7 essential tools for your business in a tough economy

By using powerful, yet affordable tools, business leaders and their teams can increase productivity, free up time, and give customers a better experience, without breaking the bank.  Here’s our list of 7 essential tools to help support growth in these difficult times.

1. Google suite 

The Google G Suite is a collection of online tools that lets your business run from a single location, using Google’s experience with email services and online applications. In his article for Entrepreneur magazine, Entrepreneur and Angel Investor Andrew Medal explains why every small business should use it.

G Suite offers all of the basic functions businesses need, including emails, document creation and collaboration, and cloud storage. It allows you to create a branded email address, integrates seamlessly with other Google features, and connects with other vital apps, such as Zoom, Trello, and Salesforce. And with flexible monthly subscriptions for businesses, it provides any size business with the tools it needs for a reasonable cost.

‍2. Slack

When it comes to online communication, Slack is a top choice. Enabling streamlined communication between coworkers, organizations and teams, Slack provides instant message notifications, with customizable notification preferences.

According to entrepreneur and author Jon Nastor, Slack is a good tool for staying organized and communicating effectively. You can share files and create channels for specific teams or topics, and there is a whole ecosystem of integrations with other apps and tools.

At Virtual Gurus, Slack has helped us to organize our team tremendously. Since all of the communication happens in Slack, it keeps our entire team on the same page.  It’s free for small groups but larger companies will need to purchase a plan.

3. askBetty Slack app

Speaking of Slack the, askBetty Slack app lets you delegate your to-do list to real live on-demand virtual assistants. Simply type “Hey Betty” into the Slack app, and you’re instantly connected with a personal assistant who can complete admin or concierge-type tasks throughout your workday.

As per blog author Melaine Lavoie, Betty can easily tackle bite-sized concierge or administrative-type tasks, enabling you to focus on other high-priority tasks. It’s ideal for those who don’t need a full-time assistant, but still need help with occasional tasks. And it’s affordable too. With task time credits available for purchase in 1-hour increments, you only need to pay for the exact amount of support you need.

‍4. PLANN

Step up your social media game with Plann, the all-in-one content planner, scheduler, and strategist. With ready-to-go templates, captivating post ideas and powerful scheduling features, Plann ensures you stay consistently online and engage your audience effectively. Organize your media collections, discover top-performing hashtags, and easily respond to comments, all in one convenient platform.

Plus, unlock the potential of your Instagram bio with Plann’s hyper-visual link-in-bio tool, designed to increase reach and convert followers into customers. Elevate your social media strategy with Plann today!

‍5. Calendly 

When attempting to schedule meetings with clients, customers and partners, emailing back and forth is time-consuming and frustrating. Calendly takes the hassle out of the process, and comes highly recommended by Sarath CP of Hacker Noon. You simply set up a profile that integrates with your calendar. Then you can share a Calendly link with the person you’re planning to meet with, and they can pick a time that suits them. They can see your availability and choose one that works for both of you.

The tool works especially well for Sales or Client Support teams who want to provide an easy way for prospects or clients to book meetings with them. The basic plan is free.

6. Quickbooks

Keeping track of where your money is going and where it’s coming from is one of the keys to the success of your business. However, without the right tools, this can be a challenge.

‍Quickbooks is the industry standard financing tracking solution for small, and mid-sized, businesses. From taking care of simple bookkeeping tasks to generating financial reports, it’s a flexible and affordable service. Come tax season, Quickbooks will help you find the best tax solutions for your business and help reduce stress and work along the way.

7. Virtual Gurus 

When your business is growing rapidly, you quickly realize that you can’t do everything on your own anymore. But you either don’t have the budget or time to hire a large roster of full-time employees.  With the help of Virtual Gurus, tackling tasks and building a better foundation for your business to grow can become an easy and enjoyable process.

Virtual Gurus is a subscription-based talent marketplace of virtual assistant services for growing organizations. This includes businesses who need help with tasks to build and scale their business. Since there are no long-term commitments, it’s an affordable and flexible way to add team resources when you need them, with the option to scale back as needed.

With a range of services like social media management, website content creation, bookkeeping, as well as email management and much more, Virtual Gurus takes the work out of freeing up time. But dont just take it from us — see what this client has to say.

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Whether you’re creating an app, opening a brick-and-mortar store or scaling an existing business, you need to establish a strong infrastructure, build your online presence, and communicate effectively with your team to succeed. Leveraging powerful, yet affordable software tools will help your team work as productively and efficiently as possible, maximizing your chances of achieving your goals.