The 10 Best Software Programs To Keep Your Business Safe, Productive, And Headache-Free In 2023
As we move into 2023, it's more important than ever to make sure your business is running as smoothly as possible. This means investing in the right software programs! This blog post will discuss the 10 best business software programs for a productive, safe, and headache-free year. Whether you're looking for a program to help you stay organized or one that will keep your data safe, we have you covered.
Why Are Software Tools Necessary For Your Small Business
Running a small business can be challenging. Still, it's essential to ensure you have the right tools in place to succeed. You might be a one-man band or a close-knit group of specialists; either way, as a small business owner, time is your biggest asset. Software programs are available to ensure you don't waste time on repetitive tasks or administrative work.
For Project Management
Project management software is vital for any business, as it helps you keep track of your tasks and deadlines. Many different project management software programs are available, but a few of the most popular choices for small businesses are Asana, Trello, and Monday.
- Asana is a great project management software program for businesses with a high volume of projects going on at once. It allows you to create and manage multiple projects simultaneously. Asana is also cost-effective, offering a free plan for small businesses. Additionally, Asana is easy to use and has many features that can help you stay organized. For example, you can create lists, tasks, deadlines, and add notes to your tasks.
- Trello is another popular project management software program. It allows you to create boards with cards representing different tasks, which can be especially helpful for businesses that need a more visual way to track their projects. Trello offers plans from $0-$5/month, which is ideal for small businesses on a budget. Trello is also easy to use and has many features to help you stay organized, including adding due dates, labels, imagery, and comments to your cards. If you're looking for a good project management software program with a visual twist, Trello is a good choice.
- Monday is a robust platform, excellent for teams managing tasks & workflows. Monday offers a large variety of integrations to seamlessly connect the tools you already use in your business to have all your team's work in one place. The Build Your Own feature allows you to customize workflows unique to your business's existing processes and procedures. For an even more customized experience, four additional software variations are available. The Sales CRM for sales & customer-facing teams provides tools for contact management, managing sales pipelines, and lead management. Monday Dev for product & development teams is for roadmap planning, bug tracking, website planning, and project management.
Monday Marketer, designed for marketing & creative teams, includes a content calendar, campaign tracking, and tools for managing marketing projects. For PMO teams & project managers, there's Monday Projects, which includes advanced project management tools, portfolio management, and a critical path feature.
For Email Management
Many different software programs are available for email campaigns and contact management. Two of the most popular options are MailChimp and Constant Contact. MailChimp is a great choice for businesses just beginning their email marketing journey, as it's free for up to 2,000 subscribers. Constant Contact is a good choice for businesses needing more features than MailChimp offers, such as creating polls and surveys.
- MailChimp is a popular email marketing software that allows you to handle all your email campaigns in one place and is free for up to 2,000 subscribers - making it a great choice for small businesses. MailChimp also offers a variety of templates and allows you to create custom designs for your emails and landing pages. The a/b split test feature allows two variations of the same campaign to be sent to an audience to compare marketing angles.
- Constant Contact, like Mailchimp, is a popular email marketing software that allows you to create and send newsletters, promo emails, and various types of email campaigns. While more expensive than MailChimp, Constant Contact offers more features, such as the ability to create polls and surveys. It's also an excellent tool for organizing and uploading contacts, with a variety of CRM features.
For Accounting
Managing and tracking finances can be daunting for small business owners. However, there are software programs available to help make this process easier. Two of the most popular finance software programs are QuickBooks and Xero. Both are designed for small businesses and help you keep track of your income and expenses.
For Human Resources
Running an effective team requires effective team management. Any small company should equip itself with Human Resources management programs to give employees a great experience with onboarding or off-boarding. A few top options for small businesses in 2023 are BambooHR and Gusto.
- BambooHR is cloud-based software, which means you can access it from anywhere, and it offers many features that can help you manage your employees, such as the ability to create employee files, track time off, and generate reports. Additionally, BambooHR has a mobile app that allows you to access your account on the go.
- Gusto is a human resources software program designed specifically for small businesses. It helps you keep track of employee information, including contact information and job titles, and also allows you to create employee files and track time off. Additionally, Gusto offers helpful features such as the ability to print checks and generate reports.
For Communications
Whether in-office or working remotely, communication is key to ensuring that your team stays looped in and connected. That's where Slack comes in.
- Slack is a messaging app that allows you to communicate with coworkers, clients, and other businesses using project-based channels and direct messages. Additionally, Slack offers many helpful features, such as file sharing, creating polls, and collaborative conversations.
Final Thoughts
There are many software programs available to small business owners to help manage projects, finances, HR, and email marketing. While all of these programs have unique features, they all share one common goal: to make managing a small business easier. So if you're feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work it takes to run your business, consider using one or more of these software programs. They can help lighten your load and allow you to focus on what's important: running your business. The INI team can help you and your small business.
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Zero-Trust Model - Is it Right For Your Business?
The Zero-Trust Security model shifts our thoughts about security. No, this isn’t some new product or service we’re trying to pitch. Instead, think of it this way: rather than identifying something you’d like to protect and building a wall around it to keep hackers on the outside, all users must constantly prove themselves trustworthy - whether inside or outside the network. In the world of constantly expanding remote work and cybersecurity, a shift to zero-trust security can be a game changer. Why zero trust? Well, it’s in the name: zero trust means “trust no one, verify everyone.” This cybersecurity concept arose because most data breaches often happen from the inside - such as when a hacker steals someone’s credentials, allowing them to move around virtually unchecked. According to recent research by IBM, the average data breach cost amounted to $4.24 million. And according to a recent study by Cybersecurity Insiders, 73% of organizations are in various stages of zero trust security adoption.
But before you can decide whether or not zero-trust security is the right move for your company, let’s dive deeper into how it works and some benefits of this shift in cybersecurity.
How Does Zero-Trust Security Work?
Zero-Trust security operates on two guiding principles: continuous validation and least-privileged access.
- Continuous Validation: Your cybersecurity uses a continuous process of authorization rather than a single validation. This means the user must prove their trustworthiness before moving through the network. One way to think about this is that there is a house, and each user has a unique set of keys to get in. Each user may have a key to get them into the front door, but each room inside the house requires another set of keys, and once you enter a room, the closet or dresser also requires a different key for each. In this example, the keys all represent other points of validation needed for each user to move throughout the network.
- Least-Privileged Access: Access is restricted based on each user’s identity and context. For example, one user might only be able to access the applications required to perform their job rather than access everything within the network.
Benefits of Zero-Trust Security
If you’re a company with remote workers, cloud-based services, or possibly both, the zero-trust security model is an ideal consideration for your business. There are several reasons for this. Remote works use a variety of wi-fi networks and devices - all of which have access to sensitive company information. The zero-trust model can help solve the issue of how to protect your company’s data by closing those security gaps. Other benefits include:
Specific Identity and Access Management
Identity and Access Management (IAM) is one of the first steps to a zero-trust model. IAM creates secure connections between people, devices, apps, and data by using a single identity solution that gives you flexibility and control. When used with multifactor authentication (MFA), every identity is verified before being granted access; Each employee’s access can be controlled in relation to their position in the company.
Simple Integration
A well-designed zero-trust security solution is easily integrated with an organization's identity management system. Users will benefit from a seamless and transparent authentication and access system. Since IT and security teams can easily define access policies that follow users across their devices, this will significantly reduce malware and ransomware attacks.
Easy Scalability
Since zero-trust security systems are cloud-native, it’s easy to scale across your entire workforce regardless of end-user location or choice of devices. This means you can rest assured that your company’s data is safe without disrupting your everyday workflows.
Interested in Zero-Trust Security for Your Business?
A successful zero-trust security approach aims to easily integrate, consolidate, and simplify many legacy cybersecurity technologies. This means no more IT headaches and late nights worrying about data breaches! You and your employees can rest assured that your company’s data is safe no matter where and on their working devices. Employees will have access to the resources they need to do their jobs.
Zero-trust systems can also help create automated threat responses and help track security threats. We know how important it is to keep your company running smoothly and securely. Implementing a zero-trust security system is worth considering as more employees move to remote or hybrid work environments. If you think this cybersecurity solution is right for your business or have questions about zero-trust security, our team can help! Our IT team is here to help alleviate your cybersecurity pain points. Just contact us to get started!