There are two things all entrepreneurs need more of: time and money!
Where can we get it? Unfortunately, I don’t know of a money and time tree we can visit to obtain these two precious and necessary commodities. However, technology can help us better use the time and money we already have.
Remember what was entailed a few years ago when you wanted to send marketing pieces to a potential client in another region? After printing, binding and preparing a shipping label, you still had to go to the post office or a courier service. Your marketing piece arrived at the client’s within a day or two if you were lucky. Today, we all have an amazing piece of technology on our phones and computers: email! We can send marketing information within minutes, with colorful attachments including video. This is just a small example of how technology can help us save time and money.
Incorporating technology into your personal and business life will make you more productive and allow you to spend more time doing the things you love.
Daily Tasks and Scheduling
Wearing multiple hats is commonplace for entrepreneurs. We transform from a powerful CEO hosting meetings and conferences to an active PTA mom on school trips to a caregiver accompanying our parents to the doctor. Add to that our various roles supporting the communities we live in. It’s amazing we can change roles almost instantaneously!
Given all these roles, trying to manage a paper calendar is challenging to say the least. Allow technology to help you be more productive. Tools like the free Google Calendar or iCAL for Apple users allow you to access your calendar from any device with internet access. And you can sync your calendar across all of your devices: phone, tablet, laptop and desktop.
Data Storage
Gone are the days of large file cabinets and tons of folders that take up space and require a person to manually retrieve files. Save time and money by using technology to store your documents in the cloud, with 24/7 access. I remember being at a conference when I received an email from a procurement officer who needed one of my NY Empire State MWBE certifications immediately to finalize a contract. Thankfully, I have an app on my phone for three great cloud data storage programs: DropBox, Box and Google Drive.
Within two minutes, I located my MWBE certification, sent it to the agency and voila! the contract was finalized and an award letter processed. You can also use these cloud-based data storage services for pictures, videos and documents and you can share and password-protect files for security.
Business Productivity Tools
Below are some of my favorites that have made my cash register ring.
- Manage your to-do list – Wunderlist offers a free version to create a to-do list for business and/or personal tasks.
- Automate your social media – HootSuite allows you to schedule posts to your social media accounts such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Reach out to your customers – Constant Contact or MailChimp let you develop targeted email campaigns to your customers or prospects. - Electronically sign your contracts and invoices with services such as DocuSign or Adobe Sign, which enable customers to electronically sign off on a contract or invoice.
- Enable online payment – Quickbooks Online from Intuit provides tools to enable your customers to pay from the invoice received.
- Every entrepreneur wants more time and more money. The late Maya Angelou said, however, “Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.”
Incorporating technology into your personal and business life will make you more productive and allow you to spend more time doing the things you love. The result? You will do them so well that people won’t be able to take their eyes off of you. Do you hear the cash register ringing? Do you have a technology productivity tool to share? Please share them with me here