Recommended Small Biz Tools

Starting up a small business and then running the damn thing with smarts and efficiency is no easy feat. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, not really sure what to do next, or where to go for the best information, I’m with ya! I’ve been in your shoes, and I’ve done a TON of online research, as well as a bunch of different e-courses, all to help bolster my biz and get it where it is today. I can recommend the following resources from first-hand experience, and hope that they will help to lessen your burden in getting that small business of yours rocking

Please note that that some of the products below contain affiliate links that will earn me commissions. But this is not some douchy internet marketing scam thing. I stand behind all of these products, as I have used them myself and wholeheartedly recommend the truly awesome people that are behind them. I would never suggest anything that I didn’t believe could help improve your small business. When you buy through one of my links, you’re helping to support the free content I produce here (which is very much appreciated!). If you have any questions at all about this, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Email Marketing

Aweber is the email marketing system used by top online marketing gurus. Why? It has the same features as the other email options out there, but it stands out in one key regard. Deliverability. The emails you send will get to your recipients. Period. I find emails from other providers will sometimes find their way into my junk folder. Even for email newsletters I’ve been getting for ages. Try aWeber out today!
Mail Chimp is another good email marketing option. If you are on a really tight budget, and have a list less than 500 subscribers, Mail Chimp is free! Over 500, you’re looking at pretty much the same cost as Aweber.

Small Business Websites

Many small business start with do-it-yourself website options (at least at the start – getting a customized website designed is always the ideal solution). Here are some resources to make biting that off just a little easier (or in some cases WAY easier!):

If you DON’T want to try your hand at building your own website, get a simple WordPress site built for you for only $195 USD. You’ll be using hands down the most popular content management system there is, allowing you to easily manage all your content updates. When you’re ready for more customization and something a little fancier, any web designer can jazz things up for you in the future, without having to create a new site. You’ll get 5 pages, plugins, all the techie set-up including getting your site live on the web. Plus a video tutorial on how to use the WordPress system. The most inexpensive option I have seen for getting a site up without doing it yourself. Check it out here.
If you lack techie skills and want a simple website building option that allows for easy customization, Squarespace is a good small business option. At $15/month, it’s cost effective and there’s plenty of support in the online forums.
If you want to jazz up your WordPress based site so that it doesn’t look cookie cutter, here are some theme options: WooThemes (super easy), StudioPress (awesome SEO) and Thesis (the ability to do tons of customization, without developer skills, amen!). For this site I am using the Thesis theme.

E-commerce

If you have pretty simple e-commerce needs with only a few products or services for sale, E-Junkie is a great option for small businesses. Starting at only $5 per month, it’s very affordable and offers a wide variety of options. The ability to create discount codes is what got me ~ I use e-junkie for my internet marketing packages.

PayPal is another option for setting up buy buttons on your website if you have light e-commerce needs.

Online monitoring

There is absolutely no excuse for not having Google Analytics on your website. It’s FREE, will take you or your web guy/gal no time at all to implement, and the insight and information you get are pure gold. And even if you have no intention of looking at your analytics reports, PLEASE set it up anyways. That way it can merrily gather data until you are ready to use it (and trust me, one day you or someone you hire is gonna want it).
Google Alerts is a great, FREE marketing service that alerts you to online activity surrounding keywords. See more details about how this marketing tool can work for you.

Social media management

Hootsuite is my tool of choice. So easy to use and helps you make Twitter so much more efficient for your small business. Did I mention it’s FREE?

Online security

Are you backing up your computer? Doing so protects you in the event that your computer crashes. You can either use an external hard drive, or use an online solution. I personally use Mozy Online Backup and have been very happy with the service. DropBox is another good option.

Small business branding

An important consideration when it comes to either branding your business or a new product is trademarking. Usually, small business owners opt for either doing a quick Google search (free, but very incomplete) or paying a lawyer (super expensive) to do their trademark research. TrademarkIntel™ is a nice middle ground. It’s an online software that allows you to do a very thorough trademark clearance research, for way less than you would pay a lawyer.

Small business books

A new take on successful product (or service) launches. Eric Ries teaches you how to make better, faster business decisions. It’s a principled approach to developing a new product that’s different from the methods usually employed and advocated in product launches. It all comes down to figuring out what your customers want and what provides value to them. Get the book here.

Diversifying your income

If you’ve considered adding some affiliate arsenal to your tool belt, but don’t have a clue where to start, Corbett Barr’s Affiliate Marketing for Beginners is for you. This course will teach you all about building your own mini-site, with tons of useful lessons along the way including killer SEO knowledge.