As a busy entrepreneur, digital tools and devices can be heaven-sent during busy weeks. Your schedule may not be as flexible, or you may not be as productive as you may want, but thankfully, several tools can make your life easier.
For instance, a simple calendar tool on your phone or computer can help organize your workload, much like a virtual assistant for your small business. Simultaneously, they can be enjoyable to use thanks to the many functions that come with these tools. That’s just one example—there are a number of productivity tools that can do just about anything you can think of to help you get your tasks done.
Most of these tools have mobile alternatives, making them an excellent choice when you need to be on the go. These options provide more flexibility and can save you valuable time and resources in the long run.
Here are some of the best tools for entrepreneurs.
Time Management/Productivity Tools
Focus Booster comes with a time tracking tool that automatically produces timesheets for you. These sheets contain data on what tasks you have completed during the day and how much time you have spent doing them.
This time management tool can help you better focus on your tasks when you get distracted. Simultaneously, it divides your time to handle task management in the most efficient way possible.
This tool is excellent for automating productivity and business tasks from several different platforms. Zapier can help you eliminate repetitive tasks during the day to let you focus more on core tasks.
The tool is used by setting up “zaps” that require a trigger-and-response action. With this, you can set it up to automatically respond to emails, messages, and even inquiries on Facebook. It can also help you write Google calendar meetings and send them to your contacts.
Customer Service Applications
Zendesk is a cloud-based ticketing system that allows customers to send you tickets through different channels, such as their social media accounts, phones, and emails. Additionally, this tool offers customizable self-service online support for your customers to use.
It can help you efficiently handle your relationships with your customers and make it easier for your employees to pass tickets and concerns onto other agents when needed because everything is in one place.
Customer Relationship Tools
The Hello Bond tool helps you add personal touches to the messages and letters you send to your customers. This tool provides you with over 16 handwriting styles to choose from, plus a few customizable features.
While this tool does not have a mobile app, you can still integrate it with any customer relationship management such as Microsoft Dynamics, Zoho, Salesforce, etc. Hello Bond is an excellent tool for entrepreneurs who want to make their customers feel more special with a handwritten Thank You note.
Thankster works similarly to Hello Note, providing you a tool to make handwritten letters and notes. However, this tool can ship out these letters to your customers directly.
With Thankster, you can pick different card designs for the occasion from an extensive collection on their site. Additionally, you can automate these requests by linking them to task management tools such as Zapier.
Learning Resource
The Business Professor grants you access to various resources related to business planning, finance, and legal topics. This resource tool also provides over 1,000 videos on these topics, as well as downloadable texts. If you ever need a crash course on a business aspect you’re not familiar with, this can be your go-to resource.
An Atlanta-based professor and attorney created the tool, so entrepreneurs like you have business resources from a reliable and trustworthy source. In addition, The Business Professor can provide you with the necessary information without creating an account or signing in.
Graphic Design Tool
Venngage can help you create presentations, infographics, social media visuals, and reports. The tool comes with a customizable template that allows you to create eye-catching visuals for your business’s social media account or website.
This web tool is easy to use and requires no installation. Access the webpage and choose from over 100 available templates and charts.
Productive and Effective
With these tools at your disposal, you can work more efficiently and be more productive. These tools are particularly handy for solopreneurs or bootstrapping small business owners.
Of course, tools can only do so much. There will be tasks that need the human touch and require you to hire a helping hand. That’s when you should consider outsourcing a virtual assistant. VAs are professionally trained, have extensive experience, and boast several skills in their arsenal.
Email management, calendar management, and bookkeeping and payroll are just a few examples of tasks virtual assistants can do for you. One of the major benefits of virtual assistants is that you can save as much as 78% in operating costs instead of hiring a traditional, in-house employee.
To know more about how outsourcing a virtual assistant can help you, book a call with Outsource Access, or learn more about our process here.
