Running a business is no small feat these days, with so many tasks and so little time. As an entrepreneur, you’re not only the CEO but also the accountant, HR manager, designer, programmer, and more. Talk about wearing multiple hats! Between all the administrative work, meetings, calls, emails, and actual work-work, it can be tough to get everything done efficiently, especially when managing your small business remotely. Luckily, today there are some handy digital tools and software out there to help you automate routine work and be more efficient at growing your business remotely.
In this article, we’ll explore 5 game-changing yet affordable software options—Slack, Zapier, Typeform, Canva, and Calendly—that allow you to communicate, collaborate, design, and schedule like a pro, without the huge team. While not perfect, these tools can save you time and money compared to doing it all yourself or hiring someone for each job. Intrigued and want to evaluate if any of these clever apps are right for your business? Read on for the lowdown on the pros and cons of each, so you can make an informed decision about how to accomplish more in less time. We’ll look at how Slack can organize team conversations, Zapier automates workflows, Typeform builds great surveys, Canva designs quality graphics, and Calendly schedules meetings – all helpful when managing your small business remotely.
Slack
Slack is a cloud-based team communication platform that combines messaging, video, and voice calls, along with file sharing and integration with other popular business tools. It’s a powerful tool that can help teams communicate and collaborate more effectively.
Pros:
- Team communication and collaboration: Slack makes it easy for teams to communicate and collaborate in real time. Team members can chat, share files, and collaborate on projects, all in one place.
- Easy to use: Slack is easy to use, even for people who are not tech-savvy. It has a user-friendly interface and a variety of features that make it easy to get started.
- Wide range of features: Slack offers a wide range of features, including file sharing, voice and video calling, and integrations with other popular business tools. This makes it a versatile tool that can be used for a variety of tasks.
Cons:
- Can be distracting: Slack can be distracting, especially if you are not careful. There are many notifications and messages that can come in throughout the day, and it can be difficult to focus on work.
- Can be expensive for large teams: Slack can be expensive for large teams. The pricing is based on the number of active users, so teams with a lot of users can pay a significant amount of money for Slack.
- Can be difficult to organize and manage conversations with many people: Slack can be difficult to organize and manage conversations with many people. It can be easy to lose track of conversations, and it can be difficult to find specific messages.
Use case example:
Slack can be used for a variety of tasks, such as:
- Communicating with team members in real time
- Sharing files and documents
- Collaborating on projects
- Managing conversations and tasks
For example, a team of software developers could use Slack to communicate about their project, share code snippets, and collaborate on bug fixes. A team of sales representatives could use Slack to communicate with each other about leads, share customer data, and collaborate on sales proposals.
Overall, Slack is a powerful tool that can help teams communicate and collaborate more effectively. However, it is important to be aware of the potential drawbacks before using it.
Zapier
Zapier is a web automation service that connects apps and services together. It allows you to create automated workflows, called Zaps, that trigger actions in one app based on events in another app.
Pros:
- Automate tasks and workflows: Zapier can help you automate tasks and workflows, saving you time and effort. For example, you can use Zapier to create a Zap that automatically creates a new lead in your CRM system when a new contact signs up for your email list.
- Connect different apps and services: Zapier can connect over 4,000 different apps and services. This makes it a versatile tool that can be used to automate a wide variety of tasks.
- Easy to use: Zapier is easy to use, even for people who are not tech-savvy. It has a user-friendly interface and a variety of features that make it easy to get started.
Cons:
- Can be complex: Zapier can be complex to use for more advanced workflows. It may take some time to learn how to use Zapier effectively.
- Free plan has limitations: The free plan for Zapier has a number of limitations, such as the number of Zaps you can create and the number of tasks you can automate.
- Can be expensive for large businesses: Zapier can be expensive for large businesses with a lot of users and complex workflows.
Use case example:
Zapier can be used for a variety of tasks, such as:
- Automating marketing tasks, such as sending emails and publishing social media posts
- Automating customer support tasks, such as creating tickets and responding to customer inquiries
- Automating sales tasks, such as creating leads and sending follow-up emails
- Automating productivity tasks, such as managing to-do lists and tracking time
For example, a small business could use Zapier to create a Zap that automatically creates a new lead in their CRM system when a new contact signs up for their email list. They could also use Zapier to create a Zap that automatically sends a follow-up email to leads who have not opened their welcome email.
Overall, Zapier is a powerful tool that can help you automate tasks and workflows, saving you time and effort
Typeform
Typeform is a tool that allows you to create interactive forms, surveys, and quizzes. Typeform forms are known for being engaging and visually appealing, and they can be used to collect data from customers, employees, and other stakeholders.
Pros:
- Create engaging and visually appealing forms
- Collect data from customers, employees, and other stakeholders
- Easy to use
- Wide range of features, including conditional logic, file uploads, and integrations with other popular business tools
Cons:
- Limited customization options
- Can be expensive for large businesses
- Free plan has limitations
Use case example:
Typeform can be used for a variety of tasks, such as:
- Collecting customer feedback
- Conducting employee surveys
- Creating quizzes and assessments
- Generating leads
- Creating customer satisfaction surveys
For example, a company could use Typeform to create a customer satisfaction survey to collect feedback from their customers. They could also use Typeform to create a quiz to assess the knowledge of their employees.
Overall, Typeform is a powerful tool that can help you create engaging and visually appealing forms to collect data from customers, employees, and other stakeholders.
Canva
Canva is a tool that allows you to create visual content, such as social media graphics, presentations, and posters. Canva is easy to use, even if you have no design experience. You can use Canva to create eye-catching visuals for your business, without having to hire a designer.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Wide range of features, including templates, graphics, and fonts
- Affordable
- Free plan available
Cons:
- Limited customization options for templates
- Can be time-consuming to create complex designs
- Can be difficult to collaborate on designs with others
Use case example:
Canva can be used for a variety of tasks, such as:
- Creating social media graphics
- Designing presentations
- Creating posters and flyers
- Designing marketing materials
For example, a small business could use Canva to create social media graphics to promote their products or services. They could also use Canva to design a presentation for their next sales meeting.
Overall, Canva is a powerful tool that can help you create eye-catching visuals for your business.
Calendly
Calendly is a tool that allows you to schedule appointments and meetings online. Calendly is easy to use, and it allows you to set up your availability and preferences so that people can book appointments with you without having to go back and forth on email.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Integrates with popular calendars
- Allows you to set up your availability and preferences
- Free plan available
Cons:
- Limited customization options
- Can be expensive for large businesses
- Free plan has limitations
Use case example:
Calendly can be used for a variety of tasks, such as:
- Scheduling sales calls
- Booking demos
- Scheduling customer support appointments
- Scheduling meetings with team members
For example, a sales representative could use Calendly to schedule sales calls with leads. A customer support team could use Calendly to book demos for their product. A team manager could use Calendly to schedule meetings with their team members.
Overall, Calendly is a powerful tool that can help you save time and hassle by automating your appointment scheduling process.
