Are You Swamped?

By Robert Middleton - Action Plan Marketing

In a conversation today with one of my Marketing Mastery participants, she noted that the predominant experience of a majority of her clients was "being swamped."

What we are swamped or overwhelmed with is information and choices.

For instance, like me, you probably get dozens, if not hundreds of emails a day. Just looking at them in your email box makes you feel swamped. And then you are swamped by choices: "Which ones should I read and respond to?" and "Where do I file this so I don't lose it?"

I just returned from a one week vacation and to an email box with over 1700 messages! But I wasn't swamped. Not because I've learned a secret mental technique that allows me to be calm in overwhelming situations!

It's because I have a system.

In my email program, I have created a series of mailboxes or folders that filter all the email that comes in. All my eZines go into separate folders; all the email from my virtual assistant goes into another; all my online sales notices into another, etc.

This way, I can just glance at the folder, decide if I need to take action or not and then close the folder. Nothing gets lost. It's the ultimate filing system. No more swamped.

I have systems for all my technical stuff as well, because I'm not a technical person. When I have a system, I don't have to think about it anymore; it just gets done.

I have systems for the following:

• Email management (as mentioned above)

• Elist management (how I send this email out weekly)

• Updating my web site

• Uploading files to my web server, like mp3s and pdfs

• Setting Up TeleConfernce services

• Recording calls and teleconferences

• Choosing the best Payment Programs

It would take 8 separate eZines to give you all this detailed information, so instead, I've put this together into my "Action Plan Technology Guide."

It's only 13 pages long but it will save you dozens of hours you'd spend on learning all of this on your own, and hundreds of hours you're now wasting on being swamped.

You can get this Technology Guide for FREE when you join the Action Plan Marketing Club. You can join at this link.

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The More Clients Bottom Line: Don't be swamped, use systems. Just the time and hassle you'll save from organizing your email system can change your whole business. Learn and put other simple systems in place and you'll have the leverage to get a lot more done in the limited time you have.

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What systems do you use to save time in your business? Please share on the More Clients Blog. Just click on the comments link below.

Comments

[Heather Robinson]

I love systems, Robert.

I use them daily in my online business management business and at home. I've even gotten my children into it. The majority of my business systems are automated, like filtering my email into folders, and the use of autoresponders for basic inquiries, but they all started out as a checklist.

I've found that the best way to obtain consistent and predictable results is to use a system. I even have a system in place to review my existing systems.

Heather

[Heathyr Nance]

Great article on systems! We use systems for everything (probably why we are the systems people!). A great system to have is for your everyday calendar - we block out specific times each week for appointments and try not to waver. We have specific time slots every week to work on marketing, blogging, sales, etc.

Great ideas on sytemizing your email Robert. Thanks for the information!