Raise your hand if you can’t wait to see the end of 2020? Everyone? And if you’re taking a much needed end of year break, why not use the time to plan killer strategies for your business in the new year? Take your workflow from simply churning, to reaching mind-blowing success in 2021 with 6 of our best technology hacks.

1. Schedule it. Post it. Stay ahead. Stay relevant.

Some might say, business is only as successful as your social media posts. While that may not be completely accurate, it is important to have an influential online presence.

To achieve this, balance is key. Especially if you are a small business owner without a designated social media manager, you likely can’t spend the majority of your time running profiles on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn. Yet, social media can be an extremely powerful digital tool for brand marketing and customer engagement. It’s all about reach!

Hootsuite, Buffer and Loomly are great social media management platforms to ease the burden of maintaining a social media presence, by allowing you to schedule posts, interact and engage with your audience. Some platforms even provide content ideas to help build relevant posts.

2. Have direct contact with your customers

Have a new product range coming up? Want to reward loyal clients with a VIP sale? Customers want to feel special, and believe it or not, they also want to hear directly from you.  Plus, a growing customer email database is invaluable for ongoing and new sales.

Email marketing services such as MailChimp and Constant Contact can help design and send newsletters quickly and efficiently. You will also be able to review which newsletters had the best open rate and click through success. The more emails opened, the better the engagement!

3. Keep files and documents organised, secure and accessible

As your business expands, so will your paperwork. Important documents, images and client correspondence need to be stored safely, which is best accomplished by using a digital cloud.

Using file storage and access tools like Google Drive, Dropbox or Evernote offers a backup solution to give you peace of mind. Also security settings allow access from anywhere through any device.

4. A strong, successful team collaborates.

No doubt, remote working trends are here to stay. Communication and collaboration software like Asana and Monday.com will keep you and your team in check regarding weekly and daily tasks!

Zoom and Skype for Business are great video conferencing tools to maintain face-to-face interaction. Slack and Google Hangouts work well when it comes to daily, frequent communication.

5. Find your next awesome freelancer

Sometimes there’s a busy season or tricky project that calls for an extra pair of creative hands.

The good news is, there are a ton of great freelancers out there. However, finding the perfect one with reasonable rates can feel like searching for a needle in the haystack.

Whether you’re looking for someone to do work on a straightforward logo design or build a mobile app from scratch, look into outsourcing websites such as Fiverr, Upwork and freelancer.com.

Depending on which site you use, projects and job descriptions can be sent through or posted publicly. Some sites allow freelancers to contact you directly or will be screened prior. You can also browse profiles, checking the freelancer’s star ratings and starting hourly rates. Some sites offer per project rates.

Make sure payment agreements are confirmed upfront. You don’t want any surprises. Most sites won’t release your payment to the freelancer until you’re completely satisfied with the completed task.

6. Make sure you get paid

After providing top notch products and offering 5-star customer service, getting paid is what keeps a healthy cashflow.

Don’t get stuck in the drudgery of chasing payments. Instead, make sure to use an efficient payments app that’s easy and versatile for clients to use. Credit cards and online payments are now the majority of clients’ preferred payment method, so ensuring you can accept these payments also ensures you’ll get paid as soon as possible!

Payment process systems like B2Bpay will offer different features, so do some research to figure out what works best for your business.

We suggestion asking the following questions, such as – what are the transaction fees? Are all credit cards accepted? Are there any additional perks like earning business credit card rewards or Qantas Points?

How do I pick the right technology for my business?

Make sure whatever digital tool you go with, it’s as nimble as your business. Technology should be seamless and hassle-free. The less clicks it takes to get to what you want, the better! Most of all, if a platform feels clunky to use at first, it probably is.

Here are some questions to think about as you go through the different technology options for various business needs:

• Is there a free trial?
• Is it easy to use for all parties involved?
• Is it easily accessible from any location and any device?
• Is customer support responsive and helpful? Is additional training available?
• Does it integrate with the other digital tools I’m using?

And finally the most important question – will it help my business grow?

Now you’re all set to kick serious business goals! Make 2021 your year.