With all of the communicating, brainstorming, organizing and managing information that small businesses have to do, multitasking is a full time job in itself. With the right resources, mastering the art of multitasking is simple. Here are some essential tools for small business owners to make running your business a breeze (well, at least it will make it easier).
Digital Organization Tools
Backing-up information and files is important. Using cloud-based software such as Dropbox is a reliable storage mechanism. It’s useful because it gives you access to the folders you want wherever you are, allowing you to share that information with others without the size restrictions associated with traditional email. Trello is a another free source that lets you easily keep up with your schedules, ideas and work progress
Communication and Social Media
Who your customers are will be the determining factor in how you conduct business. Analytic sites like Google Analytics, Demandbase or MixPanel give you the opportunity to see who interacts with your website and how, providing details that help you shift your business efforts appropriately.
When it comes to internal communication, instant messaging through Google Talk allows for quick communication between your employees without cluttering everyone’s email. Staying up-to-date on current events, industry trends and customer activity are all available with social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. They give you the advantage of being able to interact with your customers like never before. In terms of B2B, LinkedIn allows you to network with other individuals and businesses in your industry.
Online Software
Google Chrome provides a plethora of free programs and apps that help with writing documents, spreadsheets, scripts, presentations and much more. With all of the sites your company might be connected to, just be sure to secure your Google profile. Tired of losing passwords and account information? Using a site such as Dashlane will allow you to manage the various login passwords, account data and pin numbers you have so that none of them will be either lost or hacked into.
