Creating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) is one of the easiest and best ways to duplicate yourself. For solopreneurs, this can be a significant advantage as they concentrate on growing the business.

SOPs are a set of step-by-step instructions that are designed to help you do your job with less effort, while also ensuring that the work is being done correctly. They are also designed to be followed by anyone who has not been trained by you in your business. They help your team successfully complete tasks without having to rely on your direct involvement.

This way, if you’re ever unavailable or want to take a vacation without being chained to your laptop, business can move forward without any problems. Additionally, SOPs allow solopreneurs to focus on other tasks outside of their day-to-day responsibilities and further grow their business while working on CEO tasks and expanding their reach. .

SOPs don’t have to be complicated, but they should cover all the essential details so that anyone who needs to follow them will get it right. It can be hard to find time for this when you’re running your own business, but it’s worth spending some time now on SOPs because in the long-term, they’ll save you a lot of stress and frustration.

Here is the four (4) step process I use to document or update my SOPs without being overwhelmed.

1. Keep an ongoing list – Initially, this will serve as a brand dump. As you go throughout your day, think of the tasks you perform. Everything from your fulfillment process, onboarding process, to your offboarding and inventory tracking process. This document will also help you keep track of the processes you have within your business, the last time they were updated, and which area they reside in. While this may not seem like a big deal if you’re a solopreneur, you will quickly reap the benefits when you start to hire your team.
2. Record your process – This part is extremely beneficial. By recording your process as you perform the tasks, it assures that all of the steps are included. Use a screen recorder to record your screen as you are performing each step of your process. There are several screen recording tools available. I use screen-cast-o-matic but you can also use loom or ClickUp (if you have an account). For processes or steps of a process that are not performed on a computer, you can simply use your phone or the mic from your computer. 
3. Transcribe your recordings – After you have completed your process, it will need to be transcribed. This may be done in a couple of ways. You can have a team member like a VA transcribe them if one is available or you can have a subscription service such as Rev, which provides the option of having a human professional transcribe your recording or a machine.
4. Format in template – The main part of the process has been completed. Now all you have to do is take the transcripted information into your SOP template and format it accordingly.

That’s it! You have completed your SOP. 

If you are just getting started with developing your SOPs, I would recommend putting a plan in place and setting a goal. For instance, which SOPs will you work on first, when would you like to have this project completed and how many will you complete each week? .

Would you like to get your hands on my templates?

I’ll send them directly to your inbox, just let me know where I should send them!