Grow your business without breaking the bank

Running a business today has many fair advantages to run smoothly compared to how business used to be done in the time past. All thanks to today’s fast-paced digital world. Being in business or entrepreneurship comes with its unique challenges – limited access to funds, intense competition in the marketplace, and the need for cost-effective solutions.

However, with the right tools, any strategic entrepreneur can stay competitive, streamline operations, and grow their businesses without breaking the bank. What’s more, you don’t necessarily have to pay for some of these digital tools. With their free package, you can maximize them to manage finances, marketing, productivity, and customer engagement effectively.

Here’s a Curated List of must-use Free Tools for Entrepreneurs:

1. Social Media & Marketing

Canva

This is a design app too that helps you create stunning designs for your business such as flyers, posters, and social media posts for free. Although there are premium features available, you can still create beautiful creatives for your business.

Access: Canva

Meta Business Suite

This is another free tool provided by Meta (known as Facebook). With it, you can manage your Facebook and Instagram pages, schedule posts, and track engagement, all in one place.

Access: Meta Business Suite


CapCut

This is another reason you should not struggle to grow your business to the level you want. With CapCut, you can use free video editing tools to create engaging content for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube. On the app are step-by-step guides to help you create something beautiful.

2. Productivity & Collaboration

Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive)

With Google Workspace, you are one step away from unproductivity. This app is designed with people in mind by providing ways to help them improve their productivity either as a business or an individual. It offers free cloud storage and collaboration tools for documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.

Access: Google Workspace

Trello

It is a project management tool that helps you create and manage tasks. It uses boards, lists, and cards to organise tasks. As an entrepreneur, it can help you to create workflows, track progress and manage projects visually.

Access: Trello

Slack

Slack is a free communication tool for teams to collaborate via chat and file sharing. Entrepreneurs, together with their team members can communicate, share files, and manage projects effectively.

Access: Slack

3. Financial Management & Invoicing

Wave Accounting

Wave is a free accounting tool that helps with managing finance such as invoicing, accounting, receipt scanning, etc. It is perfect for small businesses that want to keep track of their financial records.

Access: Wave

Kippa

Kippa is a company that provides full-service financial management and payment platforms for small businesses. It is a Nigerian-friendly app for tracking sales, expenses, and managing business finances seamlessly.

Access: Kippa

4. Customer Engagement & CRM

HubSpot CRM

HubSpot is a customer relationship management tool. It is allowed to track leads and interactions. It automates various aspects of sales, marketing, and service processes.

Access: HubSpot

WhatsApp Business

WhatsApp Business is like an online version of a walk-in-store. When optimized correctly, it can engage customers directly, automate responses, and manage orders efficiently. Unlike regular WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business allows business owners market products or services and answer customer inquiries.

5. Website & E-Commerce

Wix or WordPress.com

On one hand, Wix is a website-building solution that provides an all-in-one web development platform. It is easy to use, with a drag-and-drop editor and built-in maintenance, serving as an advantage for users with limited technical skills.

On another hand, WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS) that requires separate hosting and domain purchase. It offers extensive customization options and flexibility, making it suitable for users who want full control over their website. Also, it requires some level of technical skills.

Access: Wix or WordPress

Selar

A Nigerian-friendly platform to sell digital products, courses, and e-books with zero upfront cost. Unless you are planning to limit your business to the level it is now, then you might not need to stress this.

Access: Selar

6. Learning & Skill Development

Google Digital Skills for Africa

This platforms offers free courses on digital marketing, business growth, and online branding. It is a great way to acquire knowledge on business growth, digital marketing, and online branding among others.

Access: Google Digital Skills for Africa

YouTube

YouTube can be a great source of knowledge for your business. It offers unlimited free tutorials on entrepreneurship, marketing, and tech skills. Beyond this, you can search for whatever you need and be sure to get it regarding your brand.

Conclusion
The digital age offers endless opportunities, and with these free tools, Ilorin entrepreneurs can scale their businesses smarter. Start exploring these tools today and watch your business grow with results.