Business Resources
Whether starting a business from scratch or helping update your employer's business, it can be hard to decide what to outsource and what to DIY. There are so many apps and software programs out there. Here are some of our most-used resources to help you get organized and streamline some of the technology you may need in your business.
WEBSITE
One of the best ways to build the reputation of your new brand is to make a website. It legitimizes your business as new customers can find you online and make sure you’re “real.” There are a few different ways to build a website and you can certainly outsource it to an experienced professional developer or designer. Of course, the primary action to take here is to reserve the domain name associated with your business name. However, if you’re budget-conscious or want to learn the skills, then you can still build a really good website yourself.
The two most common website builders that you can use without coding knowledge are Wordpress and Squarespace. Choose Wordpress if you’re confident with tech or willing to explore, know the plug-ins you’ll need, and want more freedom in designing the different sections on your site. It also might be better for those who are planning on blogging more, as Wordpress has better in-built functions for SEO. Squarespace makes it easy to design a site using Squarespace’s templates and to create something that looks professional.
If you are an ecommerce business you may want to visit Shopify. It’s essentially an “all in one” provider. You can get your domain name, set up a website with templates, and they have built in selling resources. Be sure to visit each one, check out pricing, what all is included, and if you need extras like SSL (a security feature).
WORKFLOW
It can be a little hectic at the beginning of your business venture when you are figuring out how everything fits together. We are talking about emails, customer service, marketing, accounting and more. One thing that can help simplify the whole process is to create a solid workflow that will become a habit.
Here at Allegiant, I work with different contractors who have different areas of expertise. We use Trello, a project management tool in order to set tasks and view the progress of a task. Using Trello allows you to make sure every step is complete and means you have a repeatable process. Another great project management tool is Asana, which has similar capabilities. We’ve mentioned Toggl in productivity posts before, but it is worth mentioning again. It is great for tracking your time and determining how long each task may take.
ACCOUNTING
Let’s face it, nobody likes to file that annual tax return, pay their quarterly taxes or figure out what costs they can expense in business. But accounting is a MUST for every business, whether you choose to outsource it or do-it-yourself. Not only is it an important legal requirement to keep business accounts, but it can also help you understand where money is wasted or where you can save.
Luckily, there are a few accounting software programs that are specifically built for business owners. For example, Quickbooks is a popular digital accounting software and service for business owners to connect to their bank. This way, your costs and income are entered automatically and all you are required to do is categorize each transaction. It can make your report so much easier to create and understand and is IRS-compliant. Quickbooks is not free and there are several levels. Wave is another program that has a free version and is excellent for getting started.
CONTENT
How are you going to make sales if nobody knows you exist? You’ve probably heard the phrase “content is king,” and it’s not wrong! These days, most businesses have some sort of presence on social media. These accounts share different forms of content, from images on Instagram to videos on TikTok and blogs on the website.
Creating your content doesn’t have to be arduous. In fact, you can use online resources to make the process easier. Tailwind is a great site to schedule social media posts on Instagram and Pinterest. The whole process can be organized months in advance so that posts go out automatically and don’t actually require a live internet connection. There are lots of other social scheduling tools available, both paid and free, such as Hootsuite and Buffer.
MEETINGS
If you work in a service-based business, you might require frequent meetings with clients to discuss your projects and timelines. That’s okay- but you don’t want to waste time emailing back and forth with every single customer trying to find a time that suits you both for monthly meetings.
Instead, we recommend building a calendar function into your website. This way, you can pre-fill your availability and send the link your clients to book in when it suits them! Plus, you avoid wasting precious productivity time going back and forth. Good examples include Acuity and Calendly.
If you’re looking to upgrade your financial planning to include business advice, why not get in touch? We can discuss business insurance, budgets, and more: book your call now!