Hey there! Kathy here.
Integrity scheduling is all about keeping your commitments and delivering on your promises. As a solopreneur, this becomes one of your most valuable tools. When you honor your schedule and follow through on your promises, you build trust with your clients and set yourself up for long-term success. Not only does this reduce the chances of starting from scratch, but it also makes attracting new clients and customers much easier – especially through referrals. When clients know they can rely on you, they become your biggest advocates.
“Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.”
– C.S Lewis
In this blog post, I’m going to walk you through how to use a simple calendar system to keep your commitments intact. By scheduling with integrity, you’re not just organizing your tasks; you’re actively building a reputation for reliability and trustworthiness. Whether it’s sticking to deadlines or consistently showing up for meetings, a well-structured calendar can help you stay on top of your commitments and avoid overpromising.
This Week’s Afformation:
The impact of integrity scheduling extends beyond just your current clients – it helps you grow your business. When you make delivering on your promises a priority, you create a foundation that clients can count on. This builds a level of trust that strengthens relationships, encourages repeat business, and attracts new opportunities. Let’s dive into how you can use your calendar to build that trust and keep your promises as a solopreneur.
The Importance of Schedule Integrity for Solopreneurs
In this video, I dive deep into the critical practice of ‘Scheduled Integrity' for solopreneurs.
*Be sure to watch the video that’s all about setting up systems to ensure you never miss a commitment, enhancing trust with clients, and reducing stress.
I walk through setting up a dedicated Google Calendar for all promises made to clients and audiences, highlighting:
- The necessity of segregating promises on a dedicated calendar.
- Tips for setting reminders for immovable commitments.
- The significance of color-coding different types of commitments for clarity.
Why Scheduled Integrity is Key to Your Success
Let’s dive into the heart of why maintaining scheduled integrity is not just good practice – it’s essential for your long-term success as a solopreneur. When you keep your commitments and stick to your schedule, you build trust, reputation, and consistency, which are vital for attracting clients and growing your business.
Setting Up Scheduling System
The Know, Like, & Trust Factor
Before people will buy from you, they must first KNOW you and what you offer. It's about putting yourself out there and making sure your audience knows you have something valuable to sell.
Next, they need to LIKE you – no, they don’t need to be your BFF, but they should feel positive about you and your business. If they’re leaning towards, “I like this person,” that’s a win!
The most important factor, though, is that they must TRUST you. Trust is built on your ability to follow through and deliver as promised. The easiest way to lose trust is by failing to show up or failing to deliver, and when that happens, you lose clients and referrals. Always honor your commitments and use integrity scheduling to build a foundation of trust with your audience.
Create a Dedicated “Commitments and Promises” Calendar
The next step is to create a dedicated Google Calendar named “Commitments and Promises.” This calendar will serve as the hub for all the appointments tied to your promises to your clients and audience. Think about the small, yet significant commitments – like coaching calls, course deadlines, and bonus content – that can easily be forgotten if you're not intentional with them. Open up Google Calendar and create this new calendar specifically for these important commitments.
Add Fixed Dates and Recurring Commitments
Now, it's time to add all the fixed dates related to your paid programs – these are your immovable commitments, such as weekly coaching calls, course delivery deadlines, content drops, bonuses, Q&A sessions, etc. Make sure you get everything you promised to deliver, whether on your product's sales page or in your sales emails, on this calendar.
For recurring tasks, set them to repeat, so you never miss a beat. If you have to “show up” for a live Zoom call, mark it as busy. If it’s a new content drop, make sure you allocate time for creation in your calendar. This process ensures you stay true to your promises and build trust with your clients!
Schedule Your Regular Content Publishing Commitments
Next, add your regular content publishing schedule to your Commitments and Promises calendar. Whether it’s weekly blog posts, YouTube videos, or live social media interactions, treat them as promises. For example, if you say “New Video Every Thursday” or “Email Newsletter Every Monday,” those are commitments to your audience. By scheduling them, you ensure consistency and build trust with your followers.
Color Code Your Commitments for Clarity
Now, color code each type of commitment to make your calendar visually clear and easy to navigate. For example, use blue for client interactions, green for content delivery, and other colors for different types of tasks. This simple color-coding system will help you quickly assess your weekly and monthly obligations, making it easier to prioritize and stay organized. It also allows you to spot any potential scheduling conflicts at a glance.
Integrate with Your Broader Planning Tools
Let’s talk about integrating your Commitments and Promises calendar with your broader planning tools. Inside my VMA membership for solopreneurs, I teach how to set up workflows in Asana for all areas of your business – including workflows for your commitments. But I also take it a step further by transferring these commitments into my physical planner. I use the Full Focus Planner by Michael Hyatt, which allows me to stay on top of both my digital and physical tasks. By syncing your digital calendar with your physical planner or task management tool, you’ll ensure no commitment falls through the cracks.
Schedule Time for Courses and Learning
When you buy a course, purchase a book to improve your business, or join a membership, don't just leave it to chance. Login, save the login information (I store all mine in Asana), and then schedule specific times to attend classes, read, and implement what you’ve learned. You've invested your hard-earned money—make it worth it! By adding learning and implementation to your calendar, you ensure you prioritize your personal growth and make steady progress in your business.
Weekly Action Steps
Now that you’ve set up your integrity schedule, it’s time to break everything down into actionable steps that will keep you on track and moving forward. Consistency is key, and by turning your scheduled commitments into weekly action steps, you’ll ensure you’re staying focused, productive, and aligned with your business goals.
Firstly, one Action Item for your business:
Next, here's one Action Step for your personal life:
I'd like to encourage you to consider these Weekly Action Steps seriously. They are provided to take the lesson in this post and make it actionable. I'm here to support you on your journey toward peak productivity, helping you work smarter, not harder. With each step, you'll build new habits, refine your workflow, and unlock the full potential of your productivity.
Explore the Everything Page: Your Resource Hub for Productivity and Growth
Ready to turn your business into a well-oiled machine? Visit my Everything Page—your one-stop shop for resources that elevate productivity. You’ll find everything you need to work smarter and boost earnings from free tools to paid options.
Whether you're looking for tech tools, blog posts, links to my shop, or access to my monthly solopreneur membership, it’s all there to support your stress-free business journey. Click the link to explore and transform your workflow!
Closing Thoughts: The Power of Integrity Scheduling for Long-Term Success
By implementing integrity scheduling, you’re setting yourself up for success and building a business built on trust and reliability. When you honor your commitments, both personal and professional, you create a foundation that allows you to thrive. Remember, consistency and intentionality are key – by keeping your promises and following through on your calendar, you'll increase productivity, attract more clients, and build lasting relationships.
Helpful Resources:
- Year in a Snapshot: Why Solopreneurs Need This Calendar KathySchneider.com/86
- Your Business, Your Rules: Build a Week That Works for You KathySchneider.com/87
