3 tips to ensure your business can survive a unexpected week without you

There’s nothing like a unexpected trip to accident and emergency, the kids being sick or having to suddenly travel interstate to throw things into a spin.

Could your business survive a week without you?

Would the customer experience suddenly dip?

Would your visibility die?

The good news is there are three simple actions you can do now to ensure your business survives and thrives even if you aren’t able to work for a week.

Watch the video to learn how to set your business for success:

Haven’t got time to watch the video? Here’s a quick summary:

Tip 1. Batch create and schedule your content in advance

Consistent visibility is essential to growing your business therefore it’s wise to batch create and schedule your content in advance. Think videos, blog posts, social updates and newsletters.

Now this isn’t to say you can’t change things up but by having content already scheduled, you know there will be continuity for your audience even if you can’t get to your computer or phone for a week.

My favourite tools for scheduling social media are BufferApp and Recur Post.

Tip 2. Draft a canned email and social posts 

It’s wise to have ‘announcements’ drafted that a nominated person could share if you’re unable to (i.e. you’ve had an unplanned visit to hospital).

For example, you could have a canned email set up in Gmail that the person could simply switch on explaining your inability to respond as per normal, your expected time frame for returning to work and what a client should do if something urgent arises. The same goes for social media posts.

You’ll want to consider at what point each announcement should be shared. For example, if you’re going to been unavailable for two days you may only turn on the canned email whereas a week’s absence may be better announced with email and social media.

Tip 3. Set up a client spreadsheet and calendar access

If you’re unable to provide services to your clients as normal you will want to have someone contact with them to advise and make alternative arrangements. It’s best to do this via phone and if necessary, confirm via email.

This demonstrates to your clients that they are valued and even when you can’t make contact yourself, you are taking care of them.

The person making contact on your behalf will need contact details and access to your calendar to postpone any appointments so be sure to have an updated spreadsheet with all client details.

Extra note…

It’s important to have identified and communicated with a trusted person who can act on your behalf if necessary. The person could be a friend, family member or virtual assistant.

Consider the skills the person needs to be able to fulfill their tasks i.e. my father would be willing to act on my behalf but doesn’t have the computer skills to do it while my business owner friend would be perfect for the role (swapsies rock).

Also ensure your expectations are clear in the sense of what the person is to do when and in which circumstances.

Next steps…

These tips are simple to implement and will save you extra grief if you are suddenly taken away from your business.

But…

Prevention is even more important so be sure to maintain self care practices. You may avoid issues arising in the first place.

P.S. If you need some self care ideas check out Denise Duffield-Thomas’ blog ‘The Most Common Self-Care Mistakes Of Female Entrepreneurs (And How To Avoid Them).’