Running a small business is no easy task – any owner knows this well. However, we very fortunately live in a digital age where we’re afforded instant assistance with various aspects of business management for little to no cost, thanks to the help of the Internet.
If your business is looking for a little extra helping hand, here are six online tools that cost very little (or nothing) and can help you with day-to-day tasks.
Social Media Templates
Running a small business means you automatically need to become a social media pro too, and for some of us this just isn’t our forte.
Luckily, there are countless free templates online to help us make our posts look and feel professional. You can use a free Facebook ads maker to create content that matches your brand, and your marketing needs with a few simple clicks.
Website Builders
We all know the importance of having a good company site but hiring a web designer doesn’t necessarily fit everyone’s budget. Website builders like Wix and Squarespace offer affordable and user-friendly ways to build your website without needing to outsource.
These tools make it easy to customize every aspect of your website to fit your every need, easy peasy, and most subscriptions include constant support too.
Analytics
Something that many small business owners neglect is their analytics. However, monitoring your analytics via a free tool is a great way to get useful insights into your business.
For example, Google Analytics is a free tool that will allow you to better understand your audience and how your website is performing. You can also check out your Instagram and Facebook analytics within those platforms to see how your posts are performing.
Collaborative Tools
If your team consists of three or more people, it’s a good idea to get yourselves set up on some type of collaborative communication platform like Slack or even Microsoft Teams.
Once again, these platforms are free but will offer you major assistance in the communication department. You’ll easily be able to keep track of who’s doing what, share files, host meetings, etc.
Email Marketing
After social media, email marketing could be one of your biggest boosters. If you get customers signed up for an email newsletter (and promise not to spam them), you could be pushing promotions and calling customers to action weekly.
There are a number of free email marketing services you could look into, such as MailChimp or Omnisend. These make the management of your mailing list super easy, and most of them offer a basic, free option.
Accounting Software
Every small business needs to get on top of their bookkeeping and using free software to assist with that is a really useful tip. If you can’t quite afford to hire a full-time accountant, then free software, or even investing a little into premium programs can really help.
These products will help you manage your business expenses, sort out your taxes, and stay on top of your finances in general.
