agent Entrepreneur logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Ten Essential Web-Based Tools For Small Businesses

July 19, 2012
3 min to read


Through facilitating hundreds of online marketing campaigns for my clients, I’ve been able to cut my teeth on some of the best web-based services available today.


Here’s a list of 10 of the most essential web-based tools we continue to use – on a weekly basis. These services can provide you with a multitude of solutions – from productivity, to payments/invoicing, to marketing and beyond.

Ad Loading...


FreeScreenSharing

If you’re interested in sharing your computer screen with others, FreeScreenSharing offers unlimited meetings with up to 96 participants at a time. They’ll even throw in a free, dedicated conference bridge you can use at anytime.


SlideRocket

If your PowerPoint presentations are getting a bit stale, try SlideRocket. It’s a better way to create, share and present stunning, media-rich presentations. It’s even compatible with mobile devices.


MarketWire

Ad Loading...

If you’re looking to announce exciting news about your business, MarketWire provides you with top-notch distribution channels to maximize exposure. They also offer an extensive array of specialty niche channels.


Bravo Video

If you’re a small business with a web presence, credibility is key. Bravo Video provides you with an easy way to capture customer testimonial videos. These videos can be shared on your website, blog and social media properties.


Formstack

If collecting information on your website is important to you, then it’s time to take a look at Formstack. You can easily create forms, collect and analyze data and even integrate third-party applications like CRM, email marketing and payment processing.

Ad Loading...


WePay

Tired of using Paypal? Give WePay a try. It’s a free, secure tool that helps you collect money online. They recently released a new feature which allows you to accept payments on your website through their secure embed solution.


Harvest Time Tracking

If you bill hourly, Harvest could be a perfect solution. Their service allows you to easily and accurately track time, analyze it with powerful reports and instantly create branded invoices for your clients. They even offer a desktop and mobile application to make time tracking even more convenient.


UserTesting

Ad Loading...

There’s no such thing as a perfect website. UserTesting allows you to watch a video of a real visitor as they navigate through your site. You provide the user panel with what you’d like them to accomplish, and within a few hours you’ll have incredibly helpful video (and audio) feedback.


Google Business Apps

Forget the annual email fees as Google Business Apps provides you with up to 10 free email accounts. Spam filtering is second-to-none, and you can easily sync your email with Outlook or access via the Internet at gmail.com.


Google Drive

If you use Google Business Apps, you’ll be automatically signed up for a free Google Drive account. Similar to Dropbox, Google Drive lets you store, sync, and access your files from anywhere – including mobile devices.

Ad Loading...


This article was written by Sean Rosensteel and published by Forbes magazine.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

More Training

Businessman signing document with pen
Training•October 1, 2026

Turning Regulatory Pressure Into Profitable Performance

A compliance-first F&I Strategy for today's auto dealer is essential given recent enforcement actions on the state and federal level. Here’s how to help your dealer-clients establish it.

Read More →
Empty classroom with lecturn, chairs and video proejction screen
Training•by Rick McCormick•September 16, 2026

Major Shifts in F&I Training

General agents must help F&I managers rise to the occasion of the modern consumer, who has very different expectations in order to relax into trust.

Read More →
Photo of financial documents with a magnifying glass, calculator and pen on top
Training•by Hannah Mitchell•August 31, 2026

Be a Compliance Hero

Agents can steer their dealer clients toward proper advertising practices, including regular audits, to help keep them on the straight and narrow in a period of elevated regulation.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of man signing document with a blue pen
Training•by Gil Van Over•July 28, 2026

Leasing Is Picking Up. What About Disclosures?

Agents and dealers must ensure proper documentation of lease costs and funding and end the practice of wedging lease orders into buyer’s orders — or ignoring them.

Read More →
'CHANGES' spelled out in two-dimensional letters on a concrete-like surface
Training•by David R. Ibarra•July 8, 2026

Manage Change, or It Will Manage You

Two retail tales from the pandemic paint a stark contrast in the wise approach and the defensive move that will undercut success rather than build on it.

Read More →
Marble statue holding hands to face.
Training•by Justin B. Gasman•June 5, 2026

Train the Mind, Grow the Department

Agents who want to create real value must do more than bring coverage options. They must help dealers build stronger thinking, better habits and better results.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of a stack of folded newspapers on a table
Training•by Gil Van Over•May 7, 2026

Headlines Can Be Deceiving

Warning letters the FTC sent to dealers suspected of deceptive pricing have retailers and the agents who counsel them on edge. Read past the headlines to get and stay compliant.

Read More →
Photo of mechanic wiping his hands on a rag
Training•by Hannah Mitchell•March 12, 2026

Service Drive Satisfaction Up

Auto dealerships have a ways to go, though, on many basic points, along with some new consumer expectations that would boost their competitiveness if fulfilled.

Read More →
Photo of man's hand holding a pen above a piece of paper on a desk
Training•by Rick McCormick•March 11, 2026

Agents Bring the Message and the Focus

The most predictable profit in today's unpredictable automotive retail market is a dealership’s finance-and-insurance department.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Training•February 19, 2026

Policy Responses to Data Breaches

The recent 700Credit cyberattack is a wake-up call for agents and dealers. Review disclosures and tighten vendor oversight to maintain compliance and preserve customer trust.

Read More →
Ad Loading...