Top 10 tools for business efficiency

All the trade secrets you need to save time and maximise ROI

Remember back to those first days of your business? Things were relatively quiet, and the fuel of creativity and possibility kept things focussed and moving forward.

But it doesn’t take long for processes, systems and clients to build up to the point where you need to rely on more than just a casual pen and paper to keep operations on track and on time. So if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by how to keep organised, or wondering which tools are actually worth it, here’s our top 10 tools to take your business to the next level:

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1. Tools for design and images

If you’re new to design, start with Canva. It’s a free and easy way to create professional looking graphics to suit whatever medium you need, from print to social media. It’s web-based, so you can design from anywhere you have a connection and a browser. But we all know images can be tricky to find, and when you do find a good one, chances are you’ll need to buy the licence that goes with it.

Here’s where Unsplash can help - high quality, downloadable, royalty-free images for use in whatever way you need, to help build your business’s visual identity.

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2. Tools for tracking time

If you’re working from home, or even if you’re working on several different projects at once and need to track your billable hours, we can’t go past the ‘Clock In’ or ‘Rescue Time’ apps. Whilst Clock In gives you versatility to input time for several jobs or ‘shifts’ at once, as well as a live ‘clocking in’ function, Rescue Time gives you tools to focus on balancing and prioritising your time.

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3. Tools for social scheduling

Hootsuite is a versatile system for social posting with multiple platform, scheduling, image editing and stock images access all available. Also try Sprout Social or Buffer for other social media scheduling and time-saving options. Or if Instagram is your thing, try a free account with Later.

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4. Tools for record keeping

ReceiptBank or Adobe Scan can be used to capture and store receipts on the go. To generate and track invoices, payments and client details, try Quickbooks or Xero, or utilise a free account at onlineinvoices.com.

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5. Tools for productivity

Have you got seven paper ‘to-do’ lists? Track tasks across all your devices with Microsoft To Do or Evernote.

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6. Tools for project management

For us, it’s Trello. But you can also collaborate with your team to keep track of projects, resources and deadlines through Slack, Zoho and even Evernote.

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7. Tools for storage and sharing

Keep all your images safe and in one place with automatic uploads to Google Photos. Use Google Drive or Dropbox to organise and share your files - and best of all, access and edit all your important stuff on the go, right from your phone.

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8. Tools for video editing

We know video is still king, so now is the time to start utilising this powerful social tool. If you’re new to the scene, try Spark Video or iMovie - intuitive, with a variety of neat editing features.

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9. Tools for a speedy device

Is your laptop on a go-slow? We feel your pain - try Cleanmymac every now and then to keep your computer fresh and fast!

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10. Tools for virtual meetings

This is really a matter of preference, but there are some great, free resources out there for team meetings. You can try Zoom (meetings up to 40 minutes are free), Skype (supports live subtitles, screen sharing and recording), or if you’re already a Google user, try Google Meet.

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11. Tools for looking after yourself

Yes, we know this is a list of the ‘Top 10’...but we needed ‘11’ to grab your attention! Looking after you needs to rate on this list. If this has made you realise nothing else, realise that looking after yourself is paramount to looking after your business.

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