Online Business Managers (OBMs), play a crucial role in helping businesses streamline their operations and increase their productivity. However, if you are not careful, you may find yourself stuck in a cycle of living paycheck to paycheck. In this post we'll go over the top six mistakes OBMS make that keep them broke and living paycheck to paycheck.
Not charging enough for their services. I see this all the time. One of the biggest mistakes OBMs make is not charging enough. As a result, they end up working long hours for little pay and struggle to make ends meet. To avoid this mistake, it's important to understand the value you bring to your clients and to charge rates that reflect that value.
Not having a clear pricing structure. Another mistake OBMs make is not having a clear pricing structure. Without a clear pricing structure, it's difficult for clients to understand the value of your services and for you to communicate your rates effectively. To avoid this mistake, it's important to have a clear pricing structure that outlines the services you offer and the rates you charge for them. You can also use that as a tool on your website to download your services menu in exchange for their email address, and now you can follow them up as a lead.
Not having a consistent workflow. Lack of consistency or not building your own personal workflow habits in your workflow can lead to inefficiencies and missed opportunities. This can make it difficult to provide a high-quality service to your clients if you're not consistent or reliable which can lead to a lack of income stability. So to avoid this mistake it is important to have a clear and consistent workflow that allows you to serve your clients effectively. I plan my workflow for each client in my Google Calendar at the end of each week. My clients know when to expect me to show up and my family and lifestyle can work around those particular times.
Not having a solid contract. So without a solid contract in place, you may find yourself in difficult situations with clients who don't pay on time or don't uphold their end of the agreement. To avoid this mistake, it's important to have a clear and detailed contract that outlines the terms of your relationship with your clients. It's great for boundaries and preventing scope creep.
Not having a diverse client base. If you only have a few clients, you're putting all your eggs in one basket. This can make it difficult to maintain a steady income and can leave you vulnerable if one of your clients decides to end their relationship with you. So to avoid this mistake, it's important to have a diverse client base that allows you to spread your income across multiple sources.
Last but not least, is not investing in yourself. Remember, you are a business too. So another mistake OBMs make is not investing in themselves or in their business. And I don't just mean money, I mean time as well. Make sure you have a little time set aside every week to improve your business. By failing to invest in education, in skills, or in your own systems, you'll miss out on opportunities to increase your value for your clients and justify charging higher rates for your services. To avoid this mistake, it's important to continuously invest in yourself, your future, your education and your marketing to improve your skills and knowledge and the future you of the business.
So in conclusion, the top six mistakes OBMs make that keep them broke and living paycheck to paycheck include not charging enough, not having a clear pricing structure, not having consistent workflows, not having a solid contract, not having a diverse client base, and not investing in themselves. By avoiding these mistakes and taking steps to improve in these areas, you can increase your income and achieve your financial goals.
If you liked this advice and would like personalized mentoring from yours truly, I'm available for one-on-one coaching or my small group program, Digital COO Accelerator. Might be the perfect container for you to increase your confidence, grow your skills, and become indispensable to your team.
Have a productive day!
Comments