Copy of Softwares That Can Help Your Small Business

So much of what we do is online, and the same is true when it comes to running a business (even a small one!) To keep up with competitors now and generally make the best use of your time, you need good softwares in place that can track or automate things for you.

These make everything quicker and also more accurate as well so there’s less risk of penalties for things going wrong, or damaged reputation or losing money. Here are some different types of softwares that many business can utilise.

Blogging software

There are so many great benefits to blogging when you’re a small business. Your blog posts bring more traffic through people finding them on search engines, and over time it also builds your authority and improves page rank without having to spend money on ads. Blogging works hand in hand with social media and gives you interesting content to share on your social media pages so that they stay active and keep your audience interested.

And they show that you know what you’re talking about too, your blog posts give you the opportunity to talk more about the field that you’re selling in. If you sell clothes you could talk about everything from fashion trends to how fabrics are manufactured. If you’re a florist you could talk about different growing processes and seasonal flowers- generally just inform and educate your readers on the entire subject.

WordPress integrates easily into websites, and it’s just a matter of adding regular and engaging content. Most blogging software lets you write, edit and publish posts without needing to touch the rest of your site. You can schedule posts ahead of time so content still goes out even when you’re busy and it also makes it easy to go back and update older posts when information changes (instead of having to rewrite everything from scratch)

Security software

Keeping your business safe online is one of your biggest priorities as an entrepreneur. Fraud or theft could mean criminals could steal money, assets or data (which could then be used for more fraud on your customers and destroy your reputation).

If you need to verify identification or documents, there are types of software that can help to confirm who you are dealing with before money or equipment is bought or sold. That way you’re not lending money, hiring equipment or unintentionally breaking the law. Business internet security software can make sure that you’re not being hijacked or targeted online, along with using common sense such as using complex passwords.

If you’re running an online business and taking payments, security software can flag unusual logins, if someone tries to access your admin area from a new location, you’ll usually get an alert straight away so you can lock things down.

The same applies to customer accounts, where repeated failed logins can be blocked automatically instead of letting someone keep trying. Most issues only become obvious after damage has already been done, which is why having protection in place early really does matter. 

Accounting/finance software

Keeping good records and accounts is something that every business has to do no matter what. You’re likely to need an accountant to do things like your VAT and tax return, but for the day to day runnings of your company accounting software allows you to keep track and can make their life easier when it comes to tax return time.

This often saves time for everyone involved, which usually means lower costs when professional help is needed. This will make things quicker and will therefore be cheaper for you since you’ll be paying for less hours.

It also means you’re less likely to end up with errors, this is important as if you underestimate the tax you need to pay you could end up with a fine or penalty or even a prison sentence in extreme cases if you evade tax and get caught. 

Live chat software

Live chat has become an essential for many businesses, as instead of having to pick up the phone, customers can ask questions and have things resolved chatting online which many people are far more comfortable with. This can be especially useful for people who just want a quick answer and would otherwise leave without asking, and it can be easier for you too to get staff.

It’s quick and easy and can secure you more customers, since there will be cases where people are unsure of things but wouldn’t necessarily call up to ask and just click off instead. Having fast access to a real person on an instant messenger who can answer their questions could mean they shop with you instead.

Roll off software

When you’re running projects with deadlines and there’s more than one person involved, it can be so easy to lose track of who’s actually free and when. You might know what everyone’s working on right now, but it becomes a lot harder to see what happens next once a piece of work finishes. Roll off software helps you see when someone is due to finish a project and what they’re booked on after that, and shows where gaps are coming up.

This then makes it easier to plan any new work without just guessing (or overloading the same people again and again!) It can be really useful if you’re juggling multiple clients or projects at once and don’t want things to pile up unexpectedly.

When a new job or project comes in, you’re able to see who’s finishing their current work soon and who’s already fully booked. That way you’re not promising any deadlines that you can’t actually meet, and you’re not guessing based on memory either.