Unlocking productivity: 8 proven ways to streamline your small business

Running a small business can often feel like juggling too many balls at once. Balancing growth, customer satisfaction, and day-to-day operations can be challenging. And Yorba is here to help!

In this article, we'll explore actionable tips and strategies that can help you reclaim control and achieve your business goals more efficiently.

1. Optimize your expenses

   Keep a close eye on your subscriptions. It’s easy to lose track of all monthly payments, especially if a few people from your team are using the corporate card. Tracking them in a spreadsheet can add to your list of tasks, so the smarter way is to use Yorba to find all your paid accounts, get alerts on upcoming payments, and cancel subscriptions you no longer want.

2. Implement the 2-minute rule
   
   Tackle small tasks that can be done in two minutes or less right away. This simple rule helps keep your to-do list under control and stops minor tasks from snowballing into overwhelming mountains of work.
   

3. Leverage the power of micro-influencers
   
   Forget chasing big-name influencers. Partner with micro-influencers who have a loyal, engaged following in your niche. They often boast higher engagement rates and can connect with your audience more authentically—and for a lot less cash.
   

4. Conduct “Exit interviews” with lost customers
   
   When a customer says goodbye, don’t just let them walk away. Conduct an exit interview to find out why. The insights you gain can pinpoint areas for improvement and help you keep future customers from jumping ship.
   

5. Adopt a “Lean Startup” mentality
   
   Think lean and mean! Start with a minimum viable product (MVP) and refine it using customer feedback. This strategy reduces risks and ensures you’re delivering what your customers really want.
   

6. Use behavioral economics in marketing
   

   There are plenty of behavioral economics principles that are surprisingly efficient and cost nothing to incorporate. For example, avoiding choice overload—too many options can paralyze customers. Simplify their decision-making by curating selections of best-sellers or staff picks. 

   Acting on hyperbolic discounting bias is another tactic and flash sales are your friend here. They create a sense of urgency that can drive quick purchasing decisions. 

   Additionally, consider the framing effect—how you present information matters. To begin, highlight benefits positively: instead of "90% fat-free," say "contains only 10% fat."

7. Create a mastermind group 
   
   Ever wish you had a team of superheroes to help you tackle business challenges? Form or find a mastermind group with a few other small business owners who aren’t direct competitors. This group can be your sounding board for ideas and provide fresh perspectives on hurdles and opportunities.

8. Declutter your digital footprint

   Important emails getting buried in spam? We know, that hurts. Mass unsubscribe from mailing lists, and find and delete online accounts you don’t use, so fewer companies keep selling your data to brokers. As a bonus, your personal data will be less susceptible to data breaches.

Start today—whether it’s forming a mastermind group, adopting the 2-minute rule, or tracking your subscriptions. The key to success is continuous improvement and staying adaptable in an ever-changing market, and we believe you can nail it!