As a small business owner, we understand the constant juggling act it takes to manage each aspect of your business. But you don’t have to do it all by yourself and waste valuable production time and money. Take advantage of these must-have small business tools and work smarter, not harder.

WordPress

When it comes to optimizing your website for the search engines and getting your company known by consumers, you need to have fresh content on your blog. WordPress is the most well-known blogging software, and is user-friendly and offers tons of helpful plugins.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics gives business’s access to just about every detail regarding your website traffic. It provides statistics and information regarding your visitor’s demographics, what they do on your site, and how long they stayed on your website.

Skype

Skype allows you to connect with business partners and clients on your smartphone or computer without any phone fees. The multi-purpose tools allow you to send documents during a call all while chatting on your phone or sitting in for a group meeting.

DropBox

DropBox eliminates the need to keep track of piles of paperwork and creates an online link for all your images, documents, and videos. You can share all of your documents between employees and prevent anything from getting lost again.

MailChimp

Email marketing is very effective for all types of businesses and keeps your customers updated on what’s new and trending in your industry. MailChimp is an automated email server that allows you to create newsletters and send them to all of your email subscribers with one click. It has been an invaluable tool for businesses like Artificial Plants and Trees who need to consistently reach customers to keep them inspired about their products, as explained here by CEO Doug Hopeman.

“MailChimp has helped my business effectively keep my customers updated on new blogs, DIY crafts, products, and specials. The platform is easy to use and the templates are clean and present our deals and products in an organized manner.”

HubSpot

HubSpot is a popular inbound marketing tool used by businesses of all kinds. It is an all-in-one marketing software that manages everything from social media publishing, email marketing, content management, and reports on how well your content is doing.

Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a brand management service and social media tool that can be used for Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. You can create content and set schedules for when it is published on each platform, all from one virtual location.

Evernote

Evernote was designed to help you keep track of your individual notes for a project. You can keep them all in one place, and can compile them to effortlessly create a presentation for a business meeting or client consultation.

Get Satisfaction

Get Satisfaction helps businesses connect with their customers and acts almost like a Facebook page on your website. Your customers can offer tips, share their experience with your services and products, and ask questions directly to your customer service representatives.

FreshBooks

FreshBooks is a bookkeeping service designed for small businesses to help manage invoicing, payroll, and expenses. You can connect the program to QuickBooks to send your invoices and expense reports directly to your accounts.

 

There are so many tools for small business owners that can help you accomplish virtually any task. Start with these tools and you’ll be well on your way to managing each aspect of your business, minus the juggling act.

By Doug Hopeman for HuffingtonPost.co