Small businesses make up a major portion of the overall economy and many industries.
While it is so exciting to own your own business and be the boss, it can also be daunting and even overwhelming.
There is a lot of work to be done within a company and with only a few employees (or maybe none) it’s vital to have the right tools to make your jobs easier. Having a Mac for business is a great way to set yourself up for productivity and efficiency.
A Mac is a helpful tool on its own, but when you add and use different programs designed for the tasks you have it can be a lifesaver.
Here are some of the best programs for Mac for small businesses.
Productivity Programs on Mac for Business
One of the hardest parts of running a small business is finding the time to do everything that needs to be done. The list is never-ending and so it is very important to find ways to boost productivity.
Since small businesses have few employees, those employees often wear multiple hats within the company. Having a place where everyone can keep things they are working on keeps everyone on the same page and organized.
Dropbox is a great example of this type of program. Files can be shared and downloaded through this service so multiple people can have access. The files can also be viewed from multiple devices.
This cloud-based storage is a great option for multiple-person teams who need access to the same documents.
Another option for that same type of service is Google Drive. Files can be uploaded to Google Drive and then a link can be shared with multiple people. This is a little less user-friendly than Dropbox because it is a link instead of the actual files.
The benefits of using Google Drive come mainly when you are utilizing the other Google programs for productivity. Google offers Sheets, Docs, Photos, Slides, and more. Each of these are online options for creating different document types.
These programs are popular because multiple people can be working on the same document at the same time. Changes can be made and seen in real-time without having to upload a new document with every round of edits.
Working with multiple people on multiple devices can make productivity slow down in business. But using these programs to keep everyone on the same page is very helpful to combat that.
Production of Business Documents on a Mac
Another element of productivity in a small business is the production of the documents needed to keep the business moving forward and profitable.
These include invoices, emails, memos, website content, social media posts, newsletters, bookkeeping, and so many more.
Many people are used to the Microsoft suite of programs used for this type of work. But, unfortunately, those are not built into the Mac software.
Office 365 is available for purchase so that you can install the beloved Word, Excel, and Powerpoint onto your Mac. These programs are traditionally very user-friendly and allow for quick, proficient creation.
Most of the time these types of documents need to be in the PDF form to be downloaded by customers or partners which is not always the easiest in Office 365.
PDFelement is a great option for those who are producing a lot of PDFs. It was designed for editing these types of documents and has a very user-friendly interface.
While we are on the topic of PDFs, a quick refresh on how to edit a PDF is very helpful. Since this type of file is used in small business, it’s key to know the ins and outs of how it works. Check out the link to see how you can do it in the most efficient way, especially if you use PDF files often.
Photos are the other type of file that is used most often in small businesses.
Especially in the day of social media and online shopping, visually appealing and captivating images are essential. There are many programs available for photo editing but the Adobe Photoshop suite and Pixelmator are two very popular options.
Protection Programs on a Mac
The last really important aspect of running a small business is protecting the business from potential problems.
There are a lot of ways that a small business needs to protect itself but we are going to focus on protecting documents and keeping them organized.
Unfortunately, computers are not meant to last a lifetime. They slowly decay in efficiency and speed until they no longer function. Or they quit out of the blue one day with no warning. That is a nightmare when you have critical information stored on that computer.
Backblaze is a program designed for optimal, secure cloud-storage to keep all of these documents and files safe regardless of the computer’s health. The entire computer could be restored if something like that could happen.
On another side of protection is making sure everything is documented and recorded correctly within your business.
Programs like Billings Pro or Hiveage are great small business management apps that keep the crucial information organized and ready to be recalled when needed.
Utilize the Best Tools
The surge in small businesses in the last few decades has led to a lot of innovation and progress. This is especially true in the technologies commonly used.
These small business owners don’t have time to do everything they need to keep their companies operating and growing. So they have found better solutions, shortcuts, and new practices.
Take advantage of the options that are available to make your job easier with these programs for a Mac for business.
If you would like to discover more business tips, check out more of our articles!
