Simple Digital Solutions for PCOs

Pest management companies can benefit from increased organization and efficiency from within. Francie Hinrichsen, CEO of Simply Integrated, gathered a list of useful online tools for small business owners, including pest control operators (PCOs). Simply Integrated is an ROI-focused Internet marketing company created to help small businesses improve marketing and business strategies.

In addition to these tools, Hinrichsen recommends using social media management systems such as Buffer and Hootsuite, which allow users to plan and schedule their posts. “If you’re going to maintain a consistent presence on social media, automated posting is a must so you can focus on value-added activities that drive revenue,” Hinrichsen said.

SYSTEMS/PROCESSES. Another tip Hinrichsen gives business owners is switching from paper calendars to electronic ones. “When I finally broke down and switched to an electronic calendar instead of a paper one, it set a precedent in my life for efficiency,” she said. Likewise, for efficiently scheduling meetings, Hinrichsen suggests using Calendly or Acuity. Others can access your electronic calendar to schedule a meeting time that works for both parties. Calendly and Acuity also allow users to block off unavailable times and determine the length of meetings.

Google Workspace is another one of Hinrichsen’s favorite resources because it offers a little users a bit of everything. “Collaborate in real time with Google Drive. Get your business in front of organic traffic with Google My Business. Submit your sitemap in Google Search Console. Review website traffic patterns with Google Analytics. Set Google Alerts to stay up on industry news. Get a business number with Google Voice. Google is the solution for just about everything business-related,” Hinrichsen said.

In Hinrichsen’s opinion, Dubsado and Asana go hand in hand because of combined efficiencies. Dubsado is a business management program in which users can customize form templates, automate workflows and keep track of finance reports. Some key features of Asana include assigning tasks, creating timelines, streamlining processes and tracking goals in real time.

Hinrichsen advises using Bitly for higher conversion rates. It is a URL shortener that enables users to customize links that are long, hard to recognize or unbranded, while providing real-time analytics. For search engine optimization (SEO), Hinrichsen prefers utilizing UberSuggest, which determines new keywords that best connect with an audience. “Keywords are everything in terms of connecting with your target audience online,” she added. Zoom and UberConference are effective conference call platforms in Hinrichsen’s opinion, but Zoom is her personal favorite. She can run meetings, especially with third parties, and screen share. Loom is another of her favorite digital tools because it is simple for grabbing screen recordings. She said, “It’s much easier than taking, editing and keeping organized screenshots. I send record, send the video file, and voila — I’m done!”

Hinrichsen suggests using Gusto for payroll. It provides a time-tracking system, affordable benefits for employees and onboarding documents. “Gusto takes care of the people-side of running a business,” she said. Hinrichsen also recommends Stripe or PayPal to keep track of invoices. She thinks it is very important to find a system that bills automatically and systemizes processes to avoid repetition.

BRAIN FOOD. To improve business savvy, Hinrichsen encourages business owners to read articles on Shopify that discuss what works and what does not work in business. She also recommends checking out her website, simplyintegratedllc.com, for more business-savvy tips.

In regards to marketing, free stock photos are available on Canva and Unsplash. In reference to Canva, Hinrichsen said, “The free version is 1000% enough for most, but I use the ‘Canva for Work’ version so I can easily resize graphics without having to recreate them from scratch.” Likewise, to fix lighting and use filters on pictures, she advises using Priime.

Enhancing a company website can be done with Creative Market. It is a platform for independent artists to showcase their digital work like themes, stock photos, fonts and videos, as well as other digital content. Hinrichsen utilizes the free downloads that come in weekly emails. “I love the surprise (and free) aspect, but I also use Creative Market for themes, unique fonts and videos — paid of course — but totally worth it,” Hinrichsen said.

Finally, to create and grow an email marketing list, Hinrichsen’s tool of choice for now is MailChimp. She thinks it is a great resource for businesses that are just starting to build an email list. For bigger businesses with a large mail list already, she suggests doing research to figure out which list building service is best for your individual company.

Speaker’s note: Francie Hinrichsen’s company, Simply Integrated (simplyintegratedllc.com), helps owners start, grow and market their businesses to become the businesses they dream about.