Digital tools for small business are more than an option. They are a necessity for companies that wish to remain competitive.
A U.S. Chamber of Commerce report reveals that 99% of small businesses use at least one technology platform, and 84% plan to increase their use of technology. Popular technologies include search engines, generative AI, email services, financial management tools, and recruiting tools. If your company isn’t keeping up, you could be left behind.
In fact, a BCG article reveals that 74% of companies that fail to remain competitive through one of the most important digital tools, AI adoption, struggle to achieve and scale value, seriously impeding their success.
But keeping up is not just about being ‘the kid with the most cake’. You need tools that support productivity, efficiency, and ROI. This article will review the various digital tools available, guiding you to make a decision.
What Digital Tools for Small Business are Most Popular?
This table reveals the digital tools businesses are using most.
| Tool | % of Businesses |
|---|---|
| Search engines | 46% |
| Generative AI | 44% |
| Social Media | 42% |
| Email Services | 36% |
| Financial Management Tools | 35% |
| Recruiting Tools | 30% |
| Mapping Apps | 27% |
Why Businesses Get It Wrong?
Given the current landscape, digital tools for small businesses are something on every business leader’s mind. However, many fall into common pitfalls when selecting tools based on the following issues:
- Too Many Tools: Given the evolving nature of tech, it seems that there is always a new tool to handle a specific process. Therefore, companies keep adding to their tech stack, increasing costs and the need to adjust and train. They fail to consider more comprehensive systems that could save them time and money.
- The Wrong Tools: Some companies choose tools based on popularity or to keep up with the Joneses. They don’t consider which tools are best suited to their needs.
- Not Considering Integration: When choosing tools, companies must consider which will integrate best based on the current system and ease of use. Overlooking these factors can cause issues in the long run.
Our Systematic Approach to SMB Digital Transformation
As a digital transformation consultant for small business, Olive 8 integrates a systematic approach, ensuring companies work with products that best support their goals. We consider the following factors:
- Integration: Which systems are easy to adapt to and integrate well with your existing tech suite?
- Customization: Which tools meet your industry specifics and can be further customized to your needs?
- Use Case: Based on systems that provide the best value with the least investment.
- Security: Given the current cyber-landscape, we identify products that secure your assets and avoid costly incidents.
- Scalability: Technology that grows with your company.
What Digital Tools for Small Business Should I Consider?
The following sections will review different types of tools and tool brands, helping you determine which are best for your business. (Note, though not stated, most pricing packages include the features of the previous package as they increase in cost.)
CRM Systems
In most instances, an SMB digital transformation will include a customer relationship management (CRM) system. While features vary, most systems centralize and organize customer information to facilitate processes and manage leads. They may also provide communication tools, assist with campaign management, and offer performance reporting.
Here are three popular CRM systems that may contribute to your company’s success.
HubSpot
HubSpot offers various business assistance tools, including a robust CRM with features like intelligent workflows, custom reporting, team governance, project management, a centralized audit log, and duplicate detection. It can integrate with over 1,900 popular business apps and HubSpot integrations. Other features include data sync, user friendliness, security, customization, and integrated tools.
Pricing:
- Free: Manage contacts, companies, and deals, organize your pipeline, sync your data
- Starter: $15 per month per seat (a current discount from the usual $20 per month): Remove Hubspot branding, configure user permissions, automatically enrich data
- Professional: $50 per month per seat: Configure your CRM layout, merge duplicate records, and organize users into teams
- Enterprise: $75 per month per seat: Get AI insights on CRM index pages, set custom objects, enable single sign-in
User Satisfaction
Reviews reveal that HubSpot stands out for its effective sales and marketing and reliable email tracking. Notable features include its clean interface and strong contact management system. It is centralized and user-friendly. However, common issues include frequent bugs and limited reporting capabilities.
Overall Capterra Rating: 4.5.
Monday
Monday is one of the more popular digital tools for small business. It can be customized for various industries. Convenient features include lead management, deal management, account & contact management, post-sales management, and sales operations. It offers one-click automated task generation and easy integration.
Pricing:
- Basic: $12 per seat per month: Unlimited customizable pipelines, contacts, boards, templates for lead and contact management
- Standard: $17 per seat per month: Advanced contact and lead management, 2-way email integration, AI email generator, activity management, custom CRM automation and integrations, a comprehensive dashboard
- Pro: $28 per seat per month: Sales forecasting, email templates, email tracking & automations, quotes, invoices, mass emails, sales analytics, advanced automations, integrations, and dashboard
- Enterprise: Call for pricing: Lead scoring, mandatory fields, team goals, advanced analytics, account management, sales documents, enterprise-scale automations, integrations, security, and compliance.
User Satisfaction
The platform stands out for its customizability and color-coded interface, which makes it easy to use and navigate. It offers strong tasks and pipeline tools and integrates with various tools. However, some users have identified common disadvantages, such as limited email integrations and performance and speed issues.
Overall Capterra Rating: 4.7.
Zoho
Zoho provides a centralized 360-degree overview of your business. It automates sales activities, delivers insights, and assists with lead conversions. Features include an easy-to-use interface, fluid integrations, AI functionality, and advanced analytics.
Pricing
- Standard: $14 per month per user: Mass emails, custom modules, workflows, cadences, sales forecasting, Office 265 integration, Zoho marketplace
- Professional: $23 per month per user: Blueprint, CPQ, SalesSignals, inventory management, webhooks, assignment rules, validation rules, Kiosk studio, Google Ads integration
- Enterprise: $40 per month per user: AI assistance, territory management, customization, journey orchestration, multi-user portals, page layouts, client scripts, approval process, Sandbox
- Ultimate: $50 per month per user: Enhanced feature limits, Custom AI/ML platform, advanced customization, data preparation, advanced analytics, data storytelling, unified business insights, advanced administration
User Satisfaction
According to experts, Zoho’s top features include robust sales and effective lead management. It’s an affordable system offering strong customization and automation, and is particularly helpful for email integration. However, downsides include common bugs, a steep learning curve, and a cluttered and unintuitive layout.
Overall Capterra rating: 4.3.
Marketing Automation
Marketing automation is commonly adopted in SMB digital transformation. It handles repetitive marketing tasks like emails, social media scheduling, and lead nurturing, allowing teams to focus on strategy. Although automated, it can personalize customer experience and increase engagement, boosting ROI and efficiency.
Top marketing automation tools include the following.
MailChimp
MailChimp allows you to build multiple campaigns across various channels and manage them from a centralized dashboard. It provides data-backed insights, supports industry-leading emails, and boosts engagement through SMS marketing. Its webhook features allow you to coordinate customer interactions, launch campaigns, and create orders.
Pricing:
- Free: Email support for 30 days, pop-up forms
- Essentials: $13 per month: 24/7 email chat and support, A/B testing, basic marketing automation flows
- Standard: $20 per month: Multivariate A/B testing, enhanced marketing automation flows, personalized onboarding, predictive segmentation, behavioral targeting
- Premium: $297.50 for the first year, then increases to $350 per month: Priority support, dedicated personalized onboarding, predictive segmentation, behavioral targeting
User Satisfaction
Mailchimp has been recognized for its practical email marketing, client communication features, and strong analytics and automation. The interface is intuitive, and its tools are effective. However, drawbacks include pricing, which adds up quickly, limited customization, issues with image and text editing, and spam.
Overall Capterra rating: 4.5.
Constant Contact
Constant Contact helps you engage your audience with emails & SMS. The system can resend to non-openers and automate birthday and anniversary messages. It increases sales with cross-sells and upsell messaging, re-engagement emails, and abandoned cart reminders.
Pricing
- Lite: $12 per month: Ideal for beginners, this package includes email and social media tools.
- Standard: $35 per month: Automated business tools that support growth.
- Premium: $80 per month: This pro package helps you generate quality leads through automation and segmentation.
User Satisfaction
Users like Constant Contact for its advanced email campaigns and tracking. It provides quick access to core email tools, drag and drop editing, and list management. Others mention the system’s visual clarity and ease of use.
Key issues include email spam, issues with unsubscribing, account management, and formatting, limited automation and integration, and navigational quirks.
Overall Capterra rating: 4.3.
Active Campaign
Active Campaign offers powerful automation that supports a personalized email marketing experience. Its SMS and WhatsApp integrations allow you to meet audiences where they are. AI precision provides personal onboarding coaching to fast-track your set-up.
Pricing:
- Starter: $15 per month: Personalized email campaigns.
- Plus: $49 per month: Automation and customer insights
- Pro: $79 per month: Enhanced email orchestration
- Enterprise: $145 per month: Run email marketing at scale with enterprise-level support.
User Satisfaction
Active Campaign stands out among users for its email marketing and automation. It is suited to SMB digital transformation projects prioritizing automation depth and personal outreach. Recent AI-powered updates support faster campaign setups and multi-lingual targeting.
Downsides include bugs, performance issues, pricing complexity, and usability.
Overall Capterra rating: 4.6.
Project Management
Project management tools allow teams to organize, plan, and track projects. These centralized platforms provide communication features so teams can understand their progress and the steps ahead. They tend to help projects meet deadlines more effectively.
Here are some project management tools you may consider adding to your business suite.
Trello
Trello allows you to manage projects from anywhere. Features include an inbox that captures your ideas, boards that keep projects manageable, and a planner so you can organize tasks in your calendar. Its integrations, automation, and card mirroring provide efficiency.
Pricing
- Free: Unlimited cards, up to 10 boards per workspace, integration with Slack and Teams, unlimited power-ups per board, unlimited file storage, 250 workspace command runs monthly, unlimited activity log, assignee, and due dates
- Standard: $5 per user per month: AI integration with Slack and Teams, planner, advanced checklist, card mirroring, custom fields, list colors, collapsible lists
- Premium: $10 per user per month: AI, calendar, timeline, table, dashboard, and map views, unlimited workspace command runs, admin and security features, workspace-level templates, collections, observers, and simple date export.
- Enterprise: $17.50 per user per month: Unlimited workspace, organization-wide permissions, organization-visible boards, public board management, multi-board guests, attachment permissions, power-up administration, free SSO
User Satisfaction
Many users agree that Trello stands out for its intuitive boards and drag-and-drop features. It supports effective collaboration and intuitive task organization. However, while appreciated for its simplicity, it struggles with more advanced systems, and boards can become cluttered for bigger enterprises.
Overall Capterra rating: 4.5.
monday.com
monday’s project management system allows teams to collaborate and achieve goals faster. Its AI capabilities help you categorize requests, create detailed plans, and identify risks. You can talk to sales experts to create a customized, scalable plan suited to your business needs.
Pricing
- Free: Up to 2 seats, up to 3 boards, up to 3 docs, 200+ templates, 8 column types
- Basic: $9 per seat per month or $90 per year: Unlimited free viewers, unlimited items, 5GB storage, prioritized customer support, a dashboard based on 1 board, trial AI credits
- Standard: $12 per seat per month or $120 per year: Timeline & Gannt views, calendar view, guest access, 250 automations per month, 250 integrations per month, a 5-board dashboard, trial AI credits
- Pro: $19 per seat per month or $190 per year: Private boards, chart view, time tracking, formula column, 25,000 automations per month, 25,000 integrations per month, a 20-board dashboard, trial AI credits
- Enterprise: Contact sales for a quote: Portfolio management, resource management, enterprise-scale automations & integrations, multi-level permissions, enterprise-grade security and governance, advanced reporting & analytics
User Experience
The platform’s positive features include reliable team collaboration and a flexible workflow that can be customized to the company’s needs. It is suited to teams that prioritize visibility, and updated AI features enhance speed. However, common concerns include high pricing and slow performance.
Overall Capterra rating: 4.6.
Asana
Asana allows teams to stay in sync with a shared hub. It provides features like projects, project views, tasks, an inbox, status updates, and time tracking, and integrates with mobile and desktop apps. The platform allows you to dig deeper with goals, reporting, resource management, and workflow automation.
Pricing
- Personal: Free: Collaborate with up to 10 team members on unlimited products and tasks. Additional features include activity logs, unlimited storage, list, board, and calendar views, basic search filters, time tracking, and status updates
- Starter: $10.99 per user per month: Asaan AI, AI studio, no user seat limits, timeline and Gantt view, workflow builder, project dashboards, universal reporting, advanced search, custom fields, forms, unlimited automations, admin console
- Advanced: $24.99 per user per month: Goals, unlimited portfolios, workload, integration, form customization, approvals, proofing, lock custom fields, native time tracking, scaled security
- Enterprise: Contact sales for pricing: Workflow bundles, resource management, SAML, expedited user setups, service accounts, guest invite permissions, mobile app controls, admin announcements, custom branding, 24/7 support
User Experience
Asana has mostly favorable reviews due to its proven project tracking, detailed deadline management, effective team organization, robust task organization, and design flexibility. It is a favorite among digital tools for small business. However, some have noted issues like excessive email notifications, a confusing user experience, inconsistent subscription management, an extensive learning curve, and uncompetitive pricing.
Overall Capterra rating: 4.5.
Business Intelligence
Business intelligence tools collect, analyze, and process data to transform it into actionable insights. They help businesses understand performance metrics, identify market trends, and make smarter decisions. Typical features include data visualization, reporting and dashboards, data mining, and predictive analytics.
Popular business intelligence tools include the following:
Looker
Looker leverages Google AI innovation to deliver intelligent BI solutions. Its trusted modeling layer allows you to transform data into an initial business model. Additional features include AI-powered analytics, easy reporting, visuals, and optimal security.
Pricing
The platform’s pricing system is complex. It is divided into two components as follows:
- Platform pricing: The cost to run Looker and its integrations.
- User pricing: The cost for licensing each user to run Looker.
It further breaks down into Edition pricing, which varies based on standard packages for small businesses, enterprise packages for larger companies, and embed packages involving external analytics and custom applications.
User licensing is also a consideration and varies depending on role. For example, a developer user requires licensing for developing modes, standard licensing is for standard users who actively work with the system, while viewer licenses allow users to view information.
Contact sales to determine the best solution for your team.
User Experience
Looker rates highly for ease of use, deployment, and setup. Users enjoy having all data in one centralized dashboard and a blended data feature that supports the creation of a single table from various data sources. However, noted disadvantages include discrepancies between the main database and GCP and a substantial learning curve.
Overall Capterra rating: 4.6.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics provides essential customer insights. The platform can help you understand how customers interact with your company, help boost ROI, and allow you to get more out of your data. It is supported by built-in automation, intuitive and flexible reporting, and cross-platform integration.
Pricing
There is a free version of the Google Analytics platform, but costs can apply for set up, premium features, data limits, and service-level agreements. There is also a premium service, Google Analytics 360, which can vary in pricing depending on business needs. However, most services start at around $50,000 per year.
User Experience
Users note that the platform provides key insights, relevant data, and comprehensive user journey and behavior analysis. However, common downsides include complex navigation, a challenging user experience, and a cluttered interface.
Overall Capterra rating: 4.7.
FullStory
FullStory provides insights and tools that help you develop personalized experiences with your target audience. Its analytics capabilities help optimize customer journeys, resolve experience issues, and track user journeys across devices. The platform provides data, helping leaders make smarter decisions.
Pricing
The platform offers three price plans as follows:
- Business: For companies seeking product analytics and qualitative insights to drive growth.
- Advanced: For businesses that want to understand trends, plan roadmaps, and improve sales funnels.
- Enterprise: This plan utilizes data science and analytics teams to drive optimal outcomes.
Contact the company for pricing.
User Experience
Full Story is highly rated among users. They appreciate its troubleshooting capabilities, weekly reports, and widget features. However, some users complained about pricing and loading.
Overall Capterra rating: 4.6
Cybersecurity
The increased reliance on technology has helped businesses thrive, but it has also made them vulnerable to cybersecurity threats. Secure systems are essential in SMB digital transformation, but some companies may invest in additional software to keep them safe. Here are some recommended systems:
Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 offers enterprise-grade, AI-powered cybersecurity for businesses with up to 300 employees. It defends against cyberthreats, helps you manage devices, and secures remote access. Its easy implementation allows you to get started quickly.
Pricing
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard: $12.50 per user per month: Automatic spam and malware filtering, suited to desktop, web, mobile, and various apps, supports chat, calls, and meetings, includes 1 TB of cloud storage per user, comprehensive support
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium: $22 per user per month: AI-powered ransomware protection, email protection for phishing attacks, ability to secure identities and work data, multifactor authentication, data protection, lifecycle management
User Experience
Several users agree that Microsoft 365 offers powerful protection. They note that AI and machine learning automate processes so users don’t need to be overly vigilant. However, other users mention that the system is limited and lacks features.
Overall Capterra Rating: 4.6
Norton Business
Norton protects businesses from cyberthreats with automated security solutions. It offers a real-time antivirus and firewall, a secure VPN, cloud backup, fraud monitoring, dark web surveillance, and automatic maintenance. The platform delivers enterprise-level protection that’s easy for small teams to manage.
Pricing:
- Small Business: $99.99 per year: Security and protection, data safety, performance, and support.
- Small Business Premium: $199.99 per year: Enhanced protection and privacy, enhanced data safety, advanced performance, and support
User Experience
Norton has mixed reviews based on user experience. Some commended its protective features and ease of use. Others pointed out disadvantages like limited features and poor customer service.
Overall Capterra Rating: 3.6
Bitdefender
Bitdefender offers specialized packages for small and mid-sized businesses. They offer all-in-one packages, simplified management, continuous business asset monitoring with easy compliance, automated scaling, and enhanced visibility. Features include AI-powered protection, comprehensive security, and centralized management.
Pricing
- Bitfdeender Ultimate Small Business Security: Plans range from $189.99 to $799.99, depending on the number of members. The plans also vary in the number of devices and servers covered and the number of email addresses provided.
- Small and Mid-sized Businesses: Larger companies can choose from GravityZone Small Business Security ($227.49), GravityZone Business Security ($269.49), and GravityZone Security Premium ($615.99). All prices reflect a current 30% discount. Packages become more advanced with price increases.
User Experience
You can find online reviews for Bitdefender AntiVirus Plus and Bitdefender Gravity Zone. The Antivirus Plus received mostly positive reviews, as many users stated it made their systems safer. However, a few users pointed out false detection.
GravityZone was also commended for its protective features. However, some users stated that it was complicated to set up and that certain features were disabled randomly.
Overall Capterra Rating: Antivirus Plus: 4.6, Gravity Zone: 4.6
General Tips
All stages of implementation should include the following processes:
- Choosing the best tools for your company based on customer reviews, value, integration with existing systems, customization, and ease of use.
- Training staff to use new tools and devices to achieve optimal results.
- Checking in with teams to determine the success of newly integrated processes and identifying areas of improvement.
ROI and Success Metrics
Digital tools for small business can accelerate growth, but by how much? In the following sections. We’ll explore the success metrics for various tools, providing insight into their value in your organization.
CRM Systems
- How to Measure Success: Signs of a successful CRM system include increased sales revenue, higher lead conversion and customer retention rates, improved customer satisfaction scores, and better user adoption.
- Average ROI: A Nucleus Research study reveals CRM systems can produce an ROI of $3.10 for every dollar spent. Although this number has decreased by 37% over the past 10 years, most organizations still achieve notable value from their investment. Companies will likely see measurable improvements within 3-9 months and achieve goals within 212-24 months.
- Case Study: The specialty paper company Papeloja grew its revenue by 800% after adopting a CRM system. The system helped the company store and organize customer data, provide automated follow-ups, and improve communication, allowing the brand to track interactions better and improve productivity.
- Possible Red Flags: Low user adoption rates, high churn rates, low retention, missed sales opportunities, inefficient processes
Marketing Automation
- How to Measure Success: KPIs that tell you your marketing automation is working include increased conversion rates, lead quality, revenue, and efficiency.
- Average ROI: A Nucleus Research report reveals that businesses will see an average $5.44 return for every dollar spent on marketing automation over 3 years.
- Case Study: Book More Brides, a marketing company for wedding professionals, saw 2,375% email list growth and $1 million in sales revenue after transitioning to automated systems.
- Possible Red Flags: A complex, confusing workflow, lack of personalization, and limited technical support.
Project Management
- How to Measure Success: A project management tool should allow you to define clear objectives, set KPIs, improve communication, and deliver on goals more effectively.
- Average ROI: While we could not find exact averages on project management ROI, a Capterra study reveals that 90% of project managers report a positive ROI after using AI tools over the past year. Firms using advanced platforms report a 44% reduction in budget overspending.
- Case Study: The restaurant chain Maki & Ramen faced issues related to inventory management, communication, increased operational costs, and time-consuming manual practices. Their project management system helped them reduce spending and increase efficiency and customer satisfaction.
- Possible Red Flags: Budget overruns, poor communication, unrealistic deadlines, unclear goals, scope creep.
Business Intelligence
- How to Measure Success: Signs of success in business intelligence tools include engagement, adoption, data accuracy and quality, report relevance and timeliness, revenue improvement, cost reduction, and increased productivity.
- Average ROI: A Scoop Market study reveals that implementing a BI solution can generate a 127% return within three years. A Data Art report states that business intelligence tools can help businesses achieve a 25% ROI in six months through data organization and better decision-making.
- Case Study: As the world’s largest retailer, Walmart faces significant inventory challenges that contribute to lost opportunities and increased costs. Business intelligence tools help the company forecast market trends and optimize its supply chain, while customer analytics allow it to offer products that meet consumer needs.
- Possible Red Flags: Poor data quality, low user adoption, difficulty with data visualization, poor performance, and a lack of integration with existing tools.
Cyber Security
- How to Measure Success: KPIs of a cybersecurity system include Mean Time to Detect (MTTD), Mean Time to Respond (MTTR), incident reduction, and compliance.
- Average ROI: According to IBM, the average cost of a data breach in 2024 was $4.4 million. Security automation can reduce these costs by an average of $1.9 million, producing an ROI of around 43%.
- Case Study: In 2024, CDK Global, a technology solutions provider, fell victim to a devastating ransomware attack. The attackers exploited the company’s vulnerability to launch a breach, which led to downtime that severely disrupted operations. The organization addressed the issue by implementing a multilayered approach that included adopting more secure systems and training staff to identify attacks and respond quickly.
- Possible Red Flags: Outdated systems and insufficient detection and response
Olive 8 Group is Your Digital Transformation Consultant for Small Business
With so many digital tools available, it can be hard to identify the best ones for your company. Olive 8 Group can help. We will consult with your company to determine the best tools for supporting growth, considering factors like integration, value, and ease of use. Our team will assist you with integration, ensuring optimal growth.
Schedule a call when you’re ready for your SMB digital transformation.