Digital Tools for Small Business
Digital readiness is the process of using digital technologies to create new — or modify existing — business processes, culture, and customer experiences to meet changing business and market requirements.
We have collected tools to help you get started in these 6 major areas:
- CRM
- Accounting
- Order Management
- Digital Payments
- SEO Tools
- Cyber Security
CRM:
(Sources are from CRM.org)
What is CRM?
CRM stands for Customer relationship management. This is a process in which a business or other organization administers its interactions with customers, typically using data analysis to study large amounts of information.
A CRM gathers customer interactions across all channels in one place.Managing centralized data helps businesses improve customer experience, satisfaction, retention and service. CRM allows businesses of all sizes to drive growth and profits.
CRM TOOLS:
Monday
Fully-customized no-code CRM that centralizes your entire sales cycle.
Benchmark ONE
All-in-one CRM with easy to use email marketing automation.
ClickUp
All-in-one app including CRM for teams to collaborate, organize and grow.
Less Annoying CRM
A Simple SRM built just for small businesses and teams.
Capsule
CRM with low learning curve, targeting small businesses.
Accounting:
(Resources: business.org, smallbizgenius.net, and uschamber.com)
Staying on top of your bookkeeping doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. Consider using these software tools to streamline your finances.
Wave Accounting
Free for life. Automatic bank account syncing, expense tracking, and invoicing. Easy to use site.
Zoho
Free for life. Zoho has invoicing, client portal, time tracking, and project management. Has a lot of ads when you enter the site. Easy to use site and nice dashboard.
NCH Express Accounts
Free desktop scouting software for businesses with more than 5 employees or fewer. Software can help generate quotes, send invoices, and track expenses. Users should have basic to intermediate knowledge of systems to use this one.
GNU Cash
Free for life. Site is not as user friendly but can help with accounts receivable, accounts payable, and financial reporting.
Order Management:
(Resources: fitsmallbusiness, and sourceforce.net)
The best inventory management software, whether used on its own or with a point-of-sale (POS) system, should make it easy for businesses to track products, tools, and assets.
Monday
Fully-customized no-code CRM that centralizes your entire sales cycle.
Zoho
Free for life. Zoho has invoicing, client portal, time tracking, and project management. Has a lot of ads when you enter the site. Easy to use site and nice dashboard.
Boxstorm
Best for QuickBooks and ecommerce integrations. Easy to use website.
Sortly
Best for on-the-go inventory management for multiple locations. Has a free trial.
Odoo
This program costs $12/month. Odoo is a fully integrated, customizable, open-source software packed with hundreds of expertly designed business applications. Odoo’s intuitive database is able to meet a majority of business needs, such as: CRM, Sales, Project, Manufacturing, Inventory, and Accounting, just to name a few. Odoo is an all-in-one software solution designed to meet the needs of companies, regardless of their size (or budget).
Digital Payments:
Online payment solutions are essential for just about any type of business. Booking and making payments online is convenient for many consumers, so it’s important to make sure your business is keeping up with customer needs.
Mastercard
Square (space)
Square Digital Payments
Lightspeed
SEO Tools:
What is SEO? SEO stands for search engine optimization—the practice of increasing the quantity and quality of traffic to your website through organic search engine results. The ultimate goal of SEO for business is to generate organic traffic—searchers clicking through to your website from a search engine results page (SERP).
Sufer
Uber Suggest
Cyber Security Tools:
One of the most important components of being digitally literate is protecting your business from hackers. Small businesses account for 53% percent of cyber attacks. Energize Colorado Digital Readiness has partnered with the Cyber Readiness Institute to help protect your business. The program is free, easy to use, and offers practical solutions that will help address the human behaviors that make your business and employees vulnerable.
This online program includes three live sessions and a self-directed online curriculum. By the end of the short course, you’ll be better able to protect your business from cyber mayhem.
You can sign up for the program here.
General Technology Courses:
General Assembly is a pioneer in education and career transformation, specializing in today’s most in-demand skills. The leading source for training, staffing, and career transitions, we foster a flourishing community of professionals pursuing careers they love. Get ahead with expert-led training in coding, data, design, digital marketing, and more. OR Transform your workforce with intensive training, assessments, and an exclusive hiring pipeline.
Browse their course catalog here.
More Helpful Digital Tools:
| Software | CRM | Accounting | Order Management | SEO | Fee? | Colorado Base? | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odoo | X | X | X | $12 a month | Odoo is a fully integrated, customizable, open-source software packed with hundreds of expertly designed business applications. Odoo’s intuitive database is able to meet a majority of business needs, such as: CRM, Sales, Project, Manufacturing, Inventory, and Accounting, just to name a few. Odoo is an all-in-one software solution designed to meet the needs of companies, regardless of their size (or budget). | ||
| Monday.com | X | X | Free or can update. Price index | Fully-customized no-code CRM that centralizes your entire sales cycle. | |||
| Benchmark ONE | X | X | Free | All-in-one CRM with easy to use email marketing automation. | |||
| ClickUp | X | X | X | Free or can upgrade. Pricing index | All-in-one app including CRM for teams to collaborate, organize and grow. | ||
| Less Annoying CRM | X | Free 30 day trial then, $15 per user per month | A Simple SRM built just for small businesses and teams. | ||||
| Capsule | X | Free 30 day trail. Price index. | CRM with clean UI and low learning curve, targeting small businesses | ||||
| Wave Accounting | X | Free | Automatic bank account syncing, expense tracking, and invoicing. Easy to use site. | ||||
| Zoho | X | X | Free | Zoho has invoicing, client portal, time tracking, and project management. Has a lot of ads when you enter the site. Easy to use site and nice dashboard | |||
| NCH Express Accounts | X | Free w/ 5 employees or less. Price index | Free desktop scouting software for businesses with more than 5 employees or fewer. Software can help generate quotes, send invoices, and track expenses. Users should have basic to intermediate knowledge of systems to use this one. | ||||
| GNU Cash | X | X | X | Free, only takes donations | Free for life. Site is not as user friendly but can help with accounts receivable, accounts payable, and financial reporting. | ||
| Boxstorm | X | Free or can upgrade. Price index | Best for QuickBooks and ecommerce integrations. Easy to use website | ||||
| Sortly | X | Free or can upgrade. Price index | Best for on-the-go inventory management for multiple locations. Has a free trial. | ||||
| Surfer | X | X | Some free resources or can upgrade. Price index | Easy to use SEO tools for everything you use in your day to day including Google Docs, auditing and content planning. Easy to use website. | |||
| Ubersuggest | X | Free | Will assist with search engine optimization for Google, YouTube, and more! Review; “Add-on can be buggy.” | ||||
| Mastercard (MC) | X | X | X | X | Some free MC options but most products are outsourced | MC can assist with all small business needs. Check out their website or talk with a Mastercard rep for more on how you can utilize their services. | |
| Square Space | X | X | It provides software as a service for website building and hosting, and allows users to use pre-built website templates and drag-and-drop elements to create and modify webpages. Easy to use website. | ||||
| Answer The Public | X | X | Free | AnswerThePublic listens into autocomplete data from search engines like Google then quickly cranks out every useful phrase and question people are asking around your keyword. | |||
| SEO Analysis & Website Review | X | Free | All eyes on your website! Make sure your site is flawless for users and search engines alike—audit and fix all SEO issues now. | ||||
| Animalz Revive | X | X | Free | X | Animalz Revive helps authenticate, analyze and update your company website. Works with all Google accounts. |