Whether you have started your online agency or you are doing research, one of the biggest things you will need is processes and systems. Agency systems behind the scenes are the running engines of your business. Once you decide on your systems, you will need to document your processes.
Finding Your Systems
The backbone of your online agency will be your processes and systems. As you set up your agency, you will need systems to help manage it. The best thing you can do is prepare and document your processes after you decide on your systems. Your subcontractors must know the systems you use and what steps to follow or look up if needed.
What systems will you need to have in place? The following systems are a general overview, but should be considered when you are building your agency.
1. Accounting System
Number one is having an accounting system in place. This will help you to bill your clients, record your team’s time spent on a client’s project, pay your team, and more. It is a necessary system that all agencies should have in place by the time they open for business.
You can choose from several programs to serve as your accounting system. Some of the most common are listed here.
- Bookkeeper360 is an accounting system + bookkeeper.
- Digits is an automated bookkeeping system.
- FreshBooks is commonly used for online service-based businesses
- QuickBooks Online is considered the best overall system*
- Xero is best for multiple users*
- Zoho Books is free for revenue under $50K*
2. Email System
Second, you should put a general email system in place. This is another necessary system. Once you have built your website, the next thing you should do is connect your email system.
Usually, this is through one of two common providers. Either Google Workspace or Microsoft Outlook is where you connect your CName so that you can send and receive emails through their system.
Personally, I love Google Workspace and its suite of apps that you get when you choose it. You can create documents, surveys, fill in forms, spreadsheets, and slides. One of the best things is that you get online storage as well.
Microsoft also has its own suite of options. Including Word for document creation, Excel for worksheets, OneNote (which I use and love), PowerPoint for slides, and OneDrive for storage.
I use a combination of these programs.
3. Email Marketing System
Third is the email marketing system. This is different from your general email system. This will enable you to send bulk emails. Most online service providers use their email marketing system as their CRM system.
If you try to send them through your general email provider, you can cause your email to be banned from using their platform. So, make sure your Newsletters, Sales emails, and promotional emails go through your email marketing system.
I use a program called Moosend that offers automation, landing pages (sales pages), and analytics.
4. Social Media and Schedulers
Fourth, we move on to social media scheduling systems. These are systems that you use to schedule your social media posts on the platforms you have decided to be active.
You can do your research to find the best ones for your use. If, however, your agency will also schedule posts for clients, then consider one of the bigger programs that have been around for some time.
The other part of social media that you need software for is creating posts or graphics. I will only share a couple that, in my experience, work very well.
- Adobe is a must-mention, but in my opinion, you need extensive training for some of their programs (especially Photoshop), related to producing graphics for posting.
- Canva is an easy-to-use platform. It can be used to create presentations, social media posts (and post to your platforms), documents, and so more today. They continue to add more, including AI.
- PresenterMedia is an amazing, inexpensive media creation platform. You can customize video templates, clip art, presentation slides, and much more at a very inexpensive yearly rate (under $99/year).
*Use code: raf-vuruvila for PresenterMedia to receive a $10 off your yearly subscription price
5. Video Meetings
Number five is video meeting systems. In today’s world, you must have the ability to meet by video. Again, there are several systems you can choose from, but I will highlight two.
Google Meet comes with your Google Workspace subscription and is commonly known to others.
Zoom is another well-known video conferencing program. Today, it is also used for your business phone, texts, scheduling meetings, documentation, and more. They continue to upgrade their systems all the time.
6. Webinar or Presentation Systems
This system is somewhat optional, depending on whether you plan to do webinars or presentations.
- HeySummit is an easy way for creators and educators to grow their audiences and host online events.
- LiveWebinar is great for hosting large webinar events.
- PresenterMedia is an amazing tool that is very inexpensive. It has original clip art, tons of presentation templates, video backgrounds, and most are customizable for your brand.
- Zoom is a video hosting program but recently has become much more. They have started offering phone integration, calendar booking, project management, and document creation (can be used with their AI transcriptions), as well as a CRM program.
*Use code: raf-vuruvila for PresenterMedia to receive a $10 off your yearly subscription price
7. Website
You know by now how necessary I think a website can be. Although I list it last, but is by no means should it be last on your to-do list. There are multiple platforms you can use to create your website. Personally, I think there is none better than WordPress
- Squarespace is a platform that has drag-and-drop features. This makes it easy to use and set up a website.
- Wix is another drag-and-drop type of website builder. I have utilized this previously, but felt it was not as powerful, nor as customizable, as I needed. It is easy to use, and if you’ve never built a website and will only have a few options, this is a good one to try.
- WordPress.com is fully hosted, but you cannot utilize payments via your website if built on here.
- WordPress.org is an open-source platform. This is the platform I use and recommend to all of my clients. The most powerful and popular content management system. You do need to purchase hosting for this platform. You can integrate multiple plugins as well.
Note: If you choose WordPress, you will also need to purchase hosting. I use Siteground.
“WordPress powers 40% of all websites on the internet today.“
Bluehost
One other note on Website platforms, I utilize ManageWP to automatically back up my website, see SEO data, and do security checks.
“That goes on to speak volumes not just about the popularity of WordPress but also clearly points at how flexible, reliable, credible, easy-to-use and dynamic the platform is. Now, while most of us know of WordPress as a free, open-source platform — what we don’t realise is most of us are talking about WordPress.org not .com! Yes, there’s a big difference between wordpress.org and wordpress.com and we’re here to help you understand that difference.” Bluehost
Final Notes
The systems (software programs) I shared today are to give you a glimpse into some of the programs you will have to decide on as you set up your agency and team of subcontractors (subs). Equally as important (maybe even more so) is documenting your processes for your subs to follow.
Some produce videos for their subcontractors, but I encourage you to do a transcript as well (if you make a video) to make certain each step is recorded properly.
*May contain affiliate links – this means if you purchase one of the systems I am affiliated with, then I will receive a small reward. You do not pay more; often, you save money.
Tammy S. Durden is an award-winning business coach who specializes in helping women online service providers grow a business to fit their lifestyle rather than squeeze a life around their business. This generally means she helps women build and grow an online agency or add a subcontractor to their solopreneur business.
She is also a thought leader, course creator, and speaker in the online service industry.
Tammy has established herself as an authority figure over the last 18 years while creating and growing several online service businesses.