For sole proprietors, as well as micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, time and money can tip the balance between failure or success. But these resources are required when it comes to learning or outsource the requisite skills that ensure the successful running of your company.
Thankfully, technology has minimised, and even eliminated, the learning curve by offering solutions that can save you hours of work and unnecessary expenditure.
Here are five websites that, when utilised well, will save small business owners time and money.
• Copy AI
Use the power of Artificial Intelligence to revamp stale content or create brand new content. From blogs to websites, Copy AI offers a unique way to put a fresh spin on communicating ideas between companies and customers.
With the software, you can build engaging sales copy, digital ads, and even social-media content, from product descriptions to Instagram captions. Save on hours of brainstorming and focus your energy on custom tailoring and polishing messages that fit your business or sales strategy.
Get up to 2,000 words for free or upgrade from US$49 (under RM215) for 40,000 words in over 25 languages.
- Hunter
Although platforms like LinkedIn offer a wealth of information on businesses and their teams, with one or more gatekeepers guarding access to key decision makers, reaching the right person in an organisation directly can still be challenging.
Hunter finds professional email addresses in seconds, allowing anyone to connect with the right people for their business. Already used by over 3,000,000 professionals, all that’s needed is the intended company’s website URL.
With 25 free searches per month, this valuable tool could lead to more business connections and can be upgraded to 500 searches starting at US$49 per month.
- Unscreen
While there are numerous tools available to remove backgrounds, the growth of reels and video content as a business tool has made video editing an ever more important skill.
From the same developers that created the popular tool remove.bg, Unscreen offers an easy and free way to remove and even replace backgrounds in videos.
What used to be a tedious process involving green screens and hours of video editing can now be done automatically without clicking anything.
Creating content from original sources or from Unscreen’s large database of gifs is easy and free, while power users can opt for either a pay-as-you-go price of US$5 a minute, or a subscription to Unscreen Pro for as little as US$9 a month.
- Magic Eraser
Unwanted objects or persons can ruin an otherwise perfect picture or visual aid. Photobombing, even when it’s unintentional, can affect marketing materials, and costly reshoots can add unnecessary costs.
Hiring an editor with the right Photoshop skills is a popular option, but Magic Eraser is slowly becoming a DIY option suited for entrepreneurs under a tighter budget.
Removing unwanted components in seconds can even be done directly, even on mobile devices for added convenience. Real estate professionals, for example, can easily “tidy up” messy rooms for better-looking images to post online.
Downloading an edited image in low resolution is free, while those who need it in higher quality can opt for a monthly subscription from US$20.
- Loom
Elon Musk is a master of time management and views excessive meetings as a waste of resources. Even if one disagrees, there’s merit in looking into other ways of communicating efficiently in your organisation.
Loom allows anyone to record quick videos on mobile devices and share links to update team members, allowing comments and interactions. It eliminates the need for frequent meetings, which not only saves time but reduces the cost of hours in lost productivity.
Up to 25 videos with a five-minute limit can be created for free, while heavy users can subscribe for an unlimited plan starting at US$8 a month.
Reg Ching is a walking quadriplegic (OKU), digital nomad, business consultant, medical cannabis advocate, and cryptocurrency enthusiast. Follow his journey at regching.com.