12 Simple Tools for Business that Are Borderline Genius

You know what they say: business owners are only as good as their tools. Well maybe that’s not the exact wording, but you get the idea. In today’s world there are more resources available than ever, resources to help you run, organize, track, and improve your business. So you might as well take advantage of them.

Then again you might not know where to start. There are so many choices out there and so much technology available that it can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve compiled a list to get you started. Read on for 12 incredible small business tools that you’ll definitely want to try. Once you do, you’ll be shocked you ever lived without them.

1. CrestFinancial.com

What if there was a way to expand your potential customer pool overnight? Better yet, what if you could do it for free? "No Credit Needed" financing company Crest Financial is a groundbreaking customer financing solution that can help you offer financing to your customers. You’ll be selling to more people than ever before without taking on any risks. Crest deals with all the details and follow-up, and you get paid within 48 hours after every sales closes. It’s a win-win scenario.

2. Google Analytics

Especially when you’re just starting out, tracking your business metrics is crucial. Google’s statistics tool is one of the easiest ways to track your website traffic, where it’s coming from, key demographic traits of your audience, and plenty of other data. Plus all the numbers are broken down by day, week, month, and year and sorted into beautiful graphs and charts. Even if numbers aren’t your thing, this is a tool you can definitely understand.

3. Hootsuite

When you’re running a business, you don’t have the time or the headspace to manage every little thing. That’s where tools like Hootsuite can make a huge difference. This crafty program is a social media post scheduling system. Primarily used for Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, Hootsuite allows you to create posts ahead of time and schedule when you want them to go live. You can keep your company visible even when you’re super busy.

4. EchoSign

If you’re sick of drowning in paper, EchoSign is the answer. Now owned by Adobe, this little gem is an ecofriendly server where you can upload all your documents and easily send them to your colleagues or clients. The server is known for its seamless e-signing capabilities and lets you take care of contracts without printers, scanners, or even postage. You can sign any document by typing your name and initials, no printer ink necessary.

5. Evernote

This tool is one of the most popular organizational tools out there. Basically Evernote helps you capture, access, and find all your information, everything from business meetings to doctor’s appointments. The application compiles your entire life into one place within seconds. So instead of worshipping post-it notes, you can access all your notes easily from your laptop, smartphone, or tablet. Best of all? The application is free.

6. SurveyMonkey

Getting to know your audience is the secret to any business’s success. And now there’s a way to do it that’s completely free. SurveyMonkey helps you build and distribute surveys, and that’s not all. You can send surveys to the SurveyMonkey audience to reach millions or survey your very own customer base to gather market research and raise customer satisfaction. You’ll never be out of the loop again.

7. Dropbox

Hands down the most well-known cloud solution, Dropbox is a great tool for both backup and multitasking. You can upload all your images, documents, and video clips into the online portal and access your files on any device connected to the Internet. You’ll never worry about losing work files, and better yet Dropbox also provides flawless version control and makes it possible to share enormous files.

8. Square

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about this tiny and completely portable credit card reader. Especially if your business is on the go or if you don’t have a brick and mortar location yet, Square is an ingenious way to make easy sales right from your very own smartphone or iPad. Your customers will be delighted to buy from you even when there’s no ATM in sight.

9. MailChimp

Staying connected with your customers is imperative when you’re a small start-up. And email marketing tools like MailChimp make it possible. This platform is ideal for storing your customers’ contact information, sending out your monthly newsletter, and advertising new deals. Plus the basic version of MailChimp is 100 percent free. If you do have some budget for email marketing, a more advanced version of MailChimp or a platform like Infusionsoft or Marketo are also great options.

10. Upwork

Many small businesses don’t have the headcount they need. And when you don’t have the budget to hire either, finding good contractors is your best bet. Upwork is a powerful tool for finding per-project help by streamlining your search and providing an entire database of ready-to-work contractors. You can set up virtual interviews without even leaving your desk and pay your worker directly through Upwork.

11. HARO

If you’re ready to spread the word about your business but not sure if you can afford it, how about a low-cost PR solution? HARO—short for Help A Reporter Out—is an easy way for business owners and reporters to find content. The platform provides great media pitches, responds directly to your queries, and offers access to top publications. Even a small business can receive national or global coverage with HARO.

12. Jira

Are you in the middle of developing a groundbreaking new product? Jira just might be your lifesaver. This development processing tool is designed to manage every step of product development from beginning to end. You can build your product, track its progress, quickly sift through feedback, and track your product for bugs after its release. Jira is ideal for capturing data and customer reviews so you can update and improve your products constantly.