There are many aspects to plan for when starting a new business venture, and the process can be overwhelming without proper planning or the right tools at your disposal. When starting out, one area in particular where many may need assistance is deciding what technologies or software to use in order to help run day-to-day business activities.
When it comes to business software and technology, you can perform a generic Internet search about the type of product you are looking for, but you run the risk of choosing a product that is not best suited for your type of business. Another option is to hire a consultant, but that can be very expensive, especially for a new business.
The following web-based online tools will alleviate this problem, by simplifying how you manage your business, while saving your money and freeing up your time, so you can concentrate on growing your business.
Wave accounting software
There are many accounting software available, but not many come close to what Wave accounting has to offer. Wave allows you to link bank accounts and credit cards, so it automatically syncs transactions by tracking your business expenses, without the need to manually enter expenses. Say goodbye to manual data entry and falling behind with your bookkeeping. The software even manages to save transactions in the correct expense categories. For instance, if you made a purchase at an Office Depot and a Shell Gas Station, Wave will recognize that these transactions belong to office supplies and transportation expense categories.
You can also create invoices from ready-made templates, customizable with your logo and brand. Wave makes invoicing customers simpler by allowing you to send invoices and collect payments by integrating a payment gateway right into the invoice. Your customers can simply click on button to make a payment and the funds are deposited into your account within two business days. How convenient is that? By the way, did I mention that Wave is free?
If you have employees, you can even manage payroll through Wave. However, payroll management is a premium upgrade and is not part of the free service. Nevertheless, it’s available to you if you need it for your business.
WordPress content management system
If you are starting a new business, chances are you are going to need to establish an online presence where customers can learn about you and the products and services you offer. This is where WordPress comes in.
WordPress is a content management system that allows you to easily create and manage blogs and websites. WordPress started out as a humble blogging platform but it has grown to be much more over the years, proving easy to get started with and versatile enough to scale as business grows. WordPress powers a wide variety of websites: ranging from small business websites to high-quality web applications and news sites serving millions of visitors per month.
WordPress is an open source product, which means that it’s free to use and is constantly being improved by contributing web developers from all around the world. There’s a self-hosted version of WordPress (WordPress.org) and a hosted version (WordPress.com) provided by Automattic, the company behind WordPress. The self-hosted version requires you to install it at a web server, so you will need to purchase space from a web hosting company, should you choose to go this route. Most web hosting companies offer one-click WordPress installation to make it easy to set up in no time.
What really makes WordPress unique are the themes and plugins. Themes are predesigned website templates you can install and edit to fit your needs. Plugins help you extend your WordPress site by enabling you to add advanced features and functionalities such as reservation systems, Search Engine Optimization and more.
Online tools conclusion
Both Wave and WordPress are great products to add to your business tool belt. The ease of use, time and money saved are compelling enough reasons to give them a try. They have helped me tremendously in my own business and I hope they do the same for you.
What other online tools do you use for your business? Feel free to share in the comments section below.
