The software-as-a-service (SaaS) industry has grown exponentially over the past decade. Even from last year to this, the growth has been obvious. More businesses want off-the-shelf tools that improve their organization, workflows, and production efforts. There are tens of thousands of these tools at your disposal in varying costs and sizes, which leaves some business leaders wondering how to pick the best ones.
While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to choosing enterprise software, consider a few of these key options for your business to scale your productivity.
1. WorkBoard
When companies first launch, their main focus is initially survival. However, now that your business is more established, you can take on a growth mindset and set goals to scale your brand. This is where WorkBoard comes in. It is a software tool that helps you set OKRs (objectives and key results) on both a micro and macro level.
For example, one of your strategic priorities in 2021 might be to grow market share within your industry. With this big-picture goal in mind, you can set OKRs relating to speaking at a certain number of conferences, growing your client base by a set amount each month, and investing in digital marketing to increase your site traffic. WorkBoard helps with company alignment so everyone knows their priorities going into the new quarter or year.
2. LifeRaft
As you start to grow your business, you will need to focus on protecting your employees. No one wants to think about disgruntled ex-workers carrying a grudge for your business, but it is entirely possible that someone can make threats to your company with a strong intent to carry them out.
Fortunately, there are software tools that you can use to catch any unexpected threats, and then report them to the authorities in time. LifeRaft is a system that scans the internet (including the dark web), for mentions of your name and key leaders within your organization. They can catch threats early on so that your security team and the proper authorities can step in.
3. Hubspot
If you operate a startup, you may be tempted to take a shoestring approach to software, opting into several free tools instead of one large one. However, this option can be penny rich but dollar poor. These tools won’t have everything you need and won’t sync with each other, which is far from the best possible experience that you can afford.
Consider investing in a few key tools that can grow your business. Hubspot is one of the leaders in inbound marketing, sales, and accounts management systems. The company offers a variety of free tools as well as add-ons for your company. This product is sure to be used by various team members across multiple departments, from sales and marketing to customer service.
4. Buffer
When you first start managing social media for your startup, you will likely post updates manually within the Facebook and Twitter interfaces. However, this process can get overwhelming and disorganized over time.
Look into a social media management system like Buffer to easily schedule posts, respond to comments, and provide customer service to the people who need it. This way you can post daily without dedicating more time and energy to social media than you need.
Buffer also offers social media analysis tools with which you can better understand your target audiences, and how your content performs. This can further help you hit your OKRs by aligning your strategic priorities alongside what your customers actually want from your content and products.
Before choosing a new software tool like WorkBoard or LifeRaft, make sure it has all of the features you need at a price you can afford. This will help you increase the value of these systems long after you install them and prevent your team from wanting to switch brands after just a few months.
