We have all been given the gift of twenty-four hours each day—it’s up to us how we use it. With so many repetitive small tasks and ongoing big projects, it’s nearly impossible to get everything accomplished and have enough personal time. Here are some time-saving techniques for your online business to help you bring order to your day, more quality to your life, and steal a few extra hours for family, friends—and yourself!
1. Ready Responses
Responding to inquiries and repeated basic support requests via telephone and e-mail is a time-consuming task that can be eliminated or automated in a number of ways:
- Create an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page for your website and products. Web visitors who prefer to “help themselves” will find the answers to their questions without having to contact you directly.
- Create text templates that contain the answers to your most commonly asked email inquiries. When you receive a question, simply open your text file and copy and paste your pre-written answer into your email. You can then customize your message for each recipient.
2. Set It and Forget It
Most eCommerce tools offer a variety of ways for you to input information once and deliver it automatically at timed intervals, including:
- AutoResponders: Autoresponders are programmed to automatically send out a predetermined message when a web user completes an action on your site (make a purchase, register for your newsletter, etc.). You invest time and money once to set up the message and all you have to do is update your content from time to time to keep it fresh and relevant.
- Automated Withdrawals/Payments: Paying business-related bills each month can be a time-consuming chore. Most payment processing tools give you the option to set up your account and schedule payments. The money is directly withdrawn the same time each month and, as an added bonus, you never have to worry about late fees.
- Recurring Transactions: If you have monthly dues, membership fees, etc. for your services, you can set up automatic payments through your provider as requested by your clients. You take the hassle of making payments away from your customers, avoid the often-distracting subject of money, and save valuable time for yourself.
