If you want to run a successful business, you need the right tools. From project management to business communication, you need access to tools that make day-to-day running easier. Here are the 11 essential tools every successful business needs.
Mobile Marketing Tools
Mobile marketing has become massive in the last 10 years. With more and more customers using their phones to interact with businesses, it’s important to take mobile marketing seriously. And to do that, you need the right mobile marketing tools. From SMS promotions to in-app purchases, there are tons of opportunities to drive sales and growth through mobile.
Email Software
Email is still one of the main forms of business communication. While it might not seem like the most revolutionary form of technology (anymore), it’s still absolutely vital for success. Many businesses use Microsoft Outlook or Gmail to organize business emails. However, there are a bunch of alternatives on the market that offer different features.
Content Management System
Content is king. That has become a cliché in modern business and for good reason, too. Online businesses have to create content if they want customers to interact with their brand. Content drives traffic and ultimately helps businesses build their brand online. However, without an effective content management system (CMS), it’s impossible to keep track of content. Some of the most popular examples include WordPress, Joomla, and Ghost. Choosing the right CMS will depend on your business’s specific content requirements.
Social Media Management Tool
Social media is one of the greatest business tools ever invented. It allows businesses to interact with their target audience directly, without a third-party medium. That means they can have a direct and powerful relationship. However, social media output needs to be managed. That means implementing the right social media management tools. Popular examples include Hootsuite, Buffer, and Sprout. All of these help you manage content output, schedule posts, and analyze responses.
Hiring Software
A business’s greatest asset is its people. If you can hire the right employees, you can increase your chances of success (pretty dramatically). However, in the digital world, you can’t do it without the right hiring software. A job posting can get hundreds (if not thousands) of responses, which need to be managed carefully. Hiring software like Freshteam and Zoho Recruit do the hard part for you. All you need to do is pick the right candidate at the end.
Timesheet App
With more companies adopting a remote working culture, it’s becoming increasingly important to track employees. Timesheets apps are used to track the time spent on projects or tasks. This allows remote employers to ensure that employees are staying focused when working from home. It also offers an excellent way to track outsourced partners that charge by the hour.
Accounting Software
Accounting is an important part of running a business. Payroll, cash flow, and invoices all need to be managed weekly. Some companies choose to outsource this type of task but others implement accounting software to do the heavy lifting for them. Accounting software makes it easy for businesses to perform complicated tasks without making mistakes.
Task Management Software
When you’re running a business, you are almost always juggling multiple tasks. From marketing campaigns to acquisitions, it can be really hard to keep track of everything and prioritize appropriately. However, task management software – like Asana and Trello – makes this considerably easier. You can set up projects, discuss with team members, and tick projects off when they’re completed. It is difficult to compare Office 365 and GSuite, but Office 365 gives you access to Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and a bunch of collaboration and productivity apps.
Team Chat App
Communication is essential to running a modern business. A team chat app allows you to talk to anyone in the company instantly and it provides a saved history of your conversation. This means that nothing gets missed and past conversations can be referred to easily. Every business should have a team chat app.
File-sharing Tools
The days of memory sticks and floppy disks are gone. Now, it’s possible to send just about any file over the internet. You just need the right file-sharing tools. Google Docs and Dropbox are two of the most popular. However, there are many different options to consider. As a business, you will probably have to pay for a premium membership to access enough space.
Video Conferencing Software
Video conferencing has become an important part of running a modern business. Whether you’re interviewing candidates remotely or liaising with an overseas customer, video conferencing can make business life much easier. Skype, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom are the most popular. But you can find business-specific apps that provide different features.