LC’s Top 5 Apps to Help Increase Productivity
November 18, 2020
LC’s Top 5 Apps to Help Increase Productivity
Many companies and individuals are constantly looking for ways to improve productivity which will in turn improve quality, reduce downtime and increase inputs of work. At LCVA, we have found that simple changes to processes and operating can increase productivity, and the biggest gain often come from adopting new technologies…aka. Apps!
Top 5 Apps for Productivity
Some of these apps we have been using since the start of LCVA, and others have been recently picked up. All of these apps are great for getting things organised and online. The best thing is that all these apps are free to download, however there are subscription options if you’d like to get more benefits out of them.
“Master Your Strengths, Outsource Your Weaknesses” – Toggl
Toggl essentially is a time recording app and desktop browser, and what’s great about it is that there are different ways you can use it. Some use it for calculating work hours (useful if you or an employee work from home), others to calculate how much time they are spending on specific client’s work.
TOP TIP – Try using it for a few days, maybe a week, and record yourself doing every task you need to do for your business. You’ll be able to see how much time exactly you are spending on different aspects (scheduling social media posts, creating content, emailing, client work, travelling). At the end of this time period, take a look at the time report that is available to you and it will show you how much time in total you spend on certain tasks.
You’ll be quite surprised at how much time you are spending on tasks and how much time you could have saved if you were to outsource some work and where you could have fit more client work in.
COST
Basic Package – FREE
Then from $10 a month – Find more details here.
“Plans Are Nothing, Planning is Everything!” – Trello
Managing a lot of clients and project work means that planning is important to keep on top of things. Trello is planning board app and desktop browser, and just like Toggl, you can use Trello for many different reasons. Trello is one of the most user-friendly project management tools out there.
Trello offers a variety of board templates which you can use for almost anything, or you can create them yourself. You are able to add cards within your board – such as work hours availability, social media content, client work etc.
You have the ability to share certain boards with others – great if you’d like to designate a new task to your team member. It also makes it easier if your team or clients are online, or if you’re always on the go.
“An Hour of Planning Can Save Hours of Doing” – Hootsuite or Later
Hootsuite and Later are social media scheduling apps and desktop browsers. There are hundreds of social media scheduling apps out there however these two apps are user-friendly and great for beginners! – they keep things very simple.
If you have a load of content you wish to post and are still logging in and posting manually every day to all your platforms.. STOP! You can plug all the content into either of these apps, and it will automatically post it for you. You can schedule specific times and dates, add images or videos, enter any hashtags you would want to use.
Hootsuite covers all social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and has some additional features if you wish to monitor your accounts. They have even recently added Instagram Stories scheduling to their packages too! Later does exactly the same too but I will say that it is a better tool for those fans of very coordinated Instagram grids!
COST
Hootsuite Limited Plan – FREE
Then from £25 per month. Find more details here.
Later for individuals – FREE (Limited)
Then from $15 per month. Find more details here.
“Business Locked, Business Security” – LastPass or Google Authenticator
Gone is the little book of usernames and passwords for important websites! Whilst you can save them on your computer, you can also use LastPass and Google Authenticator for added security.
Google Authenticator can be useful for saving personal details, passwords and credit cards – for ease of logging in or making payments. LastPass, however, is bigger and better than google! Rather than searching back through paperwork you can store additional details such as passport numbers or your driving license information which may be needed in the future when you’re not near that paperwork.
There is one thing which wins over LastPass for me – When using Google Authenticator, it links this information to your Google account. If you sign into your google account on your phone, laptop, ipad, etc… This will share your passwords over multiple devices… Yes, I agree this is great for productivity but what if one of these devices got lost or fell into the wrong hands? That person then has access to a lot of your Gmail information resulting in a greater security risk.
If you are working with a team who need to know certain logins you have the ability to share them over LastPass securely – rather than messaging or emailing them over.
COST
Google Authenticator – FREE
LastPass – FREE (Limited Access)
Then from £2.60 per month, per user. For more information click here.
“One Thing We All Have in Common…ART” – Canva
Canva is essentially graphic design but simple! Canva is great for jazzing up documents, creating graphics for social media posts, building your own leaflets or posters. They offer millions of templates which you make your own. It is very user-friendly, with an app and a desktop browser.
You have the ability to set up branding colours and fonts, whether you’re starting from scratch or upload your logo where it will simply extract the colours and create a palette.
It is such a vast database of templates and elements, it’s best to go in and have a play with creating some content! It’s very practical and you can learn as you go.
After recommending these apps to other business owners, we have received some great feedback on how these have helped others!
Jane Chesterman of Vale Wills recommends both Canva and Trello, “Canva is really user friendly and great if you want to create a quick leaflet.
I use Trello on a weekly basis to plan and design my social media posts. It’s a great way of planning and pulling the images, copy, hashtags and links together. I also use it to communicate with my social media designer as we can share access to it.”
Andrew O’Leary of F9 Films said that though he was aware of the apps beforehand, “I really didn’t appreciate how useful they could be in my day-to-day work.”
COST
Canva – FREE (Limited Access)
Canva Pro – From £10.99 per month. For more information click
here.
👇 The Key Takeaways:
- The five free apps we recommend are Toggl, Trello, Hootsuite (or Later), LastPass (Or Google Authenticator) and Canva.
- Toggl can be incorporated into your business as a time recording tool, allowing you to produce timesheets or evaluating how much time you spend on specific tasks or clients.
- Trello is one of the most user-friendly project management tools which can help you plan like a pro.
- Hootsuite or Later are two of the best social media scheduling apps out there, they keep it simple for beginners however have great features which can enhance your social media accounts and organise your posts.
- LastPass and Google Authenticator keep any details, logins, finances secure – including any paperwork details you may need in the future.
- Canva can be used to create practically anything – from brand logos, to social media graphics, to fancy pdfs and documents. The templates are especially useful if you struggle with starting from scratch and are looking for some inspiration.
Spring is such a lovely season – flowers are blooming, the days get longer, and everyone starts to get excited for the warm weather! But spring is also the perfect time for refreshing and renewal in our homes and lives – and with LCVA, you can refresh your business too! In this blog, we’ll explore how working with us can help you spring into productivity, streamline your workflow, and prepare your business for a successful year ahead. This season is an ideal time to streamline, organise and reset your business branding, strategies, or even just have a good old clean out of your inbox – and we can help with that! Spring Cleaning Your Business In a lot of ways, businesses are like homes! They can benefit from the same decluttering process – just as you might clear out some old clothes from your wardrobe or weed your garden – you can organise your digital space or clear out your OneDrive folders in an effort to run your business more smoothly. But we know all of this organisation is time-consuming - many entrepreneurs find themselves buried under a mountain of administrative tasks that take away from the important work of growing their business. We can help clear away that "clutter" by offering services such as organising your digital files and managing your inbox. Here are some specific ways LCVA can help with your spring business cleaning: Organising Emails: We can manage your inbox, sort through emails, set up folders, and filing away correspondence so you’re not constantly overwhelmed with communication. By supporting you in these areas, we can ensure your days run smoothly. Managing Calendars, Projects & Tasks: LCVA can take over administrative tasks like scheduling meetings, setting reminders, or updating project management systems, giving you more time to focus on important business matters. Clearing Out Old Data: If your OneDrive or Dropbox are cluttered with outdated information, we can help clean that up, ensuring your files are up to date and easy to access. Spring cleaning isn’t just about clearing your physical space; it’s about creating room for the growth and success you want in your business. With our help, you’ll be able to focus on what really matters! Rejuvenating Your Workflow for Maximum Efficiency Spring isn’t just a time to tidy up—it’s an opportunity to rejuvenate. Just like your home gets a deep clean, your business workflows can also benefit from a thorough refresh. Are you spending too much time on administrative work? Are there tasks that feel repetitive and slow down your productivity? If so, it's time to rethink. We can step in and take over the tasks that slow down your day-to-day operations. By offloading these responsibilities, you can focus on more strategic aspects of your business! Here’s how LCVA can help rejuvenate your workflow: Customer Service: With the help of LCVA, you can delegate customer service tasks, whether it’s responding to inquiries, conducting market or business research, or ordering products. This frees you up to work on more creative or strategic initiatives. Social Media & Content Creation: Managing your online presence is crucial, but it’s also time-consuming. We can support you with content creation, scheduling social media posts, and managing engagement across platforms. By rejuvenating your workflow and letting us manage the day-to-day tasks, you’ll create more space for innovation and business growth. A Time for Renewal and Fresh Strategies Easter represents a time of renewal, fresh starts, and growth. It’s a time to reflect on where you are and where you want to go—and your business can benefit from this same mindset! With spring in the air, now is the perfect time to refresh your business strategies! This season isn’t just about clearing out old habits and processes; it’s also about embracing new opportunities and ideas. We can help you revamp your marketing strategy, plan for new product launches, or refresh your brand’s message. Here are a few ways LCVA can help you prepare for growth this season: Marketing Campaigns: Whether it’s creating product promotion or launching a new service, we can help you execute your marketing campaigns. We can handle the behind-the-scenes work—writing content, designing promotional materials, and tracking results. Website Updates & Content Creation: Keeping your website fresh and up to date is essential, and we can support you in this area too. From blog writing to updating your offerings, we can ensure your website reflects your current business goals. Customer Engagement: We can also assist with customer outreach, sending personalised emails or letters, and gathering feedback. This engagement helps foster loyalty and sets the foundation for long-term success. Just as Spring symbolises new beginnings, your business can benefit from a renewed approach to marketing, customer outreach, and strategic planning. Let us help you embrace these opportunities and move your business forward! Preparing for the Busy Summer Season While we’re in the heart of spring, it’s important to remember that summer is just around the corner. For many businesses, the summer months are a peak season for sales, growth, and activity. So, now is the time to get ahead of the game and prepare for the busy months ahead! By outsourcing tasks to us, you can focus on revenue-generating activities and avoid burnout when the summer rush begins. You’ll set your business up for success and avoid the stress of juggling too many responsibilities during the summer months. Conclusion So, are you ready to spring into action? By working with us, you can ensure your business is organised, efficient, and ready to thrive. With the right support, this spring could mark the beginning of your most successful year yet - let’s work together to give your business the fresh start it deserves! If you want to find out more about how we can help you, email us at info@lcvaservices.com or DM on social media now!
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