5 Online Tools to Make Running Your Business Easier

Running a business is hard. There are so many moving parts to keep up with and hats to wear. In the end, it can become overwhelming and difficult to get everything done. One of the keys to being successful with a business is having the right tools. Online tools make your life easier and allow you to produce better work.

Today, we are going to talk about five online tools that can make a significant impact on your business. Most of these are free or very low cost making them accessible to everyone. Let’s take a look and see how they can help you run your business easier.

Notetaking Programs

Having a notebook where you can keep all of your ideas is essential as a business owner. You can have a physical notebook if that’s your style. I prefer to have a digital notebook that I can easily organize and add to. I use OneNote as my digital notebook. I enjoy it because I can create multiple notebooks, then narrow these down into sections and pages. It allows me to have all of my ideas and reference material close at hand. But, it is still organized.

Another common notebook program is Evernote. Many people swear by Evernote. It’s is chock full of features and receives a ton of praise for its ease of use and versatility. Both of these are programs that you should look into, but there are other options as well.

To-do Lists

I live by to-do lists. They keep me on track and let me know what is coming up. Plus, it is so satisfying to cross something off my list. I started with paper to-do lists. While I’ve moved to using a dedicated paper journal, many people prefer having an online option that they can access from their phone or computer.

Asana is great because it offers traditional to-do list features but with bonuses. You can create projects and separate my tasks into each of these projects. It’s also lhelpful to have due dates. Asana also has the ability to share lists with other users. If you need to collaborate on projects, it is very simple to do!

There are a ton of options for online to-do lists that have additional features. Other programs you may want to look into include Notion and ClickUp.

Social Media Management Tools

As a small business owner, managing social media is a necessary task. It allows you to market your business and network with other entrepreneurs. Managing your social media presence can be time-consuming though. Luckily, there are a number of online tools that can make it easier.

Buffer is a great social media scheduling tool. It allows you to create and schedule posts on a number of platforms. There are also a few tools specific to individual platforms. Hootsuite is a scheduling and curation tool for Twitter. Planoly is a good option for Instagram. You can mix and match these tools as you need. Best of all, almost all of them offer a free plan. This allows you to save both time and money.

Content Curation Tools

In addition to creating your own content, you should be using content curation as part of your marketing strategy. They need to find engaging, helpful content that is not their own to share on social media. It allows you to offer help to my online community and stay up to date on relevant news.

You could do content curation by reading the news and scanning the internet. This takes time. I use Feedly. They have a free version that allows me to follow certain websites. Whenever these websites post new content, it appears in my Feedly feed. From here, I can easily read many relevant articles. I use an extension from Buffer that then allows me to share these articles over time.

Bookkeeping Programs

The finances of your business are nothing to mess with. They can be complicated and far-reaching. You need to be sure your finances are in order so that your clients are charged appropriately. You also need to be sure to be squared away with the IRS and state tax authorities. Keeping well-organized records and transactions is important to ensure your finances are in order.

The easiest way to do this is by having a bookkeeping tool. Bookkeeping tools allow you to organize your transactions and store important records. Many also allow you to send invoices and receive payments. They can be game-changers in a small business. Quickbooks is one of the most trusted bookkeeping tools around. But, there are other options too. Wave offers a free version and Freshbooks also comes highly recommended. Each has its own features, so be sure to see which is best for you. Simply having a bookkeeping program will drastically improve your business’s operation.

What Online Tools Are Helpful to You?

These are the five tools that we find essential for a small business owner. Each will allow you to improve any area of your workflow and become more successful in your business. Do you have any specific tools you would recommend? Let us know!

Photo by Nick Morrison on Unsplash