When you run a small business, there are many things you must consider, including technology solutions that can enhance your brand. These solutions can be anything from tools that improve your team’s productivity and communication to CRMs and SEO software. However, knowing you need to consider what to implement is different from knowing how to find technology solutions that will actually work.
Not every tool is suitable for your business. That’s not to say some solutions perform poorly, although that is true in certain circumstances. But it does mean that some solutions will be better for your business than others. Why is that important to know? It’s simple—you don’t want to buy anything and everything, especially if you want to stay on budget, so it’s imperative to know how to find the right technology to ensure you don’t waste money constantly testing the waters.
Not as easy as it sounds
While it’s imperative to determine which tech is right for your small business, doing so may take a lot of work.
Unlike small businesses, big enterprises typically have the benefit of employing an IT director and tech team with experience in finding and implementing the best solutions for the company. On the other hand, small businesses don’t always have the financial resources to hire an IT director or a dedicated tech team. And without the right employees, small brands can struggle to decide on which technology to utilize.
One survey even found that small businesses believe determining which tools will help their company is their top technology challenge. Unsurprisingly, the survey also suggests that the primary reason for this is a lack of technical know-how, the necessary expertise companies need to make great IT spending decisions.
Finding the best tech
If your small business doesn’t have an IT director or tech team to guide spending decisions, you may also find it challenging to determine which solutions to buy for your company. Fortunately, despite the challenges, there are steps you can take to make your decision-making process easier so that you pursue and implement the right tools.
1. Tap into your network
You might not have a full-time IT director or tech team on payroll, but do you know anyone in your professional network with technical know-how? Do you have connections with any CIOs or IT directors or managers? If so, reach out to them to ask for advice. While they might be working at a different company, they will still have valuable insights to share and can tell you what’s worked for their teams and why they’d suggest using or steering away from specific solutions.
2. Prioritize the need
When figuring out which technology to use, there’s one thing you need to focus on: the needs instead of the wants. Your team may want many things and all the bells and whistles that come with a tool. You may also speak with a vendor and hear a great sales pitch that pushes you to move forward with the priciest option. But if you want to implement the right tool, you must prioritize what your small business actually needs.
Consider all of your departments, employees, and team members’ responsibilities. Also, take into account whether your business has a remote, hybrid, or in-person work environment. Additionally, listen to your team’s struggles and feedback on what needs improvement. Afterward, use all of that information to guide your IT spending decisions so that you buy what your small business genuinely needs to succeed.
3. Use free trials
Once you know of a potential technology solution, don’t implement it right away if you can avoid it. Instead, take advantage of a free trial, an offering many vendors provide. Doing this will allow you and your team to determine whether the technology you’re interested in works effectively and addresses the needs it’s supposed to alleviate.
4. Remember your goals
Another great way to find the right tech solutions is to revisit your business goals. When doing this, think about the weaknesses holding your company back from achieving key milestones. Then, use that insight to help you figure out which tech you should pursue and implement.
Maybe your company is struggling to streamline internal communication, maintain high engagement levels, or rank on search engines. Fortunately, there are tools that can help address each of those problems, so knowing your brand’s weaknesses and using that knowledge to guide IT spending decisions can be game-changing.
5. Hire a consultant
If finding great technology is too tall of a task for you to address at the moment, it’s understandable. You have a lot of priorities as a business owner. However, in this case, avoid the temptation to toss aside the task altogether. Instead, hire an IT consultant to handle the responsibility of finding suitable technology for your company.
Leaning on the expertise of an IT leader who’s not a full-time team member is beneficial and more cost-effective. This tactic allows you to get the insight you need while keeping expenses low, and it ensures you have someone to look to when tech questions or problems arise in the future.
It’s hard but possible
It’s not always easy finding a technology solution for your small business. Without the right expertise, identifying good tools can fall low on the priority list. But the strategies in this article can start helping you discover the best technologies for your company, so give these tips a try to put your brand in a better position to grow and succeed.