Software I Use for My Small Business
As a business owner (and the only employee of that business), it's crucial for me to have the proper tools and software to manage my operations. This includes both day-to-day tasks and big-picture planning and strategy. Investing in excellent software helps me complete tasks more efficiently, save time and money, and concentrate on growing my business and achieving goals.
Here are some of the products and software that I use to run my business:
Design:
When it comes to my design workflow, I begin with Figma. This powerful design tool has changed the way I approach initial design sketches. With its intuitive interface and robust set of features, Figma enables me to quickly iterate through a vast number of design options. This allows me to explore and experiment with a wide range of creative ideas. Thanks to Figma, my design process is faster, more efficient, and more effective than ever before. It gives me the freedom and flexibility I need to create great designs for my products.
A few sketches from my recent card release
When it comes to final design files, I have to make sure everything is perfect for printing. First, I use Adobe Illustrator to refine any illustrations or graphics since illustrating in Figma isn't as precise or easy to use. Once the illustrations are finalized, I move on to creating the final print file using Adobe InDesign. After that, I'll make any final adjustments and then send the file off to the printer for production. This process ensures that the final product is of the highest possible quality and meets all of the necessary specifications for printing.
Customer Relationship Management:
Managing customer relationships is a crucial part of operating a successful wholesale business. The connections you form with your customers can greatly impact the success or failure. By using Zendesk Sell, a tool that helps businesses keep track of customer interactions and manage deals, I can enhance these relationships and reach as many potential retailers as possible. Plus, with Zendesk Sell, I can keep all customer interactions in one place, making it easier to spot patterns and trends in customer behavior. For instance, I can easily track whether a customer is showing interest in p&s (they put products in their Faire cart) or losing interest (they said p&s wasn't a good fit for their store). This information can be used to develop targeted marketing strategies. For example, for warm customers, I’ll be sure to send them a catalog and a card sample in the mail, in hopes that might encourage them to place an order.
Customer view in Zendesk
Zendesk's dashboard is another great feature I rely on. Not only does it display deals over time, but it also provides me with insights into whether or not I’m on track to meet your financial goals. By offering this comprehensive view of sales performance, the dashboard enables me to make better-informed decisions about my business strategy. Furthermore, with its intuitive interface and customizable display options, the dashboard is an indispensable tool for any business looking to stay on top of its sales game. Click here to read a more in-depth review of how I use Zendesk Sell.
Dashboard view in Zendesk, with numbers hidden 🙂
Document Organization:
Notion is a fantastic tool I use for organizing both my products and my brand. It's my go-to for keeping track of everything from inventory to blog post ideas. With Notion, I can easily keep track of all my products, production methods and vendor information. I can also monitor product performance over time, which helps me make informed decisions about my business. For example, when I’m able to track the success of a greeting card, that makes it easier to decide whether to reprint or retire a card. Now I can make decisions based on data rather than emotion. This also ensures that everything runs smoothly and I don’t run out of stock with a popular product. Overall, Notion has become an essential tool for me, and I can't imagine running my business without it.
Greeting card categories view in Notion
Plus, to be transparent, Notion AI deserves a lot of credit for helping me write this blog post… So that’s another reason to give Notion a try.
Project Management:
Asana is a truly remarkable tool, one that I have come to rely on heavily for project management. (Side note - if I wasn’t a designer, I’d be a project manager, so I love this stuff!) Thanks to its user-friendly interface and powerful features, I am able to keep track of deadlines, assign tasks (to myself haha), and collaborate seamlessly with my team members (maybe one day). Whether I am working on a product launch, managing my social and email calendars, or simply keeping track of my daily to-do list, Asana has become an indispensable part of my work process.
An example of how I use Asana to keep track of social media posts
One of the things that I love most about Asana is how easy it is to create projects and break them down into smaller, more manageable tasks. This makes it incredibly simple to stay on top of my workload, ensuring that I never miss a deadline or overlook an important detail. For example, I create large timelines for new product launches that cover everything from research and design to marketing. This approach lets me see a bird's-eye view of the launch and also allows me to assign myself tasks in between to make the project more manageable.
Overall, Asana has truly transformed the way that I work, allowing me to be more productive, efficient, and organized than ever before. I cannot recommend it highly enough to anyone who is looking to streamline their workflow and take their productivity to the next level.
Inventory Management:
Keeping track of inventory is a fundamental aspect of running a successful business. It not only ensures customer satisfaction but also helps in maintaining a good reputation. However, managing inventory can be a daunting task, especially when selling across multiple platforms like Faire, Squarespace, and Etsy. This is where Trunk comes in handy. Trunk is a simple and intuitive tool that helps in managing stock levels. With Trunk, you can trust that you'll never oversell or disappoint your customers by offering out-of-stock products. How great is that?!
Thanks for taking a look at the software applications that I'm currently using for my business. I'll be sharing in-depth reviews of how I utilize each of these programs in the future. These reviews will include a more detailed look on the features and functionalities of each software that I use the most, as well as how they've helped my business succeed. Stay tuned for more useful information that can help you make informed decisions about software applications for your business! Subscribe to the email newsletter for updates.
