If you plan on starting a new business in the next few months, you’re in for an exciting time. But also a challenging one.
Thanks to innovation, technology and the internet you have more business options than ever before.
But there’s also more competition than ever before. You could even be competing on a global level to get your products and services noticed.
So, how can you make life a little easier for yourself?
Luckily, technology benefits the 2020 small business owner. If you invest in these software products you can boost your growth, sidestep a few challenges and impress your audience in the same way large corporations do.
Are you ready to learn about some small business software solutions?
Build Your Brand from Day One: LogoDesign
Branding is also a vital aspect of any business and it all starts with a logo. The good news is that thanks to DIY logo creators like Logo Design you can get a business logo without having to employ a graphic designer. You can find or create a brand identity design yourself and then start making it known through various marketing channels.
On this specific platform you’ll find predesigned logos or you can consider a custom made one. Getting your logo can happen in as little as 24 hours so it won’t hamper your planning and progress.
Do Accounting Right: QuickBooks
Managing your money should be one of your first priorities because without a healthy bottom line all the other actions you want to take may be impossible. QuickBooks is a popular accounting software option for many businesses and the brand does cater for small business too these days. Once your business has grown the software will still be relevant and provide you with everything you need.
The software is scalable, but know that it’s not the easiest program around. Put aside some time to get to know it or invest in an expert that can help. Make sure you get this aspect of your business right.
Get Invoices Out: Zoho Invoice
Once you start doing business you want clients’ money in your bank account as soon as possible. Managing cash flow is key and for that a simple invoice software solution is ideal.
Zoho Invoice is an industry favorite because you get all the software’s features, whether you use the free or paid versions, even some accounting features like:
- Tracking time and expenses
- Payment reminders
- Reports such as ‘Accounts Receivable Aging’
- Online payment options
By paying more you simply get the ability to facilitate more users and clients. So, you can start using it and scale it to your needs, paying what you can afford based on your client base. Grow your software as you grow!
Have the Most Professional Invoices: FreshBooks
You have more important things to do for your business than waste time painstakingly drawing up invoices. So why not let FreshBooks do the work for you? You can get your hands on well-designed, professional templates which will allow you to create invoices instantly.
FreshBooks offers a template for a number of different formats so you can still use your preferred program. These formats include:
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Excel
- Google Docs
- Google Sheets
- Adobe PDF
And while these templates all look fantastic, one of the great things about FreshBooks is that all of them are customizable, so you can make sure your company’s stamp is all over your documents.
Organize Your Team: Slack
You may think it’s easy to manage your team while the group is small, but no matter what number of individuals you work with there is a possibility of misunderstandings. Don’t let it happen: Slack is designed to promote effective team communication via:
- Text messaging
- Face to face calls
- Sharing of documents
- Creating channels for specific purposes
It’s how you empower your team to collaborate effectively and work together.
Everything is kept on one platform so it’s easy to access past discussions or documents from anywhere, via any device. You can even let clients join in if necessary and there’s a free version to get you started.
Work Anywhere: G Suite
Another way you can ensure that you and your team can keep working no matter where you are is by optimizing the cloud. Google developed a range of products as G Suite. It’s relevant to personal use, but also for business purposes:
- Docs for creating documents
- Hangouts for communication
- Drive to store all your data and documents
- Admin controls
- Migration services
- Storage options
- 24/7 support
All of this can easily be accessed from any device so you don’t need to invest in a central server.
Manage Your Supply Chain: SAP Business One
SAP is another worldwide favorite to manage merchandise and supply chains; and the brand does cater for small businesses too.
You’ll have to pay to use the SAP Business One package but if it helps you streamline your supply chain to keep clients happy it’s worth the investment. It’s also diverse since it can help you with:
- Financial features
- Sales
- Project management
- Production processes
Another reason why it’s a smart investment for small businesses is because you can change it according to your growing needs in upcoming years. Once you need more features you can add applications and customize it to your requirements.
SAP has been around for a while, giving the brand time to determine what businesses really need. You get helpful tools that will affect your reputation and make tasks easier such as alert features. The multi-currency and language support make it relevant no matter where you operate from.
If you can’t afford this now, try it out in a few months or years. There’s a data migration tool so your existing data can easily be imported.
Multiple Solutions in One: Acumatica ERP
You may be in search of one program to do it all. While it’s smart to invest in products that specialize in a certain area, there are some multi-functional programs that are worth the expense.
Acumatica offers you an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) product, but it’s diverse as it can help you with the following:
- Financial management
- Customer relations
- Accounting
- Data analysis
- Distribution
- Field service features
It’s relevant too many different industries and the brand’s flexibility is well known. It’s even available as a SaaS (Software as a Service) solution. Your team will be able to access it whether they’re at the office or not.
Final Thoughts
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with the responsibilities of a new business: your solutions are out there. And even if your new business is doing well, why not ensure continual growth and try some of these software products?
When future challenges come this technology can help you control situations much more effectively in the 2020 business world. If you have feedback on any of these, please share with the rest of us.
Author Bio
Working as a marketing consultant has given Cara Michaels plenty of opportunities to experience the different types of startup journeys, challenges and pain points. That is why she loves to solve their problems through her private consultancy and create awareness through writing.
Photo by Mateusz Dach