You must be wondering what is digital file disorganization really costing your business? Here’s something we both can agree on how frustrating and time-consuming it is looking for digital files without a file structure or consistent naming conventions.
You know that you have that digital file saves somewhere from the early years in business.
But where the heck did you put that electric file? Racking your brain for what you would have named it, where you save it even. Searching on as many random keywords as you can think of in an attempt to find the document in various different cloud storage spaces.
Is this you? If so, you’re not alone. I see this repeatedly in online businesses.
The problem is in the early years of your business when you’re penny-pinching and band-aiding things together instead of buying more file storage space, you’d sign up for another free account? Genius right? One less monthly expense, yay you frugal business owner.
Now you’re finding out that maybe wasn’t such a great idea. All that searching and disorganization is costing your business valuable time and money.
Simple Action One: Basic File Structure
Now, this is important all files fall under a basic file structure for the different pillars in your business. Disorganization of files is stressful, you may not think so but your mind does.
These are examples of the different pillars that you have in an online business.
Marketing
Everything and anything that has to do with marketing your business are inside this folder. Here are a few examples of folders that you’ll find nestled in my marketing folder on Google Drive.
- Content Bank: (AKA Content Library) includes subfolders for images, swipe files, blog post copy, social media copy, newsletter copy
- Freebie/Opt-ins/Lead Magnets
- Branding
- Website
- Affiliate
- Funnels
Sales
You guessed it anything that has to do with prospects and sales.
- New Client Paperwork
- Prospecting Spreadsheet (if you’re not using a CRM)
- Discovery Call Notes
Clients
All your client folders and information. Individual folders are set up for each client.
While folders that are share may have a people icon, that may not always be the case. Here is a little trick I use, for any folder that is shared, I add [Share] to the name and change the folder color to pink. You of course can pick any color you’d like. (:
Operations
These are all the backend files for your company. The folder under here will be:
- Personal/Business Development
- Finance/Accounting – this could also be a root folder
- All your standard operating procedures
Knowledge/Learning
This is the place to find all the course information and the freebie that has been downloaded.
Simple Action Two: Naming Structure
Oh My Goodness, this is one that I R.E.G.R.E.T.!
I think you’ll agree with me when I say downloading freebies from the internet without a good descriptive file name turns out to be a hot mess.
Because apparently, Friend it’s difficult to type a descriptive name to the file the first time.
Geez, it drove me nuts all the inconsistent nondescript file names.
Simple Action Three: Clear out the old files
Do you keep everything just in case? The solution is simple to create archive folders for those old outdated files that you may need to reference in the future.
If you’re not sure if you’ll need to reference a document in the future. Simplify move it into the archive folder.
Keep them forever, or if you need to free up space this is a great place to start.
Suck it up Buttercup and just get it done
Disorganization is sneaky and causes chaos when you least expect it. Whether this is done by you or a contractor to organize your virtual back office, just get it done.
If you don’t believe me. Start tracking the time that you or your team member spend looking for files. Over time this will add up to more than just investing in getting it done.
And if you listen kinda like my teenagers, I’ll say it this way. I’m serious you need to suck it up and get it done.
Little Side Note
What more on Google Drive organization?
Megan Minns has a fantastic blog post you can read How to Organize Your Business Files Using Google Drive.
✁ Just a Snippet
Here is just a snippet of the important points, you know for the skimmer in you. 🤪
- Here are three simple actions to organize your digital files.
- Create a file structure with a folder for the main pillars of your business
- Develop a consistent naming structure that works for your business
- Clear out the old files by moving them to an archive folder or to the trash
- In the words of Nike Just Do It – clean up the files it will save you time, money, and energy in the future.
