Back in 2020, I started a podcast. 

Since it was something I'd never done before, I did a lot of research to find the right tools and equipment for what I wanted to accomplish. 

While I jumped in pretty quickly to recordings, it took me a while to "go live" because I had no process in place and no idea what the process was going to be to start putting these recordings out into the world as episodes.

It took me about 4-5 episodes before I finally figured out a workflow that made sense for me, and when I did, that was the first process I documented for my business. 

The workflow was still new and unfamiliar to me, and I needed a standard list to follow so I could stop wasting so much time trying to figure out what to do next.

And that, my friends, is probably the greatest benefit of documenting your systems and processes.

By laying all of the steps you take to accomplish various tasks or complete recurring projects out in a document or program, you've created a basic standard operating procedure (SOP) that will help your business thrive!

Here's why:

Reason #1: SOPs are a time saver

It may seem strange, but even if you're in those early, 100% DIY stages of business, you will absolutely save time by documenting processes.

While certain tasks and workflows can live in your head, they’re not serving anyone by being there. 

Granted, when it's just you the list of steps may be basic, but having them recorded helps prevent you from losing track of where you are in the process, forgetting a crucial step or client-specific request, or wasting time looking for information. 

Plus, like in my podcast example, when you’re starting something new it can be helpful to capture the research and preparation you did to learn how to complete the task in the first place. 

• Are there specific guidelines or best practices you should follow? 

• Are there settings in programs or on devices (cameras, audio equipment, etc.) that you use time and time again for the best results or quality product? 

• Is there a specific order you like to complete the task in? 

• Do you have a unique way of doing something? 

Even better, when you start getting help from others, that time you spent documenting your processes will pay dividends. 

One of the main reasons business owners struggle to hire is because they believe they’ll waste more time training someone else to complete a task or project, than simply doing it themselves. 

That, and they worry that even after training, this new hire still won’t be able to complete the task to their standards. 

If you have SOPs to reference though, both these concerns fly out the window. 

Freelancers or new team members can quickly learn exactly how you approach specific tasks, the steps to follow to complete the task you’re asking them to do, and what the finished product should look like. 

You’ll spend less time on training, and the version of the task they submit to you should be very close to what you were looking for, assuming they followed the steps you provided, and that your processes were documented appropriately. 

Ultimately, your SOPs are an investment in your business. Yes, they take time to create and maintain, but it's so worth it in terms of the time and energy they’ll save you down the road. 

Reason #2: SOPs support consistency

Whether we’re referring to your marketing processes, onboarding a client, or keeping up the books, consistency isn't achieved without a clear standard. 

If you're solo, it's easy to tweak and refine your processes as you go, but if you don't document them, you might forget the changes you've made or those you wanted to make moving forward (don’t ask me how I know). 

As you grow and bring on new employees, each should know exactly what you want and expect out of their role and responsibilities. 

You also want anyone you're working with to embrace the standards you set, and be able to execute on them to the best of their ability. 

They can only meet your expectations though, if they know the standard you expect. 

Plus, when new team members have ideas for changes that will streamline your processes, or changes that should be made due to adjustments in standard practices or algorithms on marketing platforms, having a documented process makes it easier to have these discussions and make adjustments.

Reason #3: SOPs facilitate knowledge transfer

Scaling your business over time may involve knowledge transfer that doesn't involve you.

By establishing a firm practice of documenting SOPs on your own and reinforcing that with everyone who takes part in building your business, you'll ensure that your business can continue to operate in the same way over time, even as employees come and go. 

Otherwise, you risk people moving on to other opportunities and taking critical knowledge about your business with them. This might look like posting schedules and best practices for social media, branding guidelines or assets, standard email templates, and even passwords. 

Instill this habit of documenting procedures and workflows in your employees from the beginning, so that at any point someone could theoretically come in and continue their job where they left off.

In addition to creating SOPs, this also might look like using a tool like 1Password for password sharing, project management tools like ClickUp or Airtable to track the progress of tasks as they’re being completed, systems and processes to support efficiency, and/or a clear organization system for files, projects, and client or company assets. 

Without clear internal documentation, you or other members of your team are going to spend far too much time looking for information on clients, past projects, or processes, especially as your company scales, projects grow, and the database of information contained within your company expands. 

Reason #4: SOPs allow for regular review and analysis to improve efficiency 

I've highlighted this already, but it’s key for continuous optimization of your business. 

When you’re able to see all of the steps you or individuals on your team are taking to complete their daily tasks, it allows you to look for potential holes or redundancies in the process. 

• Are there unnecessary steps? 

• Are too many or too few people involved? 

• How does the process fit in with your business or marketing goals?

• Is there a new method or tactic you’ve heard about that should be experimented with? 

Internal documentation like this is never a one-and-done thing. It should actively be assessed and reassessed to keep up to date with changing tools, platforms, internal structures, or goals you have for your business. 

Allow yourself time to analyze and review your processes regularly so you can ensure they’re as efficient as possible. 

You might also consider documenting all different versions of these processes, along with why certain approaches did or didn’t work, to avoid back-tracking or redundancies in the future. 

Get started documenting your processes

Standard operating procedures might seem like a highly formal name. And, when you look at the templates that are online, it can be a little overwhelming.

But remember, you can do this any way you want to do it! You're the boss.

Your SOP can be as simple as a step-by-step checklist, a video tutorial, or a visual flow chart (this is one of my favourite ways to figure them out). I've also created templates in ClickUp so the tasks are all set up for me when I’m going through a repeated process (like the podcast).

However you choose to document your processes, there are some guidelines you can use to support you: 

1. Identify the process you’re documenting. Give it a name and a clear objective. How do you know when the task needs to be started? 

2. Document the process you’re recording in real-time as you complete it, so no steps are missed. Write down each step of the process with any details required to complete it.

3. Determine who else is involved in the process, and what steps they’re responsible for. 

4. What does successful completion of the task look like? Is any additional approval required once the task has been completed? Record this as well. 

5. Refer to your documentation regularly and review it as needed with any team members you have to allow the process to evolve and improve over time. 

To get started on implementing this right away, I’m challenging you today to think of one process. 

Maybe it's a process you can rhyme off with ease from start to finish. Or perhaps you have something like my podcast where the process is undetermined or just not sinking in just yet. Go open a document or note and start listing the steps.

As you build a documentation process that works for you, consider expanding your database with additional processes, guidelines, company policies, and more to support you in streamlining and growing your business with ease.