8 Smart Solutions to Do More in Less Time!

Do you find yourself working evenings and weekends just trying to catch up? The day-to-day operations of running a successful promotional products business can be challenging. There is always so much to do and so little time. 

Whether you’ve been in the promotional products business 20 days or 20 years you know it’s easy to get side-tracked. Some days it may seem like you’ve accomplished very little. It’s a common problem many in our industry face. I’ve been there! You are not alone!  

Here’s the good news. There are solutions you can start to implement now. Today’s blog post will give you eight proven ways to get more done in less time. These ideas have worked for me and can work for you too!      

1. Block Time. Are you overwhelmed trying to squeeze too much into one day? just so Start prioritizing what’s really important to you, and learn to just say no! Every day pick your top 3 high-payoff activities and focus your time there.  

2. Set a minimum order limit.  Are you inundated with small orders and even smaller profit margins? Do a client profitability analysis. Some customers and their orders may not be worth the time they take. Consider setting a minimum order limit and turning down business that doesn’t meet your profit goals. In the long run this will free your time for more profitable orders and customers.

3. Clear the clutter. If you’re buried knee deep in samples, catalogs and piles of paper, here’s a quick organizing tip. Pick one area to start with. Set a timer for 20 minutes and just take action. It’s amazing how much you can get done in a short amount of time. To keep the momentum going, put on your favorite music while you’re getting organized. It will energize you and help you stay on task. To eliminate even more paper clutter, pay invoices online and access your supplier catalogs digitally.

4. Tame your email.  Turn off the email alerts and vow to check your email only at designated times during the day such first thing in the morning, lunch and at the end of the day. Consider an additional email address for non-urgent emails or supplier special offers.  

5. Limit social media time. Are you overwhelmed trying to keep up with Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter posts?  Set a time limit for yourself. I recommend no more than 30 minutes a day during business hours. You can do this in blocks of 10. Ten minutes in the morning, ten minutes at noon, ten minutes at the end of the day.  If you post to more than one social media site, use a social media management tool such as Hoot Suite, (https://www.hootsuite.com). Save the socializing for the evenings when you’re not working.

6. Have a preferred supplier list. Do you find yourself constantly searching for the best product and price? Have a preferred group of suppliers that you go to first for all orders. It the long-run this will save you time and help you to receive better pricing. 

1. Get help. Consider hiring an assistant. College students, especially those studying marketing and advertising, can provide excellent help for your business. Some colleges and universities have intern programs. Additionally; most college students are tech savvy and can help make better use of processes to save you time and money. Another option is to hire a virtual assistant, someone who works remotely without having to come to your office. Upwork (https://www.upwork.com) is a good site for looking for virtual help. 

2. Take time for yourself. This may be the most important tip of all. When you regularly take time to relax and step away from your business you’ll avoid being overwhelmed and come back energized and more productive. 

Here’s to being more productive, so that you can have a great business and the time to enjoy a wonderful life!