If you’re like many small business owners, you end up wearing a lot of hats. From accounting to project management to sales, you probably have a hand in most aspects of your business, particularly when you first launch and as you grow.
The right tools can help streamline and improve your business operations as you go through your crowded to-do list. These days, there are many free or low-cost apps and software to help with everything from marketing to money management. Here are our top picks.
Although there are theoretically countless reasons why your business might benefit from small business management tools, below are some of the most important ones:
There are no shortage of tools that can help you organize, sort, and manage the day to day tasks you’re responsible for each day. Among the most prominent types of small business management tools are those listed below (with examples for each):
One of the best ways to advertise your business is through online directories. Google research has found that four out of five people surveyed used search engines to find businesses, so you want to be represented on as many sites as possible. Simply visit these directories and add or claim your business for free!
For more, visit The Ultimate List: 57 Online Local Business Directories from the HubSpot Blog.
Data analytics is the use of techniques and predictive models to gain valuable knowledge from data. The insights from data are used to recommend action or to guide decision making in business. It sounds complex and expensive to launch an analytics program but that’s not true anymore. Here are two platforms to turn your data into easily digestible information.
WordPress is what we use for the SmartBiz Small Business Blog so it’s our #1 and only recommendation. Check out our blog here – we think it’s beautiful and it’s relatively simple to use once you get set up. The software was designed for everyone, with a focus on accessibility, performance, security, and ease of use. With minimum set up, you can focus on sharing your story, product, or services.
As you travel through the business lifecycle, it’s a great idea to consult with professionals who have been there before. Here are a few resources:
If you’re ready to expand, outside funding can help. Proceeds from a loan or other sources can be used for business building initiatives like hiring, equipment or inventory, marketing, or debt consolidation, depending on the lender. Here are a few options to explore,
Internal communication and project management are key, especially if your employees work remotely or operate out of separate locations. Here are three very popular apps to keep your team connected.
Businesses need to pay attention to their bottom line to stay financially healthy and expand. However, account reconciliations and expense tracking can be a drain on resources and your sanity. Here are four apps that simplify financial tasks.
“Operations” is a broad and flexible category, but that doesn’t make it any less important for business managers such as yourself to prioritize. You can do exactly this with the following platforms:
In today’s day and age, it is imperative that your employees have necessary information available at their fingertips. Dropbox offers the most versatile file sharing solution that also facilitates real-time communication among team members. It provides a secure platform for storing, accessing and sharing crucial documents such as invoices, leases, policies, contracts, videos, photos and SOPs by simply using your tablet or smartphone. The SmartBiz marketing and social media teams use Dropbox to organize content. It’s easy and effective.
There are a lot of time management apps out there but Evernote comes out on top. Evernote is a place to record and save all notes, photos, thoughts, and anything else you can upload. Everything is saved in the cloud so your data can be accessed from your phone, computer or tablet. The basic app is free and includes key features like task lists, idea sharing and synching.
The MyMinutes app is a personal time management app for iPhones and Android that’s perfect for the person who can’t stay focused on tasks throughout the day. Wasting too much time on Facebook or surfing the web? My Minutes helps set time limits. Use the app to set a goal (for example, “Spend 30 minutes writing proposal”) and you’ll get an alert when the time is up. Also included are daily starters, running notifications, and motivational streaks that build up as you reach a goal.
Social media is invariably part of the modern business strategy, but that doesn’t make managing it easy. That’s where the following tools come in:
As the number of employees who work remotely steadily increases, video conferencing platforms are becoming ever more important, if not entirely inescapable. Popular platforms include: