Who this checklist is for
This checklist is for business owners and the people who run the business with them: partners, office managers and operations heads. Use it when you set up a new business, take on your first staff, or look at what you pay for software each month. Every tool on it has a free plan that a shop, a clinic, an agency, a factory or a distributor can use today, in India and in the US.
Free plans have limits, such as the number of users, event types or storage, and they change from time to time, so check each tool's current plan page before you rely on it. Tick the ones you already use well. The order below ends with the one we would set up first, because it is the only one that brings new customers to you.
The 10 free tools, and what each one does for you
WhatsApp Business: quick replies
The free app adds a business profile, quick replies, a greeting message, an away message and a catalogue. Check that your away message is switched on for after hours.
Canva: posts, flyers and menus
The free plan covers templates for social posts, flyers, menus and simple presentations. Save your logo and colours once so every design matches.
Calendly: clients book their own slot
The free plan gives you one type of meeting that clients book from a link, which ends the back-and-forth over times. Put the link in your email signature.
Zoho Invoice: invoices and reminders
Zoho Invoice is free and lets you send invoices, accept payments and set payment reminders. Check how many of last month's invoices went out late.
Google Sheets: one shared team list
One shared sheet for orders, leads or stock, instead of copies on different laptops. Check that every important list has one owner and one link.
Trello: every task on one board
The free plan gives a board where each task is a card with an owner and a due date, so nobody asks who is doing what. Start with one board for the week.
Notion: your SOPs in one place
The free plan is enough for a team handbook: how to open, close, bill and answer common questions. Write the three tasks new staff ask about most.
ChatGPT: drafts replies and emails
The free version drafts customer replies, job posts and emails that you then check and send. Never paste passwords, bank details or private customer data into it.
Grammarly: emails without typos
The free version catches spelling and grammar mistakes in emails, quotes and proposals before a client sees them.
Google Business Profile: found on Maps
The one to set up first: it puts your business on Google Search and Maps with your hours, photos, phone number and reviews, so customers find you. Check your hours and phone number today, and ask every customer for a review. See Google review request automation.
Questions about free business tools
Are these tools really free?
Which free tool should a small business set up first?
When should a business move from free tools to a paid or custom system?
Using free tools but still doing the work by hand?
Book a digital audit. We will look at the tools you already use and show you which jobs between them can run on their own.
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