Flu-Proof Your Business: How Simple SOPs Rescue You When Life Happens

Week 17 - Standard Operating Procedures: Haff Notes 52-Week Business in Plain English Challenge

Welcome to Week 17 of our BRAVE Business in Plain English Challenge! Last week, we explored how to build a tech stack that works for your business without overwhelming you or your budget.

This week, we're tackling something that might sound like the most boring topic ever, but I promise will be one of your business's biggest lifesavers: Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). I know—even the name sounds tedious! But stick with me, because good SOPs are like insurance for your business sanity.

💡 SOPs aren't just boring documents—they're the secret that lets your business run smoothly even when you're sick, on vacation, or ready to bring on help.

Backstory - SOPs in Real Life

I can still remember the incredible relief I felt when the SOPs for my bookstore were finally complete. For five years, I carried a profound sense of responsibility to be available and respond within minutes to any question that could come up at the bookstore. It's a core value in our business for staff to feel supported and knowledgeable. So when the inevitable happens—someone has to open the shop who normally doesn't, or the receipt printer runs out of paper—people naturally have questions.

No matter how much you try to always be available, life happens. Two days after Christmas this past year, my son came down with what looked like appendicitis but turned out to be a very bad intestinal infection requiring hospitalization. We were in the midst of trying to decide if we should fly him to Anchorage for care—it was an incredibly tense time, and I was not attentive to the shop.

But Gracie, the staff member who had helped review and update all our shop's SOPs, was able to take over and continue running the store during this crisis. She guided the staff to complete inventory, which had been scheduled for those exact days after Christmas. With the guidance of the SOPs we had already written, the shop was inventoried (without having to close) and all staff felt supported. The process even finished sooner than expected!

I'd always known SOPs were important, but it's one thing to know that logically and another to experience the profound relief I had when the shop could complete an important business function successfully while my attention needed to be on my son.

That's why we're dedicating this week's article to SOPs and the relief they will provide you when life throws you a curveball.

What Exactly Are SOPs?

Let's break it down simply:

Standard Operating Procedures are step-by-step instructions for how to do the routine tasks in your business.

Think of them as recipes for your business processes—they outline exactly what ingredients (tools) you need and what steps to follow to get consistent results every time.

In other professional roles they are sometimes called:

1. In Teaching - Sub Plans

2. In Administrative Jobs - Desk Manuals

3. In Healthcare - Routine Roadmap

SOPs in Real Business Situations

Here's a real-life example from my own bookstore:

We maintain a comprehensive collection of SOPs organized neatly in Notion.

Our SOP documentation lives in Notion which is available to all staff:

• Shop Processes - Opening and closing procedures, daily check-off logs, and display setup

• Point of Sale Help Guides - Troubleshooting for POS devices, returns and exchanges, gift cards

• Book Processes - How to process deliveries from distributors, tracking orders, handling damaged books

• Food Processes - Kitchen cleanliness, tea service, mocktail recipes, and food safety

• Shopify Processes - Inventory management and reordering procedures

A quick look into some of our shop SOPs for my indie bookstore.

For a jewelry business, SOPs might include:

• Materials needed for each design

• Step-by-step assembly instructions with photos

• Quality check procedures

• Packaging guidelines

• Shipping processes

• Customer follow-up protocols

Finding the Sweet Spot for SOPs

Here's a confession: when I first started creating SOPs, I made them WAY too complicated. As a former teacher, I approached them like detailed lesson plans—8 pages, double-sided, covering every possible scenario. 👀

Guess what? No one ever read them. They were too overwhelming.

Over time, I learned that the best SOPs are:

1. Brief - Ideally 1-2 pages maximum for each process

2. Visual - Include photos or simple diagrams of key steps

3. Focused - Cover only what's absolutely necessary

4. Accessible - Stored where anyone who needs them can find them

Think about substitute teachers. They don't want to read a novel—they just need to know the essential information to get through the day successfully. Your SOPs should follow the same principle.

The Building Blocks of Effective SOPs

While every business is different, most effective SOPs include four key components:

1. Process Name and Purpose

   • What is this process for?

   • Why is it important?

2. Step-by-Step Instructions

   • Break down the process into clear, numbered steps

   • Keep each step brief (1-2 sentences)

3. Visual Aids

   • Photos of completed steps or products

   • Screenshots for digital processes

4. Troubleshooting Tips

   • Common issues and how to resolve them

   • Who to contact with questions

Where to Store Your SOPs

Having SOPs is only helpful if people can access them when needed.

Trust me - when something goes wrong or someone is filling in - they don’t want to dig through a complicated software to find what they need. The SOP storage solution needs to be basic but above all easy to access.

Ease of storage solution ranked in order (1 being the easiest to access):

1. Printed in a binder (with digital backup)

2. Notion or similar workspace tool

3. A shared Google Drive folder

4. Your project management software

Whatever you choose, make sure it's someplace that anyone who might need to step in can easily access, even if you're not available to guide them.

Bonus Tip: Name the SOP something so plain and direct that people can’t miss the one they are looking for in the moment. For example:

🚫 Avoid: How to Open The Bookstore in a Timely Manner for the Morning Shift

✅ Instead Simplify: Opening the Bookstore - AM Shift

Your Action Steps This Week:

1. Identify your critical processes:

   • List 3-5 essential processes that keep your business running

   • Start with the ones that would cause the biggest problems if they didn't happen

2. Document one process:

   • Choose the most important process from your list

   • Create a simple SOP following the building blocks above

   • Keep it to 1-2 pages maximum

3. Test your SOP:

   • Ask someone unfamiliar with the process to follow your SOP

   • Note any questions they have or steps that confused them (you’ll be surprised where they get tripped up)

   • Refine your SOP based on their feedback

4. Create a storage system:

   • Decide where you'll keep your SOPs

   • Set up the system so it's organized and accessible

   • Watch someone unfamiliar with your systems try to find the SOP

   • Refine your SOP storage solution based on their feedback

💡 EXCLUSIVE FOR PAID SUBSCRIBERS: Don't start from scratch!

Paid subscribers can download the Haff Notes SOP Workbook that walks you through creating your first SOPs with templates, examples, and a checklist that ensures you don't miss critical steps. Turn what could be an overwhelming task into a simple, step-by-step process you can complete in under an hour.

Not a paid subscriber yet? Upgrade today to access this worksheet and help support Haff Notes on Small Business.

Remember, creating SOPs isn't about documenting every tiny detail of your business. It's about capturing enough information that someone could step in and handle essential tasks when you need support.

Start small, focus on the most critical processes, and build from there.

Next week, we'll explore a professional email address and your custom domain. We'll discuss how you actually need the yourname@yourdomain.com email address to improve deliverability with your newsletters and more. It’s a small investment of time and money that transforms how your business is viewed upon first glance.

Here's to building a business you love to own,