admin The by-gone decade has witnessed a meteoric rise of startups across the different dimensions of the business world. This new year marking the beginning of a new decade, will surely be a testament to the same trend. Moreover, this trend is expected to further augment in the upcoming days. However, commencing operations at a startup is not a cake walk. The task of building a firm from its very foundation can be a daunting task. Thankfully we live in a digitized world, where various automated, AI-enabled applications have emerged to guide startups to their much deserved glory. Seven such applications have been highlight below.
Holistic Productivity Suites
The first and foremost application requirement is in the domain of maintaining the productivity of the startup. A holistic productivity suite is the best choice within this arena. Apart from the existing industry stalwarts like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, Open Office is also a good open-source software suite option available for emerging startups. As a free platform, it may be well-suited to the needs of a startup. The platform helps firms in word processing, preparation of presentations, spreadsheets, as well as curating databases and a graphics gallery. Dropbox is also a potent file storage option available in this very arena.
Managing Customer Relationships like a Pro
A CRM app is a crucial platform for managing a nascent firm’s customer relations. It is a cloud-based software that allows startups to organize and analyze leads, track communication with clients, manage their sales pipelines, and achieve much more. A CRM app is seminal to effectively allocate tasks to the team. The CRM category is overflowing with pertinent options like Hubspot, Nimble, and Capsule. Hubspot is a free application and may be best suited for startups as it allows them to enjoy the effectiveness of the platform without burning a hole in their pockets. However, Nimble and Capsule are also cost-effective alternatives that offer quite competitive features at lucrative price points. The choice in this section will be ultimately guided by the individual preferences of startups.
Tracking Growth Effectively
Growth tracking is an important part of the business model for any emerging startup. Growth tracking apps are essential in facilitating social sharing and lead generation. They help increase the reach of your business. Applications like Sumo and Sharethis are formidable choices within this domain. It allows the user to create a live chatting option as well as facilitate data capture with the ‘welcome mats’ feature.
Keyword Research Tool
An SEO tools is essential to create a thriving startup. Maintaining a competitive rank among the search engine ratings is crucial to ensure the growth and visibility of the startup. This relates to the need for publishing content that is imbued with certain key words and phrases. Keyword research aids startups access their rankings and understand the areas that require improvement. Applications like Ahrefs, Moz, and others are good choices for startups. They offer competitive analytical features and allow the user to improve their SEO rankings.
The Email Marketing Genie
Digital transformation has been embraced by all sectors of the business world. The marketing domain has also been long digitized. The long-term success of a firm depends on the extent of the marketing investments undertaken by the firm. An email marketing tool is simply indispensable in such a scenario. It helps curate a detailed and analytically accurate mailing list that is algorithmically optimized. Email marketing apps allow the startups to maximize their visibility and popularize their services by capturing email addresses through their websites, creating captivating newsletters, automating communications, etc. Getresponse is an ideal match for startups as it is both reliable as well as cost-effective. This app allows the user to track email marketing strategies and optimize the scale and efficacy of the digital marketing model.
Ensuring Financial Prudence
Startups are especially concerned with the optimal management of their finances. In the natal stages of establishing a brand, managing finances can be quite unnerving. Thus, applications that simplify these woes are a personal favorite among startups. Cloud accounting apps like Xero and Quickbooks are seminal in giving firms a bird’s eye view of their finances and accounts. Raising branded invoices, provision of an in-depth analysis of the bank statement, tax filing, and detail report provision are facilitated by these applications.
Social Media Management
As the realm of social media marketing has reached unparalleled growth levels, it is absolutely potent for startups to focus on their social media presence and manage their online accounts accurately and effectively to maximize profits. Content posting on various social media platforms can be an arduous task. However, thankfully there are applications that simplify the process for such startups. All-inclusive social media management platforms like Hootsuite and Buffer are invaluable additions to the list of necessary apps for startups. With an integrated dashboard, Hootsuite provides startups with a one-stop-platform to regulate posting on multiple social media channels. These applications allow firms to track their social media campaign performance as well as improve communication through such modalities.
Building a strong foundational base is critical for any startup. In this rapidly digitizing world, maintaining a formidable stronghold is difficult. However, embracing this technological revolution comes with its own set of boons. Applications that cater to the varied needs of startups have alleviated much of the issues associated with managing the operations of startups effectively. The aforementioned apps help simplify the world of business for startups.
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