In the face of an ongoing global health crisis most businesses are not safe. However, if there is a sector that is being hit the hardest it is small businesses. With more than 100,000 small businesses in the US permanently closing due to the pandemic, it is all the more important for all of us to ‘Support Small Businesses’. After all, small businesses are found to pump more money back to their local economies compared to major retailers and national chains.
If you are one of those small business owners who are struggling to cope with the economic effects of the pandemic, taking your business online (if you haven’t done so yet) may be the way to go. As Small Business Trends noted, doing so will not only help drive your sales up and enable you to stay competitive but also allow you to tap into greater markets and gather valuable customer data. Of course, shifting to the digital space is easier said than done. Fortunately, with the right apps at your disposal, this important transition can be seamless.
FreshBooks – An online accounting app
As a small business owner, it is highly likely that you are also managing your business finances yourself. To make this tedious task a whole lot easier, consider downloading Freshbooks. Considered as the best accounting software app by TechRadar, FreshBooks offers plenty of features in a straightforward interface that’s easy for non-accountants to make sense of. Such features include invoicing, expense tracking, time tracking, business reports, and even an option to take credit card payments. Since FreshBooks is a cloud-base accounting service, you can access and use the system from all of your connected devices and no longer worry about backups.
Box – A file transfer app
For retailers, freelance graphic designers, or video editors, sending large files online can be a challenge. E-mails often come with attachment limitations and can quickly get lost in the shuffle. Box simplifies this process through multi-platform integration, allowing large files to be easily shared between your devices. You can also save yourself from worries related to cybersecurity since Box comes with customizable permission levels, expiration dates, data encryption and optional password protection. Just like FreshBooks, Box is also cloud-based. This means you’ll never lose content if a device is lost or damaged.
Vimeo Create – A professional video platform
With millions of people stuck at home with no other way to connect to the world but through their devices, online marketing and advertising strategies are growing more and more important by the day. As a small business owner, the best way you can cash in on this trend is by making your own content. Vimeo Create has several creative video tools that are perfect for small business owners who want to make videos for social media and marketing platforms. The app allows users to utilize templates designed by professionals, making video creation easy even for beginners.
Maintaining a business is hard. Keeping it afloat in the midst of a global crisis is even harder. Fortunately, small business owners can rely on a lot of applications that can help make business management easier, improve sales and extend their reach.