Interview with the Duct Tape Marketing Founder John Jantsch | How to Build Systems and Processes
Show Notes
One of the top podcasters of all-time, John Jantsch (of Duct Tape Marketing) breaks down the importance of creating systems and processes when it comes to scaling your business.
John Jantsch
Bio – John Jantsch is a marketing consultant, speaker and best selling author of Duct Tape Marketing, Duct Tape Selling, The Commitment Engine The Referral Engine, and SEO for Growth. He is the creator of the Duct Tape Marketing System and Duct Tape Marketing Consulting Network that trains and licenses small business marketing consultants around the world.
Topic
“Scaling Your Business Without Adding Overhead”
Today we have the best-selling author of Duct Tape Marketing and host of The Duct Tape Marketing Podcast. Over the past ten years John has interviewed such guests as Simon Sinek, Jonah Berger, Chip Heath, Michael Hyatt and other great guests and today we are going to be diving the value of developing systems and processes.
Well I’m excited for you to share your words of wisdom with our audience about the important topic, to start us off, I’d like to get your perspective on where you see most entrepreneurs getting in wrong when it comes to developing systems and processes?
Answer: Trying to do too much at one time.
- Focus on 3 to 4 priorities and nail those details first. Then move on to the next phase or project.
How do you keep yourself focused?
Answer: I actually had a reason to stay get into it and stay with it. I was able to build a listenership early because there was not much competition.
- The reason I started the podcast was to gain access to people who I was wanting to be incontact with.
What is the real value of having systems and processes in place for an entrepreneur looking to scale his or her business?
Answer: Systems allow you to scale without adding overhead.
- This allows you to hire for culture and train for systems.
- We can more easily replicate the work without having to spend a lot of time yourself in the business.
What are some things that you should not delegate:
Answer: The strategic direction and vision for the company.
- Do not delegate sales and delivery systems until your systems and processes are in place.
If I’m listening today and let’s say that I build decorative stone walls or install wood floors and I’ve never built a written process in my life, where do I start?
Answer: Step 1 – Find 10 hours per week of time that you are wasting or with things that you can delegate.
- Find the things that you should not be doing or hate doing and build the systems to delegate these tasks.
What do you think is the best way to get these intuitive systems out of someone’s head?
Answer: do it the best way that will work for you. We use a tool called Workflowy to outline your life and business in very big broad strokes.
- We do quarterly planning for upcoming priorities.
- We also use Google Docs.
What is your core business?
Answer: A marketing and consulting business.
- We train other agencies the Duct Tape Marketing systems to help their clients with marketing and systems creation.
- We also do writing, speaking and sponsorships.
Once someone has created a process, I hear so many entrepreneurs tell me at our workshops that they struggle to get their team to actually implement the systems that they have created, what are your tips for effective delegation and follow-up?
Answer: It comes down to having a consistent message of purpose.
- The people that are attracted to the Duct Tape Marketing brand are bought into helping the small business owners increase their quality of life.
Do you remember the first position that you hired?
Answer: I started out with no idea but i was hustling for work. The first hire was for an assistant. I did not create a position that was fulfilling for them or for the company.
- I read Michael Gerber’s book E-Myth and that was helpful.
Do you remember how you came up with the name Duct Tape Marketing?
Answer: The name just came to me as what it feels like to most small business owners. It doesn’t have to be pretty, it just has to work.
As businesses start to generate more and more leads it becomes increasingly important for entrepreneurs to delegate effectively, explain to our listeners which tasks they should be doing themselves and which tasks they should be outsourcing.
Answer:
For the listeners out there, share with us a look into your personal life and something that most people do not know about you.
Answer: The thing that few people have actually witnessed is that I am a musician and it was a big part of my life through highschool and college. I will still play at a coffee shop now and then.
What motivates you to do what you do?
Answer: I love it. I am still curious. I am not done.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
Answer: We do a ton of travel. We love to spend time in Colorado.
- I have 4 grandkids and loving that point in life.
What is the #1 book that every entrepreneur who is listening needs to read?
Answer: E-Myth, Permission Marketing, The One Thing
What do you love about the book The One Thing?
Answer: I think we all try to do too much and the focus of the book is to do a lot less.
Where do you see most people get it wrong when building systems and process?
Answer: A lack of focus and trying to do too much.
If I want to start a business, what is the first thing I should do:
- Find out if there is actually a need for your business
- Go out and find an unmet need and make that the focus of your business.
Find out more about John:
