The modern entrepreneur these days has been blessed by the innovations of high technology. Through the help of the Internet, many businesses have found their proper niches and target market. It has even made things even easier for them because most of the time, it’s the consumers that look for them and find their products and services. Are you one of these modern business owners who opt to make a name for your company through the web? Like any other business venture, exploring and conquering your field of specialization through this new means may be another daunting task. This is where you need the help of certain business tools.
If you look back at how conventional businesses went, entrepreneurs worked very hard at reaching out to their target market, promoting their services and products, and fulfilling orders. If you are one of the “old school” business owners, then you pretty much understand what this feels like. With the use of the web and computerization, the once daunting and seemingly disheartening task is now just a click away.
By Sean MacEntee, Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/smemon/4556099850/
11 Tools for Business Productivity
Small business tools are now available to perk up your biz’s growth. Read on and get to know some of the frequently used ones that could also benefit your company (from project management, cool reads, documentation, etc.):
1. Basecamp
Basecamp is a project management tool that you can customize based on your team’s size. It has an API for mobile applications of over twelve. It may be the best choice for a flourishing business like yours to track your projects, tasks, to monitor your staff, etc.
2. SocialText, CubeTree, and WizeHive
These three tools are said to be very powerful small business tools used to enhance business collaboration as well as communications. They were also found to have a few user-friendly issues and also a few problems with design – aiding users get more productive.
By ShashiBellamkonda, from Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/drbeachvacation/3494303198/
A small business tool such as this can help you increase the traffic into your website. This guide concentrates on the importance of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) so that valuable information in your site could be easily accessed. Hubspot helps you become more attractive to clients when they key in the right keywords in search engines.
4. Tools from Inc.com
When you register for free in Inc.com, you get access to at least 100 small business tools for free. These tools include safety in the workplace, management, online business, finding the right capital, recruiting/hiring, termination, administration, and marketing
5. SME Toolkit
SME Toolkit is comprised of resources and free business tools. It includes how-to information, training, forms, and calculators. It has topics like technology, marketing, accounting, payroll, franchising, and insurance. It also offers a free online training course that will help you with your business.
6. FormNet
FormNet is a free service for downloading business forms. This tool can really help you save much expense and time when you access the documents and templates that you need in Adobe (pdf), Excel, or Microsoft Word format. You can choose from categories such as getting started with your business, leasing, accounting, collections, credit, human resources, sales, shipping, credit, inventory, and insurance. You won’t create your needed documents from thin air with this small business tool.
7. Docstoc
This is a small business tool that enables business owners like you to share or search for documents templates, and forms. You can download free samples of business contracts, business plans, and market research from various categories like real estate, finance, real estate, legal, fashion, arts, and educational among others.
8. Scribd
By tvol, from Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/sixteenmilesofstring/4100857445/
If you want to share or publish your business documents for free, then this is the small business tool for you. Here, you can easily upload and save your documents. You can even explore their huge library of other free resources and tools. There are legal documents, manuals, guides, and even eBooks that could help you with all your inquiries. Bask onto their unlimited storage capacity too!
9. Business.gov
It is said that Business.gov can get you access to federal business guides and forms of the US Government. Topics like market research, loans, license application, business registration, and taxes are available. You could also gain access to valuable information for small businesses statewide and locally.
10. JaxWorks
This is a small business tool that contains Excel spreadsheets for Windows and Apple that you can download for free. With JaxWorks.com, you can browse various selections for future use.
11. BPlans
With BPlans.com, you can have nine calculators to choose from (cash flow discount, cash flow, ROI (email marketing), ROI (pay per click), starting costs, investments, ROI (direct email), conversion rate, and break even) and you can use them for free. You could even add these calculators to your website. The HTML code is provided for you for you to do this.
You can fairly say that small business tools can really make or break your company. Just like any tool in the world ever created by man, these could be used for your improvement or downfall as a business owner. With this in mind, you have to make sure that you know everything about the small business tool that you prefer to use. Doing so will make your company grow and become any business’ dream—a household name.
By toyourna, from Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/toyourna/6398076795/
Small business tools are meant to help your company grow. Maximize their use and explore them so that you can apply them to other businesses that you will venture into someday.
Can’t get enough of these small biz productivity tools? Partner them up with your very own government contracting secrets e-book today. Receive it free when you subscribe to our e-mail newsletter now!
You might also like:
- Small Businesses Procuring Government Contracts: A Viable Path to Small Business Growth
- Government Contracts Database: Highly Needed Tool to Grow Your Biz
- Considerations in Pursuing Small Business Procurement Opportunities
- Passion, the Ultimate Secret to Success
- More Opportunities Come to Small Business through a National Procurement Event
Great list here of productivity tools. Technology sure has changed how businesses can be more productive and speed up their growth.
We also pulled together a directory of Small Business Marketing Tools that are free or low-cost to use. Best of all, most have a free trial that takes the risk out of trying a new service.