The best small business analysis tools

When it comes to running a business, there is a wealth of tools that you can use. Some of the ones that will be the most helpful to you allow you to analyse different aspects of your business. This guide will explain each element and provide examples to show what these tools can do for you.

This guide is going to cover all of the essential uses for business analysis tools, including:

• Project management
• Booking software
• Digital marketing
• Website builders
• Finance and accounting

There are project management business analysis tools to manage your business activities and ensure you complete tasks on time. They allow you to assign, confirm and conduct any business tasks. 

One of the most popular platforms to use is ClickUp, it has both a website and application for your business to use. By assigning tasks to each employee, they can focus on what they need to do each day. The use of this platform has grown with the adoption of home working for many businesses, though it is still often used in the office. 

One of the critical features of this tool is the accountability of each task. ClickUp clarifies what is left to complete and who is responsible for that task. It also allows businesses to log how long a job took to achieve and charge any clients appropriately, or show how many hours contributed to their retainer.

A retainer is a work-for-hire contract whereby a client pays for the services of a business by the amount of output. Again, ClickUp makes this easy to do and transparent for both the service provider and receiver.

If you are in a service industry, you may require your clients to book in with you. Instead of keeping a paper diary, many businesses decide to use booking software. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government told many service businesses like hairdressers to switch to booking only. Booking software solutions have rapidly gained popularity to manage this change.

One of the most popular booking software solutions is an app called Booksy. This application allows you to fill your diary with bookings for your services. It will enable you to make a booking at any time. Instead of ringing up your business, the clients can check the app and see when you can pick their slot.

Besides taking care of appointments and providing you with a calendar, the software also allows you to accept payments through the app. Clients provide payment details when they book and are charged after you deliver your service. This solution means that the customers know the price before they come in, and you can compare the performance of your business month to month.

There are many different business analysis tools that can be used to carry out marketing. Some of the most popular solutions also provide ways of analysing your digital marketing.

The most popular platform for businesses to create email campaigns is MailChimp. It provides the ability to automate your email marketing, sending them out whenever you would like to schedule. The builder feature also helps you create your emails and provides insights into what works best. By comparing this data, you can understand what type of emails best suit your audience.

Ads Manager is the most popular digital marketing tool, and it is located within Facebook Business. It allows you to create and launch advertising campaigns on Facebook and Instagram. These campaigns can target specific audiences based on age, location and interests. The more campaigns and tests you run, the more data and analytics you are provided on the type of customers likely to engage with your business.

For more information on digital marketing tools see: The best marketing apps for a small business

Another valuable aspect of your business that you can analyse using tools is your website. If you create your site using a builder, there are lots of ways to access insightful analysis for your business.

The most popular website builder is a platform called Wix. They offer various templates to help you design and create your site. Their plans range in prices depending on the features you would like to use. The builder is also optimised for mobile, meaning that when you create your site, you will see how it will look on a smartphone screen.

One of the Wix website builder’s key features is the ability to provide you with analytics. You can track the performance and statistics of your website. You can see everything from the number of visitors to the effectiveness of your SEO.

SEO (search engine optimisation) is the practice of using written phrases and words so that your site will appear higher in the list of search results of a search engine like Google. 

For more information on building a site see: How to create a business website

One fundamental way to analyse the performance of your business is through its finances. By having all of your accounts information readily available, you can have full visibility of your performance. In addition, there are specific tools to manage your finances efficiently.

One of the best business tools to use for your accounts and financial management is Countingup. It is a two-in-one app that includes a business current account and automates your bookkeeping admin with free accounting software. 

The app makes it easy to invoice customers in seconds. It also has a receipt capture tool, letting you take a photo of a paper receipt and store it securely, so you never lose any proof of expenses.

The key benefit of using Countingup to analyse your business is the live business insights you receive. In addition, the platform can inform you of your finances through profit and loss reports, tax estimates and unpaid invoices.

You can also share your bookkeeping with your accountant instantly without worrying about duplication errors, data lags or inaccuracies. To start your three-month free trial today, find out more here.