Best Tech for Small Businesses

1. Business website

Your website is the first place a new potential client will go to learn more about you. It’s important your website looks good and is search engine friendly.

Tip: You don’t need to spend a lot of time or money on your website to begin with. Just use a nice-looking template to start. You can always improve it later on.

You can set up and host your website on WordPress using Siteground. Siteground has a lot of free business templates you can use when you sign up with them.

2. Sales funnel

To get leads and clients from your business, it’s important to have a marketing and sales funnel. Here is a list of the best sales funnel builders.

A good sales funnel will be specifically designed to get more leads, appointments and clients in your business.

To learn how to do this step-by-step, watch our free Masterclass training.

3. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

A customer relationship management (CRM) system allows you to manage your leads and clients. A good CRM makes it easier for you to manage and grow your business.

Tip: We recommend using an all-in-one CRM solution that allows you to both manage clients AND follow up with leads via email marketing.

The CRM solution we use at Skyline Social is Kartra.

4. Cloud accounting software

Cloud accounting software allows you and your accountant to manage your finances from any location.

Tip: Don’t track your income and expenses in Excel. It can be a huge headache at tax season if you do this. It’s better to use online business accounting software.

Both Xero and Quickbooks are excellent cloud accounting tools (we use Xero at Skyline Social).

5. Payment processing

It’s important to be able to accept payments online. To do this, you’ll need to use a payment processor such as Stripe (for credit/debit card payments) or GoCardless for automatic bank transfers from your customer’s bank account to yours.

Tip: After you’ve signed up for a payment processor, you can connect it to your cloud accounting software and let clients pay for your invoices online.

Some payment processors such as PayPal or Square also allow you to take physical payments from a customer’s credit or debit card.

6. AI-Powered Lead generation tools

To grow your business quickly and efficiently, you can use AI lead generation tools to get more clients.

Tip: AI lead gen tools are only as good as the strategy you’re using. To learn the best strategy to get 10, 15, 30 or more high-quality appointments each month with your ideal clients, watch this free video.

Here is a list of the best b2c and b2b lead generation companies.

 7. Business email

It’s important to run your business from a professional business email address (not a @gmail.com or @yahoo.com email address!).

Tip: Run your business email in the cloud using services such as Google Workspace.

A professional business email address makes a big difference in how potential clients perceive you and your business.

 8. Cloud storage

Most businesses these days don’t store important files locally on their computer or laptop. Why? If your laptop gets lost or stolen, you lose all your work too!

So it’s a good idea to store important work files on the cloud using services such as Dropbox or Google Drive.

Tip: It’s a good idea to always back up your work files on the cloud automatically in real-time (not just once a week).

9. Marketing automation software

Marketing automation software can automate a lot of the repetitive tasks in your lead generation campaign.

Tip: Check out our lead generation course if you need help with marketing and sales automation.

With the right marketing automation strategy in your business, you can very quickly scale up your business and increase profitability!

10. Video conferencing software

To communicate with clients, it’s a good idea to use video conferencing software technology, such as Zoom or Google Meet.

Tip: If you have a Google Workspace account, you can use Google Meet for free. Google Meet gives you similar features as a paid Zoom plan; at no extra cost.

Video conferencing tools allow you to speak with clients and potential clients from anywhere in the world. You’re no longer limited to working with people in your local area only.

11. AI Copywriting tools

Writing content for your website, follow-up emails, landing pages, paid ads, etc can be difficult. But with AI copywriting tools it no longer needs to be.

Tip: In our experience, AI copywriting tools can save you about 2-4 hours for each 2,000+ word article you create.

With AI copywriting software technology, you just tell the AI assistant what kind of content you want to create, and they’ll create it for you! Imagine how much time that could save you or your team.