As a small business owner, you are already good at marketing, managing people and handling money. But, if you’re like many entrepreneurs, you may find that the main thing that you lack is time. If there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done, these productivity tools can help you buy time to accomplish all of your small business objectives.
1. Online Accounting Applications
A number of companies offer cloud-based accounting applications that integrate different aspects of accounting for small businesses. There’s no need to install or maintain software, so there’s also no need for a dedicated IT staff to use this sort of accounting software. Small business owners might consider top-rated online applications from companies like Intuit and Xero. Sole proprietors could consider FreshBooks and GoDaddy Bookkeeping. In addition, options like QuickBooks and Zoho online have earned an Editor’s Choice Award from PC Magazine. An added benefit of these online applications is that they are also accessible from many different devices, including computers and smart phones.
2. Task Management Apps
You won’t have to jot down lists on sticky notes and paste them around your office when you use a task management app like Any.do. This mobile application runs on Android, Chrome, and iOS operating systems and is suitable for personal or shared use. This app even helps users develop excellent productivity habits because it nudges them to check their daily tasks first thing in the morning. You can make sure you never forget a client meeting and your team members remember the weekly briefing all with one app. There are also some other alternatives, like Basecamp.
3. Voice Software
Can you talk faster than you can type? If so, you’re bound to save a lot of time with voice recognition software like Dragon NaturallySpeaking. The latest version works very well after it’s setup and it starts to work even better after you spend some time training it. Dragon lets you draft emails and all sorts of other documents by voice and it even gives you voice controls for other functions of your computer.
4. Shared Disk Drives and Business Documents
Google Docs is 100 percent free and that’s not even the best thing about it! You can keep your drive private, but you can also share documents with other people by granting their email account access. It comes with a word processor and other kinds of business applications. You can access documents from anywhere you can connect to the internet using a traditional computer, tablet or phone. If you can’t connect, you can even work on saved documents offline. Additionally, when you store documents in the cloud, you don’t have to worry about losing them if your own device crashes.
5. Online Communication and Collaboration Software
Email has already become old-fashioned when confronted with the more efficient and flexible communication tools you can use for your business. For example, the HipChat platform lets you video chat, share screens, and much more. You can also send and receive text messages for an individual or an entire team.
6. Email Inbox Apps
Even though a lot of communication today gets done via chat and collaboration software, most businesses still rely on email to some extent. In fact, many business owners have several different email accounts that they establish for different uses. An app like Inky can collect emails from different accounts, filter them according to your settings and present them all in one attractive interface. You can use it for your personal email too.
Bonus Tool: More Efficient Cash Flow Management
Is a lack of cash for inventory slowing you down or hampering your business growth? If so, consider an inventory loan to make sure you have plenty of inventory to satisfy demand and can take advantage of opportunities to buy products at the lowest price. When you know you have access to cash, you won’t have to waste time worrying about it.
Even though being a business owner can lead to a lot of work, looking into productivity tools can ensure that your business will continue to run smoothly, even when things start to pick up. Figuring out which areas of your business need some help and then checking out tools like the ones mentioned above can help you manage the more stressful and time-consuming aspects of your business. In no time, your small business will be running more efficiently and effectively.
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