The 7 Best Business Tools for Small Business Owners Who Like To Save Time And Money

You know that scene in every cooking competition show where the contestants have to dash through the pantry grabbing ingredients while the clock is ticking? That's basically what running a small business feels like most days. You're racing against time, juggling multiple tasks, and trying to make magic happen with limited resources.

And just like those cooking shows, having the right tools can make or break your success. But, the great news is you don't need a celebrity chef's budget to create something amazing.

We've spent years trying and testing different tools and resources (because because optimization and efficiency is a love language here at Happyland), and now we're sharing our favorite budget-friendly picks that deliver results and are actual game changers.

1. Keysearch: Your Secret Weapon for SEO

Look, we all know it feels like everyone is an overnight social media success, but it's harder than just dancing in a 7-second video for all the internet to see. Chasing social media algorithms is like trying to nail jello to a wall. Sometimes you need a more reliable strategy, and that's where SEO comes in.

Think of SEO as the marathon runner to social media's sprinter. While your social media post from last week is already buried under an avalanche of cat videos and 3-ingredient recipes, your SEO-optimized content can keep bringing in customers for years.

It's easy to get started, you'll just need a keyword research tool to help you find and track your keywords. Here at Happyland we use Keysearch. It's becoming a tool that we use on the daily and in the last year has helped us grow our website traffic by 173%!

AND at just $24/month, it beats any other keyword research tool we looked at (many of which are over $100 per month) and it's packed with features like:

• Keyword research and suggestions
• Rank tracking
• SEO audits
• Content assistance
• Brainstorming tools

Pro tip: Use our affiliate link for 20% off your subscription!

2. Canva: Your Design Assistant

Remember when you had be a professional with an Adobe subscription to create any kind of graphic design work that you needed for your business? Canva said "Not on my watch!" and revolutionized the game. Whether you're whipping up social media graphics, business cards, or even videos, Canva's got your back. They even have an option to order prints of your design right within their app.

But, if you ask us, the best feature is the Brand Kit (available with paid subscriptions). We've said it a thousand times and we'll say it again. The key to strong branding is consistency, which has never been easier than with Canva's Brand Kit feature. Upload your professional brand assets (logo, fonts, colors, etc.) once, and boom – they're always at your fingertips no matter what you're working on.

3. Moo: Premium Print Partner

When it comes to printing business collateral, Moo.com is our first go-to. We love that they offer the ability to include multiple designs in one order, plus tons of other great things like:

• Premium finishes like foil stamping
• Top-shelf quality
• Product labels and stickers

They're super reliable with a wide variety of products and fast shipping.

Pro Tip: Use our affiliate link for 25% off your first order!

4. StickerApp: The Label Game-Changer

Want to make sure your labs grab your customers eyes and won't let go? StickerApp is the place for eye-catching labels. It's a great place to go if you're looking for something more unique thanks to their wide variety of materials like:

• Holographic
• Glitter
• Transparent
• Glow-in-the-dark (perfect for those "wow" moments!)

5. Roastar: Packaging that Packs a Punch

When it comes to product packaging, Roastar is the real MVP. While they're famous for their coffee bags, they're actually a triple threat offering USA printed:

• Bags and pouches
• Tubes
• Cans

They're a small business located in Wisconsin, and their lovely customer service is like having your own packaging concierge!

6. Buffer: Social Media's Secret Sauce

With all the social media platforms out there there's no tool that makes it easier to keep up with them all that Buffer! We love that Buffer offers really affordable, customizable pricing—only pay for the channels that you use (they also offer a really generous free plan if you only need a few social posts per month.) They include tons of helpful features like:

• An engagement inbox
• Hashtag manager
• Advanced analytics
• And even an AI assistant to help you come up with captions when writers block strikes

7. Flodesk: Email Marketing Made Pretty

Last but definitely not least, let's talk about email marketing. While other platforms charge you based on your subscriber count (rude!), Flodesk keeps it simple with a flat rate of $35/month. It's like an all-you-can-eat buffet for email marketing!

Features we're obsessed with:

• Beautiful templates
• E-commerce capabilities
• List tagging and segmenting
• Powerful workflows

Pro Tip: Use our affiliate link to get 50% off your first year!

Here's the thing about running a small business – you need tools that work as hard as you do, without requiring a second mortgage to afford them. Each of these tools has earned their spot in our daily operations here at Happyland Creative®. We only recommend things that we use ourselves which is why we're confident they can help level up your business too.

Remember: Some links in this post may be affiliate links. This means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you—in fact, in many cases using our affiliate links can actually save you money! And, as a reminder, we only ever recommend products we truly love and use ourselves!

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