Whether you’re starting a business, or you’re already in business, it’s natural that you’ll need tools, systems and resources to support it. This means investing in new software and, or, programs so you can accomplish your goals. The problem is you may not only be investing in these tools but, you’re most likely investing in some that takes up unnecessary time, instead of supporting you and your business. Fear not, this post will cover, how to choose tools to support your business, so you get the most value out of them.
As an online entrepreneur, your business is as good as your tools. Appsumo.
Be Diligent With Your Choices
It’s tempting to reach for a service or product with all the bells and whistles. For instance, you’ve established that to grow your business, you need a reliable email marketing and automation system that will enable you to build your list, keep customer contact details organized and support you to communicate, nurture and manage those relationships.
While there’re umpteen companies with fabulous software, many are advanced and comes with a steep learning curve. Hence, it’s better to choose one that meets your current needs and gets the job done.
Let’s say you’re starting out in your business, or you already have one and list-building is now a priority, don’t invest in a software beyond the basic features you need at that moment in time. You’ll essentially pay for other features you’re not ready to use. However, as your business grows, you can migrate and uplevel.
Aweber.com is a great choice, for example. Your first 500 subscribers are free, there’s an affordable price thereafter, and their easy to use drag and drop templates makes engaging with your audience a no stress experience.
Use Free Trials
Almost every software or program company offers a free trial. Some offer 30-days free trials, while others offer less. Decide which time frame will work for you. Maybe you want to get things moving quickly and so to establish if your chosen software is for you, a 7 or 14-day trial would be your best choice. If, however, you have a hectic lifestyle, thirty days may be best suited, as you could allocate short burst of time to focus on the learning curve beforing making a commitment.
Training Options
Some companies offer free in-depth training, as well as a dedicated customer-service team. But, others may not have as many resources. Aweber, for instance, has a knowledge base, along with training videos. In addition, if you’re stuck on what to write to your subscribers, click here, or the image below to get a Free Guide on how to ‘Craft the perfect email,’ plus 45+ fill-in-the-blank email templates and learn how to write great emails.
Test A Few Tools
You don’t have to use the first tool you come across, neither do you have to force yourself to like a software simply because it may have been recommended. If it isn’t the right fit for you, move on and test another.
You can find many others by doing a Google search. Here’s a snazzy search tip. Type “[software name] + alternatives” without quotation marks. This will bring up a list of competitors and products that could better fit your needs.
Evaluate Your Options
Once you’ve had a chance to test-drive a few different tools, you’ll need to make a purchasing decision. It can be helpful to ask yourself the following four questions to help with your decision:
- Which tool did I find easiest to use?
- Are any of the tools lacking a feature that’s critical to my business?
- How do I feel about the company’s customer support?
- Will I need to hire a coach, or buy a course to get the most of out of the tool?
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Investing in tools, systems and other resources to grow your business can be challenging. But, don’t settle for any that doesn’t suit your purpose. Keep searching for alternatives until you find the one that works best for your business.
Remember, you can also outsource technical tasks, though it’s recommended that you have an overview of how things work in your business.
© Cherry-Ann Carew
Cherry-Ann Carew is an Online Business Coach, who supports emerging business owners simplify their start-up journey and helps existing businesses scale to the next level, so that they can earn uncapped income and live life on their terms.
Too much choice makes the decision difficult, right?
Sometimes what makes it easier for me is just to go for a vendor or platform that feels “right”. Not too many popups and aggressive offers, the free trail is really free and doesn’t require your credit card info, etc.
Last month I was looking for a “snowfall” feature for a video. I ended up using a crappy one that was free because investing 150 Euro (=$ 171) for a professional one that I could not test, seemed too much if I was only going to use it once. (These videos are for fun only, so no ROI)
Right! Testing things out before committing saves a whole lot of stress down the line.
Good recommendations. Good to emphasize tools of the trade, and streamline them for individual needs and services.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Kathleen:)
Great advice for new or existing businesses. I owned an interior decorating business for over 50 years before retiring in 2018. I was also big on free trials before making a purchase, that can save a lot of dollars and unneeded programs.
That, in my opinion, is the safest route to go. With the array of tools available, there’s no reason to complicate things and incur unnecessary costs.
Create a reading for new blog like myself. Thanks for sharing
Pleasure. Thanks for R&C.