Best Tools To Consider When Starting A Business

If you’re considering starting a business, there are a number of things to keep in mind to ensure your company is a success. From marketing to accounting and finance, a startup business is not an easy thing to manage, particularly if it is your first venture. 

Luckily, there are a number of helpful tools out there to help startups and business owners succeed. So, no matter how much experience you have in running a business, fear not as we’ve gathered some of the best tools for startups here to give you a better idea of how to structure your organisation and use technology in your favour. Take a look below. 

1. Website Builders

In the modern age of digitisation, website builders and web hosting can be a lifesaver for many business owners. Research has shown that over a third of consumers look online before visiting a business to invest in their products or services. Having an online presence is therefore essential as it provides the first impression of your business to potential customers. Website builders such as Squarespace, WordPress, and Wix offer an easy solution for businesses, often with a free trial and minimum monthly payments to get you set up online. 

2. Accounting Software

Next, you’ll want to look into some accounting software such as FreshBooks or QuickBooks. Tasks such as invoicing, expenses, finance planning, scheduled payments, transactions, and financial trackers can often be time-consuming and mundane. Yet, they are essential to the smooth running of a business. Accounting software can remove part of the stress by helping to manage your accounts for you. This way, business owners can focus more on the business itself rather than the accounts, knowing they are in safe hands. 

3. VoIP Internet

Having a modern and reliable internet connection is key for a small business or startup. VoIP (or Voice over Internet Protocol) allows users to make and receive phone calls over the internet. Unlike traditional landlines, internet-based phone systems enable calls to be made from anywhere with a reliable internet connection and on multiple devices. For startups, having clear and effective communication is non-negotiable. It is therefore well worth looking into VoIP business providers to get your communications up and running. 

4. Accessible Office Space

Despite not being a tool per se, office spaces can be a great way to get into the business mindset. Many startups and small businesses can benefit from a coworking space or temporary office space as they are only required to pay for when the space is used and offer a number of networking opportunities. Alternatively, a virtual office provides a mailing address and can help establish a company in your chosen area without the overheads of renting a physical space. This way, opting for office space does not need to eat into your budget. 

5. CRM Software

CRM is Customer Relationship Management and is the secret to a successful business-consumer relationship. CRM software helps to track, record and refine communication with clients and ultimately helps to optimise sales tactics towards those who are most likely to buy. Information is managed on a database, making it easy for business owners to monitor engagement and apply tactics as and when. 

6. Social Media Management

Much like a website, having a presence on social media can open your business up to a range of new clientele. The main platforms to be on are Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter, though it will depend somewhat on your type of business for which platforms work best for you. There are a number of social media management software such as HootSuite which allow users to keep tabs on their accounts from one dashboard, monitor and respond to comments, summarise weekly reports, and schedule future posts which can make your online presence infinitely more streamlined. 

7. Dropbox

 New businesses should also be organised in their filing systems, using a service that encourages collaboration between stakeholders. This is where Dropbox can be of benefit. As a personal cloud storage service, Dropbox allows you to back up data, share files between colleagues, and automatically sync files across all your devices. Plus, the best bit is that Dropbox is free for its basic service which includes all the points just mentioned, making it a financially sound tool for your startup. 

8. Mailchimp

Despite having a website and social media profiles, no business would be professional without e-mail. E-mail marketing specifically has boosted in popularity over recent decades due to its direct engagement with consumers. Opting for an e-mail marketing service such as Mailchimp can therefore manage your emails, send out targeted campaigns, create subscriber forms, and send automated messages from your business address. E-mail marketing is here to stay, so investing in a service such as Mailchimp could be a wise decision for emerging organisations. 

9. Project Management Tools

Starting a business may require you to manage various projects simultaneously. Project management tools such as Wrike allows users to gather teams in one spot, integrate cloud storage systems, and organise projects by breaking them down for each member. The service is free to start with so it can be worth looking into if you manage a lot of project-based tasks and are seeking a bit of extra help. 

10.  EPOS Systems

Finally, EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale) systems can really help to boost sales in face-to-face environments. The systems allow payments to be made using credit and debit cards and can be connected to an app on your mobile to make payments easy and hassle-free. Increasing the number of payment methods is only a positive thing as it opens up doors to a wider pool of customers. Plus, there are numerous EPOS systems out there that target different businesses, so there is bound to be one to suit the needs of your company.