After all the unexpected twists and turns of 2020, business owners are thinking ahead about how to make 2021 a successful and stable year.
While there is still a lot of uncertainty due to Coronavirus, there are simple things you can do – such as planning and carefully implementing business changes – to ensure you start 2021 on a high note.
Why project planning is important (in 2021 and beyond)
Project planning is essential for keeping your business on track, ensuring that you have successful rollouts of new features, programs, and products, and helping you measure your success over time. Business projects come in many forms, and each type of project requires a specific approach. As a business owner you’ll create systems and projects around:
- Financial goals and objectives
- Product launches and updates
- New feature rollouts
- Internal policy or procedure changes
- Hiring, recruitment, and growth
- New client acquisition and retention
- Branding and marketing
…and many other aspects of your operations. Major companies have entire departments dedicated to ensuring that projects are properly implemented, but even small companies need to have excellent systems in place for kicking off new projects.
Many people don’t get project planning 100 percent right from the get-go.
There’s a lot to learn, and you’ll need some hands-on practice to fully understand the process. As you implement new projects, be sure to track your progress along the way. Ask yourself these questions: what could we be doing differently? What did we learn? What changes could make this process more efficient and effective?
Document all your findings so that you can make each launch more successful than the last.
How to DIY implement projects and programs
Small business owners tend to have many of the same concerns and constraints. Budget, time, and experience are common issues when it comes to implementing new projects. This is where having support and help in the form of an Online Business Manager (OBM) is essential.
OBMs are an all-in-one solution to help your business thrive. These individuals have project management, office management, human resources, and online marketing skills. They report directly to you, the business owner, so you can direct their time and energy to any tasks that need to be done.
OBMs are generally remote, so you don’t have to worry about overhead costs associated with an office or specific equipment. Unlike virtual assistants (VAs), OBMs focus on the high-level picture of designing and implementing business projects. If a business had both an OBM and VAs, the OBM would oversee the VAs to ensure they were performing specific tasks.
With high-level help from an OBM, you’ll be in a better position to implement new programs and make changes in your business. They’ll oversee the nuts and bolts of the process so you can set the expectations and provide assistance while they ensure that everything is executed properly.
4 steps to get started with DIY planning and implementing
If you’re implementing new projects for the first time, it can be a daunting process. This four-step framework can help you get started:
Review your current tech and resources
Having your tech and systems spot-on before a project launch is crucial. If any piece of your strategy is out of sync, the launch could fall flat, so you’ll want to thoroughly review each aspect of your launch before going live. An OBM can help ensure that you have everything in order before implementing something new.
Determine what resources are still needed
If you still need items for a successful launch, such as a critical team member, a refined marketing strategy, or certain assets, it’s best to get everything lined up perfectly before launch so that you have the highest chance of success. Again, coordinate with your OBM to see if anything critical is missing.
Create a timeline
Once you’ve nailed down your personnel and resource needs for the launch, create a timeline with milestones that you can work off of. Make sure that everyone on the team is aware of the timeline and set deadlines – with consequences – that need to be met. With this structure, everyone is more likely to succeed.
Streamline the process for duplication
As a growing business, you’ll have many launches and projects to implement in the future. Ease your responsibilities by documenting each step along the way and by reviewing all that you’ve learned. As you learn through each launch, you’ll perfect your systems over time.
Are you ready for an OBM?
If you need help implementing new projects and systems, an online business manager (OBM) is your ticket to more time, clients, and freedom within your business.
We are skilled OBMs and can help you turn your ideas into executable plans and actions that result in success.
Find out if you are ready for an OBM and reach out to us today.
