Top Five Applications To Run A Small Business Smarter
I am a (very) small business owner, so I appreciate how valuable time can be to other business owners. For an upcoming speaking engagement I was asked to compile the top five applications I use to run my business smarter and faster. After compiling the list, I realized that this is something I should be sharing with everyone.
Here are the top five applications I use to make my small business run smarter:
1. Google Apps - Google Apps is the generic term for Google Services for businesses. Google Apps hosts my businesses email, calendar, and contacts, allowing my business to have enterprise level functionality for free. I can use any email client I choose, and have all of my information synced on any computer or device while having a full backup copy available in the web interface. The searching function of Google Mail makes finding emails very easy. Google Calendar makes scheduling meetings and sharing your schedule with others very easy.
2. Batchbook - The one lackluster component of Google Apps is the contacts, so I had to find a CRM system that could manage my contacts. Batchbook is the application where I: consolidate all client communication, use notes to keep track where/when I met someone, tag contacts to separate them into groups, etc. Batchbook syncs with my Google Apps account and my email marketing software.
3. Google Voice - I am always on the go, and don’t have a landline phone at my desk. I also don’t want to give out my personal cell phone number to everyone. By giving out my Google Voice number, I can have that one number forwarded to any other phone number where I am reachable, and screen or play a different voicemail message depending on who is calling. My favorite feature of Google Voice is the text and email transcriptions of any voicemail messages I receive.
4. Dropbox - Gone are the days of having just one computer or just working at the office. I can put any file in my Dropbox folder and it will sync across my computers, mobile device, and the web interface. I don’t have to worry about emailing documents to myself or saving them to a flash drive. I just save the document and it is synced. Dropbox also saves revisions to files, so if you make a mistake and overwrite a document, you can restore previous versions. An often forgotten feature of Dropbox is that you can share specific folders with others, which is a great way to share large files with others.
5. Evernote - Evernote is my brain. That is where I keep all the “little things” I will need to find again. I have “notebooks” for things like: Client notes, Meeting notes, login information, timesheets, websites that inspire me, blog post ideas, restaurants I would like to visit, recipes, etc. I keep my information secure using SSL security to login, and I encrypt text in confidential notes. Evernote has web application, desktop applications for Windows and Mac, and applications for iPhone, Blackberry and Android.
Honorable mentions: Mailchimp and Backblaze
Those are mine, what are yours?
Photo credit: Esthr
mrdoornbos
I completely agree with these. Been using all of them for a while now.
Rachel Baker
I appreciate your agreement and comment. Do you use other software (web or desktop app) that would be worthy of sharing?
mrdoornbos
I completely agree with these. Been using all of them for a while now.
Rachel Baker
I appreciate your agreement and comment. Do you use other software (web or desktop app) that would be worthy of sharing?
jodie_microsoft_smb
Google is a great service – but might not be the right fit for all users. You may end up having to just use MS Word to make sure the formatting is the way you want it. Before deciding on Google, check out “Compare Google Apps to Microsoft and See for Yourself” for additional information: http://smb.ms/cYNFrJ
Regards,
Jodi E.
Microsoft SMB Outreach Team
msftoft@microsoft.com
Rachel Baker
Jodie,
I am actually referring to Google Apps as an alternative to Microsoft Exchange – not Google Docs replacing Microsoft Office. I have Microsoft certifications and I am well versed in your offerings – however, as a company of one I don’t want to run an Exchange Server. I also don’t want to pay a monthly fee for 2gb of storage on Hosted Exchange. I use Google Apps, it works for me.
Thank you for the comment,
Rachel
jodie_microsoft_smb
Google is a great service – but might not be the right fit for all users. You may end up having to just use MS Word to make sure the formatting is the way you want it. Before deciding on Google, check out “Compare Google Apps to Microsoft and See for Yourself” for additional information: http://smb.ms/cYNFrJ
Regards,
Jodi E.
Microsoft SMB Outreach Team
msftoft@microsoft.com
Rachel Baker
Jodie,
I am actually referring to Google Apps as an alternative to Microsoft Exchange – not Google Docs replacing Microsoft Office. I have Microsoft certifications and I am well versed in your offerings – however, as a company of one I don’t want to run an Exchange Server. I also don’t want to pay a monthly fee for 2gb of storage on Hosted Exchange. I use Google Apps, it works for me.
Thank you for the comment,
Rachel
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Justin
These are more or less spot on with what I’m using, though I’ve got a couple additions.
Google Apps Premier – simply for the extra uptime guarantee and super storage capabilities. The whole suite is perfectly suited for small businesses.
Mavenlink – Manages all of our projects in a single workspace and connects with GApps. Our clients can respond to messages via email and it posts to a thread (similar to gmail) in Mavenlink to keep everything together. Inside Mavenlink, everything from our documents, files, time tracking, budgeting, and tasks / deliverables is visible and editable for the parties involved in the projects. And, of course, everything syncs to Google Docs for real time collaboration. Mavenlink has the best support of any company I’ve worked with.
Working Point – Accounting solution for small businesses. At only $10 a month (or a free version), this is a steal. The reports are great and the system is as complex as you need it to be and as simple to use as you want it to be. It “syncs with Google Apps” apparently, but that function is truly lacking. All it really does is redirect you to your login page, like a bookmark. Great support too.
Action Method – this is a nice little notepad system from Behance. I used to use their project management tool (actionmethodonline.com), but once we switched to Mavenlink I probably won’t go back. Action Method’s online tools are great, but they are more design than function and they seem to have stopped development to keep up with the other project / task management solutions out there.
However, the notepads are essential for my analog life. You can’t rely on technology all the time and it simply takes too long to fire up your iphone, launch a task list or similar app, and post your thought or to-do. Just scribble quickly in your notepad, keep things organized, and move one.
Those are my essential tools that help us run more efficiently
Justin
Founder
The Small Potatoes
Rachel Baker
Justin,
Thank you for sharing your list. I hadn’t heard of Mavenlink or Working Point before. I appreciate your input.
Justin
These are more or less spot on with what I’m using, though I’ve got a couple additions.
Google Apps Premier – simply for the extra uptime guarantee and super storage capabilities. The whole suite is perfectly suited for small businesses.
Mavenlink – Manages all of our projects in a single workspace and connects with GApps. Our clients can respond to messages via email and it posts to a thread (similar to gmail) in Mavenlink to keep everything together. Inside Mavenlink, everything from our documents, files, time tracking, budgeting, and tasks / deliverables is visible and editable for the parties involved in the projects. And, of course, everything syncs to Google Docs for real time collaboration. Mavenlink has the best support of any company I’ve worked with.
Working Point – Accounting solution for small businesses. At only $10 a month (or a free version), this is a steal. The reports are great and the system is as complex as you need it to be and as simple to use as you want it to be. It “syncs with Google Apps” apparently, but that function is truly lacking. All it really does is redirect you to your login page, like a bookmark. Great support too.
Action Method – this is a nice little notepad system from Behance. I used to use their project management tool (actionmethodonline.com), but once we switched to Mavenlink I probably won’t go back. Action Method’s online tools are great, but they are more design than function and they seem to have stopped development to keep up with the other project / task management solutions out there.
However, the notepads are essential for my analog life. You can’t rely on technology all the time and it simply takes too long to fire up your iphone, launch a task list or similar app, and post your thought or to-do. Just scribble quickly in your notepad, keep things organized, and move one.
Those are my essential tools that help us run more efficiently
Justin
Founder
The Small Potatoes
Rachel Baker
Justin,
Thank you for sharing your list. I hadn’t heard of Mavenlink or Working Point before. I appreciate your input.
Justin Knechtel
These are more or less spot on with what I’m using, though I’ve got a couple additions.
Google Apps Premier – simply for the extra uptime guarantee and super storage capabilities. The whole suite is perfectly suited for small businesses.
Mavenlink – Manages all of our projects in a single workspace and connects with GApps. Our clients can respond to messages via email and it posts to a thread (similar to gmail) in Mavenlink to keep everything together. Inside Mavenlink, everything from our documents, files, time tracking, budgeting, and tasks / deliverables is visible and editable for the parties involved in the projects. And, of course, everything syncs to Google Docs for real time collaboration. Mavenlink has the best support of any company I’ve worked with.
Working Point – Accounting solution for small businesses. At only $10 a month (or a free version), this is a steal. The reports are great and the system is as complex as you need it to be and as simple to use as you want it to be. It “syncs with Google Apps” apparently, but that function is truly lacking. All it really does is redirect you to your login page, like a bookmark. Great support too.
Action Method – this is a nice little notepad system from Behance. I used to use their project management tool (actionmethodonline.com), but once we switched to Mavenlink I probably won’t go back. Action Method’s online tools are great, but they are more design than function and they seem to have stopped development to keep up with the other project / task management solutions out there.
However, the notepads are essential for my analog life. You can’t rely on technology all the time and it simply takes too long to fire up your iphone, launch a task list or similar app, and post your thought or to-do. Just scribble quickly in your notepad, keep things organized, and move one.
Those are my essential tools that help us run more efficiently
Justin
Founder
The Small Potatoes
Justin Knechtel
These are more or less spot on with what I’m using, though I’ve got a couple additions.
Google Apps Premier – simply for the extra uptime guarantee and super storage capabilities. The whole suite is perfectly suited for small businesses.
Mavenlink – Manages all of our projects in a single workspace and connects with GApps. Our clients can respond to messages via email and it posts to a thread (similar to gmail) in Mavenlink to keep everything together. Inside Mavenlink, everything from our documents, files, time tracking, budgeting, and tasks / deliverables is visible and editable for the parties involved in the projects. And, of course, everything syncs to Google Docs for real time collaboration. Mavenlink has the best support of any company I’ve worked with.
Working Point – Accounting solution for small businesses. At only $10 a month (or a free version), this is a steal. The reports are great and the system is as complex as you need it to be and as simple to use as you want it to be. It “syncs with Google Apps” apparently, but that function is truly lacking. All it really does is redirect you to your login page, like a bookmark. Great support too.
Action Method – this is a nice little notepad system from Behance. I used to use their project management tool (actionmethodonline.com), but once we switched to Mavenlink I probably won’t go back. Action Method’s online tools are great, but they are more design than function and they seem to have stopped development to keep up with the other project / task management solutions out there.
However, the notepads are essential for my analog life. You can’t rely on technology all the time and it simply takes too long to fire up your iphone, launch a task list or similar app, and post your thought or to-do. Just scribble quickly in your notepad, keep things organized, and move one.
Those are my essential tools that help us run more efficiently
Justin
Founder
The Small Potatoes
Rachel Baker
Justin,
Thank you for sharing your list. I hadn’t heard of Mavenlink or Working Point before. I appreciate your input.
David Bailey
This is a great list! I’m familiar with most of the products here except Batchbook. You are correct that one weakness in the Google lineup is a good contact management system. I’ve been looking for a good one for sometime and think I’ll give Batchbook a try.
Rachel Baker
David,
I hope Google works to improve the Contacts part of their Apps offering. If you have any questions about Batchbook their support is amazing.
David Bailey
This is a great list! I’m familiar with most of the products here except Batchbook. You are correct that one weakness in the Google lineup is a good contact management system. I’ve been looking for a good one for sometime and think I’ll give Batchbook a try.
Rachel Baker
David,
I hope Google works to improve the Contacts part of their Apps offering. If you have any questions about Batchbook their support is amazing.
Henry Basn
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Henry Basn
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Henry Basn
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Sharon
Totally – I use all of those. And Billings as my invoice application which awesome.
Rachel Baker
Sharon,
I use a Mac and tried Billings years ago, but I hear it has improved in more recent versions. I should check it out again. Thanks for the reminder.
Sharon
Totally – I use all of those. And Billings as my invoice application which awesome.
Rachel Baker
Sharon,
I use a Mac and tried Billings years ago, but I hear it has improved in more recent versions. I should check it out again. Thanks for the reminder.
Rachel Baker
David,
I hope Google works to improve the Contacts part of their Apps offering. If you have any questions about Batchbook their support is amazing.