Starting a business might be challenging as most entrepreneurs can’t deploy top-notch marketing team and tools but at the same time needs to compete with an already established firm.

Fortunately, some tools can help you get off the ground by putting your business on the right track at no or less cost.

Finding the right tools and a solid team can make you scale heights as an entrepreneur. The right tools will make you build your brand, increase productivity, and provide the best customer experience. How you leverage these tools will determine the success or failure of your business.

Many tools online can help you start your business, and these tools are categorized according to their performance. This guide will look at some categories: email marketing tools, social media marketing tools, SEO tools, content marketing tools, and project and employee management tools.

Social media marketing tools

Social media platforms have gained dominance in recent years as more people take a lot of their time on these platforms. Entrepreneurs have leveraged the use of social media platforms to promote their brands. As a startup, you can also do the same.

Promote your brand on social media before or on the day of the launch of your startup. Social media platforms are many, making it challenging to decide which one to use. For the best exposure of your brand, you can try using tools like Buffer, Hootsuite, Social Rank, etc.

You can also use your social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to market your brand further.

Email marketing

Email marketing is vital to the success of your startup as it is one of the best yours to market your business. There are many email market tools; some are free, and some are paid for.

These email market tools play a crucial role in your startup as they help optimize, set up, and automate your emails. Email marketing tools include Mailchimp, Sendgrid, Zapier, ActiveCampaign, Gsuite, etc.

Human resource tools

HR handles a variety of tasks so do the HR tools. For example; UK HR software can help startups with administrative tasks like managing timesheets, evaluating employee performance, testing candidates during interviews, etc.

Before you pick the best HR tool for your startup, have a detailed plan and evaluate what you need most. Here are some HR tools to incorporate into your startup; kissflow HR cloud, Zoho people, Breezy HR, ADP, etc.

SEO tools

For your startup to be visible and get attention in the online space, you need to be a friend of search engines. Search engine optimization will help you grow your business organically, thus increasing your startup’s chances of being profitable and successful. With SEO, you can optimize your website and content for easy recognition by Google or other search engines.

There are many SEO tools to get you going; they are Google Analytics, Hubspot, RankRanger, Moz, Ahrefs, Raven, SEMrush, etc.

Employee and project management tools

Many startups have few projects and a small team to manage. Therefore, there is no need for employee and project management tools. But, remember, you’ll not stagnate there; you’ll start growing; you’ll need these tools, but unfortunately, you might not know how to use them. It would help if your start using them at the beginning of your business.

The employee management tools will help you manage the information about your employee, their engagements, and performance. To effectively manage your employees, you need the right tools. Employee management tools include; Connecteam, Workday, Gusto, Kissflow, Bullhorn, Litmos, Cornerstone, etc.

Project management tools include Monday.com, Zoho projects, Asana, Trello, etc.

Customer relationship management

It is good to focus on improving customer service as a startup. To do this, you need CRM tools. There are free CRM tools available for startups with upgrading options. Here are some CRM tools you can use: Monday.com, Pipedrive CRM, Zoho CRM, HubSpot CRM, Zendesk CRM, Salesforce CRM, etc.

There are many tools online that can help you in your day-to-day activities for your startup, like UK HR software. Choosing the right tool will see your startup has an upwards trajectory for success.

Being a businessman, you should realize that business is another name of competition. When you initiate your startup, you first mark the competitors in the industry to set goals. If you know the resources they use, you will want to use the same or better. In today’s time, companies are heading to digitalization. Are you ready for this change as well? Do you know anything about ERP software? The word ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning and is a must for all businesses today. What does ERP software do? It automates business procedures. Ideally, you should use the SAP ERP system. If you try to install and set up ERP on your own, you may run into problems as it is a time-taking and complex procedure. Also, you may be worried about whether it will be useful or not. This blog explains the reasons why enterprises need it.

ERP importance for a business

An ERP software serves as an information exchange tool while it centralizes and gathers data from various company departments for accelerating the information flow. CEO and the managers directly access the gathered information to speed up the decision-making procedure. The importance of ERP software is based on what it can do for your company. It streamlines and automates regular company activities to manage a variety of business duties. The software develops a more efficient and precise process while also providing a complete 360-degree view of your company’s internal and external operations. Businesses can improve user efficiency and productivity by using ERP. Now, let’s explore the benefits of using ERP.

1.    Data Management at the advanced level

Company performance and measurements are critical for evaluating corporate success and setting future goals. Although, as a company grows, manually calculating sales margins, profit ratios, and other indicators becomes increasingly difficult. ERP adds automation to the company by allowing employees across the firm to examine shared data without having to keep manual records. This also enables the creation of synchronized reporting on key business indicators. For fast decision-making, instant access to data is critical.

2.    Cost-effective solution

It also aids in the reduction of administrative and operational costs through the use of precise and real-time data. It also allows producers to better control operations, avoid manufacturing delays, and break up information, allowing officials to make more informed decisions.

3.    Increased mobility

The advantage of ER software is its ability to focus on customers, with deployment types that provide street sales representatives the same opportunities as in-office customers to utilize enterprise resource planning software wherever they require. Users using ERP software have access to a centralized database from any location and on a variety of devices, including a laptop. ERP software’s adaptability is critical as it boosts productivity and makes data accessible from anywhere.

4.    Analysis and Forecasting

It can be challenging to rely on people to deliver reliable data appraisal and reports. As there is no duplication of data, the ERP system eliminates the danger. The software provides real-time reports on any little event that happens in an enterprise. It is used for both risk assessment and performance reports.

Effective employee communication enables team members to have an in-depth understanding of the company’s mission, vision, and values. Unfortunately, employee communication is something that is often overlooked by businesses and it ends up costing a fortune. On the other hand, companies that pay attention to employee communication and work towards its improvement successfully increase the productivity of their workforce.

The success of a company is impossible without the existence of an engaged workforce. Effective employee communication can:

• Improve cooperation between departments. All the departments in a company depend on each other for results. But their cooperation is only possible if communication channels remain open between them.

• Promote harmony among a diverse workforce. It doesn’t matter what the social, religious, and ethnic background of your employees is when they can work together as a cohesive team. When employees feel heard, there will be less room for misunderstandings and dissatisfaction among the workforce.

• Increase productivity of the employees. When the necessary information is relayed to the employees from the management, it will become easier for them to do their jobs in an effective manner.

Tips on Effective Employee Communication

Studies show that almost 46% of the employees do not have any idea about what they going to do soon after the meeting. Inadequate communication between the team members results in a lost trajectory towards business goals.

Keep in mind the design and visual communication principles when communicating with your employees, it goes long way. Include visuals whenever you need to communicate via email or any written form. You can use a flowchart marker to design visuals and add them to your email regarding the business processes.

If you want to run a successful business, then you must pay attention to employee communication. However, it is fairly understandable to feel lost in the beginning. But with the help of a few tips, you can figure out how to promote effective employee communication.

Use Simple Language

Technical jargon that is not related to the work of your employees could be confusing for them and creates misunderstandings. If the language of communication is not clear, employees will fail to do their job properly. It’s that simple.

When communicating with employees, whether verbally or through emails, it is important to use a language that clearly conveys your message. It will make it possible for employees to figure out how they should handle a task instead of confusing them with useless information.

Use simple, concise sentences when communicating with employees. It goes a long way. If it helps you, consider writing what you want to say to your employee, and then run that text through Grammarly app or Hemingway Editor so these tools can suggest ways to simplfy what you wrote. It’s an extra step, but it’s worth it and will promote clarity of thought too.

Be Concise

When explaining something to your employees, be concise and keep it to the point. Going into too many unnecessary details will waste everyone’s time. Your employees lose interest in what you are saying, and it would be hard for them to consume what you just mentioned.

For example, if you include unnecessary details in the weekly email that you send to your employees, the original message can get lost somewhere in the middle. The best way to avoid this problem is to always stick to the issue and avoid talking about irrelevant details.

Choose the Right Channels

Effective communication heavily relies on the channels you choose to share information with your employees. Since you understand your company’s dynamics better, you can figure out which communication channel would be the best for sharing important information.

It is also important to remember that relying on a single communication channel is not a wise option. For instance, an email could be the right option when a one-on-one meeting is not possible. It will help you make sure that there is no delay in communication when one channel is not available.

Normalize Two-Way Communication

A company that only focuses on telling its employees what to do and never listens to their voices won’t be able to last for a long time. If you really want your employees to give their best, make them feel listened to.

Two-way communication will improve the overall outcome of every project. When employees are given the option to share their ideas, they will feel eager to work for the success of the company. Make them feel heard by valuing their voice and normalizing two-way communication.

Be Respectful

When it comes to workplace communication, you don’t just want your employees to listen to you, but also to remember what you have shared and then act on it. However, if you are not kind and respectful during communication, your employees will not want to listen to you, let alone remember what you have told them.

If you want effective communication in the workplace, you will have to learn to be a good communicator, and the first step towards that goal is to be respectful. When communicating with your employees, use polite language and don’t disrespect anyone.

How to Improve Employee Communication

It is not uncommon to have communication problems within an office. Common causes behind such problems can be outdated communication models and ineffective communication strategies. Fortunately, you can improve the quality of employee communication by taking certain steps.

Meet with Employees Regularly

Before you expect your employees to start giving their 100% at work, you need to establish a rapport and build trust with them. Don’t be shy to have informal communication. Using informal communication helps them to open up.

For example, meeting your employees over lunch where you discuss their personal interests can help you establish a connection with them. And in order to gain the trust of your employees, you need to walk the talk.

Meeting regularly with employees will not only get them to trust you but also improve their performance at work. You can listen to their suggestions and complaints during these meetings. When you resolve their issues, they will feel heard and become more motivated to work hard.

Leverage the Power of Modern Communication Tools

The best way to keep your whole team informed of important decisions and to keep them in the loop while they are working on a project is to use a helpful employee communication platform. Such platforms open the doors to effective communication.

Since there are multiple communication tools and platforms available these days. Choose a platform that best suits your company’s needs. The platform you choose must not only be easy to use but should also allow you to broadcast information to all employees at the same time.

For example, you can opt for Slack and it’s alternatives and create different channels like ‘General’ or ‘Social’ where your team members can discuss topics related to their social life or common interests.

Ask for Feedback

In order to improve communication in the workplace, it is imperative to ask for feedback from your employees on a regular basis. It will not only make them feel heard but also allow you to make the necessary changes in your communication strategy.

Your employees can tell you whether your method of communication is helpful to them or not. You can also ask questions to gather additional information from your employees about their opinion on workplace communication.

Following the collection of feedback, leveraging an online HR system for small businesses or larger ones accordingly, can simplify the process of implementing communication improvements. It also helps to automate crucial tasks such as scheduling and attendance tracking.

Additionally, the HR system can store historical data, allowing you to compare feedback across different periods and measure the effectiveness of any changes made. This proactive approach not only enhances communication strategies but also supports a more transparent and engaged workplace culture.

Be Professional during Communication

You may be tempted to discuss personal matters with your employees. You will also find it difficult to control your emotions when communicating in the workplace. However, it is essential to keep your emotions in control and avoid personal matters if you want to seem credible to your employees.

It is important to remember that there’s nothing wrong with being friends with your employees. But problems arise when you become too personal with them. You should also avoid controversial topics when communicating with employees to avoid unnecessary conflicts.

Conclusion

Effective communication keeps everyone on your team stay informed and working towards a common goal. Now you have enough information to improve employee communication in the workplace and how to make strategies for effective communication, follow these tips to bring better results for your company.

Do you think we have missed any important tips on effective employee communication? Let us know in the comment section below.

No director wants to find out their company is insolvent. That said, it doesn’t automatically mean the company has no future. Depending on the company’s circumstances, it might be possible to save the company and, in some cases, allow it to continue trading. 

So, if your company is insolvent, how do you alleviate the issue, and what options are available? 

Assess the state of the company 

You might have already researched business debt relief and have an idea of the route you want to take. While there’s nothing wrong with that, before deciding how you want to solve the company’s insolvency issues, you should assess the scale of the problem. The company’s level of debt has a bearing on what action you can take to alleviate it, and some options might be more realistically achievable than others. 

If your company’s cash flow is slightly imbalanced, less drastic action may be required than if the debts are severe and creditors have actively taken steps to recover them. 

Once you’ve determined that the company has solvency issues, you should speak to a licensed and regulated insolvency practitioner as a priority. Even if you aren’t sure what kind of help you need, seeking advice will help point you in the right direction and put you on the path towards effectively addressing the issues. Burying your head in the sand and hoping the problem will go away is the worst thing you can do. 

Consider how you want to proceed 

When deciding how to alleviate your company’s debts, you should consider what you want for its future. Although, circumstances may dictate whether your preferred option is feasible. For example, if your company has large amounts of debt and the business has no real future, recovery may not be a realistic option, and closure should be considered a more likely outcome. 

What are your options? 

Depending on both your company’s circumstances and the outcome you wish to achieve, there could be several options available. 

If what’s in your company’s bank account won’t stretch to cover an upcoming expense, or your company needs extra funds to keep the cash flow balanced, you could explore several commercial finance options. These can be utilised in a variety of scenarios but are more of a preventative measure than a solution if the company is already insolvent. 

If the core business would be viable if not for the debts, then the company could repay its unsecured liabilities in affordable, monthly instalments. A licensed insolvency practitioner can put the company through a process called a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA), which usually lasts up to five years. The arrangement allows the business to continue trading for the duration, and once it concludes, any remaining unsecured debt is written off. 

More significant restructuring work may be required to make the company profitable again. In which case, the company could benefit more from an administrative process. It involves a licensed insolvency practitioner taking control of the insolvent company and acting as an Administrator. As with a CVA, administration pauses creditor pressure for the process’ duration, allowing the insolvency practitioner time to create a restructuring plan for the company. 

Although, as a director, you might instinctively think saving the company should be an obvious end goal, there may be circumstances where the company is beyond saving, and closing voluntarily before the company’s creditors force it into compulsory liquidation, often the least desirable outcome, would be better. Closing voluntarily via a Creditors Voluntary Liquidation (CVL) allows directors to draw a line under the insolvent company and its debts, allowing them to either start another business in a new limited company or just walk away. 

It also allows the directors to control the entry into liquidation, and choose a firm of licensed insolvency practitioners to enact the process rather than a government-appointed liquidator assigned in compulsory liquidation. 

Summary 

If, as director, you find your company is insolvent, you should act as soon as possible. Assess the company’s circumstances to get an idea of exactly what help you need; different insolvency relief procedures are better suited to different scenarios and what you want for the business’ future. 

Once you’ve assessed the company and decided how you wish to proceed, you should speak to a licensed and regulated insolvency practitioner who will guide you through your options and advise you which one would best suit your circumstances. Recovery may be possible if the business model would be viable without the debts, meaning your company could trade on through insolvency or undergo restructuring if necessary. Sometimes, closure may be the best course of action, helping you draw a line under the company’s debts and allowing you to start afresh or walk away. 

SaaS solutions can make or break a company. Small teams can certainly make do with basic tools and resources. However, with growth an initial software tech stack is unlikely to have the flexibility or scalability required to grow with your business. This is why it’s critical to assess your SaaS solutions at each stage your company’s evolution.

Finding the right SaaS for your business feels challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. Below highlights the optimal times for startups to review and source new SaaS solutions—and how to make sure you pick the right ones.

When is the best time to source a new SaaS solution?

As a startup leader, you’re carefully considering any and all business investments to avoid wasting precious resources. Of those investments will be the software services you use to operate (a.k.a. SaaS solutions).

SaaS solutions can look like a CRM and marketing automation solution (such as Pipedrive), payment platforms, and project management tools. By investing in the right SaaS solutions, you can optimise, scale, and expand your business’ functions. 

There will be pivotal moments throughout your company’s lifespan where you’ll want to invest in a new SaaS solution. What once worked for your business may not be as efficient as you scale.

So how can founders and leaders know when their current business operations will benefit from introducing a new SaaS solution? Here are some scenarios when implementing new SaaS is optimal:

• When your company is hiring rapidly. It’s easier for small teams to handle decentralised communication and information sharing. But as teams and operations expand, it’s crucial to break down communication barriers and streamline workflows for productivity, employee satisfaction, and revenue growth.

• When your company gets more investment capital. No matter what funding series you’re in, it’s wise to invest your new resources in tools that will help your company secure even more funding in the future. Future investors will want to see that your business has longevity in mind. Updating your legacy tech systems shows that you’re future-proofing your operations.

• When current SaaS tools just aren’t working. Sometimes the tools themselves indicate when it’s time for a change. When your team is frustrated at a tool’s limited functionality, when they’re spending too much time on admin that could be automated, or when it gets too difficult to collaborate on your current symptoms, it’s time for a new solution. 

What should startups be wary of when evaluating a SaaS solution?

Deciding to invest in a new SaaS solution for your startup is straightforward. Then comes the hard part: How do you decide which solution is the best fit for your business? 

The global SaaS market grew from $225.6 billion in 2020 to $272.49 billion in 2021, and it’s expected to reach a staggering $436.9 billion by 2025. With so many SaaS options available and even more rapidly developing, choosing the right one for your business can feel overwhelming. 

Here are some points your startup should consider when evaluating a new SaaS solution.

Is the SaaS solution scalable?

As your company grows, you want your SaaS solutions to grow with you. Assess the product’s scalability, and forecast whether or not the product has the capacity to meet your future needs. 

Inquire about all the provider’s options, not just the ones that fit your company at its current stage. Start with the end in mind. If you outgrow the solution, what are your exit options? Get the business cancellation policy in writing, and ensure you won’t be locked in with a product hindering your business. 

Is the SaaS solution compatible with your existing software? 

Compatibility is crucial. You don’t want to invest in a new marketing automation tool only to find it’s incompatible with your CRM.

For example, ebook subscribers can be added automatically as prospects to your Pipedrive CRM. This means you save the time you’d have spent manually uploading contact information, and you reduce the risk of human error.

What are the available migration options? 

If you’re investing in a new SaaS solution to replace an existing one, ensure that your data can migrate easily from one to the other. 

Do some research on what that migration will look like before making any decisions. Will the data migrate automatically, or will some manual input be necessary? Will there be any downtime for your business as the migration takes place? You’ll want to prepare a contingency plan for your customers if so. This will help you determine how much time migration will take and help you better assess your investment.

What is the customer support availability?

As you onboard your team to the solution, there may be some growing pains. When vetting potential SaaS solutions, inquire about how much support you’ll receive when navigating the change.

When auditing the customer support you’ll receive, consider the following:

• Dedicated agents. Some tools offer dedicated support agents to help your entire organization manage the change. This is often available on higher tiers of service, so you’ll want to see if it’s offered on the plan you’re interested in.

• Availability and accessibility. If the customer support isn’t 24/7, make sure their available hours work with your team’s timezone(s). For solutions that your whole team will be using, find out if everyone will have access to customer support, or if it’s limited to certain authorized users. 

You’ll want to get these answers upfront rather than during a stressful troubleshooting moment!

What will onboarding your team to this SaaS solution look like?

It’s normal for teams to feel anxious about change. Leaders are often the ones making decisions about a new tool, but the people carrying out daily operations use it most frequently. 

Some points to consider while assessing onboarding include:

• The cost of training. If the provider offers training, determine if the cost is included in your subscription, or at an additional rate. You’ll also want to know the duration of training and how long the provider will offer onboarding support.

• Team involvement. You’ve already chosen team members to help choose the product, but you also need to determine who needs to participate in training. Depending on the scope of training, you may need to find coverage for these employees’ workload during the onboarding period. 

Effective onboarding is essential to ensure you get the most out of your SaaS solution, so you want to assess the process carefully. 

Asking the right questions is essential when sourcing a new SaaS solution

Sourcing new SaaS tools requires strategic consideration, but it doesn’t need to be stressful. By addressing the points above, startup founders and leaders can make the right decisions to take their business to the next level.

This process is better done sooner rather than later. For example, if you’re going through a stage of rapid growth, investing in new solutions will help you mitigate risk and lay the foundations to scale ahead of time.