9 Free Productivity Tools for a Small Business Startup

Key Takeaways

• This list covers all areas of any business- marketing, sales, project management, operations, HR, It and Finance.
• Even though it may have overlapping features, each app has its own unique function.
• The apps mentioned are relatively easy to understand and use. You don’t have to be a tech genius.

The word productivity in one word means efficiency. For a start-up or even established one- small or big, being efficient is a big part of your company’s success or failure.

Being a start-up, you might not be able to handle all things at once or might not be know how to organize and take things forward and being efficient. You simply have your hands full.

Well, thank -god for technology.

Being the millennial start-up you are, you probably would have already tried a number of apps to help out your situation.

Here’s a list of the best apps in the market for each situation.

• Project Management

• ProofHub– A jack of all trades project management application. It has a platform where you can bring all the details of your project and insert all the details about the project. Project management can be done remotely by your team, clients being involved and best of all- no more messy emails with endless threads.

• Communication

• Slack –  Organize topics by importance, or simply highlight the important conversations or topics. Clear confusions on the spot. No more waiting for an email. This app can be used from anywhere using your mobile, desktops, laptops, etc.

• It also connects and uses apps like Dropbox and Evernote to help with the smooth functioning of your work.

• Skype – this app is popular with almost everybody. What most may not know, is that UAE banned Skype for personal use. However, Skype for business is still active, up and running. Talk face to face with clients and your team.

• Note-Making

• Evernote – It is an app that helps in storing and editing documents. Never lose a document again or never lose a contract because you didn’t have the right documents at hand. Evernote stores more documental data. Any textual data can be stored in Evernote. It stores data for a long time.

• Dropbox – This app, though similar to Evernote is not exactly the same. Dropbox stores files and images and it stores files for a short period of time. Dropbox does not have a lasting memory and will erase data after a period of time  

• Time-Tracking

• Toggle – Being a small business and a startup, you need to manage your time and projects better. This app will help you find out, the areas

• where you spend time,
• how you spend time and
• doing what do you spend time.

This app works even without an internet connection. You simply have to sync it when you get a data connection.

• PayMo- This app allows you to bring all tasks such as planning, time tracking and invoicing all under one head. This app gives you an overview of all tasks done by all your employees and what project they are handling at that point in time.

• Email Management

• Unroll.me– declutter your inbox and make way for the useful stuff. It’s as simple as a single swipe to unsubscribe from promotional emails. Never miss out on the important ones.
• Airmail- Besides being an app, that won the best design award from Apple in 2017, it is one of the most sought after app by many businesses due to
• it’s speed,
• ability to handle multiple accounts
• the smooth functioning of mails,
• organization options and
• ability to customize.

• Focus

• Forest- Whenever you feel like you need to focus on your task without any distractions, this is the app for you. Plant a tree, that symbolizes your task and on completing the task the tree will be in full bloom, else the plant dies. However, this is a paid app.

• Focus Booster– is another such app that helps you focus on the present task and being in the moment. This app is free to download.

• Human Resource

• Desktime- An app that is a nightmare for all employees and you included. This app reports the HR in real-time, how much screen time is spent on work, and how much on others- like social media and others. This gives the exact report.

• Headspace– An HR is not only in charge of boosting work power but also the emotional balance of an employee. This app helps in focusing and clearing the mind and achieving a state of serenity.

• Marketing

• Hootsuite- This is the absolute go-to space for all your social media content. Post all your social media content on various social media platforms in just a single click.

• HubSpot – Control and manage all your marketing, CRM and sales all from one single platform. It is all in one marketing automation tool. It offers features like
• Launching landing pages
• Convert leads into successful sales

• Document Creation

• Google Drive – Lastly the master of them all. Google drive helps you manage and create documents within just seconds from the comfort of your home, office using your laptop, mobile or desktops. Create last min presentations and documents and go get that deal.

• Google Keep – This app is simply a more glorified version of sticky notes. Its most attractive feature is its simplicity.

Small businesses often struggle with being able to manage all work by themselves.

They tend to make mistakes based on inexperience, and work overload.

Experience mistakes are something we can deal with, however, the mistakes that happen due to oversight will not be easily forgiven by a client. The above will assure you hold your head high, provided you use them wisely.

These apps can be your ticket to success and failure.

• Success if you use them wisely.
• Failure if you spend all your time on them and forget about human interaction.
• Personal contact with your employees and clients cannot be replaced by a machine.
• This personal interference will also help in boosting employee morale and maintain a low turnover rate and improve productivity in your organization.

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