5 Simple Tips to Keep Your Online Business in Order

This is a guest post by Wendy Dessler

Now that you’ve decided to start an online business, it’s time to figure out the best ways to stay organized. If your business is a mess, you’ll find it nearly impossible to stay productive, meet deadlines, and keep your business running smoothly due to lack of organization.

With an online business, you need to organize your physical world and your digital world as well. So we’ll share tips to help you get organized in both areas. When you master these skills, your online business will not only become more orderly, you’ll also become more productive and you’ll begin seeing greater levels of success.

1. Store Your Most Important Digital Files in the Cloud

Cloud storage is a godsend for a number of different reasons. For starters, you can access it anywhere, so if you need to work on a file from home, you’ll be able to access it via the cloud and work your magic from any computer or device you have as long as it has internet access.

Next, cloud storage is great because it gives you the ability to share documents online quickly and easily. As long as you’re willing to give certain people access to your files, you can share them; they can use them, and even make edits if you’re willing to give them permission.

By using cloud storage in your business, you’re keeping important documents and records safe and secure in the event your computer crashes or your hard drive manages to get erased. Cloud storage is the safest way to ensure important business data survives in the event of some type of accident.

2. Use Online Time Clocks to Track Productivity

In many instances, you’ll need to bill clients based on the amount of hours put into a particular project. In some cases you’ll even need to hire outside help in order to finish your work. Instead of hoping you’ll remember to bill for all of your working hours on a particular project, you should use online time tracking instead.

Clockspot is an excellent option because this technology is versatile. If you have outside contractors working virtually, they can log into your software from anywhere in the world and keep track of their billable hours. With this system in place, you’ll know how much to pay your virtual freelancing staff and you’ll also know how much to charge your clients accordingly.

3. Get Rid of All of Your Paper Receipts, Statements Etc.

It’s time to finally ditch the paper receipts, paper statements, and all other forms of business-related paper that you absolutely do not need. In the digital age, the easiest way to keep organized is to store everything as electronic files. Since the IRS now accepts electronic receipts, you have zero reason to hold onto physical copies at this point.

4. Purge the Physical Clutter from Your Office

From a physical standpoint, it’s often hard to become productive when your office is so filled with clutter that it’s hard to function let alone think. By purging the physical clutter from your office, you eliminate the chaos and stress holding you back.

When you think everything is important, it’s easy to let clutter build up. It’s time to look through all your possessions and tech accessories, discover what’s truly important, and get rid of the rest.

5. Organize Your Social Media Profiles

All great businesses have multiple social media profiles and thriving fan bases. But it doesn’t mean your company needs to be on every social media platform to achieve success.

At this point, ditch any social media accounts you don’t use and eliminate duplicates as well. If Twitter was a bust, shut down your account and move on. Do this for every other social media account you have.

It’s possible to organize your online business from a digital and physical standpoint. Please use the suggestions mentioned today and you’ll become more productive and achieve greater success in no time at all.

5 Simple Tips to Keep Your Online Business in Order was originally posted on Allyssa Barnes.