Newsletter:
As we close out 2019, we'd like to take a minute to pause and reflect on the past year. The past 365 days have been a whirlwind for us, and one theme that seems to have popped up quite a bit was "process." It's kind of an abstract term, but boy oh boy does it have an impact on keeping things running smoothly. Let's take a few minutes and go over some of the ways in which having a consistent order of operations for your workflow can make all the difference in turning out a great product (or service).
When you look at one of the Pyramids, you might ask yourself the question: "What's the most important part, the base or the top?" Trick question, they're both important, but for different reasons. The base is important because without it, you can't do anything else. And the top is important because, why else were you building a base for? It's also true for your company's output. There are fundamentals that need to be there, and there's also the bells and whistles that make you stand apart from your competition (This is kind of a roundabout way of getting into workflow and process, but bear with me).
So, when your shiny new product presents itself, how did it get there? Simple, someone made it. Well, this was an easy article, right? Not so fast. How did that someone make it? Did they conjure it out of the ether? Maybe if their name rhymes with "Shmumbledore." More likely, someone told them how to make it. OK, great. So, how did that someone know to pass along knowledge of how to make your shiny product? There's a decent chance the words "market research" appear in the answer somewhere. OK, but take a step back even further: Where did you even find this market? And why are you trying to appeal to it in the first place?
All these are good questions, about very good steps to have. Take out even one of these steps, and you don't have a product at all (or a Pyramid). Basically, process is about figuring out 1. What you're selling 2. Why you're selling it 3. Who you're selling it to 4. How you're selling it, 5. When and where you're selling it (sometimes these steps are interchangable), and finally, 6. Usually in numbered steps, yes. And it doesn't matter what kind of business you have. You can be selling animated videos, or SEO services, or biodegradable widgets, or how-to guides to succeeding in business without really trying, and you're still going to benefit from Knowing Your Process.
Hope you have a great month, and we'll see you all in the New Year!