When it comes to creating systems, knowing where to start can be challenging. The Systems Roadmap provides a framework to help solopreneurs, operations professionals, systems strategists, tech VAs, or anyone in charge of building out systems for a business, identify which systems to implement first. This means that the following piece of content was made for YOU, friend!
The systems roadmap explained below is divided into three categories: Business Organization Systems, Revenue Generating Systems, and Support Systems. I even added a bonus category: Life Organization Systems because we can’t sustain a business without sustaining our lives too.
Each system category has its subcategories, such as Operations and Admin Systems include things like Asset Management, Knowledge Management, Time Management, Inbox Management, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Revenue Generating Systems include Lead Generation and Client experience systems. Support Systems consist of HR, Finance and Accounting, and Executive Management Systems. By following the Systems Roadmap, you can collapse time and start building the right systems at the right time.
Buckle into this fast car, because I am driving you down the map milestone by milestone. We may even stop at Buccee’s and HEB while we’re at it.
Go ahead and favorite this blog by clicking the ⭐️ and saving it to a systems folder.
Business Organization Systems
Did you know that having a well-organized business can make a huge difference in its efficiency and long-term success? Of course, you did! But just in case you need to connect the line between business organization and success, I’ll make my case.
When your business is properly structured, you and your team can effectively manage its resources, whether that’s time, money, or employees, to maximize productivity and minimize waste.
Having a place for everything and everything in its place also helps to keep everyone in your organization on the same page. By implementing organizational systems such as asset management, knowledge management, SOPs, policies, resources, and templates, inbox management, and project management, you can create consistency in how your business runs, leading to increased customer satisfaction and focusing on the activities that bring in the money- honey!
Let’s dive in to see what it looks like to organize your business. ⤵️
Operations & Admin Systems
Every business should start building the foundation. For me, that is operations and administrative systems. Effective operations and administrative systems are like having a place for everything and everything in its place.
Below are some examples of ways you can start to organize your business.
(1) Asset management is a crucial component of any organization as it ensures that all assets are being used effectively and efficiently. Proper document and file storage, along with standardized naming conventions, make it easy to locate and access important information quickly. Say goodbye to version 1, version 2, and version 3 of the same document, and hello to naming conventions that make sense and are searchable by your entire team.
Effective (2) knowledge management involves organizing, sharing, and using the collective knowledge and expertise of your team. One way to facilitate knowledge management is by creating business hubs or knowledge bases that serve as centralized repositories of information, allowing everyone in the organization to easily access the information they need to do their jobs. Stop searching for those branding guides or media assets over and over again. Want to be able to point new hires to your vision, mission, and values? Create a business hub for that to live in!
Another great way to organize your business is through creating (3) Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), policies, resources, and templates. These assets provide structure and consistency in how an organization completes a task and achieves a particular outcome. They outline the standard practices and procedures that should be followed by all employees, reducing the risk of errors, increasing productivity, and ensuring a higher level of quality control.
(4) Time management is a critical aspect of operations and administrative systems. Business calendar and schedule management, including time-blocking techniques, help you are your employees plan the days effectively, prioritize tasks, and reduce distractions.
In addition, proper (4) project management, including project planning, scheduling, and resource allocation, ensures that projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the desired quality standards.
Last but not least, let’s not forget that dreadful inbox.
Effective (5) inbox management involves not only organizing emails into folders but also designing effective email templates to streamline communication. Delegating tasks to the appropriate team members can help save time, as well as ensure that the right people are handling the right emails. Proper email follow-through, such as responding to urgent emails promptly and scheduling time to review and respond to others, is also important to prevent messages from piling up and causing unnecessary stress. By prioritizing and efficiently managing incoming emails, you and your team can stay on top of important tasks and projects while minimizing distractions and maintaining focus.
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Overall, effective operations and administrative systems are the foundation of a successful organization, allowing it to run efficiently and effectively. Not to mention operations and admin systems touch all areas of the business so I’d start creating systems here first. You will be glad you did!
The next milestone on the road map is the revenue-generating systems. Without revenue-generating systems, making money gets harder!
Let’s simplify your path to wealth! ⤵️
Revenue Generating Systems
Revenue-generating systems are critical components of any sustainable business. Among these systems, lead generation and client experience are two of the most important. Lead generation systems are designed to attract potential customers and turn them into leads that can be converted into paying customers. Client experience systems, on the other hand, are focused on enhancing the customer experience, and increasing customer loyalty, and retention which can lead to higher revenue and that referral-worthy business we all strive to have. Both of these revenue-generating systems are essential for any company looking to consistently and sustainably secure the bag! 💰💰💰💰
Lead Generation Systems
Lead generation systems are essential for your business to attract new customers and grow its revenue. The lead generation systems list can be LONG, so I recommend picking 1-2 strategies to start systematizing.
Pro Tip: Systematize what’s strategies are already working well for your business.
Here are some lead generation strategies that you can start systematizing ⤵️
One of the most effective lead generation strategies is 1) content marketing. By creating valuable content, businesses can attract potential customers and build trust with them. Blogging is a powerful content marketing tool that can establish your business as a thought leader in your industry. Webinars are also an excellent way to attract leads by providing valuable information and insights to potential customers via video. We all need to build that know-like and trust factor and sometimes it takes showing our beautiful faces!
2) Digital e-books or other digital assets are other useful tools for generating leads. You may be familiar with the term lead -magnet. That’s what I am referring to here. By offering free eBooks or whitepapers, or downloads, you can capture leads’ contact information and nurture them with relevant content.
3) Social media marketing is another highly effective lead-generation strategy. Building out systems like content creation and posting systems is key here.
4) Email marketing is another key lead-generation tactic because it allows your business to send targeted messages to your contact list. Your email marketing system can make it easier to create and post emails to your list regularly.
5) A more advanced lead generation system is Paid marketing, such as ads on social media platforms or search engines. Ad’s can be an effective way to reach a large audience quickly. Having a system for creating and measuring ad’s is what you’d want to create for this strategy.
6) Search engine optimization (SEO) is another advanced lead generation strategy that can help businesses rank higher in search engine results pages and attract organic traffic. How you do SEO research and where to use it could be systematized.
7) Events, whether in-person or virtual, can also be effective lead-generation tools by providing opportunities for your business to engage with potential customers directly and be able to show your personality in real life. The activities before, during, and after events can all be systematized.
8) Referral marketing is a strategy for generating leads by leveraging existing customer relationships and having solid relationship management systems can help you build relationships at scale.
9) Customer referrals and 10) affiliate marketing are powerful lead generation tools that can tap into existing customers’ networks to attract new leads. Having systems in place for onboarding, monitoring, and paying out referral and affiliate partners will help you sustain this strategy.
11) Believe it or not, Direct mail is alive and well. Direct mail can generate leads by sending personalized targeted messages to potential customers. Don’t worry, you dont have to write every note yourself. Direct mail campaigns can also be systematized.
Finally, 12) public speaking and 13) public relations (print and media) can be valuable tools for generating leads by establishing businesses as industry experts and thought leaders. The activities of researching, pitching, monitoring, delivering, and follow-up all can be systematized.
You can use a variety of lead generation systems to attract potential customers and grow your revenue. You can also systematize each activity.
Another way to keep the money coming in is a focus on systematizing your client experience systems.
Client Experience Systems
Client experience is also considered a revenue-generating system because it directly impacts customer satisfaction and retention. The client experience system encompasses three main areas: sales systems, delivery systems, and retention systems.
Sales systems focus on the process of acquiring new clients and include prospecting, qualifying, presenting, handling objections and negotiating, sales follow-up, and nurturing lost leads. Effective sales systems start with a deep understanding of the target audience and their needs, which can be achieved through experience and continuously looking at your data. Designing systems that move your clients through the sales cycle can also increase conversion rates.
Delivery systems involve onboarding new clients, delivering the service or product, and offboarding clients. The key to a successful delivery system is providing a seamless and positive experience for clients from start to finish. This includes clear communication, setting expectations, and delivering on promises. Bonus if you surprise and delight too!
Retention systems are designed to keep clients engaged and satisfied with the service or product. This can include retaining customers, upselling and down selling, requests for testimonials and feedback, and nurturing clients. Building a strong retention system involves ongoing communication, providing additional value after delivery, and addressing any concerns or issues promptly. Customer feedback and reviewing your data can be used to identify areas for improvement and tailor your retention systems to meet the needs of your clients.
Support Systems
Support systems are the systems that support revenue-generating activities and help a business grow and scale. Eventually, you will hit capacity (unless you are intentionally building a one-person show.) If you intended on growing your business, you will need support systems in place to simplify the tasks.
Support systems can be categorized into three categories, HR Systems, Finance, and accounting systems, and executive management systems.
HR systems help to manage employee-related matters such as recruitment, payroll, benefits administration, and performance management. Finance and accounting systems provide financial management, including accounts payable and receivable, bookkeeping, tax management, and financial reporting. Executive management systems help the leadership team with decision-making, strategy development, and performance monitoring. These support systems form the backbone of a business and contribute to the smooth running of day-to-day operations.
HR Systems
The first HR system to be put in place is a firm 1) recruitment and selection system. It includes identifying the need for new employees, advertising job openings, screening and interviewing candidates, and making hiring decisions. Once new employees are hired, a strong 2) employee onboarding system becomes crucial so you can plan how you will assimilate them into the company culture through orientation and training.
3) Performance management is another critical system of HR and should be designed before an employee enters your business. This is where the performance expectations and KPIs are established, and employees’ performance can be tracked and evaluated using performance scorecards. Knowing how you will be providing employees feedback and coaching is necessary to ensure continuous performance improvement.
4) Training and development systems are vital for enhancing employees’ skills and knowledge and improving their productivity. Typically, we hire and think of a training plan after they are onboarded. I’d recommend having a training and development system well-planned out for each role before the employee walks through the door.
5) Designing Compensation and benefits administration systems such as the design of incentives and bonuses structures need to be determined. . Having these standardized can help prevent management from unknown biases and keep equal pay a priority.
6) Time and attendance management, such as leave requests, and management are crucial to keeping track of employees’ time worked, overtime, sick leave, and vacation time. Designing a system around how to submit time and request time off makes it easier for employees to manage their pay, time, and life around work.
7) Employee relations systems include the process of addressing and resolving any issues or conflicts. Having clear policies and ways of escalating issues can keep you away from violating any EEO or employment laws as well as keep your company a safe space for all.
7) HR compliance systems ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, such as equal employment opportunity laws, labor laws, and health and safety regulations, through legal employment policies and guidelines.
8) Succession planning systems help in designing the processes of identifying and developing potential future leaders within the organization.
Finally, 9) exit management systems, including terminations, off-boarding, and distribution of final pay and benefits, ensure the organization is equipped to handle any employee separation.
Whew! You’re ready to hire now!
The next milestone on the roadmap is how you will manage your finances and accounting.
Finance & Accounting Systems
Finance and accounting systems can support and sustain the overall health of a company. The following systems ensure the accurate and timely processing of financial transactions, compliance with accounting standards and regulations, and the proper management of company finances.
1) Accounts Receivable (AR) processing systems involve recording, tracking, invoicing, and collecting payments from customers. 2) Accounts Payable (AP) processing systems include recording, tracking, and paying bills to suppliers and vendors. These systems are essential for managing cash flow and maintaining good relationships with your customers and suppliers.
3) Payroll processing is also an important component of finance and accounting systems. This includes calculating and paying employees’ salaries and benefits, bonuses, and other deductions, including taxes. 4) Bookkeeping and General Ledger (GL) processing is another key aspect of finance and accounting systems. This involves recording financial transactions, reconciling accounts, and producing financial statements. 5) A Budgeting and forecasting system helps for projecting future financial performance based on past results and other relevant information. 6) Financial reporting systems involve compiling and presenting financial information through financial statements and reports. This includes reviewing the company’s cash flow, profit and loss, and expense reports.
7) Auditing is also a critical part of finance and accounting systems. This involves reviewing financial records to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards and regulations. And we all would be out of business if we didn’t pay our taxes so 8) Tax processing is also a critical function of finance and accounting systems. This includes calculating and paying taxes, such as income tax, sales tax, and property tax.
By ensuring that these systems are in place and functioning correctly, you can make informed financial decisions, comply with regulations, and maintain financial stability.
Lastly, Executive Management Systems are designed to help top-level executives make strategic decisions and manage the overall direction of the organization.
Executive Management Systems
Executive Management systems include 1) strategic business planning and forecasting, which involves setting goals, analyzing data, and developing strategies to achieve those goals. 2) Regular company meetings are also crucial to ensure that all departments are aligned with the company’s vision and goals and these are usually led by your executive management team. 3) Risk management and mitigation is another key aspect of executive management systems, which involves identifying potential risks to the company and developing strategies to mitigate those risks. 4) Finally, performance monitoring and evaluations are an important component of executive management systems, as they provide a way to evaluate the performance of the organization as a whole and individual team member, and make necessary adjustments to improve overall performance. By implementing these systems, you can ensure that your organization and its people are well-managed and on track to achieving long-term success.
AND as an added bonus I bring you life organization systems because, without a well-organized life, you and your business can and will likely feel it.
Let’s make a quick pit stop and taco bout it!
Life Organization Systems
Life organization systems are designed to help individuals manage their day-to-day activities and streamline various aspects of their lives to better improve their well-being. CEOing is not for the weak or the faint of heart. You are an entrepreneurial athlete and need to maintain your health outside of business so that you can sustain the legacy.
Life operations and admin systems include a range of tools and techniques to help you manage your time, prioritize tasks, and stay organized. These systems may include tools for managing your calendars, task lists, and reminders, as well as techniques for managing email, paperwork, and other administrative tasks. By developing effective life organization systems, you can reduce stress, increase productivity, and achieve a better work-life balance. This can lead to greater overall satisfaction and fulfillment in both your personal and professional pursuits.
Life Operations & Admin Systems
Life operations and admin systems are important tools to keep your personal life organized and running smoothly. 1) Time management is a crucial part of these systems, including setting goals and managing personal and family calendars through time blocking and scheduling personal and family appointments. 2) Financial management is also a key aspect of life operations systems, including budgeting, tracking personal expenses, and paying bills.
3) Meal and supply planning are also helpful when managing and organizing life, including ordering groceries, planning meals for the week, and managing personal supplies. In addition, it is important to have a system for 4) important documents including important document storage and management, wills, and emergency plans.
5) General Organization is a fundamental aspect of life operations and admin systems, including routines, habit tracking, digital file and photo management, home cleaning and decluttering, and tracking personal contacts and important dates.
By implementing these life operations and admin systems, you can better manage your personal life and achieve your goals with greater ease and efficiency.
Yay to easeful life! You with me?!
In Conclusion
The Systems Roadmap provides a comprehensive guide for you to identify and implement the most crucial systems for your business. By following the framework of Business Organization Systems, Revenue Generating Systems, Support Systems, and even the bonus category of Life Organization Systems, you can organize your business and simplify your path to wealth.
With the Systems Roadmap, you can confidently start creating the systems you need to achieve your goals!
Enjoy the systems quick guides below and don’t forget to save this blog for future reference!
Systems Roadmap Quick Guides
The System GPS
If you are starting from scratch I designed a step-by-step Systems GPS. This is where I think you should start and what I believe a business needs at each stage of growth.
Building
- Time Management
- Strategic Business Planning & Forecasting
- Asset Management
- Lead Generation Systems
- Sales Systems
- Accounts Receivable Processing
- Accounts Payable (AP) processing
- Bookkeeping Processing
- Delivery Systems
- Retention Systems
- Tax Processing Processing
Growing
- Inbox Management
- Knowledge Management
- Project Management
- Financial reporting
- Auditing
When you bring on a team:
- Recruitment & Selection
- Onboarding
- Time & Attendance
- HR Compliance
- Exit Management
- Payroll processing
- Company Meetings
- Performance Evaluations
- Training & Development
- Performance Mangement
Scaling
- Compensation & Benefits
- Employee Relations
- Succession Planning
- Budgeting and Forecasting
- Risk Management & Mitigation
Systems Roadmap Overview
Use the overview below to better understand what falls under each sub-system.
Business Organization
Operations & Admin Systems
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- Asset Management
- document & files storage
- naming conventions
- Knowledge Management
- Business Hubs / HQs,/ Knowledge Bases / Wiki’s
- SOPs, Policies, Resources, Templates
- Inbox Management
- Email structure
- Email Delegation
- Email follow through
- Time Management
- Business Calendar & Schedule Management (time blocking)
- Business Appointments
- Project Management
- Project planning, scheduling, and resource allocation.
- Asset Management
Revenue Generating Systems
Lead Generation Systems
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- Content Marketing
- Blogging
- Webinars
- Digital Books
- Social Media Marketing
- Email Marketing
- Paid Marketing
- Ads
- SEO – Search Engine Optimization
- Events (in person or virtual)
- Referral Marketing
- Relationship Management
- Customer Referrals
- Affiliate Marketing
- Direct Mail
- Public Speaking
- Public Relations (Print & Media)
- Content Marketing
Client Experience Systems
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- Sales Systems
- Prospecting
- Qualifying
- Presenting (discovery call)
- Handling Objections & Negotiating
- Sales Follow-up
- Nurturing Lost Leads
- Delivery Systems
- Onboarding New Clients
- Delivering the service or product
- Offboarding
- Retention Systems
- Retaining Customers
- Upselling & down selling
- Requests for Testimonial & Feedback
- Nurturing Clients
- Sales Systems
Support Systems
HR Systems
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- Recruitment & Selection
- identifying the need for new employees
- Job descriptions
- advertising job openings
- screening and interviewing candidates
- making hiring decisions
- Onboarding
- Orientation
- Training
- Assimilation of new employees into the company culture.
- Team Management
- Evaluating Employee Performance (Performance Scorecard)
- Proving Employee Feedback & Coaching (Performance Improvement Plans)
- Training and development
- identifying the training and development needs of employees
- opportunities for employees to enhance their skills and knowledge.
- Compensation and benefits administration
- Employee Compensation (incentives and bonuses)
- Employee Benefits
- Time and attendance management
- tracking and managing the time worked by employees, (overtime, sick leave, and vacation time)
- Leave Requests and Management
- Employee relations:
- managing the relationship expectations between employees and the organization
- addressing and resolving any issues or conflicts.
- HR Compliance:
- ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, such as equal employment opportunity laws, labor laws, and health and safety regulations.
- Legal employment policies and guidelines
- Succession planning
- identifying and developing potential future leaders within the organization.
- Exit management
- Terminations
- Off-boarding
- Distribution of final pay and benefits.
- Recruitment & Selection
Finance & Accounting
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- Accounts Receivable (AR) processing
- recording, tracking, invoicing, and collecting payments from customers
- Accounts Payable (AP) processing
- recording, tracking, and paying bills to suppliers and vendors.
- Payroll processing
- calculating and paying employees’ salaries and benefits, bonuses, including taxes and other deductions.
- General Ledger (GL) processing & Bookkeeping
- recording financial transactions
- reconciling accounts
- producing financial statements.
- Budgeting and forecasting
- projecting future financial performance based on past results and other relevant information.
- Financial reporting
- compiling and presenting financial information through financial statements and reports.
- Cashflow
- Profit & Loss Review
- Profit Sharing
- Expenses
- compiling and presenting financial information through financial statements and reports.
- Auditing
- reviewing financial records to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards and regulations.
- Tax processing
- calculating and paying taxes, such as income tax, sales tax, and property tax
- Accounts Receivable (AR) processing
Executive Management Systems
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- Business Planning
- Strategic Business Planning & Forecasting
- Risk Management & Mitigation
- Performance Management
- Performance Expectations & KPIs
- Company Meetings
- Business Planning
Life Organization
Life Operations Systems
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- Time Management
- Goal Setting
- Personal & Family Calendar & Schedule Management (time blocking)
- Personal & Family Appointments
- Financial Management
- Budgeting
- Personal Expense Tracker
- Bill payments
- Meal & Supply Planning
- Grocery Tracker & Meal Planning
- Personal Supply Management
- Legal
- Important Doc Storage & Management
- Wills
- Emergency Plans
- Organization
- Routines (Habit Tracker)
- Digital (files, photos)
- Home (cleaning and decluttering)
- Personal Contacts Tracking & Important Date Reminders
- Time Management
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog. Please share this with your business bestie!
If you need systems to support, peep my [services and pricing guide] to see what I offer!
mucho amor,
Alicia
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