Grow Your Service Business Playing the Long Game

Did you ever give your kids a candy bar or something when they’re throwing a tantrum? I bet it kept them satisfied for a few minutes but didn’t help in the long term. Instant gratification seems to be what most desire lately that’s why you’ll see it in all the marketing tactics, but wouldn’t you rather play more than just the short game when it comes to your business?

 

I guess the key question is “HOW” can you win at both the long and short game?

 

 

Here are five little known ways to gain more free time and increase your business growth.

 

Business triage

Here’s a strategy you can use to rank your business activities by what is really important. You list all the things you do as a list of “tasks”, then put them in order of what you have to do first, second, third and so on. Then you look at the “Important” column and ask the question: If I could only do one of these tasks today, which would it be?

Now that you’ve ranked your list, you know which tasks to do first and which ones to save for later.

Now this is a “Time Management” strategy because you’re looking at your “Time” as the “Limiting Resource”. When you do this, you’re automatically looking for ways to spend less time on the lower tasks and maximize your time on the higher ones.

In this way, you’re “using Time” as a resource to get the work done that’s most important and you’re making decisions about what not to do.

 

Leverage technology

There are hundreds of tools that can help you improve your business. Some offer just one feature, but others are complete applications that do everything for you. The key is finding these tools and learning to use them properly. I suggest looking at the following websites for great ways to save time;

I use Infinity for project management and Remarkable2 is always my go to for keeping track of notes and ideas.

 The point is that there are a lot of great ways to manage your business and they’re all over the internet, but you’ve got to take the time to find them and then learn how to use them properly.

 

Do the most important thing first

This is one of my favorite strategies because it’s so simple and yet so effective. Every day, you need to decide what the most important task is that you need to get done. Then do it first, before anything else.

It might seem like this would be the easiest way to manage your time, but most people get distracted by all kinds of little things that eat up their day. Things like checking email, returning phone calls and attending meetings. Those are all important things to do, but none of them are more important than the task you’re supposed to be doing.

So when you follow this strategy, you’re working on what’s important instead of wasting your time by answering emails or making phone calls. People just don’t seem to have enough time, but what they’re really not doing is using their Time as a resource.

 

Make the day your ally

This strategy is all about how you spend your time in a single day. One of the problems is that when people are busy, they keep saying they don’t have enough time to do anything else. The truth is that they’re using every waking hour of the day, but they’re just wasting it by not being intentional about how they spend their time.

So instead of going with the flow, start planning how you spend your time. Think about what you need to accomplish today and make sure that the most important thing gets done first. Use your “Time” as a resource to do the job that’s most important and then work on what comes next. You’ll find that you start accomplishing a lot more in your day and you don’t have to work so hard.

 

Schedule it

This strategy is about taking your time and making it part of an overall plan. The truth is that most people just kind of go with the flow – reacting to what gets thrown at them during the day; they don’t realize how they spend their time because it’s always something different.

This strategy is about putting your time on purpose and scheduling everything you need to do. This way, you’re working on what’s important instead of wasting time on the little things that eat up your day.

You need to take a look at what you’ve spent your time on in the past. Do you really need to check email so often? How many phone calls can you get done in an hour? How much time do you spend looking for things? Just take a look at how you use your time and then schedule it out.

But you can’t schedule time for your day like it’s the only appointment you have all day. Instead, you need to space things out so that you’ve got time for the other things that come up.

 

Don’t just play the short game all the time; if you do, then you’ll just be running in circles. It’s better to play the long game, and it’s all about the proper planning and taking action.

If your plan is not working well, take a step back and re-strategize your next move. I’ve been using both strategies with clients for years.

Of course, like any business owner, you’ve got a lot to juggle. I bet your kids and family members may even be one of the main reasons you started this business in the first place. I’ve been there and it seems like every time I don’t have a minute to spare, a family member needs me for something. And yet, the efforts you’re putting into your company aren’t truly reflected in your bottom line profits. So how can you get more time and money from your business now while still positioning your company for sustainable growth in the long-term?

To achieve short-term and long-term wins in your business, first consider your mindset. The mindset we have when we set out to begin our business and the mindset we have as we continue to work on our business is so important. Are you willing to give up some of your short-term wins for a long-term return on investment? I’m sure you’ve heard mindset is everything. A mindset shift can make all the difference in your business.

Next consider these 3 simple, strategic investments you can make:

1. Focus on your “Tiny Time Inconsistency”, the small things, the little bits of time you have now and then to get more out of your business.
2. Take a Minimum Viable Action, an investable action that would show you the results you want in your business and inspire you to keep going.
3. Find a Partner, someone with complementary skills and knowledge that can help you accelerate the success of your business.

It’s obvious your business is ongoing; expenses and opportunities happen daily. You can’t plan for everything, but you should always be ready to take advantage of opportunities that arise. If you have a business, then there’s a good chance that you want to grow it. But sometimes growth takes time and effort. By developing strategies now, you can position your business for success in the future.

You might not realize it, but it makes sense to plan for the long term now. That means figuring out what you want your business to look like 10 years from now and finding strategies that will help you get there. For example, if you need your company to support your family in the future, then it’s important that you save money now so that you can keep your business afloat for as long as you need it.

A company’s success depends on many factors, such as its reputation and the ability to adapt in the market. It’s important to always be improving, learning new things, and adapting – even if you are successful right now.

If you’re worried about the future of your company, don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice from other successful business owners. It’s important to learn from their experiences.

You don’t need to know what the future holds, but having an idea of where you want your business to be can help you stay on track for success. By planning ahead, staying flexible and taking advantage of opportunities, you’ll position your business to be of value for 10 years from now.

 

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