Why Do Freelancers Neglect Systems?

Before you began working for yourself, you probably had systems to deal with. If you worked in an office, there were procedures in place that everyone typically followed, and then you had your own personal systems for getting your work done as well. If you worked in a restaurant or factory, there were steps and systems to follow, too.

Then you began freelancing. Systems were probably tossed to the side.

Why You Need a System

In James and Mason’s book, The Unlimited Freelancer, they cover systems extensively. As I read, I couldn’t help but think how much easier results would have been to achieve had we applied systems to our own business earlier on.

You need a system in place to get results, increase efficiency, and make sure that your products and services are top-notch quality. Could you imagine what would happen if a factory had no systems in place? What if every worker did what they wanted, when they wanted, regardless of what everyone else was doing?

You’d have parts being assembled out of order, you’d have a product that may or may not work, and Quality Control would be tearing their hair out. Customer Service would also be dealing with an avalanche of angry and dissatisfied customers. Late orders, partial orders, orders with parts missing…

A system provides the steps required to get good, consistent results every time, even when you’re creating art.

Save Some Sanity with a System

I’m sure if you take a look at your current methods of working, you’ll find yourself repeating a lot of tasks throughout your day. A scattered, erratic workflow isn’t great for keeping your brain fresh.

What can you do to clear the clutter and become more efficient? Can you turn a task into a clear set of steps that you repeat each time with any client?

For example, do you have a system for responding to client emails? Some freelancers send off an immediate reply to tell the person they’ve received the email and that they’ll put together a full response soon. Then they set the email aside, finish their day, and respond to all emails early the next morning.

Some freelancers use a priority system, receiving emails and marking them on a scale of urgency. Emergencies or rush emails get an immediate answer. Other emails may only be answered in 24 hours. Low-priority emails may have to wait a few days.

Some freelancers don’t have any system at all. They answer what they feel like, when they feel like it. Some emails wait days for a response and some are answered immediately, regardless of priority.

Stick with the System

At first, creating a system may seem impossible, like untangling a nasty knot from a pile of rope. Don’t get discouraged if your new systems don’t seem to work well right away. Keep at it, and you’ll see the results are more than worth it.

You may have to tweak the system you created as you go along until you find what works best for you and your business, so be flexible. Stick with the system for a few weeks, too, because that’s how long it takes to establish habit and not fall back into old, familiar patterns.

What systems do you use in your business? Do they work well for you? What results have you seen from implementing them?

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