{"id":40684,"date":"2021-01-10T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-10T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/small-business-management\/"},"modified":"2025-11-17T02:20:56","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T10:20:56","slug":"small-business-management","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/us\/en\/blog\/small-business-management\/","title":{"rendered":"Small business management: an in-depth guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Running a successful business is no walk in the park.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is especially true today.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the face of ever-changing business administration tools, marketing tactics, and employee expectations, you\u2019ve got a ton on your plate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s exactly why your management style is so important.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To manage a small business well, you need to not get overwhelmed by the day-to-day hustle and bustle of running a business. Wondering how to achieve that? We have you covered. In this guide to small business management, we\u2019ll look at:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#What small business management means\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What \u201csmall business management\u201d actually means<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#3 major impact\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why doing it right is so important<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#Key skills needed to manage a business\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The key skills needed to manage a business successfully<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#8 tips for becoming a better small business manager\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8 tips for becoming a better small business manager<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you\u2019re totally new to small business management or you\u2019re just looking for ways to improve, this post is for you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let&#8217;s dig into some small business management tips to help you ace it as successful entrepreneurs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a name=\"What small business management means\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 20px;\"><strong>What is small business management, anyway?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s kick things off by breaking down a small business management definition we can work with:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Small business management is the process of overseeing and coordinating the day-to-day operations of a company (typically in the 0\u201399 employee range).<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yep, it\u2019s a big job.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you\u2019re a new business owner or a seasoned manager, you\u2019ll likely have to make real-time decisions related to hiring people, choosing the right tools for your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/marketing-stack\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">marketing stack<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and more\u2014especially if it\u2019s a small business that doesn\u2019t have dedicated departments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Basically, you\u2019re in a hybrid leadership role\u2014and you\u2019re the glue that keeps the business together.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"padding-top: 10px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So\u2026 what exactly does a small business manager do?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Good question!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The specific duties of a small business manager vary from company to company, but usually include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hiring, onboarding, and training employees<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Budgeting (for new hires, advertising, and other business initiatives)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting the company\u2019s name out in the market (say, through a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/brand-awareness\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">brand awareness<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> campaign)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Managing company inventory and distributors (ex: warehouse optimization)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Setting goals and business targets (ex: quotas and revenue)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finding ways to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/happy-customers\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">keep customers happy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and keep up a high <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-retention-rate\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">customer retention rate<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Providing a vision for a business (ex: company culture and morale)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Evaluating company data (ex: employee performance)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a name=\"3 major impact\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 20px;\"><strong>Why small business management matters so much<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sure, you obviously have a hand in the essential functionality of your business.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But your management style also has big-picture implications on company culture, the lives of your employees, and brand longevity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How so? Let\u2019s look at some numbers.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Managers have a direct impact on employee performance and productivity<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data by Gallup notes that a <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/gallup.com\/workplace\/245786\/gallup-reports-share-leaders-2019.aspx\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">manager determines 70%<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of employee engagement. Translation? Your approach to management is tied to your employees\u2019 motivation and overall performance, as well as the business\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/task-management-software\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">productivity<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\">\n<div class=\"tip-heading\"><b>\ud83d\udca1 Pro-tip:\u00a0<\/b><\/div>\n<p>Learn more about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/small-business-best-practices\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">best practices for running a small business<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3 style=\"padding-top: 10px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Effective managers help businesses retain their top talent<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you expect your best employees to stick around long term, you\u2019re going to have to, well, be a good manager. If you can do this, you\u2019ll have a better shot at keeping talent\u2014even if other companies try to lure them away with a bigger paycheck.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Piggybacking on the previous study, over half of all exiting employees say that their managers could have done <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">something<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to encourage them to stay. The same research also notes that only 12% of companies do a good job of onboarding employees.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This data tells us that a big part of managing a business well involves retaining current employees and also encouraging new ones to get off to a positive start.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"padding-top: 10px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Good managers go hand in hand with positive cash flow<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to recent small business statistics, cash flow and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/employee-retention-strategies\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">employee retention<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are the <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/guidantfinancial.com\/small-business-trends\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">top two challenges<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that companies face today. And if you\u2019re managing a business, you\u2019ll have to deal with both. After all, this is your profits we\u2019re talking about.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a name=\"Key skills needed to manage a business\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 20px;\"><strong>What are the most important skills for managing a small business?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Okay, so what do you need in order to make great business decisions?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Well, the good news is these skills are pretty much universally helpful\u2014regardless of your business or industry:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"padding-top: 10px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clear communication and transparency<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No surprises here. This one\u2019s universal whether you\u2019re managing a business in the United States, Europe, or anywhere in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need to make yourself available to employees while also being honest and explicit about your expectations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regardless of your management style, good business relationships are built by being personable and fostering trust between you and your team. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"padding-top: 10px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Attention to detail<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From performance data to revenue and beyond, you must be able to dig into data to make decisions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What role should you hire for next? Why were profits down last quarter? What\u2019s your strategy for handling huge volumes of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/inbound-calling\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">inbound calls<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">? The ability to hone in on these details makes it a lot easier when you have to make important decisions later.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"padding-top: 10px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Organization<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Juggling so many tasks means you need to know how to manage, prioritize, and delegate what needs to be done. This also requires that you stick to a schedule while <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/effective-teamwork\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">working effectively as a team<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and respecting other peoples\u2019 schedules. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/time-management-strategies-to-improve-productivity-in-the-workplace\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Time management<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rules supreme. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"padding-top: 10px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Motivation and leadership<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From answering questions to asking them, you\u2019re essentially always \u201con.\u201d When you\u2019re managing a business, you have to motivate employees in addition to yourself, ensuring that morale stays high and everyone\u2019s able to do their jobs to the best of their abilities.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"padding-top: 10px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Decision-making<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s face it: you\u2019re responsible for making tough choices. This includes everything from major financial investments to letting go of employees.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These choices shouldn\u2019t be taken lightly, but you often aren\u2019t given much time to linger on big decisions. Small business management requires the confidence to make big decisions and to get them right the first time. At the end of the day, you\u2019ve got to do what\u2019s best for the company.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alright. Now that we\u2019ve looked at all these big, important-sounding traits, here\u2019s how you can actually reflect them in your actions.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"p1\">Shopping for a team messaging app? (Or just curious about what to look for?) Grab the free checklist to help you choose the right one for your team or business.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"download-form-widget standart-download-form\" data-url=\"https:\/\/netstorage.ringcentral.com\/documents\/team_messaging_platform_checklist.pdf\" data-id=\"69d91f7d99d8a\" id=\"69d91f7d99d8a\">\n\t\t<button tabindex=\"on\"  on=\"tap:69d91f7d99d8a.toggleClass(class='open')\" class=\"open-modal-download-action download-form-button\" type=\"submit\">\u2705 Get it now<\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"download-form-modal\">\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-body\">\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-content\">\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-title\">See what you need to do (and know) as you're deciding on a team messaging app with this checklist!<\/div>\n<form class=\"download-form SMB\" method=\"post\">\n<div class=\"download-form-part\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"download-form-input\" aria-label=\"Full Name\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" type=\"text\" name=\"fullname\" placeholder=\"Full Name\" data-dl-events-hover=\"true\" data-dl-element=\"text\" data-dl-additional-info=\"download form\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"download-form-part\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"download-form-input\" aria-label=\"Email (please enter a work email address)\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" type=\"email\" autocomplete=\"on\" name=\"email\" placeholder=\"Email (please enter a work email address)\" data-dl-events-hover=\"true\" data-dl-element=\"email\" data-dl-additional-info=\"download form\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"popup_form\" value=\"1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"Asset_ID__c\" value=\"ODAM-01511\" class=\"download-form-input\"><\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"Lead_Entry_Source__c\" value=\"RC Blog\" class=\"download-form-input\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"download-form-part\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"download-form-submit\" type=\"submit\" data-dl-element=\"button\" data-no-auto-dl=\"true\" data-dl-additional-info=\"download form\" data-dl-name=\"Get it now\">Get it now<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<button on=\"tap:69d91f7d99d8a.toggleClass(class='open')\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\"  class=\"download-form-modal-close\"><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-thank\">Happy shopping! <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a name=\"8 tips for becoming a better small business manager\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 40px;\"><strong>8 tips for managing a small business\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are eight small business management tips to help you step up your game.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"padding-top: 10px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Build relationships and a sense of trust with your employees<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Becoming a better manager starts with stronger relationships with your workers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even so, <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/qz.com\/work\/1171890\/almost-70-of-us-managers-are-scared-to-talk-to-their-employees\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nearly 70% of managers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> struggle to communicate effectively with their teams. This can happen for many reasons, such as fear of giving negative feedback or having trouble finding time to talk one-to-one with people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But making that time is crucial to building trust with your team. Relationship building is the essential foundation to any great business plan.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conversations and feedback are necessary because they help people understand what they are doing well and where they need to improve. (When you trust your employees, it\u2019s also easier to delegate and hand off tasks to them.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think of it as a virtuous cycle: being open and honest builds more trust, which in turn supports a company culture that empowers your employees to be open and honest, which builds more trust\u2026 You get the idea. Here are some strategies to build that sense of trust:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make a conscious effort to check in with your team (at least once per week, ideally face to face).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take advantage of a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/teams\/overview.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">team messaging<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tool or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/free-messaging-apps\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mobile app<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to provide frequent feedback and praise when you can\u2019t meet one-on-one. For example, RingCentral&#8217;s handy desktop and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/business-phone-app.html\">mobile app<\/a> gives you not only messaging, but also video conferencing and a phone app in one place:<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"rc_custom_video\"><a class=\"rc_custom_video__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtu.be\/9xaL89hYeFs\">\n\t\t            <picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/9xaL89hYeFs\/maxresdefault.webp\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"rc_custom_video__media\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/9xaL89hYeFs\/maxresdefault.jpg\" alt=\"\">\n\t\t            <\/picture>\n\t\t        <\/a><br \/>\n\t\t        <button class=\"rc_custom_video__button\" aria-label=\"Play video\"><svg width=\"68\" height=\"48\" viewBox=\"0 0 68 48\"><path class=\"rc_custom_video__button-shape\" d=\"M66.52,7.74c-0.78-2.93-2.49-5.41-5.42-6.19C55.79,.13,34,0,34,0S12.21,.13,6.9,1.55 C3.97,2.33,2.27,4.81,1.48,7.74C0.06,13.05,0,24,0,24s0.06,10.95,1.48,16.26c0.78,2.93,2.49,5.41,5.42,6.19 C12.21,47.87,34,48,34,48s21.79-0.13,27.1-1.55c2.93-0.78,4.64-3.26,5.42-6.19C67.94,34.95,68,24,68,24S67.94,13.05,66.52,7.74z\"><\/path><path class=\"rc_custom_video__button-icon\" d=\"M 45,24 27,14 27,34\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t        <\/button>\n\t\t    <\/div>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prioritize accessibility. Make yourself as available as possible (think: reachable via email or instant message, keep your office open) and highlight specific times when your team can meet with you. Using a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/remote-management\/\">remote management tool<\/a> is a great way to make sure you\u2019re always accessible\u2014even if you\u2019re away from the office.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\ud83d\udd79\ufe0f<\/span> Get a hands-on look at how RingCentral works by booking a product tour:<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><button data-href=\"#leadform-popup\" class=\"js-open-popup-activator btn primary\" >Choose a time<\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\ud83d\udcb0<\/span> You can also <a href=\"https:\/\/ringcentral.valuestoryapp.com\/roi-calculator\/\"><span class=\"s2\"><b>use this calculator<\/b><\/span><\/a><b> <\/b>to see roughly how much your business could save by using RingCentral to support your team&#8217;s communication with each other, clients, freelancers, and more.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"padding-top: 10px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. When in doubt, set aside extra time in your schedule<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conventional wisdom tells us that to do small business management well, you should be strict and disciplined when it comes to sticking to your calendar.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That said, having your day <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">completely<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> booked, day after day, is a recipe for disaster.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t make your schedule so rigid that a meeting that runs long or some unexpected issue throws your entire day off.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead, allow for some free time sprinkled throughout your schedule to give yourself some breathing room. This makes you more available to your team\u2014and helps you stay sane.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Basically, give your to-do list some maneuverability and try to avoid overbooking your own time.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"padding-top: 10px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Be flexible and regularly reevaluate your company goals<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Piggybacking on the last tip, flexibility is key when you\u2019re managing your own business or startup.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spoiler alert: your goals and projections aren\u2019t always going to be 100% accurate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maybe your revised <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/small-business-management-software\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sales quotas<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are unrealistic. Perhaps a hiccup in your business finances means holding off on that new hire.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Either way, don\u2019t look at these issues as \u201cfailures.\u201d Even the best business managers have to make adjustments to their strategies. Try to assess your data on a regular basis. Keeping an eye on analytics (think: employee performance dashboards, sales numbers) can help you avoid any surprises.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"padding-top: 10px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. Create processes and workflows that can be automated and replicated<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anything you can put on autopilot to save time in your day is a major plus.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The is the key ingredient when it comes to streamlining your business operations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Specifically, think about common tasks that require templates (think: emails, invoicing) and processes that are uniform (think: new employee onboarding).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you can <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/task-automation\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">automate your tasks<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and workflows, it also makes it easier for your team to get work done when you\u2019re unavailable. (Handing off a task to someone else with a defined process already in place means there\u2019s less of a chance for mistakes.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tasks, both big and small, can be put on autopilot thanks to today\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/small-business-management-software\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">management tools<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, you might have to sift through data and dashboards every week. Whether you\u2019re dealing with employee or website performance, having reports summarized and ready in your inbox is a huge time-saver.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider how you can set up performance reports that get automatically delivered straight to your inbox in Google Analytics to keep a pulse on your website traffic without leaving your email. Most major tools can provide the same sort of summaries for everything from email data to social media data:<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1593\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1593\" style=\"width: 695px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1593 size-medium\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image5-2.png\" alt=\"Google Analytics Email Report\" width=\"695\" height=\"394\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1593\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Automation that makes your business more \u201cself-serve\u201d frees up your team\u2019s time and likewise makes it easier for your customers to get in touch.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/office\/features\/multi-level-auto-attendant\/overview.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">setting up an auto-attendant<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/office\/features\/multi-level-auto-attendant\/overview.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">call-routing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> flow for your phone system makes sure that callers get in touch with the right people faster. (If you\u2019ve ever called a company and then hit different numbers to navigate their phone menu, you\u2019ve already encountered this!) Here\u2019s how it looks in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">RingCentral<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2019s cloud phone system:<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1594\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1594\" style=\"width: 676px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1594 size-medium\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image6.jpg\" alt=\"RingCentral Visual IVR Editor\" width=\"676\" height=\"400\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1594\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Although a few seconds or minutes here and there might not seem like much, consider how much managers have to deal with on a daily basis. Even the smallest pieces of automation can result in a ton of time and energy saved.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leveraging AI receptionists is another powerful way for small businesses to automate and streamline their operations. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/ai-receptionist\">AI receptionists<\/a> can handle a variety of tasks, such as answering frequently asked questions, scheduling appointments, and routing calls to the appropriate department or individual. This technology works 24\/7, ensuring that your business is always accessible to customers, even outside of regular business hours. By implementing an AI receptionist, small businesses can reduce the workload on their human staff, minimize missed calls, and provide a consistently professional experience for callers. This not only improves efficiency but also enhances customer satisfaction by providing quick, accurate responses to inquiries at any time of day or night.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"padding-top: 10px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5. Learn to prioritize your day-to-day tasks<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you\u2019re managing a small business, you should be able to quickly decipher between what needs to be done ASAP versus what can be put off for later.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think of project management as one big prioritization strategy. For example, some managers might use a version of an Eisenhower Matrix to <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.rescuetime.com\/how-to-prioritize\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">figure out which tasks are most pressing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Essentially, this strategy helps you assess duties that are both urgent <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> important:<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1595\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1595\" style=\"width: 451px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1595 size-medium\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image7-1.png\" alt=\"Eisenhower Matrix time and task management\" width=\"451\" height=\"400\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1595\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">When building your schedule, it\u2019s smart to define what needs to be done above all else\u2014and what isn\u2019t actually urgent. This will also help you reduce stress as you always have a pulse on \u201cwhat\u2019s next.\u201d <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thedigitalprojectmanager.com\/tools\/project-planning-tools\/\">Project planning tools<\/a> like Wrike or monday.com can help you execute this strategy and set up a proper task prioritization system.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 style=\"padding-top: 10px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6. Invest in tools and resources to save time<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The average day for a small business manager can be daunting\u2014there are literally hundreds of things to do.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we mentioned earlier, third-party tools can help do the heavy lifting when it comes to tedious or time-consuming tasks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Integrating <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/team-management-software\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">technology across your team<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can help everyone communicate and collaborate more efficiently with one another. (You don\u2019t have to try fancy new technology either; sometimes upgrading something as basic as your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/solutions\/small-business_c.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">phone system<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> could help you save money and time in the long run.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, these tools are staples of small business management and are important to invest in if you need to work smarter:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/project-management-tools\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>Project management platforms<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (e.g., Trello, Asana), which highlight employees\u2019 to-do lists, tasks, and ongoing progress\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-44152\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/trello-project-managment-tool-e1604590631876.png\" alt=\"trello task managment software\" width=\"900\" height=\"461\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>File sharing tools <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(e.g., Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Drive), which allow everyone to work together and easily share documents. For businesses that need to collect files from clients or team members, <a href=\"https:\/\/getfiledrop.com\/document-collection-software\/\">document collection software<\/a> can streamline the process of gathering documents without back-and-forth emails.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1597\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1597\" style=\"width: 695px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1597 size-medium\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image3.gif\" alt=\"Google Docs online sharing tool\" width=\"695\" height=\"370\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1597\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Google Docs enables teams to work within the same documents in real time, eliminating needless back-and-forths and email chains.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/solutions\/small-business_c.html\"><b>Communication and collaboration tools<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (e.g., RingCentral), which allow for frequent check-ins, status updates, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/meeting-management-tools\/\">meetings<\/a>\u2014especially important if your team is scattered around the world. Why have separate apps for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/free-conference-call.html\">conference call services<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/video-call.html\">video call<\/a>, and messaging when you can have them all in one place?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"rc_custom_video\"><a class=\"rc_custom_video__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtu.be\/09_TMMYemMU\">\n\t\t            <picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/09_TMMYemMU\/maxresdefault.webp\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"rc_custom_video__media\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/09_TMMYemMU\/maxresdefault.jpg\" alt=\"\">\n\t\t            <\/picture>\n\t\t        <\/a><br \/>\n\t\t        <button class=\"rc_custom_video__button\" aria-label=\"Play video\"><svg width=\"68\" height=\"48\" viewBox=\"0 0 68 48\"><path class=\"rc_custom_video__button-shape\" d=\"M66.52,7.74c-0.78-2.93-2.49-5.41-5.42-6.19C55.79,.13,34,0,34,0S12.21,.13,6.9,1.55 C3.97,2.33,2.27,4.81,1.48,7.74C0.06,13.05,0,24,0,24s0.06,10.95,1.48,16.26c0.78,2.93,2.49,5.41,5.42,6.19 C12.21,47.87,34,48,34,48s21.79-0.13,27.1-1.55c2.93-0.78,4.64-3.26,5.42-6.19C67.94,34.95,68,24,68,24S67.94,13.05,66.52,7.74z\"><\/path><path class=\"rc_custom_video__button-icon\" d=\"M 45,24 27,14 27,34\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t        <\/button>\n\t\t    <\/div>\n<h3 style=\"padding-top: 10px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7. Focus on what you\u2019re good at first<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The role of a small business manager is often a sort of jack of all trades.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But as the old saying goes, \u201cjack of all trades, master of none.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Realistically, you can\u2019t be a superstar at <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">everything<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that you do. You\u2019ll naturally excel at some aspects of running a business and struggle with others.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s okay. Just focus on your strengths, and figure out what you need to be successful.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, you might be a rockstar at motivating employees and delegating tasks. On the flip slide, you absolutely loathe accounting, pricing, and managing the company credit card.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That means you can either shift those responsibilities elsewhere or get an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/accounting-practice-management-software\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">accounting tool<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to make your schedule more manageable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You don\u2019t have to put a round peg in a square hole when it comes to your skill set. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"padding-top: 10px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8. Invest in your ongoing education<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It might sound cliche, but nothing in the business world stays the same for long.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Office and workplace trends change. Your teams\u2019 expectations are evolving, too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Successful entrepreneurship is about continuous learning. You need to be open to new ideas and opportunities to constantly learn more about small business management. Doing so ensures that you\u2019re up to date on best practices without running the risk of getting stuck in your ways.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, why not brush up on your human resources or product development knowledge by joining an in-person or digital business seminar through platforms like Skillpath and AMA? You can also ask people in your network which courses or events they recommend personally.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want an immediate crash course in management, look no further than the library (or Amazon). To do even more homework, here are some small business management book recommendations that we\u2019ve found interesting:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/6732019-rework?from_search=true&amp;qid=bWaHdwEpYc&amp;rank=1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rework<\/span><\/a><\/i><\/li>\n<li><i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/81948.The_E_Myth_Revisited?ac=1&amp;from_search=true&amp;qid=vjJmJhEIW4&amp;rank=2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don\u2019t Work and What to Do About It<\/span><\/a><\/i><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/10127019-the-lean-startup\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Lean Startup<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/18050143-zero-to-one\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/24000494-boss-life?from_search=true&amp;qid=CI958sFA8f&amp;rank=1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Boss Life: Surviving My Own Small Business<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cDo I need a small business management degree?\u201d<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, a degree in business is helpful toward reaching your full potential in running a small business.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You probably, however, also don\u2019t have the time for a full-blown traditional degree program right now. That\u2019s okay. You still have options.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, there are platforms like Coursera that offer college-level coursework and materials from actual degree programs in business management.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are tons of learning opportunities out there that fit different schedules, budgets, and workloads. Look for ways to introduce your team (and yourself!) to new ideas and perspectives.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 40px;\"><strong>Ready to step up your small business management skills?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether it\u2019s just you and your cofounder running a startup out of your garage, or you\u2019ve got an established small business team, small business management has a lot of moving pieces.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That said, you can do even little things to get more customers, run more efficiently, and help your business thrive.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The good news is, there\u2019s no \u201cright\u201d approach or style you should adopt\u2014you just need to learn what works for you and your business\u2014and these small business management notes can help you figure that out.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Contact <a href=\"https:\/\/support.ringcentral.co.uk\/s\/contact-support?language=en_GB\">RingCentral<\/a> today to find out more about features such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/lp\/small-business-phone-service.html\">business phone service<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/virtual-call-center.html\">virtual call center<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/ccaas.html\">CCaaS<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Running a successful business is no walk in the park. This is especially true today. In the face of ever-changing business administration tools, marketing tactics, and employee expectations, you\u2019ve got a ton on your plate. That\u2019s exactly why your management style is so important. To manage a small business well, you need to not get &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":40690,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17901],"tags":[162,293],"class_list":["post-40684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-leadership","tag-small-business","tag-smb"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v19.3 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Small business management: an in-depth guide | RingCentral Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Managing a small business is no easy feat. There&#039;s marketing, sales, hiring\u2014and many other tasks. 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