Identifying the Right Software for Your Small Business

With Marc Prosser, Fit Small Business

Meet the Speakers…

#KabbageKam

Andres ThomasCustomer SuccessKabbage, Inc.

Moderator

Marc ProsserCo-founder & Managing PartnerFit Small Business

Co-founder & Managing PartnerFit Small Business

Marc Prosser

About Us

• I founded Fit Small Business alongside David Waring in 2013.

• We evaluate software and services aimed at small businesses,

in areas ranging from CRM to accounting software.

• We do the research, so you don’t have to.

• You can read more about us here:

http://fitsmallbusiness.com/about-us/

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Which Software Is Right for My Small Business?

• Tons of small business software on the market.

• So how do you pick the best for your business?

• We’ll go over the process and apply the process to a few

specific buying decisions.

• We’ll consider features, pricing, ease of use, reliability, and

customer support.

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First Things First:What Do You Need in the Service?

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• Before you dive into specific products, take a step back and pin down what you’re really looking for. Write it down!

• Define the main problem you’re trying to fix. Are

you trying to save money, do you need a specific feature to work better, are you looking for better customer support – or something else?

• Don’t get seduced by features you won’t use or a

product you don’t need.

What is the core function you need from the software?

What peripheral features are and aren’t important?

Once you buy the software, which features will you actually use?

Cost aside, what is the software worth to your business?

Features First

• What features are crucial to you?

• Why are you looking to buy?

• Extras can be exciting, but not as important as what you need the

product to handle.

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Ease-of-Use: Whenever Possible, Try It Out

• Can you use it right away, or will it take time to get it working?

• Whenever possible, try a demo or monthly trial.

• Customer impressions can be very helpful. Easier to find for

established products.

• Too many features can make things difficult. Bells and whistles

often come with a steep learning curve.

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Support: How Much Do You Need?

• For something your business relies on,

you’ll want to be able to talk to someone

and quickly resolve issues.

• Phone support is one of the most common

areas that get skimped on.

• Otherwise comes down to how much time

& technical knowledge you can commit.

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Pricing: When to Prioritize

• Don’t skimp on the features you need.

Price should not be your top priority when

it gets in the way of having a reliable,

functional product you can use.

• Look beyond the sticker price: it’s

common to charge more for ‘bonus’

features or add ons, even when those

features are essential to your business.

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Example 1:VoIP Phone Systems

• First, what are you looking for?

• How reliant on phones is your business?

• What happens if the phones don’t work?

• Desk phones or mobile?

• Pricing is secondary. Consider what your

business needs first.

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Why VoIP?

• Traditional landlines are much more

expensive than VoIP systems, and

typically include fewer features.

• Just make sure your internet can handle

VoIP calls before you make the jump.

• Our VoIP speed test

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Nextiva: Our Top Recommendation

• Reliable service.

• Strong customer support.

• Easy to set up and use.

• Reasonable pricing: $40-$53/month

per user.

• Includes features such as auto attendant,

call routing, and a mobile app.

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RingCentral: A High-End VoIP System

• Slightly more expensive for small

businesses: $60-$72/month per user.

• Excellent interface, features, and plenty

of integrations.

• Customer service is focused on larger

businesses. No phone support if you

have fewer than 20 users.

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Phone.com: Entry Level VoIP Software

• Low price, starting at $43/month for 1

user, or lower via pay-per-minute.

• Easy to scale with your business.

• Great low cost option, especially if

you’re more focused on the mobile app

than desk phones.

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Other VoIP Providers

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Don’t get overwhelmed by features! Know what you’re looking for.

The purpose of CRM is to manage your sales process. That doesn’t have to be complicated.

Example 2:CRM Software

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Easy to use.

Inexpensive: $12/month per user.

Insightly: Our #1 Recommendation

Great for managing the sales process.

Not as customizable or as specialized as some of the alternatives.

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Customizable and feature-rich.

More expensive than Insightly, but much cheaper than Salesforce.

Zoho: A Salesforce Alternative

Not as easy-to-use as Insightly.

Other CRM Options

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Strong social media integrations

Good for online storesGreat mobile app

Expensive, but customizable

Website Builders

• A lot of small business owners find running a website intimidating.

But it doesn’t have to be difficult.

• In 2016, it's easier than ever to set up a website using a website

builder.

• More tech-savvy business owners can also consider using a

platform such as Wordpress.

• Price estimates here don’t include domain costs, which usually

range from $10-$15/year.

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Weebly:Our #1 Recommendation

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Easy-to-use. Drag & Drop interface.

Inexpensive. $10/month pro plan.

Responsive customer support.

Not quite as customizable as WordPress.

Wix: Another Easy Website Builder

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Easy-to-use and flexible.

Very similar to Weebly in price and functionality.

Some issues with SEO and load times.

WordPress:Using a Web Platform

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More customizable, but requires more tech-savvy person to manage.

WordPress is free, but hosting runs $7-8/month.

We recommend building a theme with Themify for $49.

For eCommerce Sites

• Website builders can handle online sales, but if eCommerce is

your main business, we recommend using Shopify, BigCommerce,

or another eCommerce platform.

• These platforms aren’t quite as easy to use as a basic site builder.

• Plans range from $29/month to $179/month.

• You can read more in our Best eCommerce Platform Buyer’s

Guide.

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Point-of-Sale (POS) Systems

• POS systems have come a long way in the past few years.

• Modern systems offer a complete package to retailers, including

tools for managing inventory, employees, and customers. Don't

let these distract from the core POS feature: handling payments.

• The big question: Do you want a basic POS or one with more

robust features beyond just handling payments?

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Feature-rich, but easy-to-use.

Reasonably priced, starting at $89/month. Registers range from $1100-$1700.

Lightspeed: Our #1 Recommendation

Excellent inventory and purchase management tools.

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Inexpensive, easy-to-use, and reliable.

No monthly charge, but 3% processing fee. Registers from $1000-$1400.

Square Register: An Entry POS System

A great basic POS system for small retailers.

Other POS Options

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Takeaways

• Buying decisions are rarely straightforward. Software providers

will woo you with fancy features and charge extra for essentials.

• For key functions for your business, prioritize reliability and

customer support.

• Ease-of-use – if you don't have the technical skills and the time to

commit to learning a software, you're not going to take full

advantage of it.

• Lower prices are always a plus, but not at the expense of key

features or reliability.

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We Do the Research.So You Don’t Have To.

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Best VoIP Provider

Best CRM Software

Best Website Builder

• Vetting dozens of software options can be time-

consuming. We know: our writers often spend 2-

3 weeks researching our buyer’s guides.

• Our site offers small businesses research on

everything from CRM software to which job

boards to use.

• You can read more about us on our About page,

or take a look around FitSmallBusiness.com.

Guides Referenced In This Webinar:

Best eCommercePlatform

Best POS System

Get Small Business Content

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http://kabb.ag/40toolsguide

Thank you!From us @KabbageInc