There’s no doubt about it, having the right tool for the job makes work go a lot smoother and easier.
I’m surrounded by mechanically inclined individuals. Let’s take my dad and husband, for example. They both have mechanic backgrounds, so they maintain the family vehicles. When they don’t have the right tool, the job takes much longer, or worse, the job can’t be done until they get the right tool. Both will try with what tools they have and struggle with the task, but…Oh, I won’t sugar coat it… I hear their frustration in their “colorful” language.
When I think about it, having the right tools to fix your car is very similar to having the right tools for your business. Just like in auto repair, you have a toolbox with a collection of tools, because there isn’t one tool that will do everything.
There is no ONE tool that will magically do everything, so in your business, you have a collection of tools, working together, to accomplish your overall goals.
Your toolbox should include:
- Customer Database
- Accounting/Bookkeeping/Billing
- Scheduling/Calendar
- Messaging/Bulk e-mail
- Marketing, i.e. Social Media, Website
This isn’t a complete list, by any means. It is, however, a list to allow you to step back a moment and realize what tools you do use in your business. Think about how they interact with each other. Are you using them to their fullest capabilities? Can your processes be improved?
When choosing a tool, think into the future as to how it will fit into your processes. Don’t limit yourself and think “How am I going to use this tool?” Instead, think “How will my team use this tool?”
Even if you don’t have a team yet, having a team-based mindset frees you of the burden of thinking you must do everything in your business. Remember to be the CEO of your own company, you must think in terms of “How will the job get accomplished?” not “How am I going to get everything done?”
What are the right tools?
With all the tools out there on the market today, how do you know you are getting the right ones for you and your business? Bottom line…the best tools for you are the ones that you will actually use.
For example, there are many social media scheduling tools on the market today. Hootsuite and Buffer are probably the top two. What I’ve chosen to use in my company is Buffer. There are pros and cons to both, but ultimately, I like the way the screens look in Buffer and it does the job I need it to do.
Now that’s not to say that my team and I don’t use tools like Hootsuite. On the contrary. We have clients that have delegated the task of social media scheduling to us and we use their tool (whatever tool that may be).
Why? Because it’s the tool that is the best fit for our client in terms of their budget and functionality within their business. More importantly, it’s a tool they are actively using it in their company.
Think of tools in relation to processes.
I happen to think in terms of databases, how they interact with each other, and how they fit into company processes. Call me crazy, but I love to learn how to use different tools. For instance, there are a ton of customer databases on the market. I recognize that all have the same basic functions, but I love seeing how they work a little differently. I love consulting with people who want to be able to use their tools more effectively and work out processes to allow them to accomplish more.
Even if “techy” stuff overwhelms you, as a business owner, you should recognize that tools not only make your life easier but better enable you to delegate tasks. The right tools will help you and your team work more efficiently.
So tell me…what tools are in your toolbox? What’s your favorite and how has it helped your business?