Running a business can be tough, but modern technology definitely makes it a lot easier. It is possible to outsource work so that you don’t have to pay for office space, and there are hundreds of online tools and apps that you can use to streamline your business.
But how do you filter through all of the apps to find out the ones that are actually effective? The answer is you don’t have to, as we’ve done it for you! This means that you can spend less time worrying about the little things, and more time focusing on growing your business.
Here are five of the most useful apps for entrepreneurs.
1. Buffer
If you have a social media presence for your business (which you definitely should, as millions of internet users use social media to buy products!), you may want to consider downloading the Buffer app. It can be time-consuming sharing content on all of your social media channels multiple times a week, but Buffer makes it much easier by allowing you to queue up posts in advance. Posts can also be shared to multiple platforms, so you don’t need to write out the same post three or four times.
Finally you can easily reshare old posts through the ‘reshare’ feature, which is ideal for days when you don’t have a post planned.
2. Wunderlist
Wunderlist is an organisational app that makes it easy for you to communicate with your employees. The app allows you to write lists that can be seen by your team, and then employees can tick off tasks as they are completed. This means that your employees know exactly what to do, so you can focus on your own tasks without needing to check in with your team frequently. This is perfect for business owners with virtual assistants, as it means everyone can be productive without relying on each other.
3. FreshBooks
One of the main concerns for business owners is finances, but there are a few apps to help with this. One of the best accounting software apps is FreshBooks, as it syncs to all your apps so that you can view the current business finances at any point. You can also use the app to invoice people, check payment statuses and respond to feedback from clients in the app. So it is very easy to stay on top of your cash flow!
4. Square
Square is a payment app that allows you to process debit and credit card payments in person; all you need is your phone and a small chip reader that Square will send to you for free. This means you can easily make sales in person, and if you have a store you can upgrade to Square Stand to access even more features.
5. Trello
If you employ a virtual team you may want to use Trello to help with project management. The app lets business owners set up different projects with attached time frames, so everything is completed in time. You can also use the app to message and call your team, which is very useful.
