5 Essential Tools for Businesses to Thrive

Doing business in 2023 is both easier and harder than a few decades ago. Internet technologies opened the door to a more global and connected market, with e-commerce platforms eliminating the need for costly physical shops. Simultaneously, competition nowadays is fierce, with 48.8% of new businesses failing, according to Shopify data.

Financial mismanagement, inadequate research, and weak marketing are often quoted as the main reasons for closure. We can also add cybersecurity to the list, as global cyberattack volume increased by 38%, frequently aimed at small-to-medium businesses (SMBs).

As a business owner, there are specific things you should prepare that could set your enterprise on a successful path. Picking the right tools is one of the most critical choices you’ll make, and we want to help by providing 5 essential tools for business longevity.

Let’s jump right into the conversion rate and brand representation. There are nearly five billion social media users worldwide, and you won’t find a bigger channel than that. You can expect a 2-5% CR if you carry out a social media marketing campaign efficiently, and it’s much easier with helpful tools at your disposal.

Such tools will assist you with post-scheduling, multiple account management, content optimization, and sentiment monitoring. For example, some people will not see your posts during rush hours or late at night due to different time zones. You can schedule automatic posts that would align with their daytime.

When picking the correct social media management tool, ensure it integrates well with your main platforms, like Facebook, Reddit, Instagram, etc. Managing all your social networks in one comfy app will save you time and help you avoid routine mistakes. Automatic and scheduled posting and a visual content calendar are great advantages.

Remember, sometimes you may need multiple social network accounts, which often goes against the network’s rules. That’s when you need proxies, our second recommendation!

The World Wide Web is an endless repository of data. The Internet is so saturated with information that getting it is the real challenge. Simultaneously, you can expose confidential business secrets online if you don’t protect them.

Proxies address both of these issues. A proxy server is a third-party server that handles online communication instead of your device. It’s essential for multiple social media account management because each proxy server assigns you a new IP address. Social networks often ban accounts from the same IP they deem clandestine or duplicated.

Proxies bypass such limitations. For example, you can order several static residential proxy IPs and assign them to specific social media accounts. They will use the assigned IP instead of yours, avoiding detection.

Moreover, proxies are essential for data scraping. Companies that implement data-driven decisions do better than their counterparts. Instead of gathering such information manually (which eats up a lot of time and resources), you can automate the task using data scrapers.

This software crawls the web collecting required information. It can gather commodity prices, service reviews, online sentiment, product release dates, etc. Data scrapers use proxies to anonymize this process and bypass online imitations, like geo-blocks and CAPTCHAs.

CRMs are practically unavoidable when beginning to scale your business. Once you have thousands of customers, keeping track of them takes more than a notebook. CRMs are a part of the vast majority of businesses, assisting in customer data analysis, email management, client communication, sales, retention, and more.

CRMs are especially handy when managing Big Data. Don’t name a mistake like the notoriously failed FTX crypto exchange by sharing invoices over Slack. Each transaction must be properly documented, and if you’re too big to use QuickBooks, introduce a more sophisticated CRM that can handle larger volumes.

When picking the right CRM tools, first identify your business needs. You may need a tool to organize customer data or require help converting impressions into clicks. Different tools can assist you with lead generation, data visualization, email marketing automation, and team management.

Because CRM tools handle so much confidential data, ensuring their security is essential. Use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication whenever possible, and don’t skip the next chapter to learn about business security!

Over the last decade, cybersecurity transformed from some niche term to a widely discussed topic during C-suit meetings. Forbes reports that we see an increase in cyberattacks in nearly all sectors. Ransomware attacks are particularly dangerous, targeting small enterprises and governmental institutions alike.

It’s a common misperception to think cyber criminals attack only big fish. In reality, hackers choose any target that can yield monetary returns, whether cash or valuable information. Furthermore, online cybercrime guides and easy-to-use hacking software attract inexperienced criminals that prioritize smaller targets expecting little resistance.

Governmental regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) oblige businesses to protect customer data or face large fines. Although it’s best to consult a lawyer, there are tools you can use right now to adhere to such rules and secure your business devices at the same time.

Firstly, ensure that all confidential information is stored in an encrypted form. The worst part of a data leak is storing information in plain text, immediately accessible to criminals. The infamous Marriott hotel leak illustrates the importance of data encryption. You can use various file encryption tools to store such data securely or use a third-party Cloud storage service to do it for you.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is the number one go-to software if your employees prefer remote work. A VPN will protect employee devices from online surveillance and Man-in-the-middle attacks commonly used to steal confidential business data. It’s best to ensure your employees use a VPN whenever they work over public Wi-Fi or any other unprotected network.

Other essential cybersecurity software includes an Antivirus, a business password manager, Firewall, Network security monitoring tools, and real-time response systems. But it’s always best to hire a dedicated cybersecurity professional.

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which secures you that sweet spot in the first Google SERP. You can pay huge amounts for ads and sponsored spots, but they cannot assure you a healthy CTR and revenue. SEO, on the other hand, can drive steady organic traffic without costing a fortune.

For example, the first organic spot enjoys a 39.8% CTR, going down to 7.4% on the fourth. According to this data, Internet users most often skip paid positions, so it’s imperative to know exactly when you’re ordering those.

SEO is an effective way to optimize your website to drive steady organic traffic. Numerous SEO tools help you extract global keywords and their volumes and inspect competitor websites to reveal their success strategy. 

These tools can identify your website’s weak spots, such as slow loading speed, bad external links, insufficient inner links and keywords, unstructured content, headings, etc. 

SEO teams work closely with marketing and content generation departments, boosting performance. They maximize content exposure, ensuring it gets placed as high on Google pages as possible. Furthermore, using global keywords helps you navigate the worldwide market and expand.

There are so many different business tools it can make your head spin. Ultimately, they must fit your business strategy and optimize its weakest parts. However, we picked a few tools that will most likely apply to all.

Design tools help build a website. 71% of small businesses operate a website, with more to come. People rely much more on online reviews and opinions, which you can use to your advantage. An exceptional website will help your brand grow, and having an informative blog is a great retention tool for bringing customers back to your online shop.

Many businesses struggle with productivity. You can help your employees by introducing time management tools. They will help schedule tasks, avoid distractions, take more effective breaks, and monitor productivity. Employees can identify and work on their weaknesses, and you’ll notice your company runs like a well-oiled clock.

Lastly, AI-powered technologies are likely to change business as we know it. The renowned ChatGPT can write code and coherent articles, although with much-needed supervision. However, you can use such tools to generate ideas, translate content into foreign languages, and conduct research.

For example, most people still use Google as their primary search engine. But did you know that Microsoft’s Bing now has an AI-powered Chat function? It provides more in-depth narrow answers, particularly useful for content writers. However, do not take AI tools for granted, as they are in their first stages of commercial use – all information must be verified by a human.

As you can see, staying ahead of the competition heavily relies on relevant tools. You will soon notice that most of them are user-friendly but offer advanced features once you master them.

Automating specific processes will save you time and resources, and using adequate cybersecurity software will prevent unnecessary troubles. Lastly, cutting-edge tech like AI-powered tools will likely become viral, and it’s best to learn their intricacies to remain competitive in the foreseeable future.