Top 5 Tech Tools for Small Businesses

Starting a new business can be tough, as obstructions you never imagined crop up. Limited time, manpower, and budgets can all be a factor as the workload starts to pile up and the bills come rolling in. With the right tools, small businesses can reach their potential. Below is a list of tools that small business owners can utilize.

1. For organization and productivity – 

• Google Drive - lets you store and access your files anywhere--on the web, on your hard drive, or on the go.
• Trello – Visual project management system
• Expensify - financial services startup that provides an online expense management service for customers worldwide.
• Evernote - A suite of software and services that allow users to capture, organize, and find information across multiple platforms.

2. Cloud storage – 

• Dropbox - Provides a home for users' most-important information.
• Google Drive - lets you store and access your files anywhere -- on the Web, on your hard drive, or on the go.
• Apple’s iCloud - a mobile- and Web-based application that enables its users to store their information.
• Microsoft OneDrive - A storage application that enables users to store and share photos, videos, documents, and more.

3. CRM tools – 

• Salesforce - A global cloud computing company that develops CRM solutions and provides business software on a subscription basis.
• Act! -  To organize customer details, increase productivity, and drive results.
• SugarCRM - enables businesses to create extraordinary customer relationships with the most innovative CRM solution in the market.

4. Email marketing/marketing automation – 

• MailChimp - an email marketing service that helps businesses with newsletters, automated messages, and targeted campaigns.
• Constant Contact - provides email, social media, and event marketing tools to help small businesses grow their customer base.
• Emfluence - lets you create, deploy, and track multi-channel online marketing campaigns from one place.
• InfusionSoft - provides sales and marketing automation software for small businesses that combines CRM, email marketing, and e-commerce.

5. Social media and content tools – 

• TweetDeck - A Twitter tool for real-time tracking, organizing, and engaging on Web and mobile devices.
• Sprout Social - provides a platform for businesses to manage social media engagement, publishing, and analytics.
• Buffer App - helps users share social media content by scheduling online posts throughout the day.