Choosing the right business tools can make a huge difference in your productivity and in your company’s bottom line.
While they can save time, money, and help you be more productive, there can also be major drawbacks. If you choose the wrong business tools, they can be very expensive, and they can take more time to learn how to use them to reap the benefits.
If you’re not sure which productivity tools are right for you, keep reading. We’ve done the research for you and found the top 5 small business tools you need for your business.
#1. CRM
A customer relationship manager is a necessary tool to keep track of prospects, customers, and people to follow up with.
Some will automate email messages for you, too. With a good CRM, you know who you spoke with, when, and the context of the conversation. You can also access that information on any device, too.
#2. Accounting Tools
How would you like to open up an app, take a picture of your receipt, and then automatically update your accounts? Your accountant will be happy not to have to go through your shoebox of receipts.
Accounting tools such as QuickBooks and Wave can do your invoicing, too. For payroll, check out Pay Stub Creator.
#3. Canva
When you create content, you need an easy to use graphics creator. That’s where Canva come in. There are templates already set up so you can design high-quality graphics for every business need.
#4. Office 365/OneDrive
Access to documents from anywhere is essential for many business owners. That’s why Microsoft Office’s solution is so great. You can create your documents and then upload them to the cloud. With the OneDrive app, you can access your documents from any device.
#5. Slack
This is a great tool if you have a team of workers. Whether they work in the same building or in various locations around the world, you have a messaging tool to communicate with them easily.
How to Choose the Best Small Business Tools for Your Business
Before you go out and invest time and money in small business tools, you should have an understanding as to what you need.
If you know you need an accounting tool, do you need one that can handle payroll? Do you need features like recurring transactions or automatic invoicing?
When you know what you’re looking for beforehand, you same time evaluating different online tools, and it’s much easier to decide what you need.
If all things are equal between business tools, then sign up for a free trial or demo. You’ll see first hand how the software works and can decide from there.
Choosing the Right Business Tools
There is no shortage of business tools to choose from. You want to be sure that you choose the right business tool that will make your life easier.
The tools listed here are great to use and can help you be more productive. Before you sign up for them, make sure that they meet all of your business needs.
For more great business tips, check out these articles on entrepreneurship.
