Regardless of the industry, most startups face a common problem at some point - they lack funding. Whether it's for product development or for ongoing costs, when you're in an early phase of development, every penny needs to be wisely spent. This is especially true when it comes to using a variety of tools needed for different aspects of running a business. If you use lots of tools, the total monthly subscription fees can quickly make a big dent in your wallet. Luckily, there's an abundance of free web-based tools that can assist you in growing your business. The only challenge now is finding the best ones. This is why I’ve come up with a list of 5 absolutely free or apps with great free plans we use on a daily basis.
Trello for Project Management
Tracking what you and your team does sounds extremely simple. But, when you're involved in multiple projects and working with different teams at the same time, the collaboration will be put to an ultimate test. Trello is a great Kanban project management tool that can be used for any segment of your business. Start by creating boards for each project and invite your team members to join. As you break down your project into smaller tasks, create cards(similar to sticky notes) and assign them to the right team member. Set the alerts, due dates and simply monitor the progress.
Slack for Effective Communication
Do you need to juggle between emails and different chats in order to communicate and share files with your team? If so, you know how easy you can make a mistake. Not only are you wasting time, you can also lose important files. This is where Slack should step in. There are 3 ways to communicate within the app: Direct Messages, Public and Private Channels. Create as many channels as you need and add your team members. Chat and share your files, text or code snippets with an ease and at a single place.
Dropbox for File Sharing
Even though you can exchange files on Slack, you're unable to share files larger than 1GB. So, unless you wish to see your team running around the office with a USB stick, you need a handy cloud storage service. Dropbox is simple, safe and really easy to use. Begin organizing your cloud space into folders, then upload your files and share them with your team. Once on the cloud, you'll be able to view them from any device connected to the Internet.
Clockify for Productivity and Time Management
When it comes to productivity, many entrepreneurs believe they don't have enough time. The truth is you don't need more time - you just need to use it smarter. To increase your team's productivity, use a free time tracking app like Clockify. Once you create an account, you can manage unlimited workspaces, projects, tasks and teams with a single click. Download reports with billable and non-billable time entries to see where your team allocated the most time. With this powerful app, you can control your costs and send professional looking invoices to your clients.
HootSuite for Social Media Publishing
Social media marketing can help validate your product. This is, of course, easier said than done, especially when you're running a new business. Start humble and get your audience familiar with your services or products. HootSuite will help take the dreariness from scheduling your posts. Connect your social media profiles and schedule up to 30 posts in advance from any device. If you keep your social media profiles active and filled with relevant, engaging content you'll see your audience increasing.
DigitalOcto for Creating Graphics
Captivating images are the core of every lucrative social media game plan. Without extraordinary imagery, striving and growing in the marketing and social media world is difficult, almost impossible.
DigitalOcto is a remarkably simple online platform for graphic design. It doesn’t require any design skills. DigitalOcto’s library of more than 1500 pre-made design templates helps users compose social media visuals that spark conversations and maximize the organic ROI of the content. Systematically – day after day!
Takeaway
It's simple. Automating any part of your workload will boost your team's productivity. Once you start to discover the benefits of simplifying your work, you're bound to discover numerous ways to improve your team's collaboration. You'll see which areas you can improve and what impact will it have on your organization. My advice is to stick with free options, at least in the beginning when every dollar needs to be spent wisely. Focus on saving money and countless hours and invest your resources into developing a long-lasting business.