Running a small business can require a lot of, well, running around. Good news future tycoons, there are plenty of apps available to help you stay on top of your business – without breaking a sweat. Here are some of the best and brightest apps available to help your small business go the distance.
For the Social Butterfly: Facebook
With over 2.13 billion monthly active users reported in their fourth quarter for 2017, Facebook may be the biggest social network of them all, especially for your small business. Not only is Facebook wildly popular, but it also hosts some wildly useful tools to help you stay connected with your clientele.
- Page Insights lets you know how well your posts and pages are doing
- Ads Manager allows you to build beautiful, targeted ads on any budget, and after you hit 100 followers you can even keep an eye on the competition with the handy dandy Pages to Watch feature.
- Worried there aren’t enough hours in your day to keep followers up to date? You can pre-write and schedule posts ahead of time!
For Nerding Out on Data: Google Analytics
Ever wish you could get inside your customer’s head and take a walk around? Google Analytics is the next best thing AND it’s free, which is just about the right price on a small business budget. The app provides top-notch metrics to give you real insight into who your consumers are, how they are reaching you, the journey they take when they visit your site, and how you can improve their experience. Features like real-time reporting, notifications, and custom visualizations make this a great option for any small business owner looking to integrate data-driven decisions into daily life.
For E-Mail Marketing that’s Totally Bananas: MailChimp
When it comes to elevating your e-mail campaign, MailChimp ain’t monkeying around. The app is stocked with loads of beautiful, easy to customize email templates designed to showcase your goods and keep customers clicking. Handy dandy tools like sales notifications (cha-ching!) and campaign data keep you posted on your progress and let you know what’s working best for your brand. Manage your subscribers, resend campaigns to those pesky non-openers, and do it all from the comfort of phone sweet phone!
For Crunching Numbers: Invoice by Wave
Got a case of the back office bookkeeping blahs? Cheer up, Buttercup, and get ready to feel the wind on your face! Invoice by Wave allows you to run your entire billing operation from anywhere you fancy using your mobile device. Create and distribute custom invoices, track them with handy notifications, and even send a friendly nudge to anyone who’s past due. The free app connects effortlessly to Wave’s cloud-based accounting software where you can import transactions, log expenses, and for a small fee, manage payroll and process payments.
For Setting up Shop: Shopify
Shopify is an easy sell. A micro-sized e-commerce management solution that packs a macro-punch, the app allows small business owners to run their Shopify online store effortlessly wherever they go. Users can manage products, process orders, communicate with staff, and get the real-time low down site traffic and sales. If you’re looking for POS that’s on point, they do that too! Just download Shopify POS, nab a free swipe reader, and away you go.
Ready, set, download! Your hustle may have plenty of bustle already, but these apps can help give your small business a little extra edge and maybe — just maybe — give you a chance to catch your breath.
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