As small business owners, we know how overwhelming it can be to find the right tools. With so much on your plate, searching for resources to boost your marketing or streamline your operations often feels like an impossible task. That’s why we've taken the time to evaluate our own processes and consult with fellow entrepreneurs to create this list of the top 10 essential tools for small businesses. You may recognize some of them, but we hope to provide new insights on how to utilize these resources effectively. Plus, understanding that budgeting is key, we've also included pricing information for each tool to help you make informed choices.
1.SocialBook Product Launcher
SocialBook Product Launcher is a platform designed to bridge the gap between brands and influencers, facilitating easier collaboration for both parties.
Features
For brands, posting a collaboration task is incredibly convenient. With just one click, brands can submit their tasks, and the system will recommend suitable influencers, ultimately helping to find the best matches for collaboration.
SocialBook prioritizes the protection of our clients' rights and interests. All collaboration activities will be conducted through Product Launcher, covering everything from signing agreements to communication and transactions. To ensure that influencers fulfill their commitments, SocialBook will retain the brand's deposit until the collaboration is successfully completed, preventing any situation where influencers receive payment without delivering their content.
Cost
$28 per task submitted
2.SocialBook Saas
Some brands struggle to find influencers that align with their needs, SocialBook SaaS is here to help you.
Features
It enables you to analyze profiles that meet your criteria effortlessly. Without having to contact the creator directly, you can quickly:
- View audience demographics
- Assess fake followers and engagement rates (including benchmarks against similar creators)
- Reach out to influencers via email or Instagram DM (in bulk)
- Explore the most popular posts and hashtags used
With SocialBook Saas, you can maximize your marketing efforts with data-driven decisions.
Cost
Starting at $199
3. ChatGPT
ChatGPT is an AI-powered language model that generates human-like responses, helping users with a variety of tasks, from answering questions to providing creative content.
There is no doubt that ChatGPT is one of the most valuable tools for small businesses, even if you don’t plan on writing extensively.
Features
It is as a versatile assistant ready to help with almost any question you have. Unsure about how to interpret business metrics? Just ask ChatGPT. Need help navigating Google Analytics? Share a screenshot, and it can guide you through it. Looking for catchy headlines for your ads? You already know the answer!
ChatGPT excels at a wide range of tasks and continues to improve rapidly. While it’s not infallible—so keep that in mind—it performs exceptionally well most of the time.
Cost
$0-$20/month
4. Google Drive
Google Drive is well-known, and chances are you've used it at least once or are familiar with its capabilities.
Feature
This platform allows you to securely store files and documents online and easily share them with collaborators. Many users rely on it to keep company documents, media files (like audio and video), and more organized.
Cost
It's free for the first 15GB of storage, with options for paid upgrades. While that may seem limited if you're backing up videos, it’s actually a generous amount for document storage. You’d need to store a massive number of files—think something like the Panama Papers—to hit that limit!
5. Google Analytics
Google Analytics provides comprehensive insights into your website's performance.
Feature
Google Drive has many features like:
- Real-time reports on engagement, acquisition, and monetization
- Insights into the performance of Google Ads campaigns using different marketing attribution models
- Tailored data analysis
- Automated features with predictive capabilities and actionable insights derived from data
- Easy integration with other Google tools, including Google Ads and Google Search Console
While there is a bit of a learning curve, the abundance of educational resources available—especially from Google itself—makes it well worth your time to learn how to extract the information you need.
Cost
It's completely FREE for all users, which makes it an easy choice!
6. Trello
As a small business owner, juggling multiple tasks can lead to oversights. The answer? Project management software.
After exploring various options, we recommend Trello for its intuitive design and Kanban boards, which make it easy to break down large tasks into manageable steps. Trello enables you to manage multiple projects at once, each organized in its own space.
Features
Key features include various project views, due dates, attachments, checklists, and custom fields. It also offers automation with Butler and integrates seamlessly with popular third-party tools.
If you’re looking for more advanced capabilities, consider Motion, which combines project management with scheduling and planning for a comprehensive productivity solution.
Cost
Free. It also has a pro version. It lets you kick off multiple projects and boards, along with several other useful features. You can give it a shot if you want.
7. Notion
Notion is a flexible productivity tool that combines note-taking, project management, and collaboration features in one platform, making it ideal for organizing both personal and professional tasks.
Features
- Customizable Pages
Notion features customizable pages that let users design their workspace with various content blocks like text, images, tables, and code snippets, reflecting personal styles and organizational needs.
- Powerful Databases
Notion's database functionality transforms information management. You can create databases for tasks and notes, easily filtering and sorting data, and viewing it as tables, kanban boards, or calendars to track progress.
- Effective Task Management
Notion offers robust task management tools, including to-do lists and kanban boards. You can assign tasks and set due dates, promoting accountability and alignment within your team.
- Real-Time Collaboration
Collaboration is effortless in Notion, allowing team members to work together in real time, leave comments, and assign tasks, ensuring everyone stays informed and engaged.
Cost
Free with pro version available
8. Canva
Canva is a graphic design platform that allows users to create a wide variety of visual content, from social media posts to presentations and marketing materials.
Canva enables anyone, no matter their experience, to create stunning content effortlessly. Whether you’re looking to design images, videos, presentations, or resumes, Canva simplifies the process. With a vast selection of free templates, producing professional-grade materials is a breeze.
Feature
- User-friendly interface for easy design creation.
- Wide range of content types, including images, videos, presentations, and resumes.
- Millions of free templates to jumpstart your projects.
- Drag-and-drop functionality for intuitive editing.
- Collaboration tools for team projects.
- Access to stock photos and graphics for added creativity.
- Mobile app for designing on the go.
Cost
The pricing is quite flexible, ranging from free to $10 per month. The free version offers plenty of features to get started, while an annual plan at $120 provides full access to all templates and tools. Small teams can share one account until they need to switch to enterprise solutions. It’s an affordable, must-have resource for small businesses.
9. Google Meet
Google Meet is a video conferencing platform that enables users to host and join virtual meetings and video calls.
It is a vital tool for small business owners needing to connect with partners and remote team members. Its straightforward design makes virtual meetings effortless.
We favor Google Meet over Zoom because it allows free meetings of up to 60 minutes with up to 100 participants, which is usually more than enough. In contrast, Zoom's free plan limits meetings to 40 minutes, and that extra time can be critical for thorough discussions.
Features
- 60-minute meetings for free.
- Supports up to 100 participants.
- Seamless integration with Google Workspace for easy scheduling.
- High-quality video and audio for effective communication.
- Screen sharing for collaborative work.
- Secure meetings with encryption and robust safety measures.
- Meeting recording options available with select plans.
Cost
Free with pro version available.
10. WordPress
WordPress is a content management system that allows users to create and manage websites and blogs easily.
It is more than just a marketing tool; it’s crucial for building and hosting websites. Initially popular as a blogging platform, it has evolved into a versatile website builder. In addition to website creation, it offers hosting services, domain registration, and newsletter capabilities, but its primary strength remains in website development.
Features
- Powerful website building tools.
- Wide selection of customizable themes for diverse designs.
- Extensive plugin ecosystem to enhance functionality.
- Integrated hosting options for a streamlined experience.
- Domain name registration services available.
- User-friendly interface for effortless content management.
- SEO-friendly features to boost online visibility.
Final Thoughts
We’ve put together this list of the top 10 tools for small businesses, drawing from our experiences with SocialBook Product Launcher /SaaS and insights from the small business owners we work with. While this selection is valuable, we recognize there are many other great tools available. Stay tuned for future articles where we’ll explore specific categories such as Marketing, Productivity, Organization, and more!