Being productive is not about you just getting things done but using the right tools in ensuring things get done as fast as possible. The small business marketplace is full of web-based productivity tools that promise great things. A decent app should at the very least streamline workflow, automate tasks and simplify communication in the workplace.
Here are seven best productivity tools we believe every small business owner should start using in their day to day business activities.
1. GSuite – All Inclusive
Google built the GSuite to serve as a total range of functionality for businesses. You can purchase your domain, set-up an email client, track analytics for your website, launch and manage ad campaigns, and much more with the apps in the GSuite and all for a low cost. Keeping all of your business needs centered around your branded domain and within the Google platform will give you the ease of mind to know everything is in one spot and taken care.
Also Read: 7 proven ways to stay productive at work.
2. Slack – Team Communication
Slack offers team communication for the 21st century. This means gone are the days of group messages blowing up and getting 200 notifications at once, missing messages directed at you, and various groups all intermingled on the same set-up. The communication offers much more than just this core-functionality though. Additionally, Slack channels can do file-sharing, phone calls, message search and fun features such as giving employees a “taco” for a job well done.
3. Evernote – Note Taking
Evernote allows you to keep all your notes in an organized place. You can clip pieces of information from the web, tag them for easy searching and embedding pictures, tables, audio, and video. This tool allows you to access your business content wherever you are, on all your devices.
4.Buffer – Social Media Scheduling
If you want to stay competitive online or just even generally, then you need to have a presence on social media. Managing multiple accounts can take up time otherwise best spend on other tasks. Use Buffer however and you’ll save major time and effort. The free version of this productivity tool allows a maximum limit of 10 posts to be scheduled at any given time. Just add updates to a queue and assign what time you would like to send them out across whatever channels you like.
5. DropBox – File Sharing
The easiest way to share large or numerous files, rather than send them in multiple emails, is to use an app. DropBox has Microsoft integration for Hotmail and Office 365 user convenience and is a fantastic choice. This means that you can co-edit files online with others using Office Online (Gmail users sometimes prefer Google Drive for compatibility reasons). Next time you have multiple files or those that are too large to share via email without taking up a lot of your time and frustration, try this platform for super-convenience and speed. You won’t pay anything for storage space until you have to upgrade.
6. Invoice – Online Billing
Invoice is an online invoicing software for small businesses with fewer than 10 employees. It offers a refreshingly simple and easy to use solution for small business owners, startups, entrepreneurs, and freelancers to send invoices and get paid faster than ever before. The solution is 100 percent free for unlimited invoices and unlimited clients.
Also Read: 5 ways to improve your leadership skills.
7. Trello – Task Management
Trello is a fun and creative way of organizing and managing project and tasks. Color-coded and laid out in cards, this app lets you see your project pipeline, product updates, meeting deadlines, and more. Collaboration can be done directly with commenting and attachment features. Trello can also be integrated with other platforms and can be used on the web and on mobile devices. Its creative layout can inspire your team to work more productively, too!