6 Must-Have Technologies for Small Business Owners | State

6 Must-Have Technologies for Small Business Owners

Many small business owners feel that technology is unaffordable and out of reach for them. However, that is simply not the case. In fact, some business technology is absolutely vital to business success. It may cost money upfront to invest, but you’ll often find that the technologies on this list will save money in the long run. HD Daily News shares some must-have tech for your business.

1. An Invoicing System

No business can succeed without a sound invoicing plan. You need a trusted method to invoice customers, get paid promptly, and keep up with the books accurately. You can do all of this with invoicing software. Look for a program that allows customers to pay online and alerts you when they do. Some even provide features that allow you to schedule recurring invoices and payments. You can also create customized invoices with an invoice maker. Choose a template and then add your contact information and slogan and upload your company’s logo.

2. A Sound Cybersecurity System

The digital world evolves so quickly that it’s often difficult for laws and security to keep up. However, if you deal with customer data and online transactions, you owe a duty of care to their private information. Making sure you have optimal cybersecurity should be your first order of business as an entrepreneur. If you operate your business through cloud-based software, you need high-powered security to protect your server, computers, mobile devices, and anything else you use to connect to the cloud. Cybersecurity threats are part of everyday news, and you don’t want to become another statistic.

3. Customer Relationship Software

Every business needs a way to find new customers and retain the ones that already have. Thankfully, there is cloud-based software available that can manage those relationships for you. Customer relationship management software will help you improve your growth strategies while decreasing the cost of marketing all by analyzing your potential for lead conversion and helping you understand where you need to make changes.

4. A Project Management Program

An effective project management program offers cloud-based software to help your team communicate from anywhere and stay well-organized. Collaboration is key to business innovation, and project management nurtures that goal. You can implement software that allows remote workers and people in the office to work together on a single project, clock the time spent for billing, and allow you to keep up with what everyone is doing. 

5. A Website for Your Business

Supporting small businesses has become a major consumer trend in recent years. Research shows that having an internet presence has made it possible for people to shop locally from anywhere in the world. Your website should immediately tell visitors who you are personally as the owner and what the business does and means to you. Investing in a web developer is often worth the money for expert SEO advice. 

6. Software for Inventory Management

If you sell products online, in store, or both, you need inventory management software. You want to ensure you can meet the demands of your customers without over-purchasing. Great inventory management programs keep up with inventory as you buy and sell. Most will even provide you with analytics to help you understand what sells and what does not. That way you can plan your orders accordingly.

As you think about what technology to implement in your business, remember that you can start small and build your way up. If you’re on a tight budget, begin with the software like invoicing or project management software that would most benefit your business at the time and add more as you grow and expand.