How to Find the Best Software for Your Small Business or Startup
The right tools can make your life as a business owner much easier. Finding them? That’s the hard part. Learn the 3 steps you need to take to consistently choose the best software solutions or technology for your new business.
Finding the right software for your new business is not as easy as it seems; the market is saturated, and the features and functionality are not always clear.
On average, it takes businesses between 1 and 7 months to find the right software for their business.
If you get it wrong, not only do you waste that time and resources, but you also set your company at a disadvantage.
I know from personal experience how important the right tools are for your company’s growth, which is why I wanted to share some of my learnings with you.
Follow these 3 steps to consistently find the best technology for your new business.
This blog will be short and sweet, so let’s jump in.
Step 1: Get crystal-clear about what you’re looking for.
Your search for a new software probably starts like this: “I need to do more email marketing, so I need an email tool.”
Unfortunately, that is not enough data to make a decision. If you purchase or implement a tool with that amount of information, you’ll most likely be disappointed in a few weeks or months. This is not the time for spur-of-the-moment decisions.
To get clear, you’ll need to ask yourself a lot of questions. Here are a few to get you started:
Does this tool integrate with my CRM?
How often am I going to be using this tool?
This question helps frame your evaluation. Some seemingly small issues become really annoying when using a tool every day.
What are all the possible ways I’d like to use this tool? Think through the different campaigns you’d like to launch or processes you’d like to improve, and make a list.
To extend the email marketing example, you might want to use it for lead nurturing workflows, automated form follow-ups, blog notifications, monthly newsletters, and one-to-one communication.
What factors will impact pricing, and do those factors apply to me?
For example, most email software subscriptions are priced based on contact volume and email send volume. If you’re a high volume sender, email software can get really expensive, really fast. Learn our recommendations for the best email software for all types of senders here.
What is the company’s approach to customer service?
Who is going to be using this tool the most?
Make sure they have a chance to speak up about what they’re looking for, too.
In short, imagine what your workday would look like if you already had the software solution of your dreams. What aspects are easier? What takes less time? What is less annoying? What is possible?
Step 2: Build a feature wishlist.
Using the information you gathered in step one, build a list of all the different features you’d like to see in your ideal software solution. Then, rank them from “need to have” to “want to have.”
As you evaluate your options, check each software option’s features against this wish list.
On your wish list, make sure you leave a space for “total budget” and “personal notes.” You may have a strong positive feeling about one software option; if so, you should give yourself space to consider that in your final decision.
[Read Also: 4 Tools Every Software Toolkit Needs to Include]
It can be easy to get overwhelmed in the process of researching software - having this wish list makes it a lot easier.
Step 3: Don’t be afraid to talk to sales.
When you look at your wishlist, the best software option for you might become clear pretty quickly. If it doesn’t, or if you still have questions about some functionality, don’t be afraid to talk to sales.
Here are a few things you might learn from a sales call or chat:
Insight into the company’s culture and priorities.
Which features the company thinks are the most important, and why.
What other customers have to say.
Get our recommendations for the best technology tools here.
Whether there’s any flexibility in pricing.
It’s also a good idea to (politely) ask a few more serious questions. Here are a few ideas:
Could you provide an estimate of the percentage of customers who leave after a year?
What reasons do former customers give for leaving or switching to a competitor?
In your opinion, what is the biggest problem with your software?
Every technology has issues, and you will face some challenges with using it. Express that you understand that no software is perfect, but you want to get a sense for common pitfalls, challenges, and areas for improvement.
Most salespeople won’t have a problem answering questions like this; they want you to be satisfied with your purchase. No company wants unhappy customers, because unhappy customers sap energy, depress future sales, and drain resources.
So that’s it! Those are the 3 steps to take to consistently evaluate and select the right technology for your business.
Need even more help finding the right tools for your business?
Download our list of recommendations for the best software here:
