Author: Franz Malten Buemann

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A great business needs a great many things in order to succeed – strong leadership, a competitive advantage, and a unique vision among them. However, one element that could make or break a business is its process (or lack thereof).
A clear, repeatable process has two major hurdles to a successful implementation in a business. Number one is the development of that process, and number two is getting buy-in from stakeholders on that process. That said, the best way to overcome both of these potential roadblocks is to transparently and logically outline a process.
Many businesses use flowcharts to accomplish this task, as flowcharts:

Visually outline a process roadmap for a full-scope understanding, and…
Can be easily digested by employees who need to know and follow the process.

To help you create actionable flowcharts for your organization, we’ve listed the eight best flowchart templates for you to download and start using today to create a better process in any area of your business.
Let’s dive in.

What is a flowchart?
A flowchart is a visual map to help explain a process for decision making, achieving results, or projecting an outcome. Flowcharts begin at a starting point on the graphic, and as users follow through it, they will choose one of several outcomes or options until reaching the end of the process.
In business, flowcharts might be used for any of the following purposes:

Team alignment and process
Email nurturing
Customer journey mapping
Customer or employee onboarding
A/B testing
QA-ing work
Career progression
Customer support

Here are eight templates and examples of flowcharts for business – each one comes with a download link for you to start using that template right on Google Slides.
8 Flowchart Examples for Business
1. Basic Process Flowchart Template

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The basic flowchart template is the ideal solution for those just getting started with flowcharts. The template allows its designers to specify a starting point, two potential outcomes, and then the resulting aftermath of those decisions. Due to its limitations, this flowchart template might be best suited for basic processes, like a simple A/B test.
Flowchart Example: Basic Process Flowchart

This template visualizes how a user visiting a company’s landing page could convert and become a lead.
Who should use this flowchart?
This flowchart is helpful for those looking to design an A/B test to determine the most way to get the results they’re looking for.
What We Like About This Flowchart Template
The basic process flowchart is easy to use and follow and is ideal for documenting straightforward or simple processes.
2. Swim Lane Flowchart Template

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The swim lane flowchart template is for dividing up the steps of a process into different sectors. For your business, these different sectors could be time periods, teams, employees, or work requirements.
Flowchart Example: Swim Lane Flowchart

In the example above, the swimlanes are divided by department to illustrate the process of the customer journey.
Who should use this flowchart?
Swim lane flowcharts are particularly helpful for those who oversee cross-functional processes.
What We Like About This Flowchart Template
This template visualizes the different process steps that take place across multiple organizations.
3. Task Flowchart Template

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A task flowchart template is differentiated by what each shape on the flowchart represents. This format is beneficial when multiple teams’ work is intertwined throughout the process, as individuals can easily discern the tasks for which they are responsible. These responsibilities are noted in a key on the flowchart for a quick reference.
The shapes can also represent different types of action.
Flowchart Example: Landing Page Flowchart

In the example above, the different shapes represent the start of, end of, and actions taken during the process of viewing a landing page. This task flowchart example follows an “if this then that” format, showing the various outcomes that could occur when a potential customer visits a landing page.
Who should use this flowchart?
Project managers looking to keep track of various tasks and their outcomes.
What We Like About This Flowchart Template
The task flowchart visually depicts how various contributions to a product support the end result. Each stakeholder can see how their tasks impact the flow of the project.
4. Complex Flowchart Template

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For a flowchart that doesn’t need gridlines or different shapes, this template is the best solution. It provides the option for multiple endpoints depending on which steps are taken through the process.
Flowchart Example: Hiring Flowchart

The above hiring visual is an example of a complex flowchart that has various events and potential outcomes.
Who should use this flowchart?
Teams looking to manage processes that could have various endpoints or projects that have multiple steps and stakeholders involved.
What We Like About This Flowchart Template
Complex processes can be difficult to keep track of. This flowchart template creates an intuitive visual for multi-step processes.
5. Circular Flowchart Template

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The circular flowchart template changes things up with a different shape, but it also provides a different path structure.
Flowchart Example: Social Media Flowchart

For example, in the image above, the template can be used as a decision-making framework. Here, it’s used to help a social media manager determine which site should be used to post content on.
Who should use this flowchart?
Social media managers, product marketers, and content strategists may find this template suits their needs.
What We Like About This Flowchart Template
This template has a cleaner appearance than some of the more complex templates and may be better for visual learners.
6. Linear Flowchart Template

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A linear flowchart template is a solution for when there’s really only one optimal result, and every step of the process will either lead someone to that outcome or result in the process simply ending.
Flowchart Example: Email Nurturing Flowchart

One example – highlighted above – might be for a nurture stream. In the image, the process ends whether someone signs up for an event or not.
Who should use this flowchart?
Email marketing specialists, sales teams.
What We Like About This Flowchart Template
With one singular goal, this flowchart format has a clear beginning and end.
7. Tree Flowchart Template

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A tree-style flowchart template makes the most sense for situations where there are multiple options and when each option has a clear and distinct next step.
Flowchart Example: Phone Tree Flowchart

This example depicts the various options and next steps a caller can take when contacting a business via telephone.
Who should use this flowchart?
For businesses, this flowchart would be perfect for the support department – which can use this template to map out responses from automated chat support or (as outlined above) a phone tree.
What We Like About This Flowchart Template
Each action has a clear next step and a predetermined outcome.
8. Organizational Flowchart Template

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The final flowchart businesses might want to utilize is an organizational flowchart (or org chart) template.
Flowchart Example: Organizational Flowchart

While not exactly procedural, this visualization helps those within the company quickly understand who reports to whom and who is responsible for what.
Who should use this flowchart?
This template is utilized by the heads of a company and/or a department to outline the chain of command in an area of the business. It can also be used by Human Resources teams to inform team structure and organizational decisions.
What We Like About This Flowchart Template
Users can see how a team is structured at-a-glance, and can quickly determine who they need to go to for their project or to have their questions answered.
Business Flowchart Templates
Business flowchart templates are the fastest and easiest way to build flowcharts. All of the above templates are downloadable by clicking here and are completely customizable when it comes to shape, format, color, and imagery.
Download the templates for free to better illustrate and communicate processes in your company.

There are two types of employees – “exempt” and “non-exempt.” You might’ve seen these terms on job postings, or heard them in conversation.
If you aren’t sure what they mean, don’t worry. Trying to understand labor laws can be confusing, especially if you’re new to the workforce. — We’ve broken these terms down to help you navigate the exempt vs. non-exempt employee classification.

How the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Affects Exemption Status
Signed into law in 1938 by President Franklin Roosevelt, the Fair Labor Standards Act establishes minimum wage, overtime pay eligibility, and recordkeeping standards in addition to youth employment guidelines for both the private and public sector. During the time the act was signed, child labor was the norm and adults often worked 10 or more hours per day, six to seven days per week.
While the conditions that brought about the FLSA may seem like the dark ages, the law is still relevant today and plays a major role in how the modern workforce is regulated. It establishes the guidelines for how work hours are documented and how exempt and non-exempt employees should be paid. Generally the FLSA provides an exemption from minimum wage and overtime regulations for employees in the following fields:

Executive
Administrative
Professional
Outside sales
Computer-related occupations

That said, job titles alone do not determine exempt status. Instead the employee’s specific job duties and salary have to meet requirements set by the Department of Labor. Certain states, like California, impose additional requirements to qualify for exempt status.
Exempt Employees
One of the biggest differences between exempt and non-exempt employees is overtime pay. An exempt employee is not entitled to overtime pay according to the FLSA.
Instead, exempt employees are given a salary, and they are expected to finish the tasks required of them, whether it takes 30 hours or 50. Exempt employees are also excluded from other FLSA protections afforded non-exempt employees.
To be exempt, an employee must earn a salary basis no less than $684 per week, or $35,568 annually.
Non-Exempt Employees
On the flip side, non-exempt employees must be paid overtime — one-and-a-half times their hourly rate, for any hours worked beyond 40 each week. As the name implies, they are not exempt from FLSA regulations.
Most non-exempt employees must be paid the federal minimum wage of $7.25, but some states with a higher cost of living have set minimum wages above the federal base. Non-exempt employees can be paid a salary, an hourly wage, or commission.
Exempt vs. Non-Exempt Employee Examples in the Workplace
Let’s consider this example to demonstrate the difference between exempt and non-exempt employees:
Sarah, who is an exempt employee, is stressed because she hasn’t finished her proposal due Monday. She spends most of Friday night tweaking it and finishing it up, staying at the office until late. On Monday, she gets her paycheck — the same amount of money she would’ve gotten if she hadn’t stayed late.
Meanwhile, John, who is a non-exempt employee, chooses to take extra shifts and work overtime on Fridays. He doesn’t have to — he could leave at 5 p.m. if he wanted to, but on Monday when he receives his paycheck, he knows he’ll receive extra money from the overtime hours worked.
Which classification is right for you?
Working as an exempt or non-exempt employee will each have their own set of pros and cons. Which classification works best for you will depend on your personal needs and preferences. 
This article was originally published Oct 19, 2018 but has been updated for comprehensiveness.

No matter what your service or product is, you need to get in front of potential customers in order to make the sale. Many businesses put their faith in social media.

While social media platforms are an amazing way to get in front of people, they have two major drawbacks. First, you may have tens of thousands of followers on your platform of choice. However, thanks to algorithms that few (if any) humans understand, you only reach a small percentage of those followers with any given post.
Second, what happens if that platform ever goes away? Don’t think for a minute that you’ll receive a neat list of contacts. If a platform ever shuts down, your audience will evaporate in seconds.

Fortunately, knowing this is half the battle. Now that you understand that you don’t “own” your contacts through social media, it’s time to look at how to safeguard your audience and take ownership of and responsibility for their contact information and data.
This is called Database Marketing and you’re about to learn why it’s essential to your business as well as how to utilize it properly.
What is database marketing?
Before our digital landscape became as vast as it is, businesses would collect names and addresses and send out direct mail pieces like postcards, brochures, flyers, etc. to potential and existing customers.
While traditional direct marketing still exists and can be an asset to your business, digital options give business owners a world of choice when it comes to reaching their audience. It allows you to figure out how customers want to be marketed to and then give them what they want.
Database Marketing is where businesses collect customer data such as:

Names
Addresses
Phone numbers
Purchase history
Customer support history

Once collected, this information is used to create personalized experiences for each customer and house personal and buying information about them.
The Benefits of Database Marketing
Now that you understand what database marketing is, you can determine if it’s right for you.
Hint: It’s probably right for you.
No matter the size of your business, keeping your database fresh, constantly adding to it, and nurturing it is absolutely essential to your business success. You’ll see a variety of benefits, such as:
1. “Own” your contacts.
Information is power, and when you put all of the power in the hands of social media platforms, you put your future in jeopardy. Social media is wonderful and should be a part of your marketing plan, but it shouldn’t be the whole plan.
2. Speak directly to your audience members.
It’s so loud out there! It’s impossible to turn on the television or the radio, or surf the web without being bombarded with marketing and sales messages touting the next best thing that you absolutely must have.
These messages are meant to cast a wide net and reel in any customers they can. You, however, are savvy. You know that in order to be “heard” above the noise, you’ll need to adjust your messaging to your specific audience. Database marketing allows you to do this.
3. Identify avatars or buyer personas.
Who is your best customer? How do they live? What keeps them awake at night? What problem of theirs have you been able to solve? Where can you find more people just like them?
Database marketing allows you to understand your ideal customer and then target individuals who “look” just like them on paper.
4. Segment your buyers.
Create different “audiences” based on their demographics, behaviors, and buying history. This helps you understand them better and offer them more of what they want and less of what will lose their attention.
5. Create loyalty programs that inspire repeat purchases.
Figure out what is the best channel and time to contact your customers so you receive maximum engagement.
6. Kick your customer service into high gear.
Give your staff the opportunity to view all of the interactions a customer has had with your brand.
Database Marketing could be the answer to your business prayers. Of course, like anything, you have to do it properly to see a good return on investment. For that, we need to look at building a database marketing strategy.
Avoid These Pitfalls of Database Marketing
Before we dive into strategy, let’s look at a few challenges you may encounter with database marketing.
1. Data Decay
People move, change jobs, change names, abandon email addresses, and start new ones. Life changes like these could render their information relatively useless.
2. Data Accuracy
Typos happen. Sometimes accidentally, but sometimes purposefully. Some customers know that you’ll be sending them marketing emails once they provide an email address, and they don’t want to hear from you.
That’s okay. If they don’t want to hear from you, you don’t actually want to reach them because they aren’t your ideal audience.
While there’s no easy way to avoid purposeful typos, avoiding accidental errors is possible with drop-down choices instead of blank comment boxes. You can also confirm people’s information when you speak with them.
It’s important to clean up your database frequently, purging contacts with out-of-date or inaccurate information, and merging contacts with multiple profiles. This allows you to focus on reaching the people who could be your next customer or client and take care of those who already are.
3. Using Customer Data Quickly and Appropriately
If you’ve ever received an email two years after doing business with someone, it’s probably come as a shock. Chances are, they don’t update their database in a timely fashion so they completely missed the window to build rapport with you after that first interaction.
Don’t make this mistake. Once you receive information, greet them in some manner and then touch base with them on a regular schedule to nurture the contact. You’ll also want to keep their information to yourself.
Tips for Building a Database Marketing Strategy
Without a strategy, you’ve just got a whole lot of pointless data. Put your database to work for you by creating a sound strategy from the very beginning. Here’s how:
1. Identify who you want to reach.
Who is it that you’d like to do business with and what do they look like on paper? This can include demographics like age and gender, marital status, income level, and location. It might also include psychographics such as their interests, activities, and opinions.
Create an ideal customer profile or persona and then use this to determine what information you need to capture for your database.
2. Make it a team effort.
While it may have “marketing” in the title, database marketing can be influenced by multiple departments in your organization. The marketing, sales, and customer service or support departments all have contact with potential and existing customers. Look for feedback from them to build the most effective database.
3. Use the right tools.
There are countless database marketing software options out there to meet your needs. Do some research, ask for recommendations, and find one that suits your business best. Once you’ve chosen a solution, provide your employees with the training they need to utilize it fully.
4. Gather customer data.
Now that you know how you’re collecting data, it’s time to decide what you need and get started. The options are endless, however here are a few things to consider:

Demographic Data – This includes gender, age, marital status, parental status, health, and financial status.

Psychographic Data – This includes interests, actions, and opinions. What do they value? What type of lifestyle do they lead?

Acquisition Data – Through what channel did they enter?

Technographic and Activity Data – How do they connect with your brand? Is it through a desktop or mobile device? Android or iOS? Do they use your website, social media pages, or a mobile app to interact with your brand?

Transaction and Correspondence Data – How often do they purchase from you and what do they buy? Have they reached out outside of a sales situation for assistance of any kind?

5. Keep your data clean and safe.
As we mentioned before, it’s very easy for data to become outdated and useless. Review it frequently and back it up so if something happens to your database, your entire customer history is not lost.
6. Don’t be creepy.
You can find out a lot about people on the internet. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Respect your customer’s privacy and don’t collect or brandish information on them that won’t help serve the end goal of earning the customer and serving them better.
Examples of Database Marketing
Database marketing can be used in a number of ways and really depends on your needs and goals. Here are just a few of the ways you can incorporate database marketing into your business.
Provide amazing customer support.
Acquiring customers is important, but if you can’t keep them, you’re just spinning your wheels. Your customer service team should have access to your customer database. This allows them to review a customer’s buying history when they call in with an issue.
Imagine knowing exactly what product they are calling about and expressing your ability to help with that product before they even launch into the problem. Your approach will be personalized and will save them time explaining.
For example: “Thanks for calling. I see that you just purchased our new state-of-the-art alarm system. I can help you get that set up today.”
Know what products and services your customer needs.
Having a chat about the weather is a great way to build rapport with a customer or potential customer. Do you know what’s an even better way? Not trying to sell them things they don’t need.
For example: Looking at a customer profile, you can see that they live in a high-rise apartment, have no pets, and have small children. You can skip trying to sell them the latest doggie door.
Identify your best customers and potential upsells.
When you understand who buys frequently and in large amounts, it becomes easier to identify options for upsells.
For example: Perhaps your customer has received a wine-of-the-month for two years now. You’ve just started a cheese-of-the-month add-on. You can target them with emails designed to introduce this new product opportunity.
There are a variety of ways to reach your existing and potential customers. A well-rounded marketing plan will include many of these. However, if you’d really like to get the most bang for your marketing buck, make sure that you include database marketing.
You’ll reach the customers you want to reach, and learn how to speak to them in a way that helps them hear what you’re saying. Your database will be the gift that keeps on giving.

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