6 Platforms that Help Grow Your Business
by Sumona Business Development 06 October 2022
Building a business takes a lot of hard work, and you want to ensure your efforts will reap rewards.
No matter how much you plan, though, it’s tough to predict revenue if you don’t have solid systems in place. That’s why your business should use software and platforms to help streamline and optimize your operations and processes.
There are plenty of different types of platforms out there, all with their own pros and cons. But the six we discuss in this article can be particularly helpful when it comes to scaling your business. So if you’re ready for growth, consider investing in these sales and marketing platforms.
1.) CRM
The first and most important platform that every business needs are a customer relationship management tool. This software is dedicated to helping you manage, organize and segment your customers so you can better serve them.
Your CRM will have a variety of capabilities. It can help you qualify leads, add tags to contacts so they’re logically grouped, and even track where they are in the customer journey. Many CRMs also offer features that make communication easier. There is no shortage of CRM options on the market, so you can choose one that best suits your needs.
2.) Communication Tools
Speaking of better communication, you should also consider the benefits of CPaaS — a communication platform as a service. This is similar to a SaaS (software as a service) product in that it is entirely cloud-based and offers a host of options for one flat subscription rate.
Businesses can use CPaaS to optimize their communication channels and add new channels to their website or marketing suite. Many CPaaS services, such as Syniverse CPaas Concierge, offer a host of APIs so you can integrate other features into the platform or connect it to your CRM.
3.) Email Automation
Another incredibly helpful platform is one that allows you to schedule and automatically run email campaigns. Many business owners underestimate the power of email. Even when they do invest in it, they underestimate how much time and energy it can take to keep multiple campaigns running to different leads at the same time.
Email automation allows you to put all this on autopilot. You can set up workflows so leads that engage with different parts of your website are enrolled in different email campaigns. The platform will send them out based on predetermined intervals and nurture leads all the way until they’re ready to close the deal with you.
4.) CMS
Content management systems are a business’s best friend when trying to create timely, informative content for its audience. Many CMS platforms allow you to write, edit and publish your content directly in the platform interface, so you don’t have to worry about losing documents or making last-minute changes.
There’s no shortage of content management systems on the market, so you’ll have to decide what features you need and want before considering your options. If you choose one that’s not powerful enough for your business, then you’ll likely end up frustrated. However, choosing one too powerful might leave you confused and paying for more than you need.
5.) Sales Dashboard
If you don’t already have a sales dashboard for your business, you need to get one right now. This is how you track your revenue, sales pipeline, and deals. It’s the pulse check of your business on any given day and operating without it means you’re basically driving blind.
This is another platform that can have a range of capabilities depending on what company you choose to work with. However, there are a few features that you should look for, no matter the size or scope of your business:
- Revenue reporting dashboards that can be broken down by lead type
- Marketing attribution reports
- Cost vs. revenue reports
- Goal setting and tracking features to help you stay on track throughout the year
These settings help business set and reach growth goals with ease. You need to have a clear understanding of each of these areas to run a healthy, successful business.
6.) Finances
Last, but not least, you need a way to track your business expenses. Popular finance platforms include Quickbooks, Xero, and Sage.
These offer a variety of capabilities based on your subscription level and can integrate with your bank account to easily import and track expenditures and deposits. It’s key to use a finance tracking platform to ensure your business is earning the revenue it needs to continue operating.
These are six important platforms that every business owner should invest in to help grow and scale their business.
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