Dave Meadows and Mike Sovie are co-founders of ColdCallRX, a supplier of outsourced cold-calling and lead technology providers based mostly in Tampa Bay, Fla., that they began in 2020.

A method they’ve positioned their firm to scale up is by creating normal working procedures, or SOPs. Entrepreneurs use these paperwork to explain how they do issues within the enterprise—whether or not it’s answering a customer support name or coming into data right into a database—so it’s simpler to coach new hires.

Some later discover that once they promote the enterprise, having SOPs in place makes it extra enticing to potential patrons, who know they will step into possession with out confusion about how you can preserve issues operating easily. “A enterprise that may function with out the proprietor day-to-day is price far more than a enterprise that requires the proprietor,” says Sovie, who has a background in pharma, the place many processes are standardized on this means.

Within the case of ColdCallRX, the SOPs consist of straightforward video clips of every process, together with written directions. “If somebody has a query, you possibly can ship them a fast video,” says Sovie.

ColdCall RX has organized the SOPs right into a playbook, which has a desk of contents for all of its SOPs, overlaying matters like shopper onboarding, software program techniques and coaching, and digital assistant administration assist and coaching.

The corporate additionally shares a “finest practices” SOP with its shoppers to assist them get essentially the most out of the connection, providing steering on situations like what to do in the event that they get a name from a key contact at an organization ColdCallRX has been pitching on their behalf. “We’re an extension of their gross sales crew,” says Meadows.

So how do you create SOPs in your personal enterprise? I turned to Carrie Wulf, an operations knowledgeable and self-described “SOP geek” at Wulden Skilled Options in Wallingford, Ct., for recommendation.

“Within the final yr there was an uptick—individuals are realizing they should put these procedures in place,” she says. “They wish to begin taking holidays. Individuals are realizing I may give my assistant this library of SOPs and they’ll know precisely what they should do and the way it needs to be carried out.”

Listed here are three tricks to begin making use of right this moment.

1. Think about all kinds of learners. Some folks be taught finest from a video. Others do higher when studying from an audio recording or a written doc. Your SOPs can be most profitable when you create them in a number of codecs. “At any time when I’m writing an SOP, I embrace a hyperlink for a video walk-through,” she says.

2. Think about each single step. Somebody ought to be capable to observe the SOP even when they’ve by no means labored for your small business earlier than. “My objective after I write SOPs is to have the ability to hand that doc over to somebody how has by no means carried out that process earlier than, to allow them to do it following the SOP because it’s written,” says Wulf.

3. Make it simple on your self. Wulf makes use of a video messaging device known as Loom to speak by way of and report the steps of every course of. For those who decide to make use of it, she suggests recording your self with a Zoom display share.

In the end, SOPs are a easy device. Nevertheless, they will make an actual distinction if you wish to develop your small business—and benefit from the fruits of your labor.