Organization is such a beautiful thing. I didn’t realize just HOW beautiful until I became a small business owner. Staying organized keeps things moving and flowing smoothly. Now, I must confess, I haven’t always been the most organized person! In fact, I used to be the girl who “stayed organized in her mess” (just ask my mom about my room cleaning growing up)! Since those days I’m happy to say I’ve changed my tactics and appreciate organization so much more now. I’ve come to realize that in owning a small business it is SO important to play “offense” instead of defense. I want to keep scoring, keep moving and keep staying ahead of the game! I don’t want to get behind, play catch up or have unexpected things come my way (though sometimes those are inevitable). Today, I want to share three things that have helped me stay ahead!
A NotePad for LISTS –
Lists save me. There are many times throughout my day when I feel like I’ve been doing SO MUCH but have gotten very little done. I think anyone who owns their own business and is reading this is fist pumping right now. This feeling isn’t something that I have learned to escape, BUT I have learned how to handle i!. Now, I put everything on my lists, even little things from checking email, to posting to social media! There is SO much that goes into making a business a business- from marketing to phone calls, to updating websites and client check ins, to posting instagram photos and even updating Facebook! It sounds silly, but crossing things off my list makes me feel productive and keeps me organized. If it’s not on the list- it doesn’t need to get done!
A Payment Plan Calendar-
Photogs- this is for you! I don’t know how you keep track of your photo shoots or the income you get from them but this has been a lifesaver for me. For my brides, I offer a few different payment plan options. After they have selected their payment plan and the contract is signed, I go through my calendar and jot down the important details. I’m a very visual and tactile person and I LOVE to write things down. Keeping this information on my computer is essential, but it’s also important (for me) to have it displayed where I can see it. This helps me know when I can purchase new equipment, send invoices, invest and keep up with the numbers side of things! I love it!
Folders-
Physical folders, and virtual folders keep things moving! They keep me organized! During client meetings I do a lot of writing…. dates, details, fun facts about my clients. This helps me stay intentional and remember the important things that make my clients unique! It would be ideal if I retyped everything I wrote down, but I don’t always have time for that. Instead, I snap an iPhone photo of my notes, email it to myself and file it away in my clients folder on my computer. Then, I file the hard copy away in a physical client folder as well. This allows for me to always have the information I need at my fingertips wherever I am without having to take physical client folders with me ! I love it- I mean, who wants to be “that girl” lugging tons of paperwork in order to get some work done at Starbucks? Not me!
Hope this helped you get organized, and see a little more into my world!
xo
AnnaFilly
*I love sharing, it’s essential to growth! If you ever have a question about the way things work at Anna Filly Photography, feel free to email me at AnnaFilly@comcast.net!
Leave a Reply