Do you feel like you’re constantly juggling tasks, trying to run a successful business and still have time for life outside of work? You’re not alone. In fact, a recent survey found that the majority of entrepreneurs say work-life balance is the biggest challenge they face. As part of your new year's resolution, you can overcome this hurdle with these four tech tools designed to help you work smarter (not harder), so you can meet your small business goals and still have time for you. Maybe you’ll even pick up a new hobby!
Digitize Your To-Do List
There’s nothing wrong with making a good ole daily to-do list for yourself, but if you have multiple team members and client projects with lots of moving pieces, it might be time to consider the switch to a project management system. Monday.com is a visual collaboration platform that helps transform the way teams work together. It’s a simple yet intuitive tool that enables people to manage work, meet deadlines and stay informed without the need for constant email updates on the status of individual tasks. Plans start at $39/month, or you can test it out for free.Delight Customers 24/7
Many small business owners have trouble disconnecting when they leave the office each day and may forward calls to their personal cell after hours, to ensure they are delighting their customers 24/7. Aside from the problems this can create with work-life balance, it will diminish the level of service you could provide while onsite. CallJoy's advanced phone tech means you can take a break and still never miss a call using a custom agent to professionally greet callers, answer common questions and send customers texts to take actions like making a reservation. Other features include flexible scheduling, call recording & transcripts and call insights that spot trends surrounding things like peak call times. You'll get all this for just $39/month or start with a free 14-day trial.Be Social
Since consumers often turn to a business’ social media pages whenever they are looking to get more information, read reviews and learn about specials, it’s crucial to post regularly. But some days, you just don’t have time to come up with an interesting topic for Instagram Stories or the perfect tweet. With Hootsuite, you can schedule all your content in advance and also track your performance to gain more insight into what resonates with your customers. Set up a free account or test out the professional version here.No employees? No problem!
Delegation is a common piece of advice for small business owners, but if you’re a solopreneur then you may not even consider it an option. And, while you won’t need help covering the phones now that CallJoy has you covered :), there are still some tasks (bookkeeping, IT support, etc.) where you may need assistance but finding the right person can be a job in itself. Never fear, Upwork has the answer to your delegation needs! As the largest online talent solution connecting businesses and skilled professionals, Upwork makes it easier and more cost-effective for businesses to find, hire, work with, and pay contractors directly through the site. The best part is that Upwork makes a profit by taking a percentage of the freelancer’s fee, so the service won’t cost you a dime.Whether you have a full-time staff, you work with contractors, or you’re doing it on your own, taking advantage of low-cost tech to increase your productivity is a smart move. Start by letting CallJoy handle the phones. You can thank us later.