Written by: Olivia Radcliffe, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Let’s face it ‒ we’re busy. There’s no way around it. With obligations to our businesses, our family schedules, and (dare I say?) our own needs, it’s understandable if at the end of the day you feel like you just ran a marathon… while trying to change your shoes mid-stride.
This feeling can be acutely intensified if you’re trying to follow traditional business and marketing strategies that emphasize live, face-to-face (or screen-to-screen) interactions with your audience to help build rapport and trust.
There’s no denying that having a strong connection with your ideal client base is essential in helping your business stand out and vastly increasing your sales revenue and client retention rate. Real-time interactions such as live sales calls, video meetings, and live Q&A sessions can also certainly help fast-track building this connection. But, if this interaction comes at the cost of draining your already depleted energy or mental bandwidth or taking time away from other key needle-moving tasks, then rest assured that there is another way.
What is Asynchronous (async) work?
The pandemic helped take working from home to a new level. While some businesses simply transitioned their in-office strategies online, others took the opportunity to embrace adding asynchronicity into the workday.
Helped by the increased availability of online tools for project management and communication, teams are now able to work together on projects without requiring all members to be working on the same thing simultaneously. This asynchronous work style can lead to an increase in productivity while minimizing interruptions and has the added bonus of allowing people to work in their most productive manner, decreasing stress and anxiety.
As an entrepreneur, whether you have a team working with you or you’re a solopreneur, these asynchronous strategies can help boost your productivity and can even be incorporated into your overarching business and sales strategies.
Three Strategies for Embracing Asynchronicity
Asynchronous Sales
Depending on your type of business and niche, there can be a time and a place for sales calls. If you are offering a high-ticket product or service, jumping on a call with a potential client can help build rapport and cement their trust in you while simultaneously answering all their questions about what could be a significant financial investment for them.
But if you have limited time or maybe you’re working in an environment that is not conducive to live calls (e.g., a mompreneur with young children), that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on sales. Instead, you can embrace asynchronous sales strategies, like utilizing a voice or text app like Voxer to hold “office hours” that your potential clients can book to chat with you.
Example: A wellness coach is selling a high-ticket group program. Her go-to sales practice was to use a traditional two-step funnel that led potential clients to schedule a live 15-minute introductory call. If they were a good fit for the program, she would then schedule a 45-minute sales call with them at a future date.
While she appreciated the screening effect the 15-minute introductory call had, she was finding herself spending a vast amount of time on sales calls and unable to focus properly on other aspects of her business let alone her personal priorities.
She decided instead to have potential clients fill out an application to join the program, which has very similar questions to the form leads used to fill out to schedule the introductory call. She then reviews the application asynchronously and records a video with her feedback and suggestions for their next steps.
By doing so, she maintains the screening effect of the initial 15-minute call and is still able to provide personalized feedback and a taste of her personality and coaching style through the video to good-fit potential clients. If any further conversation is needed, she can then decide on a case-by-case basis to schedule a real-time call.
Ditch the Traditional Q&A
Traditional Q&A sessions provide a helpful way for participants in group programs, memberships, or courses to stay on track and make progress with the program. Typically, the format consists of a video meeting of sorts (Zoom, Facebook Live, etc.) that participants can join in real-time to get their questions answered by the host coach or consultant. Sometimes a recording of the session is available for those who can’t attend live.
While this format may work like a dream for some, for others with limited time, busy audiences, or a global clientele base, it can be more of a nightmare. Not only can it be an issue to find time within your own schedule to host these sessions, but it can also be challenging to coordinate sessions across different time zones, as well as to get active engagement from audience members who are more than likely also balancing other priorities.
Instead, you can move to an asynchronous Q&A format with limited real-time elements.
Example: A parenting coach for moms with young kids has a membership with a weekly Q&A session for her clients. Her clients, though, are having a hard time taking advantage of the sessions because they are busy at home or don’t feel like they can attend live with their kids. The coach is also facing difficulties working the calls around her own schedule. She often finds herself with no one attending the sessions but everyone listening to the recordings.
Instead of hosting live Q&A sessions, she decides to have an open form for her clients to submit questions. At the end of the week, she answers all the questions and then uploads the audio to a private podcast feed for her members.
By doing so, she can record answers whenever best suits her schedule and her busy audience is able to listen whenever best suits their schedules. If they think of another question, the next episode is only a few days away.
(A)sync Your Calendars
While well-structured meetings can be necessary and crucial parts of keeping the team moving like a well-oiled machine, poorly-planned meetings can zap the time and productivity from you and your team. Luckily, there are asynchronous ways to streamline (or eliminate) these meetings.
Instead of everyone gathering at the same time, you can discuss details of projects, strategize, and even assign and collaborate on tasks asynchronously using project management platforms and tools.
Example: A Marketing and Sales Manager needs to collaborate on projects with the sales reps in different states. They used to meet multiple times a week to discuss the current task list and updates. The information from the meetings was helpful, but so much time was spent coordinating the meetings and reviewing the work that they were having trouble keeping up with the actual task list.
They decided instead to meet only once a week. In between meetings, the Marketing and Sales Manager sends video reviews of the team members’ work, and they all update their task lists using a project management platform like Notion or ClickUp.
By doing so, everyone can stay up to date on who is focusing on what task when, how the project is progressing, and what requires immediate attention without needing to block out time for a meeting.
When all is said and done, asynchronous strategies can offer multiple benefits, including increased flexibility, improved work/life balance, and the ability to grow your network and work seamlessly with others across the world.
To truly embrace asynchronicity, though, requires clear communication, discipline, and coordination to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that expectations are being met.
For more tips on working asynchronously or guidance for your specific business, reach out to me directly on my website or LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Olivia Radcliffe, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Olivia Radcliffe is a much sought-after expert in authentic marketing and business strategy. She works with moms with businesses, meeting them at the intersection of life and business, healing what is holding them back and then helping them use their unique strengths and schedule needs to create a business that stands out and enhances their personal lifestyle goals. Olivia is also a 5-time international bestselling author, women's empowerment speaker, certified Life Coach, co-creator of the Like a Mother Movement, and co-host of the Marketing Like a Mother podcast. Her favorite title, though, is mom to her toddler son and German Shepherd.
