Being a successful small business owner doesn't come easy, especially in today’s competitive environment. These days, business owners have to overcome all kinds of challenges to keep their companies afloat. That includes everything from logistics, finding partners, competition monitoring, digital marketing, and so on.
However, with so many available software solutions and free tools designed to help improve management, small business owners can get a lot more done with just a little effort. Let's take a look at the best digital resources that will help you grow your small business and keep your entire operation running smoothly.
The Best Digital Resources For Small Businesses
1. Wix Website Builder
In today’s digital landscape, you can’t run a successful business without a working website. Custom websites can be too expensive for a small budget, but there’s another option: Wix website builder. Even if you’re not a computer whiz, you can still create your website using Wix.
You can download the Wix website builder for free and use it to create a website using templates and other tools and advanced features. All sites built on Wix are also fully responsive.
Once your site goes live and if you like how it looks, you'll have to pay a reasonable fee, but the cost is much less than building a completely custom website from scratch.
The software also features a host provider service, allowing you to set up everything in one go. However, if you have the money to spend and you want a professional website made according to the latest trends and best practices with all the bells and whistles, check out a web development company in Los Angeles called Design Rush.
2. Advanced Accounting & Legal Platform
As a business owner, making sure that everything is done according to the law should always be on your mind. That includes paying taxes, running books, and other expenses. If you're running on a tighter budget, you can get free finance software to help you out.
YouNeedABudget.com, for example, is software designed to help track your income, taxes, debt, expenses, and everything in between. The simple dashboard and easy setup will turn a complete novice into an expert accountant in a few minutes. You can try the 34-day trial for free, and if you like how it works, you can buy the software for $60.
3. Google My Business
If you already put effort into creating a professional-looking website, you want as many people to know about your business as possible. One of the best methods for increasing visibility is to create a Google My Business page. Once you do that, you will make sure that whenever someone searches for your company, they will get the correct information.
Think of it as a virtual business register that allows customers to find information about your offers, working hours, location, and so on. Having a Google My Business account will also increase your website’s ranking and drive more traffic to your business, so it's a win-win situation.
4. Google Drive
No matter how small a company might be, the owner can rarely take care of everything alone. The chances are that you also depend on a few employees in charge of logistics, management, and other departments. That means that you'll need a platform where you can share documents, lists, orders, and other information. There are plenty of paid platforms you can try, but why not try a free one first?
Once you create a Gmail account, you can use Google's G Suite for free. You can create a shared dashboard where all employees can access vital information, share documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more. It's similar to Microsoft Office, but it's free, and it is completely online.
5. Social Media Monitoring
Once you start growing your business, you will want to know what your customers think about it. Social media networks such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others are excellent places for finding user reviews. But since reading through all of the reviews would be very time-consuming, you can get software designed for that specific purpose.
For example, Hootsuite is a free software tool that can help you manage multiple social media accounts, plus schedule posts and find user reviews. The tool is designed to simplify social media network management in a single dashboard. You don't need more than a few clicks to set everything up, and if you like how it works, you can get a premium plan to get even more features.
6. E-Commerce Software
Traditional brick-and-mortar shops may soon become a thing of the past, so it's a good idea to invest some money into creating an online store. Having an online store will help you expand your reach and potentially enter the global markets. There are plenty of different eCommerce platforms you can try, but a lot of them are costly. Luckily, there’s a free option.
A software called X-Cart is available for only $30, and it has almost all of the features you could ever need to run an online store. You can use it to generate leads, build a site, create shipping labels, and more.
7. Communication Software
One of the aspects of running a business is constant communication with customers and clients. No matter what you do or sell, having a Skype account is definitely a good idea. Skype is the leading VOIP software you can use for all kinds of online communication. It will help you build stronger relationships with clients, and you can also use it to communicate with employees for free.
8. Customer Service Tools
Solidifying your brand as trustworthy and earning your customer's respect doesn't come easy. The most important thing is to make sure that every customer gets the best possible treatment at all times. Having some type of customer service plan will help you gain the trust of your prospects, which will undoubtedly have a positive effect in the long run.
Software such as ZenDesk, FreshDesk, or LiveAgent are all excellent choices for beginners as they are all free and simple to use. Once you start growing your company, you can get a premium subscription to get more options.
9. Email Marketing
Email marketing is one of the most effective tools for lead generation. With a few good ideas and a list of email addresses, you can quickly boost sales and find new customers. However, since you can't write thousands of emails fast enough, a special email marketing platform is the way to go.
Software tools such as MailChimp allows you to send out up to 12,000 emails every month. You can create your own unique mail by using the drag-and-drop tool to customize every detail. The basic plan is completely free, and it should be more than enough to help you generate leads every month.
10. Zoho Recruit Applicant Tracking
If you decide to hire new employees at any point in the future, you can use Zoho Recruit to keep track of every individual who applies for the position. The tool is designed to track jobs and candidates until a perfect match is found. It also comes in with built-in features that allow you to contact all applicants directly using pre designed messages. If time is money, this software will help you save a lot of both.
11. VPN by CyberGhost
Two out of five small businesses were a victim of some kind of cyber attack in 2020. Cybercrime is very real, but there are a few things you can do to improve security. Virtual Private Networks or VPNs can help you hide all online activities making it nearly impossible for hackers to track your behavior.
This technology switches your IP address (a unique virtual post address) with another one located far away from your original location. That way, you'll hide your tracks and make it impossible for others to breach your system. That said, VPNs also boost connection speeds, they work on all operating systems, and they keep your connection hidden.
12. Networking and Meetup
You should probably know by now that you can't survive in the online world without connecting with other websites. Having a strong backlink strategy will help you boost your website's ranking, increase your traffic, and provide extra credibility. However, the point of networking is to get in touch with other business owners and entrepreneurs to find new business opportunities.
Meetup is an excellent online resource that helps connect entrepreneurs from all over the world. The chances are that you'll find a ton of them in your city as well. Reach out to them, and a few good connections can help your company go a long way.
Conclusion
All in all, running a small local business doesn't have to be a daunting task. With the right software and other tools, you can save a lot of money on all kinds of expenses.
Once you get things going and your budget increases, you can easily find paid tools that you can use to grow your business even further. You can also reach out to the experts at Digital Silk, a web design company in New York to bring your online efforts to a whole new level. We wish you good luck on all of your future business endeavors!
Christopher is a digital marketing specialist and a freelance blogger. He is focused on new web tech trends and digital voice distribution across different channels. In his free time Christopher plays drums and Magic: the Gathering.
