In order to be the master of your domain and the boss of your business, instead of your business mastering you and bossing you there are 7 productivity tools that are recommended. You can often find these tools in an all in one system, or you can mix and match systems depending on what are your favorites to use.

The important thing is to develop systems in your business and use software to help you stick to them. Even a small business must have systems in place to increase productivity. Perhaps it’s even more important for a small business to use productivity tools well due to limited time to waste on organizational issues and team management.

Project Management Software

Even if it’s just you right now running your business, start off on the right foot and get used to using a project management software system. Cloud-based systems like Basecamp.com will help you keep your projects and daily tasks organized. The ability to check off tasks on a list will also make you more productive.

Collaboration Tools

Once you start working with a team, or clients, it’s important to have a clear method to use for collaborating that does not involve passing emails back and forth. Email is not a reliable form of communication due to how easy it is for email to get lost in the vast quantity that you receive each day. Instead, using an online collaboration tool makes it easy to know right where to go each day to check for updates and new information.

Calendaring & Scheduling Software

Planning to serve clients in any one-on-one capacity at all, then you will need calendaring and scheduling software that automates sales calls, client meetings, and staff meetings. Good scheduling software will integrate with your calendar of choice, allow you to block out available times, and let the client schedule time with you themselves without a lot of back and forth. Studies show that it cuts down on missed meetings, and also increases success for each sales call when the client was able to schedule the meeting.

Multi Device Tools

In today’s mobile society it’s imperative that all your software work on any device that you use. Cloud-based systems make this possible today. All you need to do is ensure capability and Internet access and you can pretty much work from any location if your software is based in the cloud. Today, having a smartphone is akin to having a FiloFax on steroids. You can do a lot of work waiting for a flight, or the doctor using your smartphone or other mobile device.

Business Management

The tools today that help you run your business such as accounting and bookkeeping software is amazing. You can practically automate your bookkeeping using a bookkeeping system like QuickBooks Online, or Go Daddy Bookkeeping. In addition, creating invoices is easy with a system like Freshbooks.com, or Quickbooks.com. Sending out professional invoices ensures that you’re more likely to get paid on time. Keeping track of your income and expenditures will make you a more successful and smart business owner.

File Storage & Back up

You’ve heard of Murphy’s Law right? It’s the idea that if something can go wrong, it will. Well, that’s very true for computer systems. You need to have more than one way to back up your work and your computer system. An external hard drive is not enough, you need cloud based automated backups to ensure that your business will always be ready for anything.

A Dependable Team

Finally, one of the things you need to increase your productivity is to contract with dependable and talented team members. If you can learn to hire the right people, surrounding yourself with smart, independent thinkers and self-starters your business will run like at top even when you’re on vacation, what can be more productive than that?

For information or assistance with all things marketing, Savvy Business Gals can help. You can book in for a Free 30 Minute Discovery Call today to see how we can add another tool to your productivity tool box.