In this blog post, we will explore 30 things you can schedule, plan, or automate in advance, ranging from creating social media post templates and email drafts to scheduling posts and more. Let’s dive in and discover the keys to saving time and boosting productivity in your small business or marketing efforts.
Create social media post templates
Make sure to cover various platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) and topics.
Prepare a content calendar
These don’t have to be exclusive to social media posts. Include blog articles and other marketing materials to round it out. Plus, that helps make more content to post on social media!
Design email templates
Consider different campaign types, such as promotional offers, newsletters, and event invitations.
Draft and schedule email campaigns in advance
Using an email marketing platform like Flodesk or Klaviyo will help tremendously.
Automate customer feedback or survey requests
Tools like SurveyMonkey or Typeform are great for this.
Schedule regular website backups
This will ensure data security and easy recovery in case of technical issues. We include backups as part of our support packages.
Research and save relevant industry news
Saving news and blog articles to use as inspiration for future content will give you a treasure chest to pull from on days when creativity is low.
Create and schedule Google My Business posts
You can use GBP to promote events, products, or services.
Set up chatbots or automated messaging systems
Tools like these respond to customer queries in real-time so your team can focus on their day-to-day tasks. Plus, many of them allow you to jump in as needed.
Plan and schedule blog posts
Doing this will help you maintain a consistent publishing schedule.
Automate social media posting
Our favorite social media management tool is Social Pilot.
Create a library of stock images and videos
Use these in future marketing materials.
Plan and schedule client meetings
Don’t leave it to chance! By having these set in advance, you’ll guarantee availability and an efficient use of time.
Set up Google Alerts
Monitor the internet for mentions of your brand, competitors, or industry trends.
Automate the process of creating invoices
Sending invoices and payment reminders using accounting software like HarpoonApp has helped save us SO MUCH TIME.
Plan and schedule webinars or online events
Having events like these every so often promotes brand awareness and engage with customers.
Prepare presentation templates
These can be used for conferences, workshops, or sales pitches to save time on design.
Automate social media monitoring
Keep up on reporting and trends using tools like Mention or Google Analytics alerts.
Schedule regular performance reports
Track marketing campaign metrics and make data-driven improvements.
Set up automatic follow-up emails
These are especially helpful for lead nurturing and customer onboarding processes.
Plan and schedule product launches or sales campaigns
Create a buzz and generate leads.
Automate your reputation management
By establishing a consistent process, you’ll collect significantly more customer testimonials or reviews. Plus, make sure you have an organization system by product or service for future sales meetings.
Create templates for press releases and media pitches
If you communicate with journalists often, this will be a big time saver.
Schedule regular website audits
Set it and forget it doesn’t work these days. By checking in on your site periodically, you ensure optimal performance, usability, and SEO.
Set up automatic social media posting
This works best with evergreen content to keep your feed active.
Plan and schedule customer appreciation efforts
Some ideas include events, giveaways, or contests.
Automate the process of gathering customer data and feedback
Set up some templates, and incorporate them in your process through online surveys or feedback forms.
Create and schedule promotional ads
Our recommended platforms are Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or LinkedIn Ads, but each works better for different campaign types.
Plan and schedule educational content
Creating tutorials, guides, or webinars helps position your brand as an industry expert.
Automate appointment scheduling and reminders
This might be the best for last. We have saved hundreds of ours by using online booking systems like Calendly and OnceHub.
In the fast-paced world of small business ownership or marketing, time is a precious resource that must be utilized wisely. By harnessing the power of scheduling, planning, and automation, you can streamline your workflow and accomplish more in less time. In this blog post, we have explored 30 items that you can schedule, plan, or automate to enhance your productivity. From creating social media post templates and email drafts to scheduling posts and automating repetitive tasks, these strategies can save you hours each week.
Remember, by investing a little time upfront to set up systems and processes, you will reap the benefits of increased efficiency and time savings in the long run. So, take charge of your schedule, make a plan, and embrace automation to thrive as a small business owner or marketer.
