I didn’t have a clue about the small business tools and software I would need. Two years ago, I dove head first into my freelance writing and then blogging business because I kept seeing small businesses and individuals I knew struggling with their writing on social media. I realized there was a gap in the market and I knew, with my background in writing and marketing, I could help them. Looking back now I can see that getting started helping individuals and small businesses was my only focus. I would quickly realize that I needed small business tools and software, not just skill and know how, to make my small business work.
Before we go down the rabbit hole of the small business tools and software that your business needs, let’s see if you're ready to start a small business. Answer the following questions honestly:
Are you passionate about a topic or have some area of expertise?
Is there a need for that topic or area of expertise?
Do you have some capital to invest into your business (depending on the business you want to start you may need to start an LLC or purchase some specialty equipment, if you don't already have them or have access to them)?
Do you have some time to set aside to promote and or create the product or provide the service for your business?
Do you have a business plan?
Are you willing to learn?
Can you be flexible and adjust as needed?
Do you have a name for your business?
What will be the purpose of your business?
Who is your target audience?
What is your plan to reach your target audience?
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How did you do answering those questions? Pretty good? Well, you may very well be ready to take the next step with your business and no, it’s not looking for the best small business tools and software you need to succeed now, not yet anyway.
After I went through my own process like the one above, I brainstormed the main purpose of my business, which was to help individuals and small business owners to write better so that they could find and get more clients. I made a list of possible names, mission statements and then I started sketching logos.
Once I finalized my business's name and mission statement, I formed an LLC and then had my logo designed professionally. After that, I was ready to start sharing and promoting my business, but how? Now, we’re finally ready to start talking about the first small business tool and software that you need to succeed now.
The 5 Small Business Tools and Software You Need to Succeed Now
1st Small Business Tool and Software You Need to Succeed Now: Canva
The first small business tool and software that I started using was Canva . Everywhere I looked I saw people singing its praises as the best way to create branded content for your business that would be professional and catch the eye of potential clients. At first, I tried the free version, but I loved it so much and used it so often that I quickly upgraded to the pro version, so I could access more templates and pictures.
Wondering how you can use this small business tool and software in your business? Well, Canva is perfect for creating social media posts for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Pinterest. You can use it to help you to edit pictures, create videos and create pamphlets, brochures, cards, documents and so much more. It actually is amazing how much this one small business tool and software can do to help your business succeed now.
Never heard of this small business tool and software and need some support? Well, there are tons of how tos and informational guides you can use to help you become an expert at creating your own branded content. Interested in a follow up or in depth post on Canva? let me know in the comments below. I guarantee this small business tool and software will make content creation for your small business easier and will help you be seen by potential clients.
2nd Small Business Tool and Software You Need to Succeed Now: Tailwind
The second small business tool and software that you need for your business to succeed now is Tailwind. One of the most overwhelming parts of being a small business owner is marketing yourself to your target audience and being visible and engaged on social media.
At first, before I found this small business tool and software that you need to be successful, I struggled. I was spending way too much time online and when I was online, I wasn’t being productive. I would get distracted scrolling and leave without posting the posts, captions and hashtags I had spent so much time creating and researching. Relieved doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt when I discovered this small business tool and software that I needed to be successful.
Tailwind is a small business tool and software that you need for your business to succeed now because it gives you the opportunity to schedule posts, ahead of time, to Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Not only does Tailwind allow you to schedule posts, but Tailwind also offers Tailwind Create, which helps you to create eye catching and branded Pinterest pins to generate traffic to your website and company . As if all those features of Tailwind weren’t enough, this small business tool and software also helps you to select the best hashtags and find the best posting times to optimize your engagement.
3rd Small Business Tool and Software You Need to Succeed Now: Google Suite
The third small business tool and software that your business needs to succeed is Google Suite. I create all the literature for my business in Google Docs. Google Docs is useful because of their spell check, word count, sharing and commenting feature. I also use Google Docs to revise client work and to share editing jobs with clients. Google Docs allows clients to see every revision I’ve made and gives them the opportunity to accept and refuse revisions. it is a great way to have conversations with clients, so you can deliver a quality product to them. I also use this small business tool and software to keep up with my finances with Google Sheets. Now, it is easy to keep up with expenses and payments. This small business tool and software has been extremely integral and necessary to my business's current and will continue to play a role in its future success.
4th Small Business Tool and Software You Need to Succeed Now: Legal Pages
The next small business tool and software that you need for your business is probably best considered a product. Like I mentioned before, I leaped into my small business. I had planned many aspects, but there were some that I was clueless about. One of those things I was clueless about was which legal pages and documents I needed for my business. Luckily for me, I was able to discover from some mentors in similar small businesses what I needed and they were able to point me in the right direction. As I mentioned before, I did start an LLC, which covered most of my legal needs, but because I added a blog to my website, one that I planned to generate income from, there were additional legal pages that I needed to add. I was able to get this small business tool and software to make sure that my business was protected. Amira is a well respected lawyer and offers legal pages such as freelance writing contracts, privacy policies and so many more. This small business "tool and software" gave me the greatest relief and feeling of being at peace. It is essential to your success now because it will protect your business from negative legal actions.
5th Small Business Tool and Software You Need to Succeed Now: Planner
Another of the more recent small business tools and software that I have added and that I now rely on is a planner. I have seen many people talk about digital planners, but so far I haven’t found one that I’m a fan of. What has worked instead is one that I created with the main pages from Stray Curls. I made the planner from the inspiration of the Happy Planner I use for teaching. I used the Happy Planner puncher and rings to put the planner together and added extra pages for note taking. I was able to make the tabs using tips I received from @mrswaterlearningstream and @engagingearlylearners. Once I was done, I was thoroughly impressed with this small business tool and software because it helped me to streamline and make long term plans for my business.
Before You Go
I’m sure as you and I continue to grow and make decisions on how to expand our businesses that this list of small business tools and software that we need for success will grow. I have already started considering a financial app or program as an upgrade to Google Sheets and I may continue trying to find a digital planner, because I like the idea of syncing it to my phone and email to help with scheduling services for clients.
Are there any other small business tools and software that you use or that you have considered for your small business? What specific problems are you having and what do you need to improve in your business? Did you already know about any of the 5 small business tools and software that I recommended above? Let me know in the comments below if you would like a follow up post or video showing exactly how I utilize each of these small business tools and software in my business.
Remember to click the join button at the top right of the page to receive an email when a new post has been made. Also, follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for additional content to help with the success of your small business. If you need help with creating written content to get the attention of potential clients? Visit some of my previous posts or schedule a free consultation to find out how my services can help you to "Make the Write Impact."