As entrepreneurs we should always be on the look out for new tools that save us time, money, or some other resource. Awesome applications are popping up all the time that can help your business become more efficient in some form or fashion. At Hatch we are constantly on the look out for new apps that can help you do the most with what you have. Here is a list of the 9 best business tools that we use and hopefully you will find useful, too.
1. Pipedrive
As a business owner, you know tracking your correspondence with a customer from the lead phase to the negotiating phase to the sales phase and eventually to a perpetual sales relationship is important. By tracking relationships, you learn what makes your sales system successful and what needs to be left behind. Pipedrive is a great CRM tool for this. Find out more about it here.
2.MileIQ
Do you travel often for your business? MileIQ is just for you. The IRS allows for you to count off 56 cents per mile on your income. As you probably know, that can potentially be huge for a business. The problem is that it can be a pain to keep track of mileage. MileIQ is an application that tracks your business trips for you. Check it out here.
DON’T MISS OUT!! Hatch is hooking you up with a 20% discount on your MileIQ plan. All you have to do is go to dashboard.mileiq.com, sign in, and enter the promo code “HUSTLECITY”. You’re welcome!
3. Leadpages
Ok, so you have a hot lead to your site. They are ready to buy what you are offering. How do you convert that interest into a sale? Answer: use a landing page from Leadpages. Leadpages is an online service that allows you to (very easily) create a killer landing page to convert leads. It easily integrates into your site, and it is very customizable to the style you prefer. Click here to go to Leadpages.com, set up an account, and watch your online sales increase.
4. Canva
Not an expert in Adobe Illustrator? That’s OK – you are definitely not alone. Great news, Canva is there to help you out. Canva brings to you the world of graphic design in an easy-to-do form. You (Yeah, you) can create graphic designs for fliers, business cards, social media posts, and more in their simple application. Here is another awesome detail about Canva: It’s FREE! Click here to set up your free account.
5. Basecamp
Do you have 2 or more people in your company? If so, Basecamp is for you. Disorganization and lack of clear communication channels are all too often problems with entrepreneurs and their teams. Basecamp allows your team to conquer projects much more efficiently. You can create a project, assign roles/jobs to your team members, track everyone’s progress, allow for team feedback, and more. It really is a great tool, click here for a free 60 day trial.
6. Wufoo
Gathering data from a lead or a client is a huge pain point for entrepreneurs and businesses. Quite simply, its hard to do. With Wufoo, you can very easily create online forms that gather data from clients and/or leads. Form examples: email lists, customer satisfaction surveys, merchandise orders, event registration, and so many others. They are easy to create and integrate onto your existing online infrastructure. They do have a free membership plan if you just want to get your feet wet, check them out here.
7. Sidekick
Often businesses send out lots and lots of e-mails to no avail. They send them out and wonder why they get no replies. Maybe you sent the e-mail to the wrong account or maybe that person deleted your e-mail accidentally. With Sidekick, you can tell if and when someone opens your e-mail. Get Sidekick here.
8. Periscope
It seems like there is a never-ending number of social media platforms. Social media exposure is only going to become more important to business success in the future, so you should be looking to grow your social media presence now. Periscope is yet another way for entrepreneurs and businesses to connect with the world. It allows followers to see whatever you are videoing in real time. Check it out here.
9. Bitly
Bitly is a link shortening application. This is a great tool for social media. If you have just written a blog post or you have been recognized in the press, you probably want to bring exposure to that post or article via social media. Instead of copying and pasting a super long link on your page, shorten it with Bitly. It looks much cleaner, and helps you make it within Twitter’s 280 character limit. Check it out here.
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