4 Great Tools To Help You Get Started In Your Business

by Tiffany Matthews

Every start up business needs all the help it can get. With a only a handful of people juggling multiple tasks, it can be utter pandemonium. In this scenario, it can be tricky to figure out what needs to be done first and what can be done at a later date.

And if you’re starting out small with only yourself or a small pool of people, then you need some online tools to make your lives a little easier and a little less chaotic.

1. Basecamp.

One of the more popular project management applications around, this tool is crucial especially when you have a project that involves multiple clients and team members. It will help keep everyone up to date on the latest progress with the project. If you’re not sure about this online tool yet, you can avail of its 60-day trial so you can test the waters and explore its many features. Should you decide to continue using it beyond the trial period, monthly fees start at 20$ per month and gradually increases the more projects and file storage are added.

FreshBooks.

One of the challenges in start up businesses especially when you’re in a freelancing business, is keeping track of invoices. Fresh Books offers you a better way to bill your clients. As most transactions are made online, this cloud-based application will help you in creating and managing not only invoices but also expenses as well as projects and estimates. If you want to test it, there is a 30-day trial version available after which you can browse through a range of paid packages and select the one that suits your needs best.

Toogl.

“Insanely simple time tracking” is a tagline that Toggl stands by and it succeeds in heaps and bounds. If you are the type of worker who charges by the hour, it’s best to know how long a certain task takes you to finish. Just one click gets you started and once you start tracking your time, you’ll be able to determine which tasks would take you the longest time and which take the shortest. Knowing this will help you in managing your time and creating estimates in the duration of a particular project. With the hours you spent on client work, Toggl will also help you generate a report with the breakdown of tasks you did for the day and how much time was spent on each. For only $5 a month, you can already avail of the full features of this time tracking application, including the 30-day trial period.

Polycom.

Client communication is very important especially if distance is an issue and you’re collaborating on a project. A video conference system like Polycom is crucial not only for project meetings but also for sales and product development meetings. It bridges the distance of those working in far flung locations through its immersive experience, allowing you to communicate with remote participants through life-size HD video coupled with crystal-clear HD audio. That feeling is akin to being in the same room with the people you are talking to instead of being miles apart. If you’re interested to see what this application is truly capable of, you can download its free 30-day trial version.

Tiffany Matthews is a professional writer with over 5 years of writing experience. She also blogs about travel, fashion, and anything under the sun at wordbaristas.com, a group blog that she shares with her good friends. In her free time, she likes to travel, read books, and watch movies. You can find her on Twitter as @TiffyCat87.