Spoiler alert! This blog contains business tips for running an online business that every service provider wishes they had in the early years of starting their business.

(You know, when you’re stumbling your way through and learning every business lesson the hard way?)

I won’t lie, running your own online business comes with a constant learning curve… But that doesn’t mean you can’t skip a few cheeky, challenging chapters.  

From virtual assistants to brand designers, I’ve helped countless online service providers transform their businesses and can confidently say that if you take these tips for running an online business seriously… You’ll be miles ahead in your business from day one. 

1. Automate your systems before you need them

It’s a common misconception that you need to be uber-established in business before you can start automating your systems and processes… In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Sure, many business owners receive the harsh wake-up call that they need someone to help them automate their systems when they hit a wall in their business, realising A) they don’t have the capacity to handle onboarding new clients while managing their current ones, B) they’re spending more time on admin and working on their business than actually IN IT [read: the creative, fun stuff you love], or C) all of the above. 

But you, you lucky thing, have these holy grail tips for running your online business. Investing in automating your systems and processes now, before you absolutely need them, means that…

• From the get-go your clients receive a top-notch client experience
• You’ll be more organised with upcoming client projects
• You can confidently take on new clients and raise your prices
• Overall, you’ll feel more organised, streamlined and easy breezy

And to invest in your systems, that means finding the perfect CRM. (I think Dubsado is the best there is, but you can decide yourself what’s the best fit for you.)

(Psst, think your business is too small to invest in a CRM system like Dubsado? Read about my client who “thanks her lucky stars everyday” that she took that leap to invest when she had only one client, 5 months into her business.)

2. Prioritise building your email list

You’ll hear this advice from digital marketers time and time again, but this is one tip not to roll your eyes at. Building your email list is crucial, firstly, because you own your email database! Marketing with Facebook, Instagram, and Google is great, but these are ‘rented’ platforms. In short, you don’t have control over what happens if one day you wake up and these platforms are gone. This is one of the biggest reasons to prioritise building your email list over followers when growing your community online. Secondly, email marketing is a much more intimate experience and in turn, results in a higher conversion rate.

Not sure where to start? I love Flodesk, its functions are built with online service providers like you and me in mind. I use it for our own email campaigns, as well as recommend to my clients.

3. Don’t skimp on organic marketing

There are many reasons to favour organic marketing, especially in the early days of your business, the biggest being the cost-effective ROI. While it may seem like it’s a ‘pay-to-play’ world when it comes to digital marketing and paid ads, building strong foundations with your organic marketing, such as your email marketing, blog posts and social media content, is crucial before you consider running paid advertising campaigns. Plus, if your content doesn’t perform well organically, there’s a good chance it won’t perform well when you put money behind it either.

Knowing your brand values and creating compelling content that speaks to your ideal audience are some of the best ways to build trust and nurture prospective clients. In short, let your social media content, blog posts, and more do the heavy lifting for you instead of trying to convince clients with a pitch on why they should work with you.

4. Get organised 

Your organisation and systems can be the difference between thriving long-term versus cracking under pressure as you become busier. The top three things to stay on top of are your finances, your deadlines, and planning ahead. Most of which can be achieved by automating your systems and processes with a Dubsado CRM setup and/or project management tool. 

My favourite tools for staying organised with your projects are Trello and Notion. Learn about more the top tools I recommend for online business owners in this blog post.

5. Deliver a 5-star client experience

Lastly, the best tip for running an online business (or any business, really) is to always deliver a 5-star client experience. A luxury client experience can be the difference between whether a client decides to sign on with you over a competitor, or whether or not you can confidently raise your prices.

An unforgettable client experience can pay off ten-fold, from client retention to word of mouth referrals. Automating your backend processes and systems simply means you won’t ever miss a beat and can save time working on the ‘boring’ business stuff, can spend more time doing what you love, all while effortlessly showing up as the best in the biz.

And if you’re ready to get started setting up your own systems for your online business, check out…

• The Behope Studio Shop, where you’ll find The Ultimate Guidebook to Dubsado (made for Dubsado newbies), canned email templates so you can copy and paste everything you’ll ever need to email a client straight into your CRM, and the Dubsado Workflow Blueprint that walks you through setting up your essential enquiry, onboarding, and offboarding workflows
• Or hire me to set up your Dubsado (and your website!) for you

Disclaimer: This blog post may contain affiliate links for some of my favourite industry partners, in clicking I may receive a cheeky commission. I would never promote anything I don’t truly love and use for myself and recommend to my own clients.