The digitization that has occurred over the past few decades has changed how businesses conduct daily operations, with early adopters of digital tools enjoying high operational convenience and lower production costs. You can’t ignore the role of these tools if you want to be successful in this era. All you need to do is review each of your business fronts and check if there is a tool that can complement your efforts there. If there is, assess the market to find a tool that best suits your business model. This article looks to save you the hassle by discussing seven free tools that can significantly improve your company’s efficiency and productivity.
Accounting Software
Losing track of your business finances can be costly and inconvenient, no matter the size of your company. Luckily, you don’t need to rely on humans for this sensitive aspect of your business anymore. You can get free accounting software that will eliminate the inaccuracy and inconsistency of your human accountants. Today’s accounting applications are built to assist accounting professionals record and report a business’s financial transactions with much more ease. Depending on your business model and accounting needs, you may need generic software or flexible, scalable, and customized applications.
SEO Tool
Search engine optimization (SEO) is evolving at an incredibly steep trajectory, and staying abreast of the changes and trends may require setting up a marketing subdepartment to handle this important aspect of internet marketing. Luckily for small and medium businesses, there are many
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software
CRM software monitors business interactions with customers and prospects. Many CRM tools are not free, but most offer free versions of their software with fewer features. With a CRM tool, you not only simplify lead tracking but also enjoy the convenience of viewing your business customer and prospect interactions from a single, unified interface. It also helps sales representatives optimize their schedules and plan their tasks in order of priority. Most CRM systems provide automated activity reporting features, too, saving salespeople the need to do this manually.
Design Tools
Graphic designers are not the only professionals who need design tools. There are many easy-to-use tools out there that your business can use to create social media images and other visuals before posting them. These tools include Canva, which you can use to build images, posters, and presentations, and Piktochart, popular for building infographics. Note that some of these tools are not free, so take the time to review them to see if their free versions are sufficient for your design needs. You should also consider finding something that is easy to learn and use.
Communication and Video Conferencing Tool
The COVID-19 pandemic has something to do with Zoom’s instant rise in popularity, but the tool can be extremely useful even under normal circumstances. You will need to schedule online events with customers and businesses and set meetings with your employees. If you have a remote workforce, Zoom and other tools such as Skype can help simplify communication between your staffers and enhance the spirit of teamwork.
Project Management Tool
Project management tools such as Trello, Asana, Freedcamp, and Wrike might also prove imperative for a business with a remote working policy. These tools help supervisors keep track of various projects going on at the same time. They provide a full view of project progress and get project managers prepared for subsequent steps.
Website Performance Monitoring Tool
Your website is the center of your digital presence, and its performance will have a direct effect on your performance on the sales facet. No matter who you hired to create your business site, you will want to track user activities on it, so you know what changes to make to increase its usefulness. A tool like Google Analytics will provide you with every piece of data you need regarding user navigation on your site. You can check page bounce rates and the converting rates of different landing pages for optimization purposes. You can also monitor your
Endnote
The list of tools to incorporate into your operations is endless, but the above seven should be in your arsenal if you want to level the playing field for your business. Take the time to understand your business model and it’s unique needs for the best tool assortment.
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