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Software Solutions Every Business Owner Needs to Boost Productivity and Free up Time

Software Solutions Every Business Owner Needs to Boost Productivity and Free up Time

Every entrepreneur knows that time is money. Budding business owners want to do everything themselves, from manual tasks to specialized processes that require professional skill sets. But all that time focused on things you don’t really need to be focusing on is sucking you away from the big picture. To be able to focus on revenue, optimization, growth, and other big picture questions, it is imperative that you free up your time. Here, Market Your Biz takes a look at some great small business technologies.

Flock

Collaboration and communication are essential attributes for every business. Transparency and easy communication are critical to upping sales and revenue. To ensure a free flow of thoughts and messages, use an app like Flock that makes it easier for employees to stay on top of things. You’ll be able to exchange messages, share files, host video calls, and manage to-do lists. The best part? Flock offers syncing with the most popular business tools out there, including Twitter, Asana, Google Drive, and more.

InEvent

Another excellent communication tool is InEvent. It is a powerful software solution for business-to-business communication, video conferencing, and hybrid experiences. It also has built-in integration of marketing tools to enable you to better communicate with your customers.

TripIt

If you’re always on the go, TripIt is the app for you. With conferences and commitments piling up in different locations (and perhaps different cities), it can get challenging to keep track of it all. This app allows you to organize your travels all in one place. It forwards your scheduled bookings (you can manually add entries too) to your inbox so you know exactly where you need to go or be at any given time.

Adobe Acrobat

Practically every computer user is familiar with Adobe Acrobat and it’s common PDF file structure. But Adobe also has a host of online tools to help users with common tasks, like PDF file merger. Using these tools can save you a lot of time and headaches.

SaneBox

Do you have an overflowing inbox? We get it, it can be challenging to keep track of all those emails constantly coming in. However, it’s important to stay on top of things because missing an important email can have serious consequences. SaneBox offers the ideal solution for a cluttered inbox. The app uses advanced AI to filter out spam mail from the important ones. It will also sort through, unsubscribe and snooze those irrelevant emails so that you can focus on the important stuff.

Plaid

Practically every business needs some kind of software solution for handling financial transactions. Plaid’s transaction API is a purpose-built solution for any business’s transaction tracking needs.

Blinkist

In all the busyness of entrepreneurship, don’t forget to put aside some time for your personal development as well. Reading and opening ourselves up to different methods, thoughts, and knowledge systems will be key to growing and retaining a successful business. But if you find yourself lacking the time to sit down and read each night, use an app like Blinkist. Each listen is between five and fifteen minutes long – the perfect amount of time to absorb information. This way, you can be growing your mind even when you’re stuck in traffic or in the gym!

Buffer

Social media marketing is likely a big part of your business. If you’re looking to make posting across different channels and networks easier, check out Buffer. This app lets you sync and schedule content so that you can rest assured knowing your business is out there getting promoted and optimized.

Work with Professionals

While the above apps can free up your time and enhance productivity, sometimes you still need help getting the job done, especially in the case of marketing. You can try to navigate this solo or through various apps, but professionals like those at Market Your Biz can ensure you make the most of your marketing efforts. From SEO to Google Ads to influencer marketing to video marketing and more, Market Your Biz can function as a one-stop-shop for all of your marketing needs, making it easier for you to focus on big picture elements of running your business.

As a small business owner, you’re likely always on the go. With a million things on your mind, why add one more task to the list? Use technology to all of its potential to help keep your eye on the ball. These apps will automate your workflow, reduce staff billable hours, and most importantly, free up time so you can grow your business successfully.

Top 10 Accounting Softwares

Top 10 Accounting Softwares

All small businesses’ operations are included in Accounting. Those companies lack the means to justify hiring an accountant. In many cases they have to figure out themselves the best accounting tools for their business. As there are so many solutions to choose from, it is tough to decide where to start.

To help you short-list the best small business accounting software, we have compiled below a list of the best options available in the market now.

1.Intuit QuickBooks Online

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It is one of the most important resources in this category. It has facilities like receipt capture and 24/7 chat support. It also integrates with PayPal, Shopify, and Square. It has many other features as well, hence it is very popular for many small business companies.

All plans of this resource facilitate tracking income and expense, send invoices and receive payments, run reports, send estimates, track sales and taxes, capture and organise receipts. In case you require to track inventory, track time, and full service payroll, there are more advanced plans also available.

Intuit QuickBooks is ideal for small businesses. It is an affordable, time-tested and easily accessible solution, suitable for a company of any size. It is reliable with exceptional functionality.

2.FreshBooks

It makes small business accounting more efficient. It can save a lot of time every year on filing for taxes. This software integrates with many business applications and provides you with an integrated single dashboard to manage your finances and accounting. It also has a facility to take regular secured backups. Its mobile app enables you to keep track of your business at all times. FreshBook is ideal if you require to send out recurring invoices, need time tracking capability, or run a subscription model business.

It also includes a feature that lets you see the exact location a customer opened your invoice thereby eliminating excuses of non-receipt of the invoice. FreshBooks has affordable plans suitable for businesses of every size.

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3. Pabbly

Pabbly Subscription Billing is a recurring and subscription management software for small and medium sized businesses. This software has been designed to provide real-time actionable metrics on your monthly payments, revenue, net revenue,active customers and new subscriptions. It also automates all your business workflows, customer communication and invoice creation resulting in saving your time which you can use for your business growth.

Its subscription billing model is one of the major features. The most noticeable feature is it does not charge any extra fees on the basis of per-transaction and monthly revenue generation. Its consistency and the top rated functionality make it the best option for a business.

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4. Wave

It is a powerful accounting solution for small businesses and individual contractors. Its main emphasis is on easy user interface, better sync across various important segments like your bank accounts, track your expenses, and balance your books with ease.If you invest in its other products, it lines up with Wave’s additional resources. It’s like an all-in-one solution for your business.

It is also suitable for a freelancer or a business having just a few employees.It’s worth highlighting that most of its services are free including invoice and transaction management.

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5. DEAR Systems

This software offers a centralised platform that covers almost every aspect of your business- from purchasing to warehouse management to job costing. A wide range of tools includes a powerful suite of accounting features that can help any small business streamline processes like data entry and syncing invoices.

The platform’s accounting element also seamlessly integrates with other applications like Xero and Quickbooks- with additional resources that allow for real-time visibility into your financial data.

Its pricing is certainly higher as compared to other solutions, hence it may not be suitable for all businesses. Still, for a one-stop, comprehensive solution for virtually all your business needs including accounting, this may be the right choice for you.

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6. Tipalti

Tipalti automates the entire accounts payable process, liberating you to focus on making strategic decisions of your business.The solution can streamline international payment processing in about 190 countries, automate your payment operations and even make sure you pay your taxes on time and avoid any default.

It is perfect for deadline-driven businesses. It can help you keep control on and meet time-bound objectives every time. This programme aims to correct all key issues like late payments, non-compliance, and administrative overload. Tipalti is ideal for you to keep your accounts payable process timely and smooth. Its pricing is available on request.

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7. AccountEdge Pro

This software is specifically designed for desktop users. It provides double-entry accounting tools- from time billing and reporting to inventory that are customizable and optimised for desktop users. This program has a unique facility of one-time fee potentially saving you considerable money as in subscription costs.

If your business doesn’t need a mobile option, AccountEdge can be an ideal choice for you.Yet there is an option of cloud-based collaboration available for purchase which can give you mobile flexibility.

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8. Sage 50cloud

Sage saves your lot of time on administrative tasks. This software performs multi tasks like sending invoices, tracking payments and expenses, and calculating what you owe in the coming tax season. There are certain limitations of this software. You do not get Time-tracking and collaboration tools and also payroll is a separate product.

Sage is suitable for small to medium businesses. It is expensive in the list of all such softwares yet its features are quite impressive which justify the pricing. If your small business is capable enough to afford little extra cost, it is worth considering for Sage 50cloud.

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9. Kashoo

Kashoo offers powerful functions at a reasonable price. It offers automatic reconciliation, categorisation using machine learning technology, and income and expenditure tracking.

It is perfect for small businesses that require truly simple solutions. Kashoo offers plans and features that meet with requirements of any small business. Its functionality is simple, seamless but effective. Its pricing structure allows for unlimited users at a relatively low price.

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10. OneUp

OneUp is a double-entry accounting solution.It provides sync with your bank, categorises bank entries and validates suggested entries which helps you to to update your books quickly and accurately. In other words about 95% of your accounting is automated.

The other features of this software are impressive as well. The flagship feature of this software is its inventory management capabilities. The program automatically adjusts your inventory levels as they change and suggests you reorder. If the main focus of your business is inventory management.

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From the above narration you will understand that depending on the size of your business, exact requirements, and your budget you can decide which one of these solutions is the best for you.

How to Grow a Startup Business

How to Grow a Startup Business

There are a lot of startups that fail, and it doesn’t always have to do with a lack of funding or talent. One major hurdle they face is the uncertainty of whether their idea has any merit. Diligence is key when starting a business. Some people like to take risks and see what happens, but there are just as many who would rather play it safe. The following article will outline my five steps for growing a startup business, from ideation to execution.

The five steps for growing a startup business

Imagine there was a formula for startups that had been mastered. Then all you had to do was go and write down those steps and follow them. So, my friend, let’s take a look at how to get a startup off the ground. Step #1: Ask why Your first question should always be why. Why do you want to do this? You want to make a difference with your business. Why is that? Do you want to make a business impact? Do you want to create a product or service that people are willing to pay for? I know that it can be hard to keep track of all of the answers to why, but it can give you the clarity you need to define your business objective.

What are the five steps to grow a startup business?

1. Determine the Idea This is probably the most crucial step in growing a startup. The idea should answer the question, “What problem can we solve?” and must ultimately be something that solves a problem, provides value, and/or increases the customer base. The likelihood of having an idea that satisfies all of these requirements is low.

Here are a few things to keep in mind: You can’t solve a problem for more than one person. Your customers must be interested in what you are offering If you don’t have a product or service, try to find out what your competition does or has, and use that as inspiration 2. Solve the problem using simple tactics There are two main approaches to solving problems: algorithmic and human.

Understand your idea

We’re all entrepreneurs at heart. If you have an idea for a product or service that’s captured your attention, there’s a good chance that you’ve already started to form some ideas about how you would go about creating it. You have to understand your idea as thoroughly as possible if you want it to be successful. You’ll need to have an idea of your price point and business model, as well as a strategic plan to grow it to profitability and establish a reliable revenue stream. Figure out your target audience You’re going to be pitching your business idea to a variety of people, and what you say will go a long way towards defining it. Do you want to target hard-to-find consumers or the whole world?

Be prepared for uncertainty

All good ideas start with a premise. What problem are you trying to solve? There are two types of ideas. First, you have a grandiose or grand design that alludes to a huge opportunity. These ideas typically require some number of resources to achieve them. They are virtually guaranteed to fail, but still, end up affecting the world in some way. Second, you have a “skeleton” idea, one that has only the essential elements of what you’re looking to accomplish. These ideas typically require fewer resources to accomplish but are easier to test for efficacy. Related: Making the Leap From ‘Entrepreneur’ to ‘Business’ One of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face is the uncertainty of how a business idea will turn out.

Focus on execution

According to Robert Kiyosaki in his book Rich Dad Poor Dad, the most important thing an entrepreneur can do is focus on execution. Many entrepreneurs fail because they lost sight of the focus of their venture, and there’s no room for distractions when you’re trying to build a business. To determine what direction your startup should head, make a list of all the needs of your target customer. Spend a great deal of time focusing on customer needs and what problems you can solve. You need to know your industry inside and out and, at the same time, know your audience inside and out. With these few steps, you can form the proper team and start growing your startup business.

Execute your product idea to perfection

Before you spend millions of dollars on a technology solution or launch your product into the market, you have to make sure your product works. Whether you’re a computer scientist or a former advertising executive, your ideas must meet the needs of the marketplace. If not, you will be wasting money and wasting time. The only way to avoid wasting time is to execute your idea to the highest standard. Get every detail right For this step, you must develop a solid business model, marketing strategy, and go-to-market strategy. These four things ensure that your business can be profitable and survive for years to come. When implementing your strategy, make sure you set the right goals, identify the wrong ones, and manage your team well.

Combine your ideas to find what’s best.

Ask yourself the question: what do you want to create? You’ll need to whittle down the possibilities a bit to find the one or two things that have the best chance of being a success. Once you’ve narrowed the possibilities down to a couple of options, then test it out. See how the idea plays out in the market, and gather some data to give you data to add to your pitch later on. It can be a bit discouraging to try and develop an idea with limited data, but sometimes that’s all you need to get the ball rolling. I’m constantly looking for great ideas, but it’s so easy to get distracted by things like money and resources. I’m always looking for great ideas, but I also think about how they will play out.

Stay committed to your plan

Diligence requires dedication, and your commitment to your business should be focused on the end goal. Aim for what you are working toward as long as you can see the progress. It is easier to focus and stay motivated when you know that all of your decisions are being based on good ideas. Don’t take the easy path There is nothing wrong with taking the path of least resistance. However, there are other options that might result in an even better end result. Strive to achieve what is within your power, and be willing to do what it takes to get there. Don’t let the market make the decisions for you. If you are not willing to work hard to make your idea a reality, find another area where you can help people. This will make your startup even stronger and more meaningful.

The Top 10 CRM Tools for Small and Medium Businesses

The Top 10 CRM Tools for Small and Medium Businesses

Growth is the most challenging issue for small and medium-sized enterprises. And by growth, we mean increased visibility, more customers and workers, and, most crucially, increased income. As we all know, a lot has to happen for this to happen. One of the most important is that your company’s workflows and organizational procedures must be simplified to function smoothly for all operations. That is when CRM software becomes extremely valuable to small and medium-sized enterprises. A CRM consolidates information and records into a single database that is easily accessible and manageable. It provides you with automated mail alerts, calendar notifications, and other features to increase productivity and efficiency. The primary reason they don’t have a CRM is that they believe they are too tiny. This is where they go WRONG; in fact, small and medium-sized enterprises require CRM more than their bigger counterparts. 

That is why we have made a list of the top ten CRM solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises. 

Top 10 CRM Tools that your business can use

SalesForce

SalesForce is possibly the most popular and commonly used CRM software on the market. Fortunately, SalesForce offers a minimal edition called Lightning Essentials for small and medium-sized businesses. This package includes a sophisticated contact manager with email integration and follow-up reminders. It also provides a plethora of integration and customization possibilities. Salesforce price varies; here’s a look at the pricing: Lightning Essentials subscription ($25/month/user), Lightning Professional ($75/month/user), and others. 

HubSpot

HubSpot provides a free version of their CRM software, which small enterprises widely use. The program offers all of the fundamental CRM software capabilities, allowing you to keep track of your firm’s operations, such as contacts and company profiles, assigning and tracking deals, and managing all of that data in a comprehensive dashboard. Are you already a HubSpot Sales user? Then you may utilize this CRM software to increase incoming sales. In addition, HubSpot has many connectivity options with significant programs like Salesforce, Shopify, and Microsoft Dynamics. With this software, you can get started for free. 

Zoho

Despite being featured in our list of enterprise-grade software, Zoho may also be used by small enterprises due to the range of versions available. In terms of sales/marketing capabilities, Zoho has a lot to offer, including website visitor monitoring, lead scoring, sales signals (including pop-up notifications regarding prospects), and more. However, keep in mind that some of the most complex features are only available in the professional and business editions. 

PipeDrive

Pipedrive’s sales management solution automates the administration of your contacts and transactions, as well as the organization of your emails, documents, sales, and other activities. It also aids in the planning of your actions and the management of recommendations from others. It saves you much of your time and allows you to keep track of all your sales and prospects. 

It is the premier sales management solution for small and medium enterprises, with over 50,000 clients. 

Main Features of PipeDrive

  • Make a plan of action to ensure that no trade goes between the cracks. 
  • Keep track of all the information regarding your deals, such as the talks you’ve had with all parties. 
  • Data representation in the form of a visual pipeline allows you to see where all of your deals are moving.

Freshworks CRM

Freshworks CRM (formerly Freshsales) allows you to automatically gather and organize website visitors as sales lead based on their interaction with your website. Assign them to the appropriate salespersons in your team. Reach out to each lead with full context and track transactions through tailored funnels. 

Nutshell

Nutshell is a robust CRM recognized for its easy-to-use design that provides a lot of value. There is no need for any special IT department. Sales and marketing solutions enable you to create and access customer interaction histories, convert website visitors into contacts via lead form integration, and segment leads and customers in complex ways (including industry, lifetime value, and location). 

Nutshell comes with a map view, in-app phone calling and recording, a sales automation suite, and completely configurable reporting capabilities. 

Here are some disadvantages: Users complain about the lack of automatic connections and customizability, however depending on your scenario, Nutshell’s simple UI and third-party integrations through Zapier may compensate. 

Agile CRM

Agile CRM is a CRM software that provides many significant business features such as custom appointments, drag-and-drop marketing automation, and email reporting. This program also includes widgets, an extensive plugin library, API-powered integrations, and other features. The free edition, on the other hand, is severely constrained in terms of functionality. 

Microsoft Dynamics 365

If you’re a Microsoft user, you’re undoubtedly aware that Microsoft Dynamics 365 is an all-in-one sales and marketing platform. This CRM offers a wide range of CRM features and interactions with Microsoft products and LinkedIn.

Main disadvantage of this software is that novice users may find it challenging to navigate at first, and mobile app functions are restricted. There are many modules and licenses available. Sales Insight, for example (€ 42.20/user/month)

Sugar CRM

Sugar Professional is an attractive choice for small enterprises in this CRM. The platform provides customer experience solutions, resulting in a straightforward and uniform experience. Each user may personalize and utilize this tool whenever and wherever they choose. Sugar Shell allows you to automate operations and have the correct information for each client encounter due to actionable insight. This program is available in a variety of price options. Sugar Professional (£41.60/user/month, minimum of 10 users) up to Sugar Market (£800 per month) 

Nimble

Nimble CRM is an excellent CRM software for people who want to consolidate contacts, emails, and social media interactions (it works particularly well with Twitter). The design is also quite simple to use since it displays a to-do list, top / important offers, and other information. It also has a clever ‘rules engine’ that assists Nimble in predicting relevant contacts and activities based on your user behavior. Users may set reminders to Stay in Touch with certain people and particular flag conversations as critical to remaining ahead of the game. Nimble’s price ranges from $9 per user per month to $19 per user per month. 

Lead Generation through Digital Marketing

Lead Generation through Digital Marketing

Digital marketing isn’t just a buzzword or a trend. It’s a necessary investment in your success. This is because digital marketing offers you the opportunity to generate leads and gain new customers who are in need of your services. And while there are many ways to generate leads through digital marketing, here, are 5 simple tips that will get you started

5 Ways to lead Generation through digital marketing

1. Generate leads through social media

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter make it easy to gather leads that are directly related to your business. This is because every platform you upload on social media is capable of posting ads which makes it easy for people to find out about your business and sign up for your services. Capture email addresses.

Another way to generate leads for your business is to track down people who are interested in your services. It doesn’t matter if it’s emails, texts, or even the numbers you get via calls, every email or call needs to be recorded. This is because you can use this information to create marketing materials while making use of them in your customer service department.

2. Generate leads through content marketing

Content marketing generates new leads from followers who are actually willing to buy. Content that is optimized for SEO includes Pictures Video and infographics When you promote your content on the right platform, you can attract new followers. When you attract followers, they will spread your content to their followers who may be looking for your service.

Now your content marketing strategy is complete. Use Paid search campaigns Another way to generate leads is through paid search. With paid search, your advertisements will be featured in search engines like Google. These advertisements give you the opportunity to acquire new followers. And when followers search for your services, you can convince them to purchase your products.

3. Generate leads through webinars

Creating a website is necessary for any business, but creating a blog that can attract leads to your website is essential. Webinars are one of the most effective methods for generating leads for a small business. For this method, you must choose the topics you want to cover and contact your lead generation expert or consultant to get a full list of topics you should cover.

After selecting the topics that you want to cover, you will need to develop a template of the first segment of the webinar. You can’t just create it, as you need to properly prepare and train your audience, in order for them to participate in your webinar.

4. Generate leads through email marketing

If you don’t have a list, you have no leads. Why? Think about it. If you can’t sell something to a business, how would you sell it to someone? Because you have no leads, you can’t get them to your website. You need leads before you can generate sales, and the best way to generate new leads is to create a list of potential customers. That is the only way that you will be able to send them marketing messages that you want them to see.

The best method of sending these messages is by email. Utilize lead-generating tactics At the same time that you are creating a list of people to send emails to, you will also want to make sure that you are using every possible digital tactic that you can to generate leads. Do you know what that means?

5. Generate leads with your website

There is no other way to generate leads than through your website. With proper web development, you can effectively use the internet to target your customer and generate leads. In fact, one of the fastest ways to build leads is through content marketing. You can share articles, videos, infographics, and so on that will allow customers to learn more about your products and services.  

Adding popups with offers, posting deals on the website as well as email signup for news letters can all help generating leads.