The Best Small Business Tech Tools That Help With the Hustle

Small business owners are pros at multitasking. Even if you have a staff, you probably still have a to-do list that’s a mile long. Multitasking has its advantages, but that doesn’t mean you should try and do it all on your own. In fact, the right software and web-based applications can help you stay on top of your to-do list AND branch out into new areas of growth.

Marketing

Of all the necessary tasks your business needs for growth, marketing may be the most important. After all, reaching new customers and staying connected with existing ones is how you get more sales. A solid marketing strategy starts with the content on your own website, combined with making connections through social media and email marketing.

Across all of these platforms, Inc. explains you need a variety of content, including audio and videos that will keep your audience engaged. There are several ways you can create this type of content, including built-in programs on specific platforms, like the option to go live on Facebook. You should also consider starting a podcast or conducting digital seminars.

When it comes to executing a web marketing plan, you’re best off hiring professionals like Najera Design + Marketing for all your needs, whether you need online advertising or social media, email, or SEO marketing.

Scheduling

Marketing may have a more noticeable reward than other business tasks, but those mundane administrative tasks are just as important for achieving growth. Scheduling is one of those that may feel like a drag, but staying on top of it is necessary for accomplishing your goals. That’s why it helps to use an appointment scheduling tool so that nothing falls through the cracks. This type of software allows you to adjust your schedule so that clients can book appointments at times when you’ll be available.

Communicating

Small businesses need efficient apps for communicating with team members. The problem with all the apps we have today is that groups often have a hard time keeping up with communication when you use a variety of different channels.

We all waste time sorting through emails, texts, and all our other communications to get to the ones that are really important. Our recommendation to work around this is to pick one app that has multi-functionality, such as Slack or Tameday, and designate that app as your primary communications channel.

Accounting

Any small business needs at least basic accounting software, but new apps and updates to programs that have been around for a while give this software functionality that simplifies your business more than ever. For example, Business News Daily recommends Quickbooks if you want comprehensive accounting software, but very small businesses may prefer Zoho Books because of its simplicity and automation features.

Maintaining Records

You know how important it is to have accounting reports when tax season rolls around, and this is just one example of the essential record-keeping small businesses have to keep up with. Besides accounting software, there are all kinds of other ways you can simplify record-keeping and reduce the need for paper files. For example, PC Mag recommends using a to-do list app to prioritize tasks and a scanning app to store files digitally as an alternative to keeping paper files.

Once you’ve collected these documents as digital files, you need somewhere to store them. Using cloud storage is a perfect solution for small businesses because it allows you to cut way back on paper, plus you can access files from any location.

Finding Professionals

While these tech tools can be greatly beneficial, there may still be aspects of your small business that require help from a person. For this, we recommend freelance gig websites, where you can find talent to assist you with sales, marketing, web development, and other areas of your business. If you need help with certain projects, like creating an app, then bringing on a freelancer can save you time and money that would otherwise be spent on hiring a permanent employee.

These resources can make running a business more efficient. The downside is the challenge of sorting through this ever-growing list of options. Yet even as this list continues to expand, we recommend starting with these basics that provide essential solutions for everything a business needs to grow and succeed.

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