The Inclusive Networker
The Inclusive Networker is a podcast dedicated to helping small business owners, solopreneurs, and network marketers develop inclusive marketing and sales processes that help them authentically reach diverse audiences and subsequently grow large, diverse networks of customers, business partners, or team members.
The Inclusive Networker
Systems That Fit Your Brand Style & Farewell to The Inclusive Networker
Welcome to the last episode of The Inclusive Networker...but this isn't goodbye! We are rolling out a new podcast called The Systems Boutique coming to you 4/02/2024.
This episode is a sneak peak at what's to come!
Let's delve into the intricate world of bespoke business systems, designed to flatter the unique contours of women and minority-owned enterprises. Join me as we compare the precision of custom fashion to creating a back-end that seamlessly supports your brand, with tools and robust CRM systems that transform prospects into devoted customers.
In this episode, you'll learn the following:
1. The importance of tailoring systems to fit the specific needs and style of a business.
2. The reason why building a comprehensive set of systems is crucial for business success.
3. Integrating various systems seamlessly and ensuring consistency across all platforms as essential elements for business owners.
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Thank you for listening!
~Dr. Raymona
Hey, hey, hey and welcome, welcome. Welcome to the Inclusive Networker Podcast. This podcast is the SOS. That's all the inside scoop on systems operations and the support for women and minority-owned businesses. We help small business owners and solo-preneurs become aware of gaps in knowledge or awareness that could be keeping their networks and businesses small. We help women and minority-owned businesses to be able to support women and minority-owned businesses. So if that's you, or you want to authentically support women and minority-owned businesses, you are in the right place. But be warned you will be challenged. But here's the thing you won't be judged. I'm your host, dr Ramona. I'm the owner of the fabulous software as a service that's SaaS agency called I Engage you. I'm a speaker, coach, consultant, public health professor, wife, mom and a fierce challenger of broken systems that keep people from reaching their highest potential. I am so excited to be with you on your journey to becoming an Inclusive Networker. Let's jump right in. Hey, hey, hey and welcome, welcome. Welcome to this week's episode of the Systems Boutique. Yes, you heard me right. I said the Systems Boutique.
Speaker 1:I have transitioned, I am doing some rebranding from the Inclusive Networker and I'm so excited to bring you all this episode today. And so why am I moving from the Inclusive Networker to the Systems Boutique? Well, you all know that in the Inclusive Networker, I really always say that I challenge broken systems that keep people from reaching their highest potential. And so, as I have gone out and I have done all of the diversity, equity and inclusion work, I have opened doors and seen how we can open doors for people who are women and minorities in business. But I also saw that, even if the door was open, if the individual did not have what they needed to be able to walk through the door, to sit at the table or either build their own table, then all of it was really for naught. And so I wanted to do something, not only to open the doors, to do the diversity, equity and inclusion training, but I wanted to put it into action.
Speaker 1:And so I started to think about what is something that really will help women and minority business owners understand systems and how you put things together to make sure that you have that beautiful back end to your business that you are looking for. And so I thought we often love fashion and systems are how the world works right, and so when you think about the systems and you think about how you put together even just something as simple as your wardrobe. We can really relate to that. We love, as business owners, to look good, to feel good, and so the systems boutique was born, and so I want to ensure that you all are able to have the systems that are just as fabulous as your wardrobe in your closet, and so we're going to use fun things to make sure that systems land in your mind. And so here we are at the systems boutique, and so, with the systems boutique, I say that I design systems that fit your brand style, and that's what we want to do.
Speaker 1:A lot of times you know, you have heard of this system that this person is using this email marketing, this lead magnet, this all freebie, whatever it is. People are doing it and it works, but what are the systems that really fit for you? That is what we're looking for as we are moving forward into our businesses, and so I'm so excited to bring you all the systems boutique. So here we go. I'm going to talk to you today about some systems that you absolutely need to have in your business, and so what we want to do is to make sure, again, that your back end systems are as tailored and stylish as the clothes you wear. And so here we are with this idea of bespoke. So that's the first fashion term that I'm going to bring you all. What does bespoke mean? So I started to hear this term as I was researching and thinking about how systems fit, and bespoke is something in the fashion world that means custom made, and so that's what we want. We want custom made systems. When you have a custom made outfit, it fits you like a glove. It is absolutely going to be just fitting all of the curves. It's going to make sure that everything in your body is accentuated, and so it's so much better than being off the rack. And so that's what we want for the systems that we have in our businesses. And we just bring in systems that we've heard from everybody else.
Speaker 1:Often one you're not understanding the full functionality. You don't know how the systems fit together. So it's just like if you were taking a hammer and you were supposed to be hitting a nail with it, and then what you do is try to eat your food with it. Right, it's like you have the full functionality of a hammer. It can do the things that it was made to do, but you're using it to try to eat food, and it just is not going to work. And so that's what happens with a lot of the systems.
Speaker 1:We have these different CRMs, and we'll talk about what that means in just a minute. We have these email systems. We have things that give us automation and workflows, and we don't understand how to use them. Or we have all of these individual systems that don't come together to make one fully functioning system where our clients can really just walk down the runway from hello to here's my credit card, and that's what we want. So why do we want tailored systems? They should fit like a suit, right? If you have a suit and it doesn't fit, you don't put it on, you don't like it, you don't feel good in it, it feels too tight, you feel awkward all day, and that's what's happening with our business systems is that we have things that don't really fit, so we feel like our business isn't working. We feel overwhelmed, we don't have enough time to do the things that we are going to do or that we need to do, because we don't have the systems in place to ensure that things are working effortlessly. And so one of the things that we want to do is to ensure that we have certain systems in place. So that's what I'm going to talk about today.
Speaker 1:So here are the five systems or six systems that I'm going to talk about. So the first one is social media management. You absolutely need social media management in your business. It doesn't matter if you have a brick and mortar business or if you have a business that is online. Social media is the way to go. No one will know about you if you don't have social media in place, so we'll talk about that one. You need a CRM. If you don't know what a customer relationship management tool is yet, then you are not speaking the language of business. You absolutely have to have a CRM in place so that you're not losing people and that you are making sure that you watch people go from hello to here's my credit card. So make sure that you have that automated calendar booking. I'm going to talk about this. Why do we not have this in place? Why are we going back and forth talking to people about what day and time they have available, giving them a few options, letting them choose? No, let your calendar do that, and then let your calendar remind them. The next thing is seamless proposals and invoices. You've got to look professional. You need to get people money easily and seamlessly let's talk about fashion Seamlessly. You need to get in that information from them to get paid. So we're going to talk about that.
Speaker 1:Engaging email marketing. A lot of you say, oh, I don't like email, I don't want to do email. Let me tell you the hottest, the top marketers in the country use email and you can almost bet on a dollar for every individual that you have on your email list, and I will tell you about the real estate of social media and why you should not be dependent on that in just a moment when we talk about that one. The last one that many people don't talk about is this idea of missed call text back. So when you miss a call and you are not there to receive that call, then you will not get that business, because the people are we live in a microwave society so they are ready to get that information, they are ready to get the service, and if it's two or three of your business in an area and the other person answers the phone, they are much more likely to get that sale. And so what we want to do is ensure that your operations are not just functional but fabulous, right? Just like your wardrobe. And so here are the systems that we were just talking about.
Speaker 1:So let's dig a little deeper into this Social media management. So your digital presence is like your storefront. It is absolutely your storefront. Your brand online presence is your global runway. So when we're talking about our runway, it is somewhere that the client can walk through to paying you. So this is what you need. You've got to have that global runway. And why do I call it global? Because your business can sell to people anywhere, even if you are a brick and mortar, that's local. There are ways that you can think about how you reach into that global marketplace if we just think a little bit bigger. And so you have to have a system that schedules posts, engages with your audience and analyzes performance, and that keeps your brand in the spotlight. So when your brand is in the spotlight, whatever you sell is trending, right? So when we think about what is trending in 2024, what's trending for this spring, your brand needs to be trending, and so that's how we do.
Speaker 1:It is by making sure that people see you on social media. Many of you are, like I have said to audiences before the baddest business builders out there. You have it going on, but nobody knows about you. And so consistency consistency with your social media keeps you top of mind for your ideal client. And so posting daily, making sure people know what you do For me, even though I say that I do system, people often still don't understand that. So, helping them to see it, giving them entertaining reels, the podcast that explains it a little bit more those are the types of things that you can post on social media to ensure that people know what you're doing and they understand your brand. So that's the first system. Get that in place.
Speaker 1:How do you schedule on social media Now? The systems boutique has a social media scheduler right there in the system. You don't have to have HootSuite, you don't have to have any of these other brands that are specific just to social media scheduling. You can stick it in the system and it will schedule it out for you. If you have a team, it will let your team approve it. So all of those things are in the systems boutique. So social media scheduling that is the very first thing.
Speaker 1:The second thing that you need is a CRM. The systems boutique is a complete CRM, and so with the CRM, it is a relationship management tool, and so relationships are absolutely the heart of your business. So a CRM system it captures where people are in their sales pipeline. So how many times have people fallen through the cracks when you were trying to think of okay, who did I reach out to last week? Where are they? Did I send them this message? Did I send them this free thing? Did I send them this coupon? You've got to have them in a visual system where you can actually see where they are, so it keeps them from falling through the cracks. It gathers their preferences. You're going to be able to see who clicks and opens things, who likes this particular post, who is there to purchase a particular item that you have, who does that more? How do I separate these individuals out? So that is what a CRM will do. It will give you the purchase history and it gives you interactions. So you tailor experiences that really resonate with your customers' personality style, so that builds the loyalty and the absolute love for your brand. So you have to follow people, and I keep saying that you've got to follow them from hello to here's my credit card, and so your CRM allows you to watch them like a hawk as they walk down that global runway to your business. So that's a CRM. And again, the Systems Boutique is a whole CRM. It gives you absolutely everything that you need for the back end of your business. So the CRM. So we had social media, then we had the CRM.
Speaker 1:The third thing is the automated calendar. So, navigating appointments and schedules, it can be like mixing and matching in fashion. So have you ever seen anybody that you're like, ooh, that done, quite go together right. And so when that happens, it feels odd. And so finding the right combination of what you want to do and what you want to wear to feel fabulous is absolutely key, and so the right combination that feels good for you in your business is key. So a lot of times, people have given you this tick. They have given you all of these recommendations for CRM email, auto responders, calendars, all of that but it has not been the right combination for you. It doesn't fit your brand style. And so an automated calendar system like we have in I Engage you and in now the Systems Boutique that we have transitioned the platform to. It's like your backstage crew, so it organizes your bookings with precision. It ensures that you're always on cue. So it says, hey, go here at this time, be here at that time. It tells you where to be and where to go so that you don't have to think about it. So it can be a delivery, a salon appointment whatever you do in your business a coaching session. You're going to keep your business as coordinated as a well put together outfit. So you need that calendar, that automated calendar. So that is the third thing.
Speaker 1:The fourth thing that we're going to talk about is proposals and invoicing. So with proposals and invoicing, first impressions really count. So how are you getting that billing information out to people? What is it that you have to do? Does it take you days to put a proposal together? Are you now having to cut and paste things into a proposal or into an invoice? In the systems boutique, I can set up a form for you where you say this is the particular proposal that I want that individual to have. This proposal is attached to a money amount and it's attached to a link, and that will automatically populate into an invoice. Send them different information, like emails, that tells them about how they complete the invoice and all you do is get notifications that say this person has completed the invoice. They receive the invoice. Then you can look in the system and see exactly where they are. Oh, this person has been sent the invoice but they haven't actually signed it. Well, this person signed it, but they haven't gone to the next step. So all of that is there, and those are the types of things that you need when you're sending out invoices not just how they look, but how does it feel for you to send out that invoice and that proposal. And so, whether you're quoting logistics or billing for a styling session, those streamlined proposals and invoicing reflect your professionalism and they talk about your attention to detail and so getting paid. It should absolutely, absolutely be seamless in your business. So that is proposals and invoicing.
Speaker 1:The next thing that you have to have in your business is email marketing. Now, this is the one where people often say oh, dr Ramona, no, I hate seeing all these emails, I hate getting these emails. You have got to get out of that. Communicate with style. Now, what has happened before is that individuals were able to talk to each other more.
Speaker 1:We always say that it takes at least seven to 10 interactions with people to be able to get the information to them, to help them to convert into a sale. Well, you don't have time to talk to everybody seven to 10 times. You need to tell them your story. They need to be getting comfortable with you, they need to love you, and the way that they're going to do that is because you're going to tell the story a million times through email, not through you having to talk to people and retell it over and over and over again.
Speaker 1:We're going to give people a soap opera sequence. We're going to say here's what happened and this is how I started this process, and wait till the next day. There's more, and so we give them a cliffhanger, like what happens at the end of every soap opera. There is something that makes you say oh, why did you stop right there? Give me the information, let me see what happens tomorrow, and so that's what happens in a good series on TV and that's what happens in a good email series, and so you will learn how to do that and we can automate that. We put that into the systems boutique and we make it fit your personality and your brand.
Speaker 1:And so tailored email campaigns they really keep your audience engaged and that's what you want, because, again, you don't have time for those individual emails and those individual conversation, and what you want to do is inspire them to action, and so the right message at the right time can transform just being interested into actually. Here is my credit card, and so that is what you want Not only the credit card you know, I say that to give you all a lighthearted way of thinking about this but the impact. You want to impact people and you want to make a difference in their lives. And how do you do that? You've got to move them through the process of getting to the change that they will have that your brand creates and makes in their life, and so that is one thing that you have to have that email.
Speaker 1:Now why do I say email is so important? Well, a lot of you only have your social media. Social media is not your home. You don't own it, it is not your real estate. You can be kicked out at any time. So what happens is, if Instagram pulls the plug and shuts you down one day, you lose all contact with individuals. Now let's say you have your email list and you have a couple of thousand people on your email list. If that is the case, then you can email them, even if it's a new platform and say, hey, I'm on threads and this is where I am on threads, here's my information, here's my username and you can connect with me there. Or you can just talk to them via the email.
Speaker 1:Email is how you make the actual sale. People don't typically buy things just straight from social media. They go into the next phase of the pipeline and then they purchase, and so you want to make sure that you have your email list hot, because that is the best place to be able to sell to individuals is, once they've gotten to know you. They're off the social media platforms, they're on your territory, that is where you want to be. So you don't own that real estate on social media. Well, you can get evicted, and I don't like that feeling. I don't like that. I don't have control over that, and so social media has to be your storefront, but the back end, the inside of the store, had you got to move them into your own email list.
Speaker 1:Now, the sixth thing that I want to talk to you about is missed call text back. A lot of people don't even know what this is. They have not heard of this functionality within a CRM. So, in the systems boutique. What you can do is you can have a missed call, go directly into a text message so you have a smart number. When someone sends you a message or they call that number that's directed from your business number, then you will get a text and you can start to interact with them and you can say hi, I got your call, sorry, we missed your call and here's how we'll contact you. We'll contact you within the next hour. If it's 24 hours, we can make the text say whatever you want it to. But again, you're not sitting there saying, oh, let me text them back really quick. That should be automated.
Speaker 1:A missed call means missing out. There are so many businesses that are buying for that customer's attention, so you really want to be sure that they are getting your message quickly, as fast as they can, so that you have their attention and you keep their attention. It also makes them feel nurtured, but it doesn't make you feel burnout from trying to keep up with everybody, and so it's important for you to activate something like missed call text back so that that caller knows their value. The lines of communication are open. You're responsive. That's what happens with a lot of businesses. They get the information and then the customer say they're not responsive. They don't ever respond back. I haven't heard from them in days. I tried to message them days ago and have not heard a thing. So this automatically gives you a little bit of a lifeline so you can have the time to get back with that customer and you stop losing people, which is so important in our business. So that is one thing that you need the missed call text back.
Speaker 1:Now, how do you make this your own? I know that it sounds overwhelming at times when we think about systems and how to put all those things together. Well, I am certainly the system stylist and so I can help you to do that, but it's really as simple as something that you can think about, like cleaning out your closet. So when you start cleaning out your closet often I know my closet it feels daunting. There's so many different things, there's so many shoes all around, there's so many clothes that I don't like some. I do, and I need to sort through it all.
Speaker 1:But what is the first step? Doing an assessment? Right, so you have to do an assessment. You can see where you are and then Think about where do you want to be, where do you want to go and then Assessing your current systems and then identify areas where you can improve. And so you can ask yourself when was the last time an overlooked social media comment led to a miss sale? So many times that has happened. Huh, when have you ever lost a customer Because you were disorganized or you had a disorganized CRM, or you don't even have a CRM? That's the question that you can ask yourself, or just what things are making me feel overwhelmed in my business, so I can just automate them. What, why am I doing this? And so that's the things that you can do for your assessment. Just start to ask your question your self, a question about where have things fallen apart in the past and what can I do better.
Speaker 1:And then let's have a personal style session. We're gonna look at your systems and say what's the best fit. Your brand is fun, it's edgy, it's super professional, it is coaching, it is a hairdresser, it is a entertainment business, like my hubby. You know, what kind of business do you have? What is the feel that you want to give to other people and then fit the systems to that? It doesn't have to look like everybody else's, it's just like if you try to copy somebody else's style. You would try to wear the tight clothes that they wear, or the bluster clothes, and you wear tighter clothes and all of that. It just feels just funky, right? You don't want it, and so that's what's happening with your systems, and that's why we have the systems boutique because you can come in, you can get that personal style.
Speaker 1:We can figure out what really fits your brand. What do you need? How do we streamline? You know we're talking in fashion about closet capsules. What are the small amounts of things that you need that are really going to fit your, your wardrobe and the way that you want to customize, the way that you look and feel? So how do we build that capsule around the systems that you have in your business, just like you would your wardrobe, and so that is what we do in the systems boutique, and so we are stitching up our time together on this podcast today.
Speaker 1:But remember, your style is not just about appearances. It's about how Effectively everything works behind the scenes. That is what's important. You got to have the stuff that's sitting underneath, or the stuff that everybody else sees is not gonna look good either, and so at the systems boutique, we are absolutely dedicated to crafting your business Systems that not only function flawlessly but also mirror that unique style and the essence of your brand. Because when your systems are tailored just for you, your business isn't just efficient, it's in vogue. And so I am so excited to bring to you all the systems boutique. So start with those simple systems. Book a call, get your systems style done. You need your personal system style. We can make it bespoke and customized to you and your brand, and we want to do this to help ensure that women and minority businesses reach their highest potential. So I'm so excited to introduce to you today the Systems Boutique and we will see you on the next episode of the Systems Boutique. See ya, bye. And that wraps up another episode of the Inclusive Networker Podcast.
Speaker 1:I want to express my sincere gratitude to you, our listeners, for joining us on this journey of learning and growth. Your support and engagement are truly, truly appreciated. But before we go, I have something special for our business owners out there. If you're looking to take your business to new heights, I've created a game changer just for you. Introducing I Engage you. It is the SOS. That is, the systems, operations and support for your business. It is the all-in-one platform designed to ignite explosive growth for women and minority-owned businesses.
Speaker 1:Imagine a world where your business runs seamlessly, where overwhelm becomes a thing of the past and you finally have both a thriving business and a life you love. With I Engage you, you can conversationally convert leads from your pocket. You can generate sales with the push of a button and effortlessly scale your online reputation. And here's the best part you can experience the power of I Engage you with a 14-day free trial. It's time to increase your business efficiency, reduce overwhelm and step into a future of success. So head over to IEngageYoucom to start your 14-day free trial today, thank you. Thank you again for being part of the Inclusive Networker community. Until next time, keep networking inclusively and thriving in your journey of success. Take care and we'll catch you in the next episode.