Need help running your or your customer’s business? There’s an app for that!

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, sole trader, or heading up a small team, as your enterprise grows so do your responsibilities. There’s lots to keep on top of. Lots. Finance. Marketing. Operations. And everything in between. 

Thankfully, software developers have risen to the challenge, and there are now hundreds of apps out there designed to make running a small business easier in so many ways. 

Here are a few examples:

Attracting customers

A little online promotion can go a long way. But if you’re running a bricks and mortar business it’s often hard to see the immediate benefits of digital marketing. And cardholder loyalty schemes are for big retailers, right? Not anymore. Apps like Memberoo are making it easier for smaller retailers to run effective online promotions and offer discounts to customers. It’s a digital loyalty app that allows independent shops, cafes, and restaurants to offer rewards, gain valuable consumer insights, and capitalise on peer-to-peer recommendations. 

Easing the admin burden

Running an official enterprise brings with it a whole heap of obligations. Things that seem secondary at the outset suddenly become very important -- and potentially very time-consuming -- like tax or compliance. 

Remembering to keep track of expenses is a common bugbear, but services like 1Tap Receipts offer a quick, easy, and foolproof way of keeping day-to-day costs together, online. 

For those that need to keep meticulous records -- such as health and safety records or inspection details -- there’s Papertrail. It’s great for small businesses that need to store digital documents securely, in the cloud.

Getting things done

There are stacks of SaaS (Software as a Service) providers offering numerous time/project management/communication tools -- with varying degrees of usefulness. Trello stands out though. It’s very easy and can be used to organise anything from a company picnic to a multichannel marketing campaign. 

And if It doesn’t exist...

You didn’t start a company to get bogged down in the minutiae of running a business, but it kind of goes with the territory when you’re starting up. And if there isn’t an app already out there that caters to your or your clients’ pain points… why not look into building one yourself? 

For more information about starting a business, or to find out more about financing and funding, call us on 0800 587 4140