5 Tools No Start-Up Can Live Without

As a start-up company, it’s no secret that you’re working with limited resources. Getting off the ground and building your customer base on a budget can be a tricky challenge, so before you go throwing money at big-shot marketing and design tools, consider a cheaper way of boosting your business. Several budget-friendly business tools are available to help with all aspects of your company. Give your start-up a boost with these five tools:

Web design

First impressions are important, and your website is often the first face your customers will see. You need to make a lasting impact with a well-organized and cleverly designed website, but you don’t need a design or coding professional to do it. Tools like Wix and Webflow are easy to use and inexpensive to boot. You can even optimize your design for mobile, allowing users to view it on any device.

Content marketing

Once you’ve attracted an audience to your website, you need to keep them there. Doing so could be as simple as maintaining a blog and posting once a week, which helps you build up your website’s relevant content so you can rank higher in search engines. Identify which social channels your audience uses and be consistent about promoting your content. When consumers like what they see, they’ll share, stretching your content marketing investment even further.

Social tools

Managing all of your social channels separately will quickly become too much to handle. That’s where a social media posting tool comes in handy. With Hootsuite, SproutSocial or Co-Schedule, you can easily manage the posts going out to all your social networks with one convenient program. You can even follow and retweet thought leaders in your industry right from any of these tools.

Freelance staff

Owning a start-up business means you’re in charge — of everything. But when you get to the point when you’ve run out of hands to juggle with, freelance staffing can help. Check out websites like UpWork to find talent in your area. You can find freelancers for just about anything, from running your customer service department to writing your blog and designing your website.

Vanity toll-free number

Get a toll-free phone number that will automatically connect customers with your business. A strong vanity number makes your company appear more established and helps with customer recognition, too. When your number is easy to remember, people are more likely to make referrals and share your information with friends and family. You’ll gain instant credibility in the online marketing world, creating a bond of trust with your prospects from the start.