1. The CRM

Most software stacks begin with the CRM. A Customer Relationship Management system works like your company’s Rolodex. It keeps all your company’s contacts in one place online. It also stores important data on those contacts you can leverage to improve your customer experience, nurture leads, and get more sales. When a CRM contains marketing automation, you can streamline these processes even more and dedicate more time to growing your business organically. CRMs run the gamut from basic to incredibly sophisticated, and are scalable to your business size.

At Bloominari, we love and recommend Agile CRM, which is an incredible sales, marketing and service/help desk CRM system with enterprise-level features, at super affordable prices for small businesses. Our San Diego marketing agency uses Agile CRM to keep track of our potential clients, and automate our sales and marketing process.

 2. Financial Software

No software stack is complete without financial software. Billing and accounting aren’t particularly glamorous aspects of the business, but they’re essential. According to the Small Business Association, your financial data tracking is not only central to completing your day-to-day business operations, but also looks good to lenders or investors when it comes time to take your business to the next level. Consider software that has expense tracking, invoicing, and budget-planning capability.

You may be tempted to keep the books on your own, but why would you? Take the human error out of the equation and invest in good financial software that will truly help your business grow.

3. Marketing Management Software

Small business marketing stacks are essential. While everyone’s needs are different, your marketing management software should allow you to speak to both your customers and prospects effectively. Examples of marketing management software include email marketing tools (such as MailChimp) and lead capturing (like Sumo). The right marketing management stack will be completely scalable, so it grows as your business needs evolve.

Related: CRM vs Marketing Automation Software: What do I really need for my business?

 4. Communication and Productivity Stacks

Leverage software to make your business more effective. Consider this: If your team only has 20 members saving five minutes a day, that adds up to 34 hours in a month. The best way to save those five minutes is with communication and productivity software. The right stack will help your team members collaborate more effectively and maximize your business efforts.

Software stacks can be confusing, so it’s best to work with an experienced web development partner. Contact the Bloominari team if you have any questions about building the right software stack for your business.