Get $h!t Done (Like a Pro!) - Part 3

If you’ve been following along, welcome to Part 3 of our Get Sh*t Done series. This article will focus on CRM and Marketing tools that aid in getting things done for your business, efficiently. We hope you find this helpful in getting what you need to do, done. Let’s dig in! 

CRM

Nearly every kind of business benefits (or could benefit) from Customer Relationship Management software. Whether your customer base is huge or small-ish, there are software options out there for you. And they go way beyond helping salespeople close deals - CRM systems can be used by everyone from Marketing, recruiting, business development and so much more. 

Salesforce: The #1 CRM software service in the world right now, Salesforce serves customers around the world, working with businesses both small and HUGE. If you’re in need of a CRM service for your sales team, your marketing efforts and more, Salesforce may be just the tool for you. Plus, they just acquired Slack, so more to come on how those may integrate in the future. 

PipeDrive: Designed to help you focus and track valuable leads, Pipedrive is great for company that can automate any CRM tasks, as well as for integrating chat popups with potential leads, bringing them into the pipeline. 

Hubspot: A CRM platform that is also focused on inbound marketing? That’s Hubspot. Hubspot does both, and they do it really well. If your business has a Customer Service arm (most do!) they can also help with requests, tickets, and follow ups, so you can focus on providing the best experience to your customers. 

Agile CRM: Similar to the above platforms, Agile CRM does CRM, marketing, sales and service, all in one. Plus, they offer low cost options for growing businesses, allowing you to scale up your account as you grow. 

Social Media Marketing: 

If you’re running a business, chances are you are utilizing social media platforms to reach new audiences, create goodwill for your brand, or, of course, SELL. Here are our favorite social media marketing platforms to help you get social done. 

Hootsuite: The original in the social media posting space, Hootsuite was designed specifically for Twitter, but has expanded to include Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. It allows users to create content, add images/video and schedule posts, in one seamless desktop and mobile app, plus allows you to monitor conversations about your brand through mention tracking and hashtags. 

MeetEdgar: more for the Instagram users, MeetEdgar helps you editorialize your content and schedule/automate it in a way that still feels natural. They say it’s, “loaded with strategic shortcuts and time-savers that keep your social media active, organized, and true to you.” 

Sendible: Designed to encourage collaboration between agencies and teams, Sendible allows for multiple users and approvals, so content goes out the right way, on time. 

Survey Tools

No matter what type of business you run, you’ll probably need a survey tool from time to time, to collect consumer data/insights, testimonials and product feedback. Here are a few we think work great for all kinds of business - and many are free. 

SurveyMonkey: The original tool in surveying, SurveyMonkey offers free, premium and enterprise surveying tools for any size business. They offer survey templates, expert written sample questions (so you can avoid bias/leading questions) and more!  

Google Forms: A totally free way to collect survey responses, Google Forms allows you to customize your questions, create conditional paths for responses, and aggregate all responses in a Google Sheet. Our team uses this and love it! 

Microsoft Forms: Integrating with your Microsoft platform, Microsoft Forms allows you to create surveys and aggregate the data in real time. They also offer analytics tools to help you digest the results. 

Read It Later Apps

Not exactly marketing or user-experience based, but we all need a good article saving tool for when we come across something we know we want to read but don’t have the time or bandwidth to dive in at the moment. Our team love these apps - here’s what we recommend: 

Pocket: Hardly new to the game, Pocket integrates with your browser, allowing you to save articles from your computer or phone and access them later via your Pocket app. It even allows you to save articles for offline reading later - for when we’re back to regular travel via plane or metro systems.  

Instapaper: With a motto like “save anything, read anywhere” Instapaper has you covered. Whether it’s an article or a recipe, Instapaper saves what you can’t read right now to your phone, computer, tablet or Kindle. They even allow you to add notes and thoughts to the articles you read! 

EmailThis: Want to send yourself articles seamlessly for later reading? EmailThis has you covered. A Chrome plug-in, EmailThis integrates with your browser and your email addresses, so you can save, email and read articles later. 

* This might be trademarked, and if it is we’re going to apologize in advance, but we swear a lot and have taken liberties with the S.  Literally no infringement intended or implied.  There are many authors and companies that use these words and the acronym GSD.  Each of them can help you put together strategies to help you effectively manage your time and accomplish great things.  Reach out to them to learn more.