Vacation Savvy

Detach, Relax, and Still Make Money

Summer…the most popular time for people to take time off. Sleep in. Stay up late. Cheat on your diet. And for entrepreneurs – the time to worry about leaving your business in the hands of others. We all freak out about this, but we shouldn’t. Like everyone else, we need time off to rest, so that we can be at our best and brightest for those who depend on us.

I know I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating…going it alone doesn’t work.

You need your dream team to succeed – and never more than when you’re on vacation.

Here’s how to get away the smart way!

Planning + Preparing = Profit

The most important thing to do is think ahead. Plan your vacation during the least busy times in your industry. If there’s less going on in general, there’s less you’ll miss. Remember all the times I mentioned developing effective business processes? This is where they pay off – BIG TIME.

If you already have clear, step-by-step operating procedures in place, your team knows exactly what needs to happen, when it needs to happen, and how to go about doing it. You can delegate tasks to your team and know that the work will be done properly – because the processes will guide them. If you don’t have processes in place, now is the time to implement them, so you can head for the hills (or the beach…) in six months.

Set Communication Boundaries

Before you depart, decide how much contact you’ll need to feel comfortable. Let your team know if you’re incommunicado (except for extreme emergencies) if you’ll be checking in daily at a certain time, or if you want them to send you daily updates by email.

Then stick to it.

If you over-communicate or try to micromanage from a distance, it shows your team you don’t trust them to do what needs to be done. Remember that one (or more) of these people may be someone you’re grooming to be your successor someday, so building trust is critical.

Brief Your Customers

Here’s a great tip to make you a customer service star.

Contact your customers as soon as you set your vacation dates. Instead of telling them you’ll be out of circulation, ASK them if they would mind working with your team instead, or if you can get back to them when you return. 99% percent of them will say “Sure”. They’re people who like to go on vacation too. But they love that you ask.

Handle Essentials, Then Move On

Check your email early in the morning before your day begins or after everyone else is asleep. Handle mission-critical stuff, forward important items to your team and leave the rest. If you’ve brought essential work with you, follow a schedule. Set specific times to work and play. Let your team know when you’ll work, so they can contact you with concerns that aren’t emergencies, but important. Use mobile technology to its full potential – stay connected with your cell phone, tablet, and laptop.

Following these steps means you’ll come back rested, refreshed…and ready to take back the reins of a profitable business! Need more tips? I’m here for you – just ask!

Until next time…