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Start-ups are somewhat reknown for their work in technology. Many of the most famous examples of successful start-ups have orientated around app creation and design. That being said, there are many apps out there with the potential to help you on your way to being a start-up entrepreneur. A lot of them are low or no cost, with an incredibly accessible and user-friendly style. They will often be highly customizable, and most of all completely lightweight. To start a business you no longer need to have a whole office at your beck and call. You can now manage an innovative idea from your smartphone, no matter where you are in the world.
Apps are the best way to ensure that your business has the best start in its life. It will be organised and low-cost for as long as possible, as you accrue some general traction and momentum in your plans. If you’re really clever, you can even begin to look at and research the app itself. It will be a demonstration of a completed product made in similar processes to your venture. In any case, using light and useful software like this is invaluable in the early stages of your business.
To help you on your way to success we’ve assembled a few of the best apps to assist you in your start-up business venture.
Softsign
A simple, but a must. This handy little app allows you to download documents and sign them using your touchscreen. No matter how advanced technology becomes, there will always be the necessity to sign on the dotted line in order to a deal to be sealed. With this handy little app you can have contracts downloaded, read and signed almost straight away. You no longer have to print, scan and attach the document to email. Whether you’re trying to sign off on a new employee’s contract or signing off on Plant Insurance at AutoTrader, there’s a myriad of uses for this fantastic little bit of kit.
Dropbox
Essential and obvious. Cloud storage for all of your devices, for free. You can access and alter it from anywhere, and your files are all automatically backed up. This is particularly great for the more administrative ends of the business. It allows you to work remotely with partners without having a difficult and complicated trail of emails to trace. It means that you can all edit and view each other’s changes in real time without worrying about destroying work. You can also exchange media files and organise the file structures of your box, keeping everything in tip top shape.
Notability
A great little app that will allow you to sync your notes between devices. If you make a note on your phone, then it will be on your laptop waiting for you when you return to the office. No more cross-referencing to do lists, and no more losing vital sticky notes. This is another app that is essentially a way of syncing your life together, ensuring that all of your work and engagement is centralised. Syncing is the way of the modern office, and it keeps all of your workflow in line fantastically.
This is absolutely essential. LinkedIn will allow you to scope out potential partners and competitors. It will afford you instant access to CVs and connections, offering you a visual aid to the various other companies operating in your sector. It will also allow you to present others with a virtual business card of both yourself and your business. This is a great tool to use for snooping around on your competitors, and even for browsing through the background of potential new hires. You may even find yourself using it to headhunt for new employees.
Skype
Skype has been accepted as the standard mode of telecommunication. And with good reason. Voice chat is reliable and clear. The app can be used directly from your phone instead of relying on reception, and video mode affords you the valuable addition of being allowed to speak face to face. In addition to this, it can be used as an instant messenger, to organise meetings or to keep your day in order with other partners. It’s easy and it’s free. It’s also relatively lightweight when you consider its manifold uses. This means that there’s plenty of room on your device for other apps.
MailChimp
As your company progresses you should begin to advertise. MailChimp lets you organise and view analytics on your mailing scheme. It will show you various visualisations of your reach and user engagement, as well as a load of more general information which can be used to refine your campaign. Apps such as this are invaluable. As a smaller company, you are blessed with more maneuverability in your marketing. It is of extreme importance for you to cultivate a loyal user base early on. Apps like these will ensure that you aren’t pestering your fans with emails that will only clog up their spam filters.
Camcard
Camcard is an app that allows you to manage business cards. As a young business, you’ll be flooded with new contacts at events and shows. This app allows you to grab information from their cards, transferring it to an easy to navigate directory on your phone. This is a powerful way to network, especially when combined with other apps like LinkedIn.
We don’t mean just plain old Facebook. Facebook for businesses is completely different to its individual counterpart. It allows you to manage a number of pages and companies, syncing up information and features as well as general user engagement information.
Small businesses and startups almost exclusively rely on word of mouth to get started. Facebook is often the most organic way of emulating this as a marketing strategy. It’s more than likely that you’ve been using Facebook already, but you should take some time to read more around it. There are often a lot more uses than you would assume, and you can be provided with a lot more information that you would think possible.
Featured image credit:People and Startup Business/ShutterStock
