The Top 5 Business Tasks You Should Automate Today

In our continuing series "Unlocking Time: Automation for Small Business Success," we're diving deep into specific tasks you can automate right now using Zapier. While there are many automation platforms available, Zapier stands out for its user-friendly interface, vast app integration library, and affordable pricing structure – making it perfect for small businesses taking their first steps into automation.

Why Zapier?

Before we dive into specific tasks, let's understand why Zapier is particularly well-suited for small business automation:

- No coding required

- 5,000+ app integrations

- Free plan available

- Visual workflow builder

- Reliable automation execution

- Excellent customer support

- Regular feature updates

Now, let's explore the five business tasks you should automate today to reclaim valuable hours in your workweek.

1. Customer Communication and Lead Management

Manual follow-ups with leads and customers can eat up hours of your day. Here's how to automate this critical process with Zapier:

Key Automations:

Lead Capture to CRM:

- Automatically send new form submissions to your CRM

- Create contacts in your email marketing platform

- Tag leads based on their source

- Assign leads to team members

Example Zap:

When someone fills out your website contact form (using tools like Google Forms, TypeForm, or WordPress), Zapier can:

1. Create a new contact in your CRM (like HubSpot or Salesforce)

2. Add them to your email marketing list (in Mailchimp or ConvertKit)

3. Create a follow-up task in your task management tool

4. Send an immediate personalized response email

5. Notify the appropriate team member via Slack

Time Saved: 2-3 hours per week

Implementation Tips:

- Start with a simple automation and add complexity gradually

- Use Zapier's built-in formatting tools to clean up data

- Test thoroughly with sample data before activating

2. Social Media Management

Social media presence is crucial, but managing multiple platforms can be overwhelming. Here's how to streamline your social media workflow:

Key Automations:

Content Distribution:

- Share blog posts across platforms automatically

- Schedule social media posts from a spreadsheet

- Cross-post content between platforms

- Track social media mentions

Example Zap:

When you publish a new blog post:

1. Automatically create social media posts on multiple platforms

2. Schedule variations of the post over time

3. Add the post to your content calendar

4. Track engagement metrics in a spreadsheet

Time Saved: 3-4 hours per week

Best Practices:

- Customize content for each platform

- Space out posts using Zapier's delay feature

- Include relevant hashtags automatically

- Track performance metrics

3. Document and Data Management

Stop copying and pasting data between systems. Automate your document workflows instead:

Key Automations:

Document Creation and Storage:- Generate documents from templates

- Save email attachments to cloud storage

- Create folders for new projects

- Update spreadsheets automatically

Example Zap:

When you receive a new client:

1. Create a client folder in Google Drive

2. Generate onboarding documents from templates

3. Send welcome packets automatically

4. Update your client tracking spreadsheet

5. Create a project in your project management tool

Time Saved: 2-3 hours per week

Implementation Strategy:

- Standardize your folder structure

- Use consistent naming conventions

- Set up backup procedures

- Implement version control

4. Invoice and Payment Processing

Streamline your financial workflows to get paid faster and maintain better records:

Key Automations:

Financial Management:- Generate invoices automatically

- Send payment reminders

- Record transactions in accounting software

- Track payment status

Example Zap:

When a project is marked complete:

1. Generate an invoice in your accounting software

2. Send it to the client automatically

3. Create a follow-up task for payment collection

4. Update your financial tracking spreadsheet

5. Notify your bookkeeper

Time Saved: 2-3 hours per week

Best Practices:

- Double-check all financial automations

- Maintain audit trails

- Include backup notification systems

- Regular reconciliation checks

5. Meeting and Appointment Scheduling

End the back-and-forth email chains for scheduling meetings:

Key Automations:

Calendar Management:

- Schedule meetings automatically

- Send confirmation emails

- Create meeting agendas

- Follow-up task creation

Example Zap:

When someone books a meeting through your scheduling tool:

1. Add the appointment to your calendar

2. Send a confirmation email with meeting details

3. Create a prep task in your task manager

4. Add client info to your CRM

5. Send internal team notifications

Time Saved: 1-2 hours per week

Implementation Tips:

- Set buffer times between meetings

- Include timezone conversions

- Automate reminder sequences

- Create meeting templates

Getting Started with Zapier Automation

Step 1: Plan Your Automation Strategy

Before creating your first Zap:

- List your most time-consuming tasks

- Identify repetitive processes

- Map out desired workflows

- Consider dependencies between systems

Step 2: Choose the Right Zapier Plan

Zapier offers several pricing tiers:

- Free: Perfect for testing and basic automation

- Starter: Good for small businesses just starting

- Professional: Ideal for growing businesses

- Team: Best for collaborative automation

- Company: Enterprise-level automation

Step 3: Start Small and Scale

Begin with a single, simple automation:

1. Choose one task from the list above

2. Create a basic version of the workflow

3. Test thoroughly

4. Gradually add complexity

5. Monitor and optimize

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

1. Over-automation:

- Not everything needs to be automated

- Maintain human touch points

- Consider customer experience

2. Poor Testing:

- Test all scenarios

- Use sample data

- Monitor early implementations

- Have backup procedures

3. Lack of Documentation:

- Document all workflows

- Create process maps

- Maintain updated instructions

- Train team members

Measuring Success

Track these metrics to evaluate your automation efforts:

- Time saved per task

- Error reduction

- Response time improvements

- Cost savings

- Team satisfaction

- Customer feedback

Conclusion: Taking Action

The key to successful automation is starting small and building gradually. Choose one task from this list and implement it this week. As you become comfortable with the automation, add more complexity or move on to the next task.

Remember, the goal isn't to automate everything – it's to automate the right things. Focus on tasks that are:

- Repetitive

- Time-consuming

- Rule-based

- Low in complexity

- High in impact

By implementing these five automations, you can easily save 10-15 hours per week – time better spent on growing your business and serving your customers.

Need help getting started, OptiScale can assist? The hours we have saved clients compound over time, creating space for the strategic work that truly drives your business forward.