Tired of Repeating Yourself? These SOP Mistakes Are Probably Why

When I first started documenting business processes, I thought I was doing the right thing. I wrote a huge 300+ page operations manual and saved it in Dropbox.

I still have it. And when I take a look at one of the entries, this is what it says:

"Do a stock count. Print the list of products off the website, go count the stock in the warehouse. Then write the date on it and file it in the stock counts folder."

At the time, I thought this was good enough. But in reality? My SOPs were rubbish.

• It didn’t say when to do it.
• It didn’t say who was responsible.
• It didn’t say what to do if something was wrong.
• It didn’t even explain how to do it properly - just go count the stock.

So guess what happened? Nothing.

Stock counts only happened when we already had a problem - when a customer ordered something and we didn’t actually have it.

And every time, it was me who had to fix it.

• I had to decide when we needed to do a stock count.
• I had to tell someone to do it - because no one knew it was their job.
• I had to show them how, answer their questions, and correct their mistakes.

At one point, I thought I’d found the solution: I tried setting up a rolling stock count system where we counted stock before things went wrong. But it was still me driving everything. It was still me reminding people and stepping in when something wasn’t working.

I thought I had standard operating procedures, but I didn’t.

An SOP isn’t just a set of vague instructions - it’s a clear, step-by-step guide that tells your team:

• What the outcome is - why this task matters.
• Who is responsible - so you’re not the one checking and chasing.
• When it needs to be done - so it happens consistently.
• How to do it properly - so things don’t keep going wrong.
• What to do if something isn’t right - so they can fix problems without coming to you.

Once I wrote a real SOP for stock counts - one that included all of this - the problems stopped.

• Stock counts happened on time, every time.
• Issues were flagged and fixed before they became a problem.
• I wasn’t the one holding it all together anymore.

And that’s why you need clear SOPs - because if your team doesn’t know what to do, when, or how, they’ll always come back to you for answers.

What Are SOPs (and Why Your Business Needs Them?)

What does SOP stand for? It's short for Standard Operating Procedure. And you might say, well, what is a Standard Operating Procedure? It's just a fancy way of saying a step-by-step guide that walks you through how to perform a specific task in your business.

It’s how you make sure that every task is done consistently and correctly. When you have clear SOPs, anyone can follow them and get the job done right, without needing your input.

When you're documenting standard operating procedures, the goal isn’t just to document tasks - it’s to create a business that doesn’t rely on you for everything. When your SOPs are effective:

• Work gets done the right way, every time, without you having to check
• Your team has a clear reference, so they don’t have to come to you with questions
• You can step back without worrying that things will slip through the cracks

If you don’t have solid SOPs in place, you’re probably spending more time than you realise answering the same questions, fixing mistakes, and stepping in to keep things on track.

For a deeper dive into why standard operating procedures are important and how they can save you time, read: What Are SOPs & How They Can Save You 15 Hours a Week.

Common SOP Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)

Let’s be honest - writing SOPs isn’t the most exciting job. But it’s a lot easier when you know what to avoid. Here are some of the most common mistakes I see small business owners make when documenting their processes, and how to fix them.

1. Not writing SOPs at all

If your processes live in your head, your team has no way of doing things the way you want. That leads to inconsistent results, missed steps, and way too many questions coming your way.

The fix: Start small. Pick one task you do every week and write a rough version today. It doesn’t have to be perfect - just get the steps out of your head.

2. Not keeping SOPs updated

Your business changes. If your SOPs don’t keep up, they become outdated and confusing. And if your team doesn’t trust them, they won’t use them.

The fix: Make SOP reviews part of your quarterly planning. When you update a process, update the SOP straight away—or at least add a note to fix it later.

3. Not making SOPs scannable

No one wants to read a wall of text. If your team can’t quickly find what they need, they’ll skip the SOP and ask you instead or they'll take a guess. 

The fix: Use clear headings, bullet points, and bolding. Think of your SOP like a recipe - easy to skim and follow step by step.

4. Making SOPs too complicated

You don’t need to document every edge case or write a novel. Over-complicating your SOPs just makes people tune out.

The fix: Focus on the 80/20. Document the core process that happens most of the time. If there’s an exception, add a short note.

5. Not making SOPs easy to find

If your SOPs are buried in random folders or saved on someone’s desktop, they’re as good as useless.

The fix: Store all your SOPs in a central, searchable location - Google Sites, Notion, or a simple SOP system that your team will actually use.

Read more about storing your SOPs here. 

6. Relying only on videos

Video is great for training, but terrible for quick reference. No one should have to watch a 10 minute video just to find one step.

The fix: Use video to show how a task works, but always pair it with a written SOP. Your team can watch once, then refer to the written steps when they need a refresher.

7. Making SOPs too time-consuming to create

If writing an SOP takes you half a day, you’ll put it off. And let’s be real - you’ve got better things to do.

The fix: Use tools like Loom to record yourself doing the task, then run the transcript through something like my SOPs Made Simple Bot. You’ll have a step-by-step SOP ready in minutes.

Find out more about creating SOPs using AI in this article. 

8. Not interlinking related SOPs

Sometimes a task depends on another process - but if your SOPs aren’t linked, your team ends up wasting time looking for what they need.

The fix: Add links to related SOPs or resources. If someone needs to refer to another process, make it easy for them to get there.

9. Not using SOPs (or enforcing their use)

If your team isn’t using the SOPs you’ve written, they’re pointless. You’ll still be the one answering questions and fixing mistakes.

The fix: Set the expectation that SOPs are the first stop for answers. If someone asks a question the SOP covers, point them back to it. Over time, it becomes the habit.

10. Not training new staff on SOPs

When you bring someone new on board, they won’t magically know to use your SOPs - unless you show them how.

The fix: Build SOPs into your onboarding process. Show new hires where to find them, how to use them, and when to check them. It saves you hours later.

11. Getting the wrong person to write the SOP

If someone who doesn’t actually do the task writes the SOP, it’ll miss key details - or worse, be totally wrong.

The fix: Have the person who does the task write the first version. Then a manager (or you) can check it, tidy it up, and make sure it’s clear.

12. Not testing your SOPs

An SOP might look fine on paper - but does it actually work?

The fix: Ask someone else to follow it. If they get stuck or make mistakes, your SOP needs tweaks. It’s better to find the gaps now than when a real issue hits.

Final thoughts

SOPs should make running your business easier, not harder.

They don’t need to be perfect. They just need to be clear, simple, and actually used.

If you’ve made a few of these mistakes, don’t stress - we’ve all been there.

Just fix one today. Then another next week.

Before you know it, you’ll have a system that runs without you holding it together.

Freebie & next steps

1. Looking for a template for standard operating procedures? Grab my SOP recipe right here - my free guidelines for writing SOPs.

2. If you want help writing effective SOPs - easy to write and easy for your team to follow - start with the SOPs Made Simple Bot. It's an AI SOP creation tool that will write your SOPs in seconds. 

Just record yourself doing the task once. The AI bot turns it into a step-by-step guide you can hand straight to your team.

Grab the SOPs Made Simple Bot here for just $11

P.S. Want to learn how to build proper processes and systems in business so you can delegate properly - without making it more complicated than it needs to be?

The Simple Business Systems course shows you exactly how to do it - step by step.