Automation doesn’t have to mean a full system overhaul.
If you're new to it, the best way to start isn’t with a big transformation — it's by solving one annoying, manual task.
This post shows you how to take that first step using simple, low-risk tools like Microsoft Power Automate or Zapier. No coding, no complicated implementation — just a clear, useful win your team can feel right away.
Every business has tedious, time-wasting tasks:
Someone manually sends a reminder email every week.
A new client gets added to your CRM — but you also have to copy their info into your calendar or Slack.
You receive forms or invoices by email and need to forward them to the right person.
Each one feels small — but adds up fast.
The first win with automation is not about saving hours. It’s about freeing your team from “just get it done” work — and showing that automation isn’t out of reach.
Look for something that:
Happens regularly (daily, weekly, monthly),
Has a clear trigger (e.g. a form submitted, an email received),
Follows the same steps every time.
Examples from our clients:
“When a lead fills out our contact form, I copy-paste their info into our CRM and Slack.”
“I send the same invoice reminder email every Friday.”
“I manually rename and move every file that comes into our shared inbox.”
You don’t need engineering or IT. Tools like Microsoft Power Automate and Zapier let you automate across apps with drag-and-drop logic.
Example use case:
When a new email arrives with a specific subject (e.g. "New Intake Form"), Power Automate:
Saves the attachment to a SharePoint folder,
Sends a notification to your operations Slack or Teams channel,
Logs the request in a SharePoint list or Excel file.
Getting started:
Power Automate has prebuilt templates — search for "save email attachments" or "notify in Teams" and adapt from there.
Example use case:
When someone books a call through Calendly:
Create a new deal in HubSpot,
Add the contact to a mailing list in Mailchimp,
Send a follow-up message in Slack.
Getting started:
Use Zapier’s visual editor. Select a trigger (e.g. “new Calendly booking”) and choose one or more follow-up actions.
Start small. Watch the first few runs, and ask:
Did the automation trigger as expected?
Did it do what a human would have done?
Is anything missing?
If yes: congratulations. You've just automated your first task.
You didn’t need a developer. You didn’t touch your core systems. You simply freed your team from one recurring task — and now they can focus on better work.
And maybe more importantly:
You just proved that automation is within reach.
After this first win, you'll quickly notice other areas ripe for improvement — from sales follow-ups to internal approvals. Each small fix builds confidence and momentum.
Ready to see what’s next?
Try our free 5-minute assessment to discover where your business is ready to automate — and what you can safely skip.