Future Steps Creative Podcast – Episode #105
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Do you ever feel like things are all over the place when it comes to running your operations?
Maybe you’re doing extra work because you forgot an important step.
Or your team keeps interrupting you because you’re the only one who knows what to do next.
If any of that sounds familiar, it’s time to fix that.
Today, I want to talk about SOPs—Standard Operating Procedures—and how they can help you work more effectively, save time, and bring some much-needed order to your operations.
What Is an SOP?
An SOP, or Standard Operating Procedure, is a document you can reference when working on different parts of your operations in your business or organisation.
Its purpose is simple: it helps you or your team stay on track by clearly outlining the steps needed to achieve a specific result. Instead of figuring things out as you go, you just follow the process.
Some examples of SOPs you might already need include:
- An SOP for onboarding new members into your program
- An SOP for how you deliver your service to clients
- An SOP for producing YouTube videos
Any task that you do more than once is a great candidate for an SOP.
The Benefits of SOPs
Once you start using SOPs consistently, the benefits really add up.
First, they help you stay consistent. When everyone follows the same process, the quality of work stays high and predictable.
They also save time. You’ll deal with fewer disruptions, fewer questions, and far less time spent getting stuck or backtracking.
SOPs can save you money too. Missed steps often lead to repeated work, and repeated work costs time and resources.
And finally, SOPs help you work more confidently. You don’t need to rely on memory or guess what comes next—you simply follow the steps.
How to Create an SOP
There are a few different ways to create SOPs. You can write them down, record videos, or even do a mix of both. The most important thing is that you have a way to reference them while you’re working.
My recommendation is to start with written SOPs using something like Google Docs. Written documents are much easier to edit and update over time compared to videos.
Once your SOPs are documented, you can share them with specific team members who are helping with or carrying out those tasks. This alone can dramatically reduce the number of questions coming your way.
Where to Start in Your Operations
A lot of what you do every day lives in your head. That’s why creating SOPs can feel overwhelming at first—it can seem like a lot of work.
But the benefits are huge, and you don’t need to do everything at once.
I recommend creating your SOPs over time, starting with the most valuable processes in your operations.
If you run a service-based business, that might look like:
- Your sales process
- Client onboarding
- Service delivery
If you run an organisation like a non-profit, you might start with:
- Your membership sign-up process
- Your promotional or event process
Focus on what would make the biggest difference if it were clearly documented.
Action Step: Create Your First SOP
Now that you know what an SOP is and how to approach it, it’s time to take action.
Here’s what I want you to do:
- Pick one process to document
- Spend just five minutes writing down the key steps
- Keep it simple—aim for around 8 to 10 steps
- As you use the SOP, update it over time to make it better
You don’t need perfection. You just need a starting point.
Wrapping Up
I’ll be creating a video soon that walks you through how to write SOPs step by step, and I’ll also be sharing a template inside my online community.
On top of that, I’m working on an online system that will help you easily document, organise, and access your SOPs all in one place.
If your operations feel messy right now, SOPs are one of the simplest ways to bring clarity, consistency, and confidence back into your business.
Need help right now?
See this link for access to more resources or ways to work with me.
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*This may have been autogenerated and may not be 100% accurate or grammatically correct.