Small business owners have an extremely challenging job. They need to be multi-faceted in their roles, playing the part of a salesperson, accountant, strategist, and more all at once. The responsibilities never seem to stop coming and every day something new is added to the list. This is especially true for small businesses that operate with limited employees. As such, it’s important to seek out productive solutions for streamlining tasks and minimizing overhead so that you can focus on what matters most—your company’s growth and expansion. Without the right support system in place, your small business can quickly become overwhelmed and prone to failure. But with the help of these productive solutions for small business owners, you can take back control of your business and ensure its long-term success.
Time Tracking and Productivity Tools
If you’re a small business owner with plenty on your plate already, the last thing you need is to be wasting time on productivity-sucking activities that don’t help your company at all. That’s why it’s important to keep an eye on your time at all times and ensure that you’re not getting caught up in things that don’t matter. This can be especially difficult for small business owners who have to wear many different hats at once. Because of this, it can be beneficial to invest in productivity tools designed to help you keep track of your time, organize your to-do list, and stay on top of your workload. Investing in a time tracking software designed with small business owners in mind can be a huge help. It can track the time you spend on various tasks and give you a better idea of where your time goes throughout the day. It can also be helpful to take advantage of software that lets you collaborate on projects and organize your to-do list. Such tools can streamline communication and help your business become more productive as a whole.
Cloud-Based Collaboration and Communication Tools
If your business doesn’t already have a collaboration and communication tool in place, it’s important to look into getting one as soon as possible. These types of tools allow you to more easily collaborate with employees and clients, organize your team’s communication, and store important documents in a centralized location. This type of solution can prove to be a game changer for small businesses, especially those that operate with a remote team or across multiple offices. Although there are many different types of collaboration and communication tools available, cloud-based solutions are the best option for small businesses for a few reasons. First and foremost, cloud-based solutions are highly scalable. They can grow with your company as you expand and easily accommodate new employees and clients. They also typically come with a variety of useful integrations that can help you streamline communication and maximize productivity even further.
Website Management
Having a website is crucial for almost any type of business—but especially for small businesses with limited resources. A good website is like a virtual storefront for your company, and it can be instrumental in attracting new leads and converting them into paying customers. Unfortunately, many small businesses don’t have the capability or bandwidth to manage their own website. As such, it’s important to look into hiring a company that specializes in website management. Such companies can help you set up a website and manage it on a daily basis. They can also assist you with redesigning your website if it’s starting to show its age and could use a facelift. You can expect to pay anywhere from $150-$1,000 per month for these services, depending on the level of service you sign up for. Depending on your needs, you may also want to consider hiring someone to help you with SEO. SEO can help your website rank higher in search engines like Google and Bing, resulting in more traffic to your website. SEO can be done on a variety of levels, but for the most basic and affordable level, you can expect to pay between $100-$500.
A Robust CRM Software
CRMs (customer relationship management software) are designed to help you keep better tabs on your sales pipeline and leads as well as note and organize important customer information. This can prove vital for small businesses that rely on a high volume of sales and rely heavily on customer acquisition. In fact, a CRM can help you to increase your sales by up to 30% just by making it easier to stay organized. Unfortunately, CRMs can cost upwards of $250 per month and often require a hefty upfront investment. For many small businesses, this isn’t an option and it can feel like a deal-breaker. If this sounds like your situation, don’t fret. There are a number of CRM solutions designed specifically for small businesses that won’t break your budget. These solutions often offer all of the same benefits as more robust CRM systems, but at a fraction of the cost. It’s important to research a few different CRM solutions before signing up for one, however. Some may be better-suited for your business than others and may even offer premium features for a lower price.
Email Marketing Software
Email marketing is another big area where many small businesses struggle. After all, who has the time or resources to develop an email marketing strategy? Fortunately, there are email marketing software solutions designed for small businesses. These tools make it easy to create and send out email campaigns at scale, bringing in more leads and sales while taking very little time and effort on your part. Unfortunately, many solutions designed for small businesses are cost-prohibitive. If this sounds like your current situation, don’t lose hope—there are plenty of email marketing solutions designed specifically for small businesses. These tools can help you create engaging emails, send them out to your customers, and track their results. Depending on the solution you choose, you’ll likely pay anywhere between $20-$150 per month. However, these tools are worth the investment, especially when you consider the amount of money they can help you bring in.
Conclusion
Because it’s the backbone of your business, it’s extremely important to choose the right CRM for your small business. It should allow you to track key metrics, work collaboratively with your team members, and easily organize your sales pipeline. Given the significant influence that CRMs have on your entire business, it’s important to choose the right one. Make sure to do your research and select a CRM that’s a good fit for your company’s unique needs. Now that you’ve read through the different solutions that can help small businesses succeed, it’s time to act. Whether you’re a seasoned business owner or brand new to entrepreneurship, these solutions can help you take your business to the next level
