If you are starting your own online business, you will need more than just a good idea and some hard work to get it off the ground. You will also need the right tools to do everything from managing your time and calendar to communicating with your customers to keeping your data secure and organized. We have compiled a list of 7 essential tools you need to run your online business that will help you find success in all areas of your life as an entrepreneur. Let us get started!
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E-Signing
If you are looking to get your business off of paper and move into a paperless system, but are worried about legal matters and not having a physical copy of something, e-signing software can be used by both parties. Not only is it more environmentally friendly, but it is also incredibly efficient and much safer than sending documents back and forth through email or other digital systems.
The most important thing that you should look for in an e-signing service is security. Make sure that they use secure encryption protocols, as well as firewalls around their servers so your data stays private. Also, make sure that they have an audit trail of all documents signed with timestamps and signatures visible. This will help protect you if any problems arise later on down the road. A good e-signing provider will have all of these features built into their platform.
Many companies even offer free trials to let you test out their services before making a purchase. Have trouble finding an e-signing service? We recommend DottedSign, a secure cloud-based e-signature solution that lets you quickly and easily send documents for signature from your computer or mobile device. It is perfect for use in your business, as well as your personal life. In addition to their ease of use, they also offer many additional features like audit trails, form filling tools, and document sharing options.
They even have a drag and drop interface that makes it easy to design forms with graphics or other widgets. If you are looking for a secure way to send documents back and forth online without worrying about security or legal issues, then we highly recommend checking out DottedSign.
HR
The right HR software can do wonders for an organization. Not only will it make employee processes easier and more streamlined, but also a reliable HR solution can help HR professionals proactively identify issues, meet regulatory compliance standards, and improve on business processes before they become problems. In addition, with options available that are specifically tailored for specific industries or business sizes, finding a product that is perfect for your organization is not as difficult as you might think.
If you are running a company of any size, odds are good that eventually, someone will file a worker’s compensation claim against you. It does not matter if you run a five-person operation in your basement or if you manage thousands of employees: Workers get hurt, and workers’ compensation claims happen. However, what happens next? What should employers know about handling these claims?
How should they prepare themselves in advance? These questions aren’t just relevant to companies that have never had a single worker’s compensation claim filed against them; even established businesses need to stay informed about how these laws work and how best to protect themselves. That is why we recommend that you need an HR digital solution such as flair.
Project Management
Nowadays, many people find themselves juggling multiple jobs at once: working full-time while running an online business on nights and weekends, working part-time at a job while taking classes toward an advanced degree the list goes on. In these situations, it’s easy to lose track of where your time goes during any given day. If you want your online business to succeed, you need a tool that will help you stay organized.
If you want your online business to succeed, you need a tool that will help you stay organized. At a minimum, a Project Management software provides scheduling, time tracking, and reporting so you can see how much time and money each project costs. Monday is one of the best project management tools because it offers real-time communication in chat rooms with team members and customers.
It also has built-in video conferencing for those times when face-to-face interaction is required. But what I like most about Monday is its ability to handle everything from basic task management to complex workflows. The app also has templates for common projects such as design, development or marketing tasks, which helps, keep things organized from start to finish.
Graphic Design
It is a good idea for any online business owner to have a basic knowledge of graphic design and know how to use basic image editing software. Luckily, there are plenty of free sites online that will allow you to do some simple designs. A great example that would suit the purpose would be canva! It allows you create a wide range of designs from Infographics, Logos, Cards and many more!
Meeting Assistant
Whether you’re in-person or online, scheduling is always tricky. Whether it’s setting a meeting time, or managing your calendar and that of others, if you run a business where people need to meet with each other regularly, there are loads of paid and free options available. For example, Google Calendar is excellent for tracking everyone’s schedule and letting them know when things are happening.
It also has some clever features for collaboration across multiple calendars. If you want something more visual, try Avoma. This tool lets you create visually appealing schedules it even includes icons! and allows guests to RSVP directly from their email without having to visit another website or download an app.
Brainstorming
Having trouble coming up with business ideas? Brainstorming is one of those difficult yet necessary tasks that we need to do in our business. The easier way to do it would be to write down all your ideas on paper, then organize them into categories or groupings. Start small by brainstorming one main idea and a few supporting points. When it comes to structuring your thoughts, there are no rules. You could just take a couple of minutes to make bullet point notes so that overall you will be able to come up with a solid picture of what it is you want to do in your business.
Social Media Management
The most time-consuming part of your business is keeping up with your online presence. Having to update Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram manually can quickly become a full-time job. Social media management tools are designed specifically for online businesses so that you can save time by using one platform for multiple social networks. By automating your social media presence, you’ll be able to spend more time focusing on important tasks like customer service and product development.
When choosing a social media management tool, it’s important that it works across all platforms (including Google+ and LinkedIn) so that you don’t have duplicate work posting content in different places. If you’re already overwhelmed with updating your own profiles, consider hiring someone to manage them for you. It may seem expensive at first but will pay off when they’re posting fresh content without any input from you.
If outsourcing isn’t an option, Promo Republic. It is a marketing automation platform built specifically for online businesses like blogging and affiliate marketing. Whether you’re running a single website or managing multiple blogs and niche sites, Promo Republic has all of your social media sharing needs covered.
Once installed on your site(s), Promo Republic adds share buttons to every page allowing visitors to easily share articles on their favorite social network. While traditional social sharing plugins simply add text links below posts, Promo Republic makes sure users see relevant icons directly next to posts so that clicking happens automatically no additional effort is required!
Final Thoughts
This list is by no means exhaustive but hopefully, it’s helpful in getting you started on your own path. It takes time and effort to implement the above but it pays off in so many ways. The key is persistence: keep trying new things until you find a formula that works for you. Good luck! Have we missed any great tools? Let us know in the comments section below what other tools you’ve found useful for running your online business.