What’s an Online Business Manager (OBM)?
Used with permission from Tina Forsyth, The official definition of an Online Business Manager (OBM) is:
A virtually based support professional who manages online based businesses, including the day-to-day management of projects, operations, team members and metrics.
However I like to look at the role from a bit of a different angle – what is the purpose of an Online Business Manager beyond ‘what they do’?
The role of the OBM boils down to one simple thing:
To free up the business owner so that you can focus your time and energy on the things that only YOU can do in your business.
This includes all business building activities like marketing, sales, working with clients, product development, strategic alliances and big picture business planning – all of which are essential to the growth of a business.
You need to be spending your time here – everything else can be managed by an Online Business Manager.
Most business owners look to hire an OBM when they simply cannot grow their business anymore being the only one in charge. You’ve reached the point where you have a solid business plan, revenue is flowing in and you are tired of being the one who has to “take care of everything.”
In order for you to take your business to the next level you need to pull yourself out of the day-to-day management activities and focus on growth.
Note: The role of the Online Business Manager is to delegate and not do. Although they may not be the one actually “doing the work” they are the ones responsible for establishing and managing the team that does.
So how can an OBM help?
Here is a list of what an OBM can do for you:
Manage Projects
- Creation of a project plan, including timeline, process, people and other resources
- Setup and maintenance of an online project management tool
- Delegating details of the project to various team members
- Communication of project status and ongoing details to all players
- Following-up with players as necessary to ensure that “stuff gets done” on time
- Managing the budget for the project
- Handling challenges for the project as they arise, with a focus on finding a solution quickly
Manage Team
- Identify team needs based on current business goals and projects
- Create measures of success for the role
- Determine what type of specialist would be the best fit
- Craft job posting/details
- Blast opportunity out there via various networks
- Filter initial responses and review portfolios Setup interviews
- Narrow choices after initial interviews and request proposal
- Setup second interview (if necessary)
- Check references from other clients
- Review proposals from preferred candidates
- Making the offer to selected candidate
- Ensure there is a signed contract in place for all hires
- Create communication plan with new team members
- Get them proper information and/or training for their role
- Regular reporting on measures of success for their role
- 90 Day Review (for long term) or End of Project Review (for project only)
- Keeping the team motivated in their work
- Handling team challenges as they arise Managing the team budget and expenses
Manage Operations
- Review of the key systems needed to run a business, including customer service, billing, communication, back-ups, marketing, follow-up and delivery
- Creation of processes, tools and players for key systems within the business
- Implementation of automated business tools & software to manage various systems
- Creation and maintenance of your Standard Operating & Procedures (SOP) Guide
- Management of all client payments and collections process
- Management of systems access and login information
- Ensuring there is an effective backup system in place for all information (including the business owner’s computer!)
- Establish decision making guidelines for team members
Tracking Metrics
- Keeping track of key statistics for the business on a weekly & monthly basis
- Setting up a reporting system that includes what to track
- Analyzing metrics and discussing trends/patterns with business owner
Manage your Revenue Streams
- Manage the production and completion of revenue streams including:
- Books & workbooks and other Multimedia products
- Membership programs
- Virtual Events and Live Events
- Coaching Programs
- Manage the setup of any applicable tools or software for different revenue streams (i.e.: setting up a membership site using WordPress & WishList Member)
- Manage the deliverability of revenue streams (i.e.: setting up a download page for an ebook)
- Ensure customer service is in place to support each revenue stream
- Ensure that systems are in place so that new clients get immediate access to their purchases
- Setup of fulfillment for any tangible/shippable items
- Manage the ongoing maintenance of revenue streams
- Review revenue streams on a regular basis to look for outdated information or opportunities to refresh/relaunch
Manage your Website
- Review content on all websites to look for outdated or incorrect information
- Managing all updates to website content (either themselves or by hiring a technical VA)
- Managing the creation of any new websites
- Finding and managing web/blog designers, graphic designers and copywriters as required
- Setting up everything “behind the subscribe button” for list building
- Setting up everything “behind the buy button” for purchases
- Testing all links, forms and buy buttons on the website to look for errors and inconsistencies
- Ensuring Google Analytics (or some other statistics program) is in place on all websites
- Ensuring the social media applications/plugins are in place
- Sourcing testimonials for inclusion on web pages (as required)
- Setting up a store page that lists all your products/offerings
Manage your Ezine Schedule
- Establish your ezine publication schedule
- Establish your promotional schedule
- Manage your lists
- Help create a professional ezine template
- Ensure that ezine is published on schedule
- Review content for ezine
- Manage ads and other promotional material to be included in ezine
- Manage solo emails and other promotions being sent to the list
- Coordinate with affiliate and JV partners as required for cross promotions
Manage your Launches
- Setup a launch plan based on strategy from the business owner
- Ensure that key players are in place for each stage of the launch
- Establish a clear promotional schedule for each phase of the launch
- Work with a copywriter for launch materials (if necessary)
- Work with affiliate partners (as outlined in next section)
- Manage creation of the sales page
- Keep everyone on task throughout the launch and stay on top of any “dropped balls”
- Support the business owner as needed throughout the launch
- Be “on call” the day of the launch to take care of any urgencies/changes
- Update all websites and other marketing materials after the launch
- Ensure that the offering itself is delivered as promised
Manage your Affiliate Program
- Work with business owner to establish details for their affiliate program
- Setting up the affiliate program in the shopping cart
- Setting up a resource page for affiliates
- Coordination of promotional materials for various promotions
- Keeping in touch with affiliates to advise of upcoming promotions
- Follow-up with affiliates as needed to support their promotions
- Managing payment of affiliates
Manage your JV Partnerships
- Managing the implementation of any JV partner projects
- Creating the project plan for JV partner projects
- Coordinating with members of the JV partner’s team
- Communicating key details to the players involved
- Following-up with JV partners and/or the business owner as needed to bring the project to life
Managing Speaking Engagements
- Preparation of Speaking Kit
- Reviewing speaking requests on behalf of the client
- Confirming details of speaking agreement Coordinating details with Host
- Managing Travel
- Preparation of all speaking materials in advance
- Ordering of any products to be sold on-site
- Onsite management (as required)
Manage your Marketing Implementation
- Managing the day-to-day implementation of the business owners marketing strategy, which could include:
- Affiliate (Joint Venture) Marketing
- Article Marketing
- Audio/Video Marketing
- Email Marketing
- Publicity & PR
- SEO & Pay per Click Marketing
- Social Media
- Speaking Engagements
- Traditional “offline” Marketing
- Establishing a team to take care of the ongoing marketing activities (as required)
- Reviewing autoresponders and follow-up sequences on a regular basis (for outdated information and accuracy)
- Reviewing upsell opportunities in the buying process
- Reviewing pink spoon “freebies” for refreshment
Free up the Business Owner!
- Reviewing where the business owner is spending their time
- Proactively taking stuff off the business owner’s plate that they don’t need to do (and might not realize they can let go of
- Acting as gatekeeper on behalf of the business owner
- Creating an email management system for the business owner
- Setting up a scheduling system for the business owner