6 small business apps to help make your life easier
Just like most other small business owners I know, I'm a fan of anything that can save me time or money - or even better, a bit of both. In my quest to cut down on hours and dollars I must have downloaded hundreds of apps which promised to revolutionize the way I run my company. And while some were swiftly deleted, others have proved invaluable.
Here's my pick of the best 6 apps any small business can download.
Skype
It may seem like an obvious choice, but Skype remains the biggest and best videoconferencing app - in my opinion. The basic version is free and great for group calls with up to 25 people and instant messaging. Plus you can make free calls if you're online - helping to keep other bills down - and send large files easily. Bonus.
If you're willing to spend $5 a month you can upgrade to the Skype for Business package which means you can hold online meetings and calls with as many as 250 people.
Wave
Wave is a free, easy-to-use accounting software platform aimed at people with fewer than 9 employees. You can track sales and expenses, manage your invoices and customer payments and even pay employees. Perfect if you're just starting out.
Slack
So much more than a humble instant messaging platform. Slack takes team communication to the next level and is an app I've found particularly useful since my team spend so much time out and about working remotely.
You can organize your chats into public or private channels, share files easily and send direct messages. I've used email much less since downloading it and it's definitely made me more productive.
You can get your hands on Slack for free, but to really get the most out of it, you might want to pay $8 per month, per user for the standard plan.
My Minutes
If you have a tendency to get distracted and lose valuable time on Facebook then My Minutes My Minutes is the app for you. Set yourself (realistic) goals about how much time you are going to spend on a task i.e an hour checking emails and this handy app will help you keep track.
Evernote
Ditch your pen and paper! Evernote is a super-efficient note-taking app that means you'll never have to scrabble in the bottom of your bag for something to write with. Create lists, jot down reminders and store photos - and have it all easily accessible in a few swipes.
Quip
Collaboration is the key to a successful small business, but as I said before, it's not often I get my whole team together in the same room. We've found Quip invaluable for helping us work on projects together, wherever we are. You can collaborate with others on live documents from your phone and work with attachments even when you're offline.
Do you have any top app tips? Let me know in the comments.
The sites I mention or link to in this post are just examples that I thought you'd find useful - I don't endorse them or their services. I have no affiliation with them and make no representation about their services.