. This week, I already knew on Tuesday what I was going to do and how. Generating 10 ideas of which I'm not going to use 9 didn't make sense to me and since this has been an extremely busy week, I just couldn't find the time.
I did implement the automation I decided on. I've created a testimonial form on my website that, when filled in, sends me an email. After I approve the testimonial, it is automatically posted on my website, Google business page and Facebook.Adding new social media channels in the future is a simple step. It's a fairly simply automation set up in WordPress with a slightly modified standard plugin. This will help me get more visibility and help to more easily getting testimonials after completing a project.
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Day 5. My automation plan:
I plan to do two things:
1. Today I met with the bookkeeper and we made a list of automations on how to automate a lot of the bookkeeping. I will implement them next week.
2. Schedule a few hours for creating content together with some other people. And then schedule ahead for the rest of the summer.
Tools I will use:
canva pro for scheduling
facebook ads manager for ads
sendinblue for emails
moneybird for the bookkeeping.
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Dag 1 – WAAROM automatiseren: Tijd besparen; Geld besparen; Fouten vermijden; Minder frustratie; Planning is eenvoudiger; Controle en structuur; Minder saai geestdodend werk; Meer ruimte voor creatief denken; Minder uitstelgedrag, want geautomatiseerd; Tijd voor doorontwikkelen nieuwe ideeën; Tijd voor uitwerken nieuwe ideeën; Ruimte om nog meer kansen voor automatisering te bedenken; Geautomatiseerd werk makkelijker overdraagbaar & uit te besteden; Een geautomatiseerd product is beter verkoopbaar (bv. Ontwerp voor onderdelen van een muziekinstrument) Minder gehannes met mensen die anders het werk moeten doen (zegt mijn zoon); Kwaliteit eenduidiger en hoger; Kies dan de belangrijkste 2-3 redenen. * tijd besparen; * geld besparen; * ruimte voor creatief denken.
Dag 2 - WAT automatiseren: bedenk ten minste 10 ideeën WAT te automatiseren en kies de ENE taak / het proces dat u gaat automatiseren; Ik begin simpel, in m'n agenda:) Gebruik nu Outlook in mijn reguliere werk. Daar mogen zowel mijn werk- als privé-agenda instaan (omdat we ooit een tablet van het werk hadden die ook voor privé gebruikt mocht worden). Handig is dat je ze naast elkaar hebt staan en over elkaar heen kunt leggen. Maar ik wil het uit elkaar halen en denk dat ik voor persoonlijk alles ga overzetten naar Google. Dan ben ik meteen aan het voorbereiden op losser komen van m'n reguliere werkgever; Ik plaats reminders in de agenda, jaarlijks terugkerend, voor: * betaling en check beroepsvereniging yoga-docenten; * betaling en check beroepsvereniging natuurgeneeskunde; * check houdbaarheid aantekening PsychoSociale Basiskennis; * check houdbaarheid EHBO-diploma en vaardigheden; * betaling en check bedrijfsaansprakelijkheidsverzekering; * check benodigde bijscholingen; * check invoeren benodigde bijscholingen in systeem Vereniging Yogaleerkrachten Nl; Yoga Natuurgeneeskunde PSBK EHBO * check per kwartaal vaktijdschrift en website beroepsverenigingen, op actuele info die ik niet mag missen; * en plannen benodigde bijscholingen in een meerjarenkalender; En ik zoek de functies voor automatisering uit die Google nog meer heeft en die ik nu niet ken. en ik stel de vraag in de groep: welk eenvoudige systeem&app raden jullie aan voor agendabeheer? dan kan ik me nog een keer achter de oren krabben voor ik alles overzet naar Google.Dag 3 – onderzoek WELKE automatiseringstools je zou kunnen gebruiken en kies de tool/software die je gaat gebruiken;
vraag is, of Google of Outlook of ...
Dag 3 Welk systeem
Ik kies toch voor het handhaven van voor nu voor Outlook, omdat mijn werk- en persoonlijke agenda daar al in staan via mijn reguliere werk, en synchroniceren met mijn werkmobiel.
Ik zou teveel overhoop halen als ik nu verander van systeem. Ik voer alle automatische reminders e.d. in in mijn persoonlijke agenda en schoon deze op van privacy-gevoelige informatie. ik ben dan klaar om over te stappen naar het inrichten van een ander systeem zodra ik dat wil en / of het nodig is.
Dag 4 – bedenk minstens 10 ideeën HOE te automatiseren;
* ik ben Outlook al jaren aan het gebruiken voor werk en persoonlijk; uitzoeken of ik alle mogelijkheden die het biedt wel ken;* voorgaande jaren printscreens maken per week zodat ik zo nodig (bijna nooit) van aantal jaren terug nog iets kan checken - omdat we in werkomgeving maar twee jaar mogen bewaren;* reminders die ik er nu al in heb staan checken op bruikbaarheid, ze moeten wel echt functioneel zijn en niet teveel opgesplitst in gedetailleerde mini-taken;* het wat van dag 2 en het hoe van dag 4 liggen dicht bij elkaar:& Ik plaats reminders in de agenda, jaarlijks terugkerend, voor: * betaling en check beroepsvereniging yoga-docenten; * betaling en check beroepsvereniging natuurgeneeskunde; * check houdbaarheid aantekening PsychoSociale Basiskennis; * check houdbaarheid EHBO-diploma en vaardigheden; * betaling en check bedrijfsaansprakelijkheidsverzekering; * check benodigde bijscholingen; * check invoeren benodigde bijscholingen in systeem Vereniging Yogaleerkrachten Nl; Yoga Natuurgeneeskunde PSBK EHBO * check per kwartaal vaktijdschrift en website beroepsverenigingen, op actuele info die ik niet mag missen; * en plannen benodigde bijscholingen in een meerjarenkalender;De eerste keer dat ik al die taken plan,plan ik meteen een blok tijd voor uitzoekwerk, verspreid over de komende maand; naar een aantal zaken heb ik al een paar jaar niet meer gekeken;
Dag 5 – zet het allemaal bij elkaar
WAAROM: * tijd besparen; * geld besparen; * ruimte voor creatief denken
WAT: reminders automatiseren voor houdbaarheid genoten opleidingen, benodigde bijscholingen, beroepsverenigingen, websites, verzekeringen,
HOE: voor elk onderwerp nu een blok tijd in agenda plannen en onderzoeken wat er per onderwerp nodig is. Uit te voeren taken plannen in agenda en reminders voor terugkerende taken doorplannen voor meer jaren.
WANNEER: grove planning in agenda dit weekend, en verdere uitvoering komende maand.
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Day 3 and 4 and 5: I going to use Trello. That is an application that is usefull also when it comes to a teamwork en to other businesses and people. I found out that it is easy to interchange between parties. How I am going it to implement is to use the different methods/theories for prioritising and find out what fits me the best. I celebrate it this weekend even if it is a smal step in automizing, but a great step to change the working proces.
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Day 5
My plan to automate:
I am going to automate, because:
A I don't have to remember certain tasks, it gives brain space
B. It gives certainty that certain tasks are performed in time
C. I can spend my time on something that makes money.
Active Campaign will be my choice for automation in my email marketing.
Welcome mails, instruction mails, thank you emails automatically send to my customers.
Using drag-and-drop controls, I can segment my automated messages and use personalization for a better individual appeal.
This platform also features automated workflows, autoresponders, and other tools to improve my efficiency.
How will I implement this automation tool:
1.Interview collegues who use it, active campaign, I know many.
2. Than decide on tekst for welcome mail, weekly blogpost, payment mails, instructionmails for using programs etc. (my first program will be relax no stress)
3. measure the opening and reading of mails by people
4. Try different text and titles (splittesting)
5. Experiment with words to get the message across to potential customers
6. Ask clients what they want to read.
7. Ask client what wil be their next step, and use that in emails
8. experiment with backgroundcolours and letters, what do people like to see?
9. Have good photo s in stock, easy to find and use in emails
10. Ask customers that I helped well in automated tekst to give me tips about where to find new clients.
When will I start to use it?
In august 2022 (after my summer holiday) I will start to use free active campaign in my pilot webinar in advance of selling my first program relax no stress to parents in my online parent academy in september/october 2022.
In september/october I will work with a school and parents of children in that school. I have an agreement with the school director.
How will I celebrate the results in this automate week tonight?
Going tot the movies with my family and enjoy this fully.
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Day 5: This is my summary of WHY, WHAT, WITH-WHAT, HOW, and the planning for the WHEN.
WHY:
• Automation can be 24/7 instead of humans that are mostly available 8/5.
• Automating will give an competitive advantage in respect to those that do not automate.
• The investment in automation is once (except for some updating and maintenance) but the rewards will be continuously, so has a very high ROI.
WHAT:
• Generate time recording sheets directly from my calendar.
WITH-WHAT:
• Time Sheet Reporter (plug in) or Outlook Time (from Time Watch) (plug in); have to compare them a little more: Time Sheet Reporter look aggressive in advertising and Time Watch (Outlook Time) seems to have also other useful application. For now I think it will be Outlook Time.
WHEN:
• New projects will arrive by half of October 2022, time registration is necessary for bill to be sent in November 2022 the same is necessary for any new projects in 2022. I will start buying and if feasible outsource / delate this in September 2022 and plan to have things automated in October 2022.
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Day 4: These are my 10 ideas on HOW to automate the chosen task using the tool I selected;
1. Make sure the two calendars I used have to be integrated or both directed to the selected tool.
2. Develop output sheets to collect the data from the calendar’s including categories and how to direct (via key words or prefix to the output sheets).
3. Use the output sheets to analyse time spend on activities.
4. Create output sheets for indirect and direct work for activities and per client.
5. Create summary sheets to keep track on direct and indirect time an analyse time spend as the percentage direct / indirect work.
6. Integrate output of direct work for specific clients in such a way the can be either an annex to billing or can be easily be included in invoices.
7. Find an expert on the tool to create the above (actually delegate to automate).
8. Find other tools that can be easily be integrated with the calendar tool to investigate further options to integrated (actually rather buy a more generic tool that is part of a suite than an stand-alone tool.
9. Find other users of the tool or working groups to professionalize usage of the tool and improve automation.
10. Offer others as a by service or new business activity my knowledge including the team that I use to delegate to repay me or profit from my the initial investment.
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Day 3: This is my research result on WHAT automation tools/software I’m going to use;
1. Time Sheet Reporter (plug in)
2. Big Time
3. WebHR
4. Outlook Time (from Time Watch) plug in
5. Windows Power Shell (self-programming)
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Day 5 Friday - Put it all together
WHY: to save time and become more consistent.
WHAT: social media and email scheduling
HOW: Facebook Business Suite, Mailchimp
WHEN: as soon as I manage to create social media posts in advance and write emails in advance.
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Day 4 Thursday - HOW to automate
I will schedule social media posts using Facebook Business Suite and schedule emails to my list using Mailchimp.
This will work as long as I create the posts and emails in advance, and get myself organized to work in batches.
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Day 5 08-07-22
The why has become sharper for me after the third week and for me everything is now coming together. How can I ensure that my core value becomes as attractive as possible to my target group, managers. For this I have to organize the research better. On the one hand I want volunteers to support me in this, but on the other I can also automate this more.
The most attractive offer I have for a manager is a meeting with them. I want to use automation in such a way that in exchange for supplying what the managers needs, they can set a date for a meeting with me. This way I get more research results and I reward this with what I have to offer them in core value. As soon as the manager responds to my call, via the automation of my choice, it always yields something. Research data, awareness and now or later more customers.
Step 1 describe the process:
1. Place a call on my website
2. Share this on social media
3. Automatically reply to comments on my website entering their name and email with their replies.
4. They will receive an email with a date picker for a conversation with a reminder if they haven't chosen a date yet.
5. They receive a link from FaceTime with the agreed date.
Step 2 together with those who help me choose the right tools for this process.
Step 3 Implement the tools on my website.
Step 4 testing
Step 5 Place a call
How am I going to make sure it's a success:
Post a link to the testimonials about me on LinkedIn and Google with the call.
The participants promise to receive the results as a fact sheet.
That the questions are interesting enough to answer:
What is important to you as a manager in leadership?
What is your biggest frustration?
What do you need most as a manager?
Today I send this plan to the person who is going to help me and I schedule an appointment with him to make this happen.
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WOMB WEEK 3, JULY 8, DAY 5/5
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: WHY, WHAT, WHAT TOOL, HOW AND WHEN AUTOMATE?
WHY?
1. To grow the business into a well thought, sustainable self-learning and self-growing system
2. To build a fantastic and very profitable FEBE funnel
3. To become a great automation strategist
WHAT?
Woke up with the realization that I need to make an adjustment to my "What" in order to make it strategic automation. I had chosen to automate my newsletter’s subscription form but that is a one-time, tactical task. Therefore I urged myself to adjust and automate my FEBE FUNNEL instead.
WHAT TOOL?
ConvertKit
HOW?
First, in order to make this automation a success, I need to study the following topics at Business University:
1. Master Entrepreneur
2. All courses on Blogging
3. Expert Masterclass
With the insights, knowledge, and systematic processes of these courses, I need to ninja implement those in order to create:
4. A fantastic FEBE funnel
5. The first remarkable products
6. A strategic blog that builds my expert position in children’s and family sleep quality
My goals using Convertkit as an automation tool are:
7. Obtain 300 subscribers by December 2022
8. Earn at least €500,- per month selling products and memberships on this platform by December 2022
9. Start using the paid referral tool and grow my email database to 3000 subscribers by December 2023
10. Become a Pro in FEBE funnel automation by December 2025
My expectations in this journey are:
11. It is going to be challenging since I do not have an IT background
12. I will need help with the integration of Convertkit to WordPress and other tech platforms
13. It will take me a couple of months to learn how tu use Convertkit
How to make sure that my learning curve is strategic, successful, and effective?
14. Make a list of questions before starting using Convertkit
15. Make a list of features that Convertkit needs to have in order to fulfill my FEBE funnel
16. Ask all my questions to customer service and the “Creator community”
17. Make use of the free trial and experience how Convertkit works
18. Study the tutorials, attend the relevant courses and webinars ConvertKit offers
19. Contact an expert in Convertkit and ask questions/ ask support
20. After studying all the above mentionned courses at Business University, evaluate critically if ConvertKit is still the right strategic tool for building a sustainable business
How to get support at Convertkit?
21. First by contacting the support team via WhatsApp, email, or phone
22. By joining their "Creator community” blog and asking questions
23. By checking if Fiverr has somebody specialized in Convertkit
24. By using the Priority Support (paid version) once I am making sales
25. By Teaming-up with my accountability body since she is also using Convertkit
How will you measure results?
26. By measuring the conversion rate
27. By analyzing the actual customer journey (cj) vs the designed cj
28. By using the analysis tools provided by ConvertKit (need to find out more about them)
29. By asking clients directly about their experience
How will you improve?
30. By start doing A/B testing
31. By creating fluid manuals (constantly updated) of what works so the automation can be improved
32. By focusing on content personalization and strategic timing/sequence of information
33. By sending feedback surveys to clients and employees where they have the opportunity to express their experience with the products, services, processes etc. and also send their improvement ideas
WHEN AM I GOING TO START?
Today I will start studying Business University again. I commit to study at least one topic a day next to the WOMB program.
That would enable me to design the FEBE funnel and further remarkable products.
On July 11 I will start Tactic automation (newsletter subscription form for example and first newsletter).
Concerning more strategic automation I will start at the beginning of September.
Deadline to have a MVFB (Minimal Viable FEBBE Funnel): end of October 2022.
After that the testing phase begins.
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DAY #5
WHY automate. My top 3:
1. work around the obstacles that make me procrastinate
2. smoothen my processes
3. prevent mistakes
WHAT to automate. #1 starts coming Sunday. I'll automate other tasks coming months.
1. Scheduling posts on Instagram/LinkedIn
2. Reminders for important tasks
3. Reusable checklists for processes webshop/production/product development/communication
4. Link Mollie invoices to my bookkeeping program (currently I do it manually)
5. Transfer information from my new webshop clients to other applications
6. Take notes more easily when I have dirty hands
7. Organize folders and files on my computer
8. Automate back ups
WHAT tool:
I'll use 'Later' for scheduling my social media posts
HOW:
I made a strategy/plan (you can read the summary in DAY#4). It includes improving my skills, makes sure my learning curve doesn't go flat, starting a webshop and growing my audience.
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WEEK 3, DAY 5 – putting it all together
My first plan ever for automation 🙂
WHY: I can spend my time on something that makes money
WHAT: the publishing of my articles on LinkedIn
TOOL: Hootsuite
HOW & WHEN
1. discover how Hootsuite works and create an account - YESTERDAY
2. make a plan for the content - YESTERDAY
3. put a reminder in my calendar: writing articles in July - DONE
4. write 5 articles - TODAY
5. find 5 photographs to complement the articles - TODAY
6. plan the articles in Hootsuit - TODAY
7. monitor the reactions on LinkedIn (views etcetera) - Weekly starting MONDAY 1 aug ’22
8. tell my buddies about this - next TUESDAY
9. write 6 additional articles - OKTOBER 2022
10. make a content plan for 2023 and schedule the actions - NOVEMBER 2022
YEAH! On my way to being great at automation.
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Automation is important because it spares me time and energy. And decrease my frustration.
I want to automate a few things like
- sending a welcome notification to my new followers on instagram business profile (I implemented this a few days ago)
- sending a welcome mail to new leads who wants to receive my weekly newsletter (I implemented this yesterday)
- sending a quiz or form to seperate my leads in my funnel (still don't know which tool)
- using a tool where new clients can make appointment with me (I already use calendly, now I am busy finding out how 10to8 works and maybe I will do something with Woocommerce products)
- make more usefull leads with tool Convertkit (I bought a few years ago but did not do anything with it)
So some things I already implemented or am I working with it.
Only the convertbox I must try it out. .... when...... I plan it in september (because i first want to improve my funnel and I promised to do that in july)
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Great to read your awesome plan and implementation steps Sigrid! 💪
Also cool that you had bought ConvertKit years ago. It is my chosen tool to start automating my newsletters and FEBE funnel. If you still have the paid version, you can also use the referral program and the Priority support feature. They promise to answer your questions in 15 min.
And congratulations with your trip to Curaçao!!! 🥳So inspired by your decision to go! 🔥
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How to automate?
- Buying plugins
- Buying new tools like an autoresponder
- Get help from someone who know how to automate that specific tool
- Search for instructions for that tool
- Looking at you tube videos to do it myself
- Install a tool
- Dive in how it works and do it myself
- Follow a course about that tool for example money bird
- Ask someone I know who can help
- Use new tools like 10to8, convert box
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DAY #4
I'm going to automate my social media and use the 'Later' application for it.
HOW to make it a success:
1. I planned Social Media time in my agenda every Sunday (14:00 - 17:00), which is the perfect day for that task (no phone calls, supplier visits, webshop orders). I'll start coming Sunday, when my new products are on both my websites.
2. Plan for next Sunday: get familiar with the program, plan 3 Insta posts and 2 LinkedIn posts. I might need more time the first day, but I have my concepts ready.
3. On the following Sundays I'll check the analytics in the application, and plan 3/2 posts. Also I'll check the other features 'Later' provides.
4. I'll spend 30 minutes on Insta and LinkedIn every day to check other inspiring people and competitors, search for new possible followers. On the days my content is posted, I might need 45 minutes.
5. I'm following an Instagram expert and downloaded her e-book. I'll check her newsletters and listen to her podcasts to learn more about effective posting.
6. In the week of July 18th I'll check the possibilities of an Instagram webshop and Later's biolinkin feature
7. By the end of July I'll have an Instagram webshop
8. On the 1st of August my Monumentalista account has 1000+ followers and Jizo World 500+ followers.
9. In August I'll add Pinterest, which is perfect for my work. My target group hangs around there too.
10. I'll print out this list and pin it to my whiteboard.
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Day 4 HOW to automate
- appointment made with PA to go online and together look on what to automate
- use hootsuite to plan social media post starting the week after my vision week
- the end of august I have a weekend with my co worker and take her up to automate more and I will use this structure format for her to see what she can automate
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Day 2: Here are 10+ ideas on WHAT I can automate and the ONE task/process that I will automate;
1. Answering my phone (with automated or structured voicemail and response).
2. FAQ list on my web-site that saves time.
3. Selling material and paying for material sold on my website.
4. Redirect to specific content on my website relative to the typology of the request.
5. Note taking during meetings (record voice and convert to written text).
6. Automate the storage of web-searches for reuse.
7. Filling receipts and invoices.
8. Payments on gasoline.
9. Generate mailing lists from contact (on my website).
10. Redirect and back-up e-mails.
11. Generate time recording sheets directly from my calendar.
12. Schedule e-mails in advanced to set out.
13. Schedule podcasts, twitter and other social media content (make once and sent in batches).
14. Website statistics based on website traffic, time at certain pages, downloaded content, etc.
15. Generated tax forms (or at least content) on financial data / reports.
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Day 4 – HOW to automate
How I am going to automate? To be honest, the things I cán automate, I have automated. There is a plug-in I would like to have to automatically take care of discounts in the webshop. But otherwise, I think I am covered.
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HOW
1. One hour each weekend
2. Test
3. Log
4. Find Apple-users for testing
5. Test user friendliness
6. Put testers and new users in an emaillist
7. Promote the tool
8. Find all points where information can be confusing
9. Test internally
10. Remember to clean up
11. Respect portability
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WOMB WEEK 3, JULY 7, DAY 4/5
HOW TO AUTOMATE MY NEWSLETTER/FEBE FUNNEL STRATEGICALLY WITH CONVERTKIT?
First, in order to make this automation a success, I need to study the following topics at Business University:
1. Master Entrepreneur
2. All courses on blogging
3. Expert Masterclass
With the insights, knowledge, and systematic processes of these courses, I will then implement them to create:
4. A fantastic FEBE funnel
5. The first remarkable products
6. A strategic blog that builds my expert position in children’s and family sleep quality
My goals for using Convertkit as an automation tool are:
7. Obtain 300 subscribers at the end of 2022
8. Earn at least €500,- per month selling products and memberships on this platform
9. Start using the paid referral tool and grow my email database to 3000 subscribers by December 2023
10. Become a pro in FEBE funnel automation by December 2025
My expectations in this journey are:
11. It is going to be challenging since I do not have an IT background
12. I will need help with the integration of Convertkit to WordPress and other commerce platforms
13. To learn how to use Convertkit in a couple of months
How to make sure that my learning curve is strategic, successful, and effective?
14. Make a list of questions before starting using Convertkit
15. Make a list of features that Convertkit needs to have in order to fulfill my FEBE funnel
16. Ask all the questions to customer service and the “Creator community”
17. Make use of the free trial and experience how Convertkit works
18. Study the tutorials, attend the relevant courses and webinars ConvertKit offers
19. Contact an expert in Convertkit and ask questions/ ask support
20. After having studied all the desired courses at Business University evaluate if ConvertKit is still the right tool for building a sustainable business
How to get support at Convertkit?
21. First by contacting the support team via WhatsApp, email, or phone
22. By joining their "Creator community” blog and asking questions
23. By checking if Fiverr has somebody specialized in Convertkit
24. By using the Priority Support (paid version) once I am making sales
How will you measure results?
25. By measuring the conversion rate
26. By analyzing the actual customer journey (cj) vs the designed cj
27. By using the analysis tools provided by ConvertKit (need to find out more about them)
28. By asking clients directly about their experience
How will you improve?
29. By start doing A/B testing
30. By creating fluid manuals (constantly updated) of what works so the automation can be improved
31. By focusing on content personalization and strategic timing/sequence of information
412 comments
WOW Maru, that's an impressive list! Thank you for being inspiring.
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Thank you so much for reading Manny! And also for your comment, it motivates me! 🙏 I also find a lot of inspiration in your work! Have a lovely weekend!
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WOW you did great thinking Maru and you actually have a plan! Proud of you
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Thank you so much Sigrid! I am so proud of you too! 🤩
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Hi Maru,
I like to read your comments very much. They inspire me to crack these nuts. The questions in these week were really ‘Breinbrekers’ to me. Your answer really helpt my progress. On day 2 I got stock in my process, also due to other things I had to attend to. Today I post the summary of my path this week.
Thank you!
Alexander
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Hi Alexander,
Thank you so much for your message! Am so glad that my comments inspire you 🤗🙏 The assignments have been also tremendous brain challenges for me. I am thrilled to read about your path and insights. Keep us posted! Wish you a wonderful week!
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Hey there,
Interesting week!
Here is what I found out:
Day 1 – WHY automate
1. Free time
2. More focus
3. Room for new ideas
4. Easier for my clients
5. Clients can start immediately
6. It works while I sleep
7. Less administration
8. Be more professional
9. Clients are serviced better and faster
10. I can earn money 24/7
Most important:
Free time
Clients are serviced better and faster
I can earn money 24/7
Day 2 – WHAT to automate
1. Auto responder
2. Automated payment
3. Links to my membership
4. Invoicing
5. Newsletter
6. Drip content
7. Blog release
8. Social media
9. Appointments
10. Reminder
I have all this automations set.
Day 3 – WHAT tool will you use
1. Kajabi
2. Calendly
3. Zappier
4. Woocommerce
5. Stripe
6. Paypal
7. Publer
8. Quaderno
9. WordPress - Divi
10. Outlook rules & calendar
Day 4 – HOW to automate
It is hard to find Ideas on HOW when you already did all of the above.
So I try Gerdys Idea and find what I can standardize. Maybe I find something I have not in place
1. Offers
2. Thank you notes
3. Thank you pages
4. Mails with the invite to give feedback
5. Mail with the questionnaire at the beginning of a 1:1
6. Text for the delivery of invoices
7. Tags
8. Look and feel of posts and postcards
9. Text to ask for help in Marketing in my network
10. Text to offer a topic to journalists
11. Text to offer a speech or a interview
12. Auto-messages on linkedin, FB & IG
Day 5
Since I have all the automations in place, I tried to find out what I can standardize, but this is also ready too.
This exercise showed me that I really need a VA and that I am not bad in automation- yay!
But I will also check other comments for ideas.
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How to automate?
1. Schedule posts ahead
- one every day
- take a day and see how far I can get
- Have a moment every week
2. Choose a tool
3. If it makes my life easier, just get the paid version
4. Tell all my clients and contacts about the meeting scheduler
5. Create a clear condition for success
6. At the start, I should enjoy/celebrate the automation daily or weekly.
7. Keep track of things I do repeatedly. When it comes back on the list several times, automate.
8. Reuse old content, for instance e-mails before and after trainings
9. Get the automatische incasso up and running.
10. Ask my wife what we should automate in the house
One thing to add for tools yesterday. But we use Knab to automatically save money and allocate it for the car/house/pets/baby/gifts/savings. It's like I am giving myself pocket money 🙂 It also means I always know how much is available for something.
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Week 3 Day 4
HOW to automate
The upgrade of our core system to make it possible to customize the blueprint more.
1. Select Operating System (UBuntu or Debian) for the beste Job Scheduler
2. Select Job Scheduler of shortlist
3. Setup and configure security measures (VPN, SSL sertificates, etc.) with new firewalls
4. Install Operating system and configer it with the principle less is more.
5. Install selected Jobscheduler software
6. Configure Jobscheduler software based on the technical design.
7. Create the required interfaces with the coresystems
8. Integrate the core system ofthe BlueScan / BluePrint into with the Job-Scheduler
9. Design a disaster recovery plan. Test the disaster recovery plan.
10. Create a backup plan and configure, test and implement the backup plan
11. Create High Availability System Firewalls and test several scenario's with this part.
12. Test what time it takes to do a bare metal restore.
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Day 4 HOW to automate
1. Make the right choice for the automation tool
2. Take time to discover the tool
3. Make a contentplanning
4. Inventory tips & tricks community training
5. Write different posts
6. Search for pictures
7. Make professional pictures by a photographer
8. Use the tool
9. Measure and monitor reactions and interactions
10. Delegate work to marketing intern
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Day 3 WHAT tool will you use
I want to automate the process of posting on different social media. Tools I found or thought that would work are the following:
1. Hootsuite
2. Active Campaign
3. Mailchimp
4. Whatssapp for business
5. Facebook Business
6. OmniFocus
7. SocialPilot
8. ContentStudio
9. Sprout Social
10. Buffer
I’m not sure which tool I would use to automate our social media post. I will mainly use it to schedule LinkedIn posts and maybe in the future Facebook. Maybe there is some who can give me some advise…..
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For now doubt is over Hootsuite, SocialPilot or Buffer
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Day 4: I want to write a blog every fortnight with a good SEO. The learning curve for the programming is steep, it will be worth while. I will measure the results at the end of each month. I will take all the video lessons and combine this with my practical experience. Just do it!
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Day 4 – HOW to automate
Day 4 07-07-22
1. Collect as much information as possible from the available tools I going to use.
2. Make a choice quit Mailchimp and switch to ActiveCampaign or continue with Mailchimp with either Calendly or 10to8.
3. Integrate these two tools on the website together with Evert-Jan and/or Gerdy and test them carefully.
4. Write a new blog and see what the effects are.
5. If this works, expand with follow up emails where I will integrate either Calendly or 10to8 in my process that I worked out on day 2.
6. Sharing my experiences with the group and being curious about the success experiences of the group.
7. With this information, see what I can improve about this way of automation. Is my mailing list growing enough or are there better ways.
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Day 4 - HOW to automate
Having birtday-cards being sent automatically by Greetz.nl or Kaartje2go.nl
- Make the birthday card registration part of the registration protocol
- Creating multiple birthday cards so each year will be different
- Creating multiple birthday card text so each year will be different
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