Top 5 Apps You Need to Run Your Own Business

If you’re not using apps to manage your small business, you’re missing out on an easy and convenient way to grow your business. In a constantly changing post-pandemic world, you need to be able to be flexible. It could be that your business needs require you to work in-person with customers or clients, or you may work online only, or perhaps your current situation might be a combination of both. It’s crucial to always be ready to meet the needs of your customers – no matter the situation. If you want to harness the power of apps when it comes to running your own business, but don’t know where to start, this list of helpful apps for business owners may help.

The Top 5 apps We Recommend for Small Business Owners

1. A payment processing app like Square or PayPal

Of course you’ll need a payment processing system, and you might already be using one, but does it give you enough flexibility? For example, if you own a brick-and-mortar retail shop, do you have the ability to accept payments off-premises? If you want to participate in a local market or event, does the technology you’re using allow you to do that?

An app like Square or PayPal can both be used in a physical location, and on the go, via the app on your smartphone or tablet. They both provide the ability to perform in-person (POS) sales and eCommerce sales, as well as invoicing and reporting, but which one is best for you depends on your business’ needs. 

Square is ideal for in-person sellers. It supports credit and debit cards, Cash App digital transitions, electronic checks, QR code, and Buy Now, Pay Later payments. It also offers different POS systems tailored to different industries, a free online store, and an offline mode for in-person sales, in case the wi-fi at your store is down.

PayPal is better for eCommerce sales, particularly sellers who do business internationally. They support all the payment types supported by Square, and also PayPal and Venmo digital transitions and cryptocurrency. PayPal also offers international eCommerce support and multichannel sales support.

2. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is much more useful than people give it credit for. It’s more than a platform for networking. LinkedIn offers online education for you and your employees, as well as the opportunity to build and maintain your personal brand and your company’s brand. You’ll want to make sure that you complete both your personal and company profiles, and keep them up-to-date.

Also, take advantage of the platform’s content sharing capabilities! You can use your company LinkedIn page just like your blog. By sharing content that is relevant and interesting to your target audience, you’ll not only connect with them, but will build your brand, and possibly convert your visitors. If you are publishing a piece of content that has already been published on your company website, don’t forget to include the original link, so the reader can visit your website!

3. FreshBooks

FreshBooks is one of the leading companies when it comes to invoicing and accounting software. It’s specifically built for small business owners, freelancers, and other self-employed professionals. It’s more than just invoicing and accounting: other features include employee time tracking, mileage tracking, expense tracking, and even support for working on proposals, projects and reports among colleagues.

4. Todoist

Todoist is an all-around app that helps you to organize your professional and personal lives. Despite the name, it’s more than a to-do list. You can divide tasks up into broad categories (i.e. work, home, personal) and then further up into more specific categories (like quarterly reports, new campaign, or website update). You can also prioritize tasks, add a recurring date for things you need to do regularly, set reminders, and delegate tasks to other people.

5. Google Workspace

Google Workspace is not a single app, technically, but it’s incredibly beneficial for business owners. Google Workspace is actually made up of several Google products, and most of them are available as apps. You can use it for business email, video conferencing, cloud storage, and file sharing. Want your own professional-sounding business email, but don’t want to switch from Google to Outlook? No problem, Google has you covered. You can have your own branded email ([email protected]) while keeping the Gmail inbox you’re used to. 

Google Workspace includes the following Google products: Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Chat, Spaces, Meet (group video and audio conferencing), as well as other features, depending on the tier of Workspace you’re using. They also guarantee 99.9% uptime on your email, as well as business-grade security and compatibility with pretty much any file type you need to work with.

Work Smarter, Not Harder

When you’re running your own business, organization and efficiency are key. The old adage “Work smarter, not harder” has been around so long for a reason. When you maximize your time and energy, you maximize your output. Growth happens when you work smarter, not harder.

Ready to Grow Your Business?

Working smarter, not harder includes the aspects of owning your own business you might not think about often – networking, learning new things, and making sure your business is growing, not just getting by.

If you’re ready to build your network, learn new things from other business owners just like you, and help your business reach its full potential, consider becoming a member of National Business Connections today.