As a small business owner, you’re always looking for ways to improve your services so that you can better reach your customers and boost your bottom line.
However, with a crowded marketplace of apps, software, and other tech solutions, it can be difficult to know which tools are worth the investment and which you’ll retire after a week (or less).
In this short guide, we’ll go over the ways you can grow your business through improvements in:
- Marketing
- Accounting and payment
- Task management
With the right solutions in each of these areas, you’ll maximize productivity in the workplace and reach new customers, too. Below are our top seven tools for small business owners to skyrocket their success.
#1: Web Builders for a Better Website
Whether you’ve started to sell your goods and services directly through social media or rely on a brick-and-mortar business model, you may have neglected your webspace.
However, your website is your online home, and building an attractive, SEO-optimized website is an important way to connect with new customers and build credibility.
If you haven’t updated your website’s look and feel in the past couple of years, use smart web building tools from Squarespace or WordPress to give your business a virtual facelift.
#2: Tools to Manage eCommerce Payments
When you’re doing business online, taking customers’ credit card or bank account information by yourself is just too risky. Between the possibility of fraud, data breaches, and other mishaps, you need an online merchant partner to make sure your customers’ information is secure.
As added benefits, you’ll be able to:
- Accept more payment methods
- Easily keep track of sales and shipping costs
- Export your data when tax season arrives
#3: Tax Software to Keep Track
Tax season. There are perhaps no more dreaded words for a small business owner. If you’ve ever miscalculated your quarterly payments or faced a penalty, you know that accounting and tax errors can create massive headaches, not to mention financial burdens.
Simplify the process with the new Intuit Accountants tax practice management software. This tool makes it easier than ever for your accountant to keep track of transactions and communication and even automates some tasks.
Don’t have a regular accountant? Their added value more than makes up for the cost.
#4: Video Editing Tools to Up Your Marketing Game
Once you’ve gotten your books in order, it’s time to expand your marketing efforts. You already have a presence on social media, but did you know that video ads get more engagement than static images and text?
Creating video can be intimidating for novices, but as long as you have a smartphone, you can download a range of video editing software solutions to transform yourself from amateur to auteur.
#5 Integrated Email Tools
Take your marketing efforts a step further by focusing on email, which is still the biggest player when it comes to online sales. Mailchimp’s integrated newsletter tools make it easy to:
- Design attractive campaigns
- Segment your list
- View analytics
Based on your analytics, you can make changes to your emails’ content, appearance, frequency, and more, to achieve better outcomes and boost brand awareness.
#6 Data Analysis Solutions
Data analysis isn’t just important for email. You should use data analysis tools for marketing campaigns across:
- YouTube
- Affiliate marketing
With more people browsing online than ever before, a nimble, responsive online marketing approach is one of the keys to growth.
#7 Task Management Tools
If you’re looking at the above list and wondering where your small business will find the resources to beef up your marketing efforts or redesign your website, perhaps you need to first streamline your workflow so you can free up extra time.
Asana and Proofhub make it easy to create and assign tasks, keep track of progress, and communicate with team members.
While getting to know these programs takes a little trial-and-error, they’re both fairly user friendly. Soon, you’ll see a boost in productivity that makes it possible to set and achieve new goals.
Identifying Your Blind Spots
As a small business owner, you may have clear goals for growth that lead you towards just one of these solutions—improved task management, marketing, or accounting. We encourage you to go with your gut and try out new tools in that area first.
However, for a well-rounded business strategy, making improvements in all three areas will help you reach new levels of success.
As you grow, keep your eyes peeled for new business tools so you can stay one step ahead of the competition.
