Essential Digital Tools for your Business

As small business owners strive to find time in an increasingly demanding schedule, they are becoming more resourceful and reliant on digital tools, plug-ins, and outsourced support to keep up with the demands of a globally competitive marketplace.

So where should you begin evaluating new technologies? An initial search will show 5000 Martech companies providing technology for your business.

Agile startups that use technology to improve productivity will be the most effective. But, the reality is that 80 percent of new businesses fail in the first year. Many fail to recognize the impact of technology and don’t invest enough to market their brand.

To begin your digitization, start small. Review plug-ins or technology that will help reduce the most time-intensive activities. There are many useful tools for the 29.5 million small businesses in the United States. Find a few that meet your needs and drive a return on investment.

The list below will help you save time, engage your customers, and set up and digitize your business.

1. Social Media Management

According to a recent Gallup Survey, only 44 percent of small-business owners have an active social media strategy.

Why? Because social media can be time-consuming. There is a daily commitment to create, post, and engage with customers on many platforms.

Hootsuite is a social media management tool allowing you to simplify your commitment. The platform allows you to manage all key social accounts in one place. Key features include: scheduling your posts, reporting, and a tool to monitor your industry. Hootsuite offers a Free version (for limited use small businesses), or $49 a month for a Pro plan.

Buffer is another great alternative as it has many of the same features. They are the creator of Pablo by Buffer, which is a valuable design tool for social content.

2. Email Marketing

Email marketing makes engaging with and retaining customers much easier. To get started with email marketing, MailChimp is the best place to start. It’s free for up to 2,000 users on your list, has easy to use templates, and has custom analytics and reporting. Plus, it integrates seamlessly with many CRM’s.

Campaign Monitor is also a nice tool worthy of consideration. They offer flexible plans and pay-as-you-go options at low rates. They offer superior marketing automation features.

3. Tracking & Analytics

Google Analytics is one of the most valuable tools for any entry-level marketer. Set up is simple, and it unleashes powerful information about website visitors and their behaviors. You will use this to analyze trends, determine which keywords are valuable, and set up conversion funnels. And, the best part is that this is a free tool for small businesses.

A tool to consider as you become a more sophisticated marketer is Google Tag Manager. This tool helps you track more actions on your website and make swifter decisions without needing to install code.

Conclusion

Digital tools play a significant role in increasing productivity, driving growth, and helping you deliver enterprise-level customer experiences on a bootstrapped budget.

Google and Deloitte conducted a study that determined that digitally advanced small businesses – defined as using website analytics, online marketing, cloud-based communication and other digital channels – experienced revenue growth that was nearly 4x as high as the previous year.

Start incorporating digital tools today to improve your social media marketing, search engine optimization, email marketing, and customer experience.

What other tools have you found to be helpful? Share your favorite below or let me know on Twitter or LinkedIn.