Running a business takes a lot of time, effort and money, especially if you are a sole trader or own a small business. The great news is there are many online tools available, which will make your life a lot easier. They help you automate your business and give you the ability to do things you may have had to pay other people in the past. Many of them are free or very low cost.

You will find an application for your phone (both Android and iPhone) or software for your computer for just about anything you need to do. So before you attempt any computer related task, search online and I am sure you will find an easy to use program that will help you do it.

For example, just last week, I needed to resize over 400 photos and I thought I would have to do it manually, expecting to spend hours on it. Before I began, I did a quick search and found software that was free, that didn’t need to be downloaded and that completed the task under 10 minutes!

To get you started, here are my top 7 favourite tools which have saved me lots of time and money.

1. GetResponse.

GetResponse makes email marketing easy. Create emails with responsive design, so your newsletters will look great no matter what email platform your subscribers are viewing them on. The software lets you do split testing, so you can analyse and optimise any element of your email message. Getresponse also allows you to create auto responders and landing pages, build forms and share data via your social networks. And they have recently introduced the ability to host webinars (online seminars). What sets GetResponse apart from many of their competitors is their chat support. With one click, you have access to their knowledgeable tech support team who can answer just about any question, without waiting.

2. 1Password.

Keeping track of passwords for your online accounts can be a nightmare, especially if you regularly change them to keep your business safe. The great news is that 1Password manages all your passwords and login details and even comes with a password generator to help you choose secure passwords. 1Password can be used locally without syncing any information to the web, or you can use it across all your devices by syncing your encrypted vault via Dropbox, iCloud, Wi-Fi, or shared network folders. This tool alone will save you hours of time and endless frustrations. And since you don’t have to remember your passwords, you can make them longer and more complicated and thus much more secure.

3. Lynda.

Technology changes so quickly that it’s almost impossible to keep up with everything that is going. Lynda is an invaluable training resource, which lets you access hundreds of different online courses for a small monthly fee. Learn everything from accounting, animation, business skills to wordpress, web development and loads more. Courses are broken up into bite-size pieces, so you can do a little each day or as your schedule allows. Most small business owners don’t have the luxury of taking several days out of their business to attend a training course, so this is the perfect solution.

4. Canva.

Canva makes photo and image editing a breeze. Apply special effects to your photos or create great collages with this free, simple, yet powerful online software. Need to touch up a profile pic or apply a special effect, Canva can do it all. But it doesn’t stop just there … it allows you to create reports, social media covers, posters, presentations, email headers and so much more. And the best thing is that their basic account is free.

5. Infogr.am.

Another brilliant tool, which lets you create interactive infographics. Create more than 30 chart types – everything from simple pie charts to bubble charts and treemaps. Infog.am has built in spreadsheet, so you can easily edit your data. When you are done, save infographics to your computer, add them to presentations or email them to your business associates. You can also share them via social networks or embed them into your website.

6. Google Drive.

If you have a number of computers and devices from which you need to access your information and images, then Google Drive is ideal. It’s free and simple to use and means you can access your documents anywhere in the world, as long as you have access to the internet. If you edit your document on one computer, it automatically updates that document on all your devices. Google Drive also allows you to share files and photos with family and friends.

7. HootSuite.

HootSuite saves you time and sanity by managing your social network activity in the one place. You can schedule and post updates, track keywords, monitor industry conversations and much much more for social networks including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Foursquare, etc.

As a business owner, you wear a lot of different hats. So why not simplify your life by using some of the free and inexpensive online tools. Invest the time into learning how they work. Once you start using them, you will wonder how you ever got by without them.

Ivana Katz can get your business online within 7 days. If you’re looking for a professional and affordable website designer, visit web4business.com.au and download your free report “7 Things You Absolutely Need to Know Before Getting Your Business Online”. Ivana is also the author of “Savvy Woman’s Practical Guide to Online Business”. 15 years in the making, this ebook is written in plain English and takes the mystery out of doing business on the internet.