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Top Project Management Solutions for Your Small Business

Joe Peters

September 11, 2018

As a small business owner, you may think project management tools are only for large companies that take on huge projects like building a shopping mall or launching a new product. The truth is, even the smallest independent businesses can benefit from project management solutions. In fact, small business owners may be most prone to simply performing a never-ending series of tasks rather than tackling large projects that will help move their business forward.

A "project" is often nothing more than simply a goal that you want to achieve. Without having goals to achieve, you may find yourself spinning your wheels without actually getting anywhere. Here are 5 great project management solutions for your business that can help you get out of your rut and moving forward.

1. Teamwork Projects

Teamwork projects is one of the most robust project management solutions available on the market. Not only is it completely customizable for your specific needs, but it also integrates seamlessly with hundreds of other apps and platforms such as Slack, Zendesk, Quickbooks, Salesflare and many more. While teamwork projects can pretty much do it all, it might also be a little more complex than what many small businesses might need. Conversely, it does offer a free version that might be just what you need for your small business without a monthly price tag.

2. Asana

Asana is like a group to-do list that allows you to see at a glance what has been assigned, what has been done and what still needs to be done. You can quickly and easily assign or reassign tasks by simply dragging and dropping them from one list into another. Asana is also great for people that have multiple projects going on at once or have a busy work schedule they also need to balance with a busy personal life. While there may be more robust tools available, sometimes all you need is something simple.

3. Trello

Trello is a project management app based on the Kanban technique. The Kanban technique is a means of creating a visual overview of the various stages projects are in. Tasks for individual projects are color coded so you can quickly see where projects are stalling out or what stage of completion they are in. You can also quickly drag and drop tasks into various columns or even delete tasks that are no longer necessary. If you have multiple projects in various stages of development at any given time, this might be the tool for you.

4. Office 365

Sometimes, the best project management tools are apps and programs you already use. Office 365 offers a wide range of project management tools that all integrate seamlessly with each other. You can take information from an email in Outlook and have it automatically added to your calendar or into a spreadsheet or autofill a form in Access. With OneDrive you have access to a full TB of cloud storage per user that can be accessed from anywhere. With Office 365, you can send invoices, manage appointments and even track mileage. It just might be that you already have all the project management tools you actually need.

5. Evernote

Some of the best project management apps are multi-functional. Evernote is a great project management app for any kind of design teams. With Evernote, you can create shared project files where you can store and share images, ideas, inspirational photos, samples, color boards and a wide range of other media. You can also create a number of different to-do lists to help manage all your projects and even assign tasks. From architects to real estate developers to graphic design or marketing teams, Evernote might be the solution you are looking for.

Final Word

Different project management tools are going to work best for different businesses. The best thing to do is simply try a few out to see what works best for you and your needs. In addition, your needs may change over time, so what works best for you now may not work as well down the road. In some cases, you can start by using a free version of a certain application and upgrade to a paid version as your needs grow and change.

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