How to make sure your business is backed up for the unexpected, when you are a sole trader.
I have had two incidents recently where unexpected events happened and my business couldn’t operate in its normal manner.
One was due to illness and the other due to a laptop malfunction. Although both these situations were unavoidable and unpredictable they still caused me considerable stress. I have learned a lot and my hope for sharing this blog is that if unexpected events disrupt your usual routine you can minimize the impact it has on your business and your stress levels.
#1 Back up your work
It might seem obvious but this is the first thing I would suggest. We all rely on tech these days and now with options like “clouds” it’s easier than ever to back up your work. If this isn’t something your tech does automatically then my advice is to build a regular interval when you perform a manual backup to something like a USB stick or external hard drive. Depending on the volume of work that’s stored on your device you could choose to do this weekly, monthly, or quarterly.
If you choose to rely on a digital backup system like a cloud just be sure you check the terms and conditions with your provider for recovery of data in case of hacking or complete loss of access.
#2 Use secure password storage.
When a device goes wrong one of the biggest hassles is logging into all the sites you need on alternative tech. We all have so many passwords to deal with these days and thanks to auto log-ins, remembering them is even more challenging. This stress can be avoided but using password storage software. The one I use is Last pass, and four years down the line I’m yet to move out of the free version.
#3 Have a backup admin for your social media.
Unfortunately sometimes despite our best efforts, we can end up locked out of our social media accounts, Facebook can be especially tricky. For that reason, I advise adding someone as an admin to your business pages as it can make the recovery process a lot easier.
Now let's think of the practicalities if it's not a tech crisis but something that takes you physically away from your business.
#4 Pick your In Case of Emergency person
Who do you know that you would feel happy to hand the reins over to if needs be? Depending on what you’ll need of them it might simply be a family member or bestie who can put your auto responder in place and make contact with clients. If you need more detailed help to tick things over, you may want to pick a trusted peer who does similar work or a VA if you know one. Whoever you choose, choose wisely. Make sure they are happy to do the tasks required at short notice independently.
#5 Draft your out-of-office message.
Write an auto-response message to go on your emails, and social media DM’s. Something with response times or an alternative person to contact just to manage people's expectations whilst maintaining a professional service.
Just keep people as informed as you can- Image credit canva.
#6 Try to schedule some content well in advance.
When we have to down tools in these situations our business visibility takes a hit. Whilst it is ideal if you can spend time engaging on the platforms to get the most out of your posts, some content is better than none. Scheduling some content pieces will in advance means things can tick over at a slower pace for you. Things like motivational quotes, relevant awareness days that will resonate with your audience, and if your business allows then seasonal tips that you know can be planned in.
If this sounds like a good idea in theory but the practical side fills you with dread why not book a business buzz session. This is a perfect task we can tackle together in 90 minutes.
#7 Prepare standard operating procedures (SOP’s)
I know they are not anyone’s favourite thing to read or create but if you are used to doing everything yourself and then you need someone to hold the fort then you're going to have to give them something to go on, in terms of what you do for who.
Try to keep it simple and clear and with a standard format Imagine your writing an XYZ guide for dummies, you know the ones with the yellow covers.
This is just what I have learned so far in 2022 and I still need to practice what I preach, in fact, I am just off to work on my own SOPs.