Alright, business owners, let’s talk about automation.
It’s the buzzword of the decade. How often have you heard, “You need to automate!” At every business conference I attend, someone says, “Use AI for your emails, your invoices, and your soul” (kidding… mostly). And yeah, automation is powerful. It saves time, cuts errors, and lets you focus on the work that moves the needle.
But here’s the real question: What should you automate first? If you start in the wrong place, you’re just creating a bigger mess, but now with robots involved.
Let’s break it down.
Before we get into my five-step process for automating, you might be thinking, “I don’t even know how to do this .” That’s okay because there are people out there who can help. However, you will need to understand this framework so that you know where to start when you work with someone. Keep reading, and in the end, I have a special offer for you.
Step One: Automate What Makes You Want to Set Your Laptop on Fire
You know precisely what I’m talking about.
That one task that eats up your time frustrates you and makes you question why you ever started a business in the first place. Maybe it’s manually sending invoices. Maybe it’s sorting through emails that could’ve been a two-word Slack message. Maybe it’s chasing customers for payments like a digital debt collector.
Whatever it is, if it’s repetitive, soul-sucking, and happens often, it’s a prime automation target.
Example?
Follow-ups. If you manually remind clients about appointments, overdue invoices, or project deadlines, you’re wasting time that automation can give back. Set up email sequences, reminders, or even automated text messages. Done. Problem solved.
You don’t have to play “who forgot to respond first” with your inbox.
Step Two: Automate the Stuff You Suck At
Listen, you’re good at what you do. You built a business, after all. But let’s be honest—there’s something, probably lots of things, in your workflow that you’re not great at. And that’s okay because automation can cover for you.
Maybe you’re bad at following up with leads. Maybe you’re terrible at tracking expenses and constantly find yourself drowning in a pile of receipts at tax time. Maybe remembering social media posting schedules is just not your thing.
Guess what? That’s all fixable.
- Bad at lead follow-up? Set up an automated email sequence that keeps prospects warm without you lifting a finger.
- Messy with finances? Hook up an automation that categorizes transactions and generates reports for you.
- Forgetting social media? Schedule posts in bulk so you don’t have to think about it.
You don’t need to be great at everything; you need to be smart enough to outsource to technology.
Step Three: Automate What’s Costing You Money
It’s time to get serious.
Time is money. So every second you spend on low-value tasks is a second you’re not spending on sales, strategy, or growth.
Start tracking where your time goes (hint: it’s probably more admin work than you’d like to admit). Once you see the patterns, ask yourself: If I weren’t doing this, could I make more money?
If the answer is yes, automate it immediately.
- Processing orders manually? Stop. Get an automated system.
- Still, entering data by hand? Get out of here. Zapier, Make, or built-in automation tools can handle it.
- Manually booking appointments? Why? Use an online scheduler that syncs with your calendar.
The key here isn’t just saving time—it’s freeing yourself up to focus on what grows your business.
Step Four: Automate Before You Hire (If Possible)
Hiring is expensive. Training takes time. And managing people is a whole other level of headache.
So before you bring on another employee to “help with the workload,” ask yourself: Could automation do this job instead?
Nine times out of ten, the answer is yes.
- Need a receptionist? Set up an AI chatbot for basic inquiries.
- Drowning in customer support emails? Use an automation tool to sort, tag, and respond to common questions.
- Spending hours onboarding new clients? Create a killer automated onboarding process that does it for you.
Automation lets you scale without adding payroll. And that’s a win every time.
Step Five: Automate What Makes You Look Professional
Nothing screams “small business struggling to keep up” like messy workflows.
You forget to follow up. You miss deadlines. You send an invoice six weeks late and wonder why cash flow sucks.
Good automation doesn’t just save time—it makes you look like you’ve got your act together.
- Automated email responses? You seem on top of things.
- Instant order confirmations? Your business feels legit.
- Consistent follow-ups? You look reliable.
The difference between a scrappy business and a polished one often comes down to how smooth things feel for your customers. And automation gives you that polish.
What NOT to Automate (At Least, Not Yet)
Now, before you go full automation-crazy, there are some things you should not automate immediately.
- Personal interactions. Don’t send an automated “Thanks for your business” email if you can send a personal note. Relationships still matter.
- Creative work. AI can help, but it can’t replace human creativity (yet).
- Complex decision-making. Automation is great for predictable tasks, not strategic choices.
In other words, automate processes, not relationships—big difference.
Start Small, Then Go Big
You don’t need to automate everything overnight. Pick one thing. The most annoying, repetitive, time-wasting task you deal with.
Automate that first.
Then move on to the next.
Before you know it, you’ll have a smoother business that looks more professional without drowning you in tedious admin work.
And honestly? That’s the dream.
