The Hidden Tools Your Small Business Needs

As you grow your small business, you will need an expanding tableau of tools to help you optimize your opportunities. We’ve seen too many small businesses neglect to take advantage of simple (and sometimes free) tools. Why not use a product or service if it can help your business achieve results? Here are some “hidden” tools your small business may benefit from using:

• Google Analytics. Many businesses are not taking advantage of this free and useful tool that can give you critical data about your online presence. Before hiring an SEO company for big bucks, make sure you are already taking advantage of free tools.
• Project management apps. The days of to-do lists are over. Software like Basecamp helps streamline the work of your whole team. With functionality on desktop and mobile alike, these project management systems make organizing the details a lot easier.
• Banking based on relationships. Banking is not just about simple transactions: it’s about relationships. Before you join a bank, consider interviewing the managers at a few different institutions or locations to make sure that you can have a good working relationship. This can come into play at critical moments, like the next time you need a loan.
• Credit cards that garner returns. What kinds of credit card rewards are most important for your company? Air miles? Cash rewards? Instead of signing up for the first business credit card you hear about, consider a few different options so that you can maximize your rewards and get returns that make sense for your small business.
• Help Scout. This tool is essential if there is a customer service component of your business. By streamlining communications between team members regarding customer contact, Help Scout can save you lots of time in return for a small monthly fee.
• HARO (Help a Reporter Out). Each day, thousands of reporters are looking for authoritative sources on a wide range of business topics, including those within your expertise. HARO delivers media opportunities to your inbox so that you can connect with reporters and get some media coverage.
• A deliberately chosen payment processor. Many businesses automatically choose Paypal as their online processor, and there are a lot of reasons to do so. However, many other processors (like Stripe) allow users to stay on your site as they make their payment. Make sure you aren’t missing opportunities and put some thought into how your payment processor integrates with your site.

Your business has a variety of needs every day. This is the dynamic nature of a small company. elm Planning understands the struggles of a small company and can provide your venture with full-service meeting and event planning. Contact us to see how we can help you achieve growth.