Would you say your processes are scattered, linear, or flywheels?
Let’s take a look at the differences, how to move from scattered to flywheel, and see what this looks like in the real world.
If your processes are scattered, guess what…you’re totally normal.
Nobody has it figured out when they’re starting something new.
We usually try things until we find what works.
Then once we have that, we begin to take those scattered pieces and turn them into something more linear.
I’ve written about how to document your processes previously, so I won’t go into it again.
The point is that linear processes have a clear beginning (trigger), middle (steps), and end (result).
They’re easily repeatable, can be delegated, and can be improved over time.
These linear processes form the backbone of business.
They’re the SOPs or Standard Operating Procedures that help us deliver on the promise we made our customers.
But what’s with this talk about flywheels?
Maybe you’ve heard the term before from Jim Collins, or perhaps it’s new.
When we talk about flywheels in business, we’re looking for something that:
1) Has activities that flow smoothly from one to the next
2) Has each rotation getting easier than the previous one (gaining momentum)
3) Has each rotation producing more than the previous one
(Hat-Tip to Nathan Barry and his Creator Flywheel course)
For our purposes here, let’s talk about how this applies in your business.
Imagine for a minute that you could take your linear process that already exists, and modify the last step so that it feeds right back into the trigger step…
This allows you to close the loop and automatically keep your process moving.
For example, one of the services I offer is called Effortless Flywheels.
My promise to clients is to help them turn new subscribers into super-fans who buy their gateway products within 14 days.
In and of itself, that’s not a flywheel…it’s a simple sales process.
But here’s where the magic happens, each dollar that is generated by customers buying sub $100 products is then able to be reinvested in getting new subscribers.
The data we generate lets us to know the average dollar value of new subscribers. We can then spend up to that amount to acquire new subscribers.
If you had a machine that you could put a dollar into and get back $1.20, how many times would you do it?
You better have said, “as many times as possible!”
That’s what this flywheel process allows my clients to do.
Here’s the Effortless Flywheel workflow:
>> New subscribers come in
>> A certain number of them make a low dollar purchase and become customers (some even go on to buy high-end offers)
>> Money from customers goes to paid lead generation
>> New subscribers come in…
I think you get the point.
The end of one rotation gets the next rotation moving.
So I’ll leave you with this:
How can you take a linear process that already exists in your business and close the loop to turn it into a flywheel?
Here’s to making your business simpler while producing greater results!
