In a market where competition is tight, and a dozen new companies seem to pop up every day, investing in the right digital tools can give you an edge on the competition. Since the dot-com boom of the 1990s, more and more businesses have invested in digital solutions to streamline operations and increase productivity.
There’s no denying that if you don’t jump on the tech bandwagon, your business will be left behind. According to a Deloitte study, only 1 in 5 small businesses have made the shift to digital technology. This presents an excellent opportunity for early adopters to gain a foothold on the market and even surpass older and more established rivals.
Best of all, many of these tools are available for free. If you look hard enough, you might even find a promo code for AWS online. Here are a few digital tools you can use to hit the ground running:
1. Website/online store builder
E-commerce has enjoyed uninterrupted growth in recent years, and a website is a must for any new business. In many cases, a well-designed website is as essential as your flagship store. It makes your company look more professional and allows you to market your products and services to a wider audience.
And you don’t need an expensive team of developers and designers to make a website. Online tools like Shopify allow you to create a professional website even if you’re not that tech-savvy.
2. Web analytics
Once you’ve built a website, you’ll want to collect usage data so you can better understand your target audience and make refinements to your site. With the right data, you can plan and execute marketing campaigns that increase traffic to your website and improve conversion rates.
Since Google controls the Internet, it’s no surprise that Google Analytics is the most popular web analytics tool. If you want more functionality, though, you might want to try paid services like Optimizely and Crazy Egg.
3. Email marketing
So you’ve built a website and set up a system to track and analyze your target audience. The next thing to do is to get the word out about your business. Online ads are a great way to boost brand awareness, but if your goal is to increase sales, then you need to invest in digital direct marketing tools.
Direct marketing allows you to communicate with your target consumers directly. You can send marketing newsletters to your subscribers and share updates and news about upcoming promotions. Since you already know that they’re interested in your brand, you can refocus your marketing efforts towards driving sales instead of attracting traffic.
4. Social media management
Once you’ve implemented the first three tools, the next space you need to conquer is social media. Maintaining a presence on all major social media channels allows you to engage with users, whether for customer service or marketing purposes.
These are just some of the digital tools you can use to improve your business. A business that doesn’t have the right tools risks falling behind its competitors. If you do it right, you set up your business for success and empower your employees to achieve better results in a shorter time frame.
