Three Small Business Secrets to Getting More Billable Time

As small business owners we're in business to make money doing what we love. And that means we need enough billable hours to cover our expenses, our payroll, upgrades in skills and technology, and profit. But if stay in business for any length of time, you eventually reach the point where you just don't have more hours in the day to give to your business. After all, you have a personal life too. (If you don't have a personal life, you really need to work on that.) So, if you've maxed out on the hours you have available to build your business, how can you get more billable hours?

You have to get those billable hours from time you are currently spending doing other activities in your business. Here are some ways to do that:

  • Delegate out anything you hate to do or aren't good at doing in the running of your business. For example, I hate filing and organizing all my reference materials. So I hire a professional organizer to come in once a quarter to file all the papers I've stacked up, to set up any new files I'll need, to pack up old files on inactive clients and projects, and to reorganize my 10 bookcases. She can do all that for me in 3 hours. When I was doing it myself it took me forever and it was never completed because I'd let anything else distract me from it. So, finding just the right reference book or file was not only hit-or-miss at best, it again took too much of my time. How much time can you recover by delegating out activities and tasks you don't want to do, but that have to get done to keep your business running smoothly?
  • Automate or computerize administrivia, including making regular backups of your computer disk drives. (I learned to get my backups automated after I'd lost my entire contacts database, including my appointment schedule ? sometimes I'm hardheaded about these basic business maintenance things!) In addition to now having automated backups of my computer disks, here's a sample of what else I've automated:
    • Contact management and scheduling
    • Taking class registration and payment
    • Distributing class notes and materials
    • Taking coaching payments via the Web
    • Notification to follow-up with clients
    • Subscribing and unsubscribing to my ezine
    • Broadcasting of my ezine
    • Payment and delivery of digital products
    • Creating eClasses from templates
    • Subscriptions, payment, and delivery of eClasses
    • Tracking of billable time
    • Creating time reports
    • Invoicing
    • Expense and revenue tracking

  • Gracefully get out from under your most time-consuming and energy-draining clients and projects. I know it's difficult to say "No" to a client or a project in today's economic climate. But you can refer these clients and projects to competitors in your network who are better suited to serve them, retain the good will from the clients you are referring out, and free up all that time and energy to work with people and projects you love. Just by relieving all the stress you're under from your Clients and Projects from Hell, you make yourself open and available to more of your Ideal Clients and projects. And, have you noticed, you're more productive and efficient when you're working with your Ideal Clients and Projects?
  • Increased productivity = increased billable hours available

    Put these 3 secrets to work in your business and get back valuable and billable time for doing more of what you love for your Ideal Clients!

    Copyright 2004, Rose Hill, Inc

    _____________________________________

    Rose Hill, Founder and Owner,of Biz Whiz Expert (http://www.solobizville.com) and Team Member of Solo-E.Com (http://www.solobizville.com) has been self-employed since 1990. Knowing how to run corporate departments and how to market corporate entities, products, and services did nothing to prepare her for successfully running and marketing a one-person business. That is why Rose created the SoloBizVille and SoloBizU community - to specifically to help solo entrepreneurs jumpstart their business success without all the trial-and-error learning.

    _____________________________________

    *********** Find more articles like this at http://www.solobizville.com ? Keeping Solo Entrepreneurs Juiced in Business and in Life. Our team of Solo Entrepreneurs are comprised of small business experts who support others in finding business success with the flexibility and freedom to have a life, too. Network with other freelancers, self-employed and Solo Entrepreneurs in our forums, enjoy our articles and newsletter, and find other online training opportunities. ***********

    family-safe home cleaners Northbrook ..
    In The News:

    The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.
    San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.
    FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.
    Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.
    Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.
    Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.
    Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.
    The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
    Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.
    Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.
    Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.
    Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.
    Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.
    The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.
    OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.
    Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.
    LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.
    Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.
    Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.
    Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.
    MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.
    The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.
    Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.
    The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
    ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

    Batting Cages Business - Making Profits With The Swing Of A Bat

    There is a Batting Cages Business for those people who... Read More

    Finding the PERFECT Alliance Partner

    Where do you look for the appropriate alliance?One of the... Read More

    Obtain Maximum Results For Your Small Business Through Better Time Management

    Most small business owners are faced with so many responsibilities... Read More

    The Inside-Out Business Plan? -- Your Small Business Plan in 10 Easy Questions

    Writing a business plan for your Solo Entrepreneur business doesn't... Read More

    7 Reasons To Take Control Of Your Small Business? Checking Needs

    Business checks are available in many styles and varieties. They... Read More

    Six Sigma for Small Business

    It is not surprising that some people may perceive Six... Read More

    Local Government Relations for Small Business

    Most small businesses simply go about their daily business and... Read More

    Home Based Franchise Case Study

    Here is an interesting case study of a company, which... Read More

    Mobile Car Wash and Cleaning Post Office Jeeps

    If you own a mobile truck washing, pressure washing or... Read More

    Why are Reverse Mergers Often the Victims of Short Sellers?

    There is a great deal of abuse going on in... Read More

    Business Success - The 42 Greatest Business Tips

    What does it take to grow a business and run... Read More

    Youll See It When You Believe It - Growing Your Business from the Inside Out

    What unspoken message are you sending your clients and customers?... Read More

    FTC Franchise Rule if Enacted will Trigger Hardship for Private Sector

    The FTC Franchise Rule maybe changed, as the Federal trade... Read More

    3 Ways To Make Certain Your Business Fails

    Most small businesses incorporated in 2005 will fail by the... Read More

    Employee Relations Manual Sample Outline

    Most smart entrepreneurs and all large corporations have Employee Relations... Read More

    How to Protect Yourself & Your Business

    As a business owner, you already know how important it... Read More

    Growing Your Small Business Through Alliances and Joint Ventures

    -- Beyond Cold Calling, "Warm" Calling and Sending E-mails --Many... Read More

    How to Avoid the Most Common Reasons for Small Business Failure

    The life cycle of the typical small business is short... Read More

    Starting a Business in New Hampshire

    Hew Hampshire car wash market. Well we have visited every... Read More

    Keeping your Business Alive

    As long as you eat and breathe you will stay... Read More

    Are You Making These Mistakes In Your Business?

    You've probably heard the statistic that 95% of small businesses... Read More

    Choosing a Truck Wash Location in Nevada, Case Study

    There are several well-known truck washes in the Great State... Read More

    SBIR - A Nice Add-on Business

    If you are a small business and qualify to participate... Read More

    Starting a Small Business: Balancing Risk and Reward

    In a perfect world, starting a small business would be... Read More

    The Wrap on Ag Plastic

    While driving through Pennsylvania farmland, you have probably noticed an... Read More

    residential cleaning services Deerfield ..