If you could save more than 30 hours of work per week, would you hesitate to take that opportunity?! In your business, you probably feel that your participation is crucial in all activities related to it, but, most likely, it is not! We have already addressed the topic of automation in previous articles, and we are here to reinforce the idea that we can save a lot of precious time by automating a large part of our daily tasks.
Worried that automation will cost more in initial investment than the return it offers? Do not worry. In this article, we will review your concern, and analyze the real cost of investing (or not investing) in automation.
The opportunity cost of not automating a business
Before we consider direct costs, let’s look at the investment versus return dilemma from a different perspective. We think the question is not: “Can I afford to invest in automation?”, but rather: “Can I afford not to invest in automation?!”
Prioritizing your time is an important part of being a successful entrepreneur. You must know which opportunities to pursue, how to allocate billable hours and how to provide maximum value to your clients.
Automation can help you maximize efficiency and get more out of every day. Imagine this example:
Let’s say you have an hourly rate of €25. Let’s say now that you decided to invest €20/month (in fact, it’s €19.39, but I’m rounding) in the best-known automation software on the market, Zapier. Now imagine that you managed to automate a task that only saves you 1 hour a week. Do you know how much money you just made?! It’s €100 per month!!! Well… it’s €80, because you have to pay for ZApier, but you get it! 🤣 The best thing is that now you are free to do other important things with the time you saved.
What I want you to take away from this example is that, the cost of investing in automation is generally short-term, but the value you get continues to pay off long after the initial investment. Furthermore, the money saved can be directed to other resources, such as marketing and growing your business.
The benefits of automation (and why you need them to be successful)
By now, you’ve realized that although automation may seem expensive at first glance, it’s probably not as expensive as you thought. And if you’re only considering costs, you’re approaching automation the wrong way.
Automation offers several unique opportunities and benefits that can help your business reach new heights. Here are just some of the unique benefits that automation can provide you over time.
1) You recover at least as much as you invest in automation
As we mentioned earlier, automation offers a significant return on investment. In fact, this is probably the main reason for its proliferation.
There are three main ways in which automation gives you a substantial return on investment. Practically all automation flows provide feedback on these three points in some way.
- Automation gives you more time: It completes tasks for you, allowing you to perform other tasks with that time, making you more productive by completing the same amount of work.
- Automation increases your revenue: Whether you use your newfound free time to increase revenue or your automations to passively generate more revenue for you, automation delivers financial returns.
- Automation frees up your energy: It’s no secret that most of us are as stressed and overworked as we can handle. When you transfer tasks to an automated workflow, you reduce the number of things you need to do in a day, relieving the stress and pressure associated with work. Contrary to what is said in Caldas da Rainha, the automation continues to work after 5pm!!! 🤣
2) Automation can transform a small team into a big powerhouse
Another crucial benefit of automation is how powerful it can make your team. And when it’s a startup and you have a small team (like us 🤫), for example, this is a benefit you shouldn’t ignore.
Used correctly, automation gives you more workforce without the need to hire more employees. If you’re new to your industry, this could be the difference between success and failure. It makes you more competitive, provides more room for innovation and reduces the chances of your small team burning out.
3) Your ability to handle growth will increase dramatically
Finally, investing in automation increases your ability to handle the growth of your business, even when it changes. A sudden increase in growth can cripple some companies. They don’t have the people, resources, or experience to handle scale-up, and they end up crumbling under the pressure.
Automated workflows, however, do not collapse when subjected to more pressure. They continue to automate. That means your business could theoretically triple in size – without missing a beat.
Increase revenue, loyalty and growth with simple automation strategies
You don’t need to be a multimillion-dollar corporation to make automation work for you. In fact, small, agile startups are the perfect setting for automated workflows and streamlined operations. By implementing simple strategies and accessible platforms, you can start growing your business at a fast and sustainable pace.
Can you afford to miss this opportunity? We don’t think so!!! 😇
I hope this article helps you understand the importance of automation in business and make the right decision for the success of your company. Automating processes can be the key to saving time, increasing efficiency and boosting the growth of your business. If you need help, you know… contact us!