Being a successful entrepreneur isn’t just about pushing the right idea to the right market – it’s about the systems you put in place to make it possible.
Having the right tools in place is what ultimately sets successful businesses apart from the rest. Here are the top eight tools entrepreneurs and startups need for 2020 and beyond.
eFax
It’s hard to believe, but a lot of important regulatory and governing bodies still use faxes to share information. Bridge the gap between traditional business and modern practices with eFax.
This tool will allow you to fax from your computer without phone line hook-ups, which is ideal in a modern world. With this program, you’ll be able to review important information on the go.
Buffer
Social media posting and planning can take up a lot of time. As many entrepreneurs and startups lack the resources to have a full-time social media manager in place, using a powerful scheduling tool is essential.
Buffer is a social planning tool with a user-friendly interface and a scalable pricing option. Even at the basic level, it will let you look at your high-level analytics and plan posts ahead of time so you can stay relevant while focusing your energy on revenue-enhancing tasks.
ClickUp
ClickUp is a cloud-based project management tool that offers a simple interface and easy-to-learn system. This tool can be used for solo entrepreneurs who need to stay organized or large remote teams working from all over the world.
What sets ClickUp apart from the competition is its unique funnel-based hierarchy. This feature allows project managers and entrepreneurs to ensure people know what they need to only what they need to know without elaborate privacy hurdles or separate systems.
ConvertKit
ConvertKit is one of many email CRM platforms on the market. The benefits of this particular system are the comprehensive landing pages, ease of setting up automated flows, and robust customer support. With these features, entrepreneurs can do the heavy lifting upfront and let their email flow handle the rest automatically.
As ConvertKit is a streamlined system, it’s useful for entrepreneurs and startups who want to get moving without all the bells and whistles. The emails are clean and straightforward, which can cut through the noise of the modern competitive landscape.
Ahrefs
In 2020 and beyond, SEO will still be the king when it comes to content. Ahrefs is a robust tool that assists with building backlinks, keyword research, and measuring opportunities against the competition.
The depth of Ahrefs is often a blessing and a curse for entrepreneurs and startups who are new to the world of SEO. It captures so much data that it can be overwhelming. However, the program has a great support system and keeps its own content updated with helpful articles about using their platform.
Buzzsumo
Buzzsumo is nothing new in the world of marketing a startup or small business. However, 2020 will see a resurgence in this tool as people become overwhelmed by thoughts of what they should be posting to stay relevant.
Buzzsumo cuts through the data-heavy SEO jargon used by programs like Ahrefs. For new businesses, using this tool can be a great starting point for seeing what’s popular in the world of content and how to compete today.
Grammarly
Whether you’re writing guest posts or just email pitches, Grammarly is a must-have tool in 2020 and beyond. This evolution of spellcheck uses AI to take an in-depth look at your writing.
Yes, it evaluates your spelling. However, it also acts as a thesaurus and mentor, telling you which word would work better, the average reading level of your content, whether or not it will be flagged for plagiarism, and how to adjust your verbiage to achieve the tone you desire.
Zoom
Zoom is a video conferencing tool with multiple functions in the startup world. From virtual meetings to hosting live events across various channels, Zoom is one of the top-rated video messaging services based on performance and versatility.
You can use the free version of Zoom to host meetings via your personal meeting room. It can be integrated with various streaming services so that you can reach a broader audience and repurpose your content. You can even record your meetings to revisit and edit later.
These eight tools are the foundation of a successful startup. Having these will put your small business on the map, and allow you to compete with other companies on a global scale.
