When you’re a small business owner, you have two goals: make money and save money. How you do that is by keeping your customers happy, engaged, and ready to buy again. Our guide takes a look at a few tools brought to you by the age of technology that can do this without jeopardizing your payroll.
E-signing PDF contracts
When it comes to technology that protects your day-to-day operations, it doesn’t get much more secure than documents you can e-sign. E-signing contracts offers the convenience of digitally signing and filling out PDF forms online, eliminating the need to print documents, saving time and resources. Additionally, it enables the secure sharing of signed PDF files, streamlining the contract approval process and reducing paperwork. You can find out how to create a digital signature and streamline your PDF document-signing process by checking out Adobe’s guide and accompanying tool.
Customer data platform
Gone are the days when you had to evaluate a person’s intention based on their actions in your brick-and-mortar store. Today, there are platforms that let you get a wide view of your customers so that you can best anticipate what they need and how to bring custom marketing directly to their smartphones, computers, or devices. There are many customer data platform offerings that provide instant info and updated insights in a safe and secure environment.
Time-saving tasks
What’s your most valuable asset? While your employees and customers probably fall into the top two, time rounds out this trifecta. You must save as much of your precious time as you can so that you can focus on your other two priorities. A few ways that you can do this are to ensure you are using calendars, coming in early before the distractions start pouring in, and making sure that your business structure is set up to reduce your paperwork load. For the latter, form an LLC, which you can do online without the expense of an attorney.
Online appointment scheduling
If you are in an office where it’s not always easy to answer the phone, like a salon or a busy doctor's office, then you need an online appointment scheduling program. G2.com explains that online appointments are quicker and easier to make than by phone. They are convenient, and with the right technology on your site, these appointments can be automatically added to your clients’ calendars, which will reduce missed appointments.
Cloud storage
There are a few pieces of technology that are as affordable and useful as cloud storage services. You can even find free options through Google. These allow you to keep important documents on the web (safely and securely) so that you can access your files anytime and from anywhere. If you’re not familiar with cloud storage, you can read more about its pros and cons before making a decision.
Social media
No mention of products and services that benefit your business would be complete without talking about social media. Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms allow you to share your stories, ask for feedback, and even host fun contests that get your customers talking. This sort of technology is essential in today’s digital world.
The average entrepreneur pays themselves around $60,640 per year according to Patriot Software. This can squeeze a business budget to the bone. Fortunately, there are ways to save money, generate more revenue, and create happy customers that will come back again and again. From utilizing PDF e-signing tools to better understanding your customers to saving everyone time and offering convenience, all of these tips can boost your business, even on a tight budget.
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