All-in-one systems for business look really good from an outside perspective, but are they really all they are cracked up to be? Today we’re discussing the ins and outs of these all-inclusive platforms as well as the pros and cons of using them so that you can answer – once and for all – whether an all-in-one system is right for your online business. So, if you’ve been on the fence or are just a bit curious, then this episode is for you. Let’s get started.
Links for This Episode
- Enroll in the Mama Business Blueprint
- Schedule your Mama Business Strategy Session
- Grab your Mama Business Task Hub
Podcast Episode Recommendations
- #81: Creating Backups in Business: 3 Ways to be Successful as a Mompreneur
- #64: Are Your Business Systems Ready for Growth? 3 Ways to Know
- #46: Streamline Your Online Business: 3 Templates To Create ASAP for Business Growth
- #31: How Social Media Can Ruin Your Business + What to Do Instead
All-in-One Systems for Business: Are They A Good Choice for You?
Well hey there and welcome back to the Mama Business Podcast. Today’s topic is going to go against the grain a little, I think. Because we all want to have simpler processes, automation, and ease of use, and a lot of times that can mean looking at systems or platforms that incorporate more bells and whistles into them – or include everything we ever could have dreamed of – like an all-in-one platform.
Here’s the deal: simple in business doesn’t ALWAYS mean less. Simple means that your systems are connected in a way that works for you. That they work for you. And that you aren’t stuck troubleshooting or feeling overwhelmed when you have bigger fish to fry – like taking care of your clients and customers and your family, too.
But because it can be difficult at times to determine which systems to use and how to properly connect them, an all-in-one platform can seem really tempting. So, I want to take a few minutes to discuss what an all-in-one-system is and some of the pros and cons of using one so that you can make an educated decision when it comes to your own business.
What is an All-In-One System?
So, first things first: what is an all-in-one system? There’s actually quite a few of them on the market at the moment and they are platforms that essentially include every online marketing tool in one. So, that might include your:
- Scheduler
- Course platform
- Email marketing
- Cart and payment processors
- Community
- Downloads or freebies
- Sales pages
- Website
- Affiliate marketing
- Leads tracking
…and more.
It’s one platform, one login, one monthly payment, and one place to go to see and track everything in your business.
Sounds amazing right? And yet, there are a few things to consider before you decide this type of system is the right one for you. Because sometimes when it sounds too good to be true – it actually is.
Con: All Eggs in 1 Basket = Chance of Doom
The first thing I want to caution you with regard to having an all-in-one system is the fact that if you put all of your eggs in one basket, you have a greater chance of doom. And that might sound depressing and a little extreme, but it’s true.
Like any online platform you have at any moment an all-in-one system could go down for any number of reasons. And some of that is the nature of tech. Occasionally things go down or a glitch happens in the system that needs to be fixed. But one of the things that I want to mention is, if you have everything on one platform, you run the risk of not being able to communicate or engage with your prospective or current clients should that platform go down.
I bring this up because this last week one of the major all-in-one platforms actually crashed and it was down for over 24 hours, which is pretty big deal right – especially if you are using that platform to run your entire business? It’s not a platform I use for my own business, but it is a common platform that a lot of course creators use to host their courses, sales pages, and even their websites and email marketing funnels. So, I actually received an email notification from one of the women who runs an online course that I took in the past.
And she actually had a back up access so that her course students could access the information even during the downtime. That takes a lot and it’s not always feasible for every business, but my point is that if she hadn’t had her email platform separate from her course platform, then she would not have been able to let us, her students, know that the platform was down.
That’s a pretty big deal right? Because she was able to communicate with us which meant that for me as her student I wasn’t concerned when I found out that the platform went down.
She was able to reassure us that she was aware of the issue. That she was working on an alternative solution. And that the platform would be back up and running soon.
And you also need to be able to reassure and connect with your potential and current clients or customers should something happen. If you’ve stuck all of your eggs in one basket that’s going to be an issue.
I talked about that in terms of a course that couldn’t be accessed, but it could also be a big launch you have going when a platform goes down or any number of other things. If you have your eggs in one basket, there won’t be any alternatives if something happens.
So that is definitely con #1 when it comes to working with all-in-one platforms.
Con: Not Always the Best Results
The second thing to consider is that all-in-one platforms don’t always provide the best results because they aren’t necessarily excellent at anything. I can’t remember the exact quote, but there’s one out there about being good at everything, yet great at nothing. And I believe that this is true in this case as well.
Take email marketing platforms for example. Because they focus on one thing: email marketing, they are excellent when it comes to deliverability rates and knowing exactly which templates work best for click-through and increased opens. The same goes for any other type of program that specializes in what it does.
Just like when you go to hire a plumber: you don’t want a plumber that’s also does electricity work, and sometimes drywall, and also sometimes replaces carpet. You want a plumber that does plumbing – that’s why you hire them and that’s why you pay them the exorbitant amount of money because they know how to do their job and they do it well.
It’s actually funny because that we had somebody stop by our home this last week to give us a flyer and talk a little bit about their sales pitch for their services, which isn’t unusual. But one of the things that they were pitching was new windows and when the guy told me that, I just said that we weren’t interested in new windows at this time. To my surprise, it didn’t stop there. He told me that actually they also do roofing and siding and handyman projects and his list went on and on and on. But the longer he spoke about all the things he did the less credibility had with me when it came to windows or any of the other things.
And the same should be true for your online platforms. Now I’m not saying that there won’t be crossover at some points. For example, a CRM will allow you to schedule appointments, manage your workflows, and even send some emails to clients and customers. Because each one of those things is necessary to create an amazing client experience, it’s important to note that the platform can be excellent because it’s has ONE purpose. When you start having multiple purposes, that’s when things go wrong.
So the second thing to consider when choosing an all-in-one system is that you might be settling for mediocre.
Pro: Cost (Sometimes)
Now, there are some pros to all-in-one systems for business and commonly it comes down to the cost, because when you’re starting out in business there’s often not a lot of money to go around.
And because of that, it’s very easy to say okay, well I could pick and choose different programs, platforms, whatever else it is, but the price of everything can add up. So, when you see a single price point on an all-in-one platform, that can make it easy to say yes.
Another perk you might consider – especially if you don’t feel super tech savvy – is that you only have to remember and login to one platform. You only have to learn one platform.
That’s all well and good if you believe the platform is exactly what you need. If it’s going to provide you excellent results and if you aren’t concerned about having all of your eggs in one basket.
Once again I want to caution you – because you can use an all-in-one system to save money or time in the beginning, but if it’s just mediocre or it crashes and you don’t have access, then you run the risk of increased costs in the future – from a financial standpoint and from a time standpoint.
So, the pros come down to one login, one password, one system, and (sometimes) the lower cost point.
Take Action: All-In-One Systems for Business?
So, when it comes to taking action today, I really just want you to give this some thought. If you’ve been on the fence about what systems to use or have considered an all-in-one system for your business, then now’s the time to get serious.
Personally, when it comes to choosing systems for your business, I prefer to the Rule of 3: 3 ways for your potential clients to engage with you. That’s three separate platforms. Not only does this allow you to increase touch points with your potential client leads (remember we need 8-12 before they are interested in purchasing!) – so not only does it allow you to create those touch points, but it also allows you the fail safe if something happens to one platform. You’ll never be out of contact with those potential paying clients.
And I do want you to know that if you are worried or concerned about which system to use in your own business then get on my calendar for a Mama Business Strategy Call. We can chat about which systems will work best for you and your business. I promise I have used a good majority of the systems on the market right now and there are pros and cons to all of them and I’d be happy to discuss that with you so let’s talk about how to get you set up for success. Maybe it is an all inclusive system but maybe and more likely there are a couple systems that you could use that will get you better results so once again, you can jump on a Mama Business Strategy Session with me by heading to sarahbrumley.com/strategy and we can get started.
Alrighty mama, I hope you have an amazing day and I look forward to chatting with you again next time.
