In the News: Best Apps for Productivity

Today's business owners strive to be productive, stay efficient and stay on top of today's trends.  Managing all the aspects of a small business means you need to be smart and savvy.  Business owners are tracking sales, manufacturing goods, mentor teams, paying bills, and much more. It's good to know that every day new tools are created that offer streamline resources to help you keep your head above water while focused on sales and business growth. Here are just a few mobile and desktop Apps for Productivity that I believe are crucial to staying sane and productive.

Project Management: ASANA

Perfect for businesses who are looking to improve overall communication, collaboration, and project management, ASANA is a mobile and web-based app that lets you stay organized in the office and on the go.  You can view all tasks and projects and follow progress on the Asana board, share notes, upload files and communicate without having to rely on email. It easily integrates with Google Drive and Dropbox to attach files.  Along with Slack for communication, you can post updates to a messaging channel and stay connected with your team.

Communication: SLACK

Stay connected with Slack’s instant messaging platform. Organize your team’s conversations into separate private or public channels or send a direct message. The app also makes it easy to drag, drop and share images, PDFs and other files right in the chat. It automatically files and archives messages, notifications or files, and there is no limit to how many users your business can add.  Slack helps keep your team on the same page and the lines of communication flowing.

Organization: DROPBOX

If you aren't using DropBox, you should. Boasting 500 million users and 200,000 businesses, it's the most popular platform on which to store and share files on the cloud. It’s especially useful for companies who have employees telecommuting or a sales force who is consistently on the road.

Building a Network: MAILCHIMP

With so many email platforms to choose from MailChimp outperforms the rest.  It helps you build and manage your mailing lists and easily create and send beautiful newsletters. You can also build and customize email templates and view performance reports about your emails. This information can help you send your customers more relevant emails and stay in touch.

Accounting: VENMO

Send money and make purchases, all with the click of a button.  For a small business, Venmo can replace check writing for paying sub-contractors and freelance artist.  It’s easy to transfer money to and from your bank account and Venmo sends you a report at the end of each month for book-keeping. Staying connected with your team and on top of your projects will directly impact your success. Be open to utilizing technology to make life a little easier and your work day run smoothly.