Several key factors go into a business’s success. You must find the right processes and systems, use the best tools for the job, and be very good at what you do. That way, when you start growing faster than your processes can handle, you’ll still have a way to keep your business together while you look for a solution.
So, here are the three main tools your business NEEDS to SUCCEED.
Accounting Software
Business finances are a complicated, time-consuming monster. There are transactions to get through, payments to collect, bills to pay, subscriptions to renew, and all the paperwork that comes with keeping track of your money.
Thankfully, the easiest way to do that is with dedicated accounting software.
I recommend Quickbooks because it lets you keep track of your income and expenses, run a Profit and Loss (P&L) report, look at forecasting, and have a balance sheet. Plus, you can connect your business account and credit card to the software and easily import your transactions.
And, if you ever need a professional accountant (or you hate working the numbers), Quickbooks makes it easy to bring one in and get them up to speed.
Whatever you decide is valid- as long as you’re keeping proper track of things. Remember, every transaction adds up, so if you’re not keeping track of your finances (income, expenses, invoices, receipts, etc.), you could be in hot water before you realize it.
With Quickbooks (or other accounting tools), you can save yourself a ton of hassle while getting on your accountant’s good side!
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) / Lead Tracking Software
Your client relationship management (CRM) software is how you communicate with your clients, gather the information you need to complete their projects, offer advice, and keep them happy. And, if you get the right software for the job, you can also use it to track and convert your leads.
Luckily, Dubsado’s got you covered.
Dubsado is an all-in-one CRM system that can connect your business worldwide. It also promotes productivity, organization, and healthy client relationships.
With Dubsado, you get:
- Customizable forms
- Easy-to-pay online invoices
- Personable automations
- Built-in scheduler
- Dynamic client portals
- Customizable workflows
- More client acquisitions
- Integrations
- Flexible Proposals
- Easy-to-sign contracts
Check that last point because, if you’re a service-based business, you NEED legally binding contracts. You can add your templates in Dubsado, organize them, send them to clients, and keep track of all your information in one place.
You can also use Dubsado to keep track of your leads and follow them through the sales funnel. There are even ways to automate their lead tracking program so the work is done for you- all you have to do is check the progress and ensure they’re on track to become clients. Easy.
For more information about Dubsado, check out our comparison with Honeybook, another big name in the CRM world, and see which would be best for your business.
Project Management Software
Finally, you need a good project management system. Your project management system is how you organize and run your business from a dedicated online space, and while there are many options out there, the only one I’ll ever use is ClickUp.
I love ClickUp because it has everything I need to make my business successful- including project organization, team spaces, client dashboards, automation, forms, time tracking, and more.
It’s fully customizable, easy to use, has 24/7 customer support, and makes running my business a dream. Plus, you can begin with a free account (which offers almost all the features) and upgrade as you go- making it one of the most affordable project management systems on the internet today.
Seriously, I love it.
However, I understand you may want more than one option, so my other recommendations would be Asana, Notion, or Trello.
Asana is similar to ClickUp, but it’s less customizable and doesn’t have as many features for free. (Check out our deep-dive between them HERE)
Notion has a detailed system for creating goals, organizing tasks, and keeping your business on the path to success.
Trello is great for smaller businesses that need a leg up until they can move on to bigger things. With their free plan, you can create boards for your projects, assign your team to different aspects of that project with customizable cards, and keep everything neat.
These options will help you manage your projects (and business), but my favorite is ClickUp. You don’t need anything else.
Final Thoughts
Becoming a successful business needs more than luck- it requires the right processes and the software to support those processes. These suggestions are based on my years of experience as a business owner, and I’m confident they can help your business succeed. However, you’re more than welcome to research the options, read more articles (like this one), and find the tools that best fit your business.
