Big Services For Your Small Business (That Won’t Cost An Arm And A Leg)
Running a small business means that you have to put your time and money into products and services that boost your productivity, customer engagement, and more. But it’s not always easy to know what those are, and when you do find something that will help, the cost may be better geared toward a corporate-sized budget. Fortunately, even if you are a one-person enterprise, there are plenty of different pieces of software and services that won’t break the bank. Today’s tips are brought to you by your friends at Carson Chamber of Commerce.
Project Management
A cloud-based project management platform is one of the best investments your small business can make, particularly if you have a team that relies on the internet to work and collaborate. The right platform will integrate everything from task tracking and resource management to real-time communication and job status. Project management helps by allowing you to get a broad view of each project and team in one place so that you can best distribute work and see which of your staff or freelancers is best for individual tasks.
VoIP
VoIP is nothing new, and many businesses already utilize this communication technology. According to the Top 10 blog, Skype is an example of a VoIP. However, these systems are also available as an integrated phone system, and they are less expensive and more reliable than traditional landline phones.
Alternative Payment Platforms
If you want to really make your customers happy, give them plenty of choices when they want to pay. Not everybody carries cash, and many people are a bit squeamish about the possibility of credit card fraud. Today, more than ever, people want to pay with things like Venmo. With simple and predictable fees, allowing your customers this affordable and contactless payment solution is a smart way to open up to a broader demographic.
Integrated E-Commerce
Speaking of different ways to pay, many customers also want to pay via PayPal, which is one of the many selling options you have as an online retailer. SnapRetail offers selling with PayPal and Shopify. Either option allows you to automate your ecommerce marketing strategies and increase revenue. You might also consider selling directly through email, which lets you send custom offers directly to your customers' inboxes.
Another great way to draw in customers and keep them coming back for more is to take advantage of web personalization in order to provide each visitor to your website with more professional appeal through personalized content. This is a great way to maximize profits and guarantee a high degree of customer satisfaction.
HRM Tools
Human resource management is a modern spin on the age-old practice of managing your employees, their benefits, and other people-centric components of your business. While you should maintain a human resources staff, you can support their endeavors within HRM software that keeps the information they need all in one place. Your HRM can help you maintain an effective recruitment process, which Coursera asserts is crucial to your organization.
CRM
Like HRM, customer relationship management is an indication that you’re looking ahead at growth. According to Hubspot, there are many benefits of a CRM platform including customer interaction logging, email, automated data entry, and more. Combine this with a marketing automation program, and you’ll be on the right track toward the ultimate in scalability.
As a small business owner, you’re lucky if you can pay yourself, let alone spend money you don’t have, on products and services you’re unsure of. Vendors know this, and many of today’s suggestions, including project management, customer relationship management, and VoIP, often have free trials and beginner-tier memberships that allow you to control your budget. Remember, the old saying holds true, and you do have to spend money to make money, and today’s tips can help you spend wisely.
Carson Chamber of Commerce is proud to serve the businesses and individuals in our community. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out!
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