The Essential Playbook
Imagine a place where every document, policy, and procedure is just a click away—a virtual index of everything you need to run your studio smoothly. That’s the magic of a playbook! 🎉 Whether it’s in a spreadsheet, a document, or an online hub, a playbook stores the locations of every essential file in your business, making it easy for anyone on your team to find what they need in seconds.
Why Every Studio Needs a Playbook
Why go through the trouble of creating a playbook? It’s simple: by having all your business documents in one place, you’re ensuring that you (and anyone with access) can quickly locate important information. Imagine no more frantic searching for policy updates, financial templates, or even membership forms—your playbook links to everything! Plus, it’s incredibly useful when onboarding new team members, who’ll have an instant roadmap to every essential document.
What Goes in Your Playbook?
Your playbook isn’t just a collection of links; it’s a structured index that keeps your business organized. Here’s an outline of what to include to ensure total accessibility:
Name: The title of the document, policy, or template.
Department: Assign each document to a department like HR, Finance, or Operations, so it’s easy to locate by function.
Owner: Identify the person responsible for managing and updating the document.
Secondary Owner: A backup person, often a team leader or someone who works closely with the primary owner.
Knowledge Library Location: If you have a virtual team hub, link each document to its location here.
Google Drive Link: Include a direct link to the document in your virtual hub.
Website Location: For policies available online, link directly to the web page.
Other Locations: Note any additional places where the document can be accessed.
Related Documents: List any related files to help clarify context, such as linking a membership policy to terms and conditions.
Review Date: When the document should be reviewed (ideally every 12 months).
Pro Tip: Organise your playbook into tabs based on business areas—HR, finance, operations, and more—so your team can quickly filter and find exactly what they need.
Getting Started: Playbook Essentials
If this seems a bit detailed, start with the basics. Use just three columns to build the foundation of your playbook:
Document Name
Department
Virtual Hub Location
This basic structure lets your team easily find relevant documents and click directly to access them. Once you have a few documents in place, you can gradually expand your playbook to include additional information, like document owners and related files.
Why It’s Worth the Effort
While setting up a playbook may feel tedious, it’s one of the best things you can do for your business. Without a centralised, organised system, there’s no guarantee that your team will know where to find the documents they need—or how to use them effectively. A well-structured playbook empowers your team, saves time, and eliminates frustration.
