It’s easy to set goals, difficult to achieve them.
Right? We all know this. We’ve read the anti-resolution articles and downloaded our fair share of Pomodoro Timer apps.
That being said, it’s not impossible. Which is exactly why we’re all still out here trying to make things happen. If someone can smash the “last great barrier” of a sub-2-hour marathon in 2019, surely we can conquer a handful of business goals.
Or, at the very least, learn how to better manage them and create the forward momentum we need in eventually achieving them. Cue these 5+ tools.
Get Organized: Basecamp
Your business goals are made up of a series of small action items. Items that could themselves involve a sub-series of even smaller action items. Items on items on items.
To keep tabs on all of the moving pieces, you need a system of organization. And this is where Basecamp comes in.
With this tool, you can create projects for teams, campaigns, product strategy—you name it. Assign individuals (as many as you want since they don’t charge by user) to collaborate, gather assets, and track against deadlines.
They also released a free version in 2019 that’s works well at a smaller scale for freelancers, students, personal projects, and more.
Similar tool(s) worth checking out: Freedcamp (yes, it’s free)
Hit Deadlines: Todoist
A good visual can go a long way. This is why so many people rely on post-its and written lists to guide their priorities.
You can take that same concept and make it virtual with a tool like Todoist. The interface makes it easy to create new to-dos and schedule them out—categorized by labels (e.g. Personal or My Business) and color-coded by projects (e.g., different clients, campaigns, vendors, etc.).
They also make it possible to assign priority levels and reference your list(s) across multiple devices.
Similar tool(s) worth checking out: Google Tasks
Be More Efficient with Your Time: Google Calendar
Time tracking isn’t exclusive to client-facing businesses.
In any kind of professional role, it’s hard to be more efficient with your time (spent on business goals or otherwise) when you’re not sure where it’s going to. You have to understand your habits and efforts in order to change them.
Toggl is a really simple tool to get you started in pinpointing opportunities for efficiency.
You can manage timed items by projects, clients, and/or team members. They also provide a dashboard of insights and reporting functionality for gauging trends over time.
Similar tool(s) worth checking out: See Pomodoro timers mentioned above, TSheets by QuickBooks
Generate More Business: Paperform
If you’re looking to generate more business in the year ahead, you probably have a variety of tactics underway to help in pushing that needle. Like acquiring more leads, for example.
Paperform offers user-friendly software for creating and managing forms and landing pages across your website. They provide a plethora of templates to get you started—regardless of the initiative. And make it easy to think creatively with type styled text, branding functionality, and the ability to easily embed videos.
Similar tool(w) worth checking out: AdEspresso (for those looking to centrally manage ads across Facebook, Instagram, and Google)
Streamline Operations: Quickbooks
It’s hard to make any headway in your business when everyday operations are all over the place. You need to invest in tools that can help automate what falls under the radar and keep documentation in order.
Nowhere is this truer than with your business financials. And QuickBooks is a trusted name in this space for a reason.
They offer a variety of packages to suit businesses large and small—even a self-employed version for freelancers. The usability of their interface makes it easy to keep tabs on cash-flow at a glance, invoice clients, accept payments, share reports with accountants, and more.
Similar tool(s) worth checking out: FreshBooks (accounting), Gusto (HR), Zenefits (HR), Adobe Creative Cloud (marketing, administrative)