How do you evaluate promotional products software?
If you’re reading this, you’ve made the decision to invest in the growth of your business by exploring promotional products software. You might think this is a daunting decision, one that could have a significant positive or negative effect on your operation.
We’ve been through this process hundreds of times with companies just like you and evaluated hundreds of business management software options. And based on our experience, we came up with a five–point checklist that will guide you toward a successful outcome for your promotional products software evaluation:
1. Map Out Your Current Processes
This could be as simple as a drawing on a scratch pad, but the key is to capture the who and how of each step in your process. Your map should highlight who the key stakeholders are in each process and how that process is done currently. You will also need to include where information lives (example: where your artwork is stored), what must be entered into specific systems (example: purchase orders, invoices, etc.), and where you spot inefficiencies and duplicate entries in your system.
2. Identify Needs
In a perfect world, what would the processes and business management software look like for each member of your team to ensure success? Meet with each team member and ask for a list of priorities. Be sure to separate these out by “must-have” features and “nice to have” features. Be ruthless about what truly needs to be on the “must-have” side of the ledger so you don’t inadvertently end up searching for a mythical unicorn.
3. Prioritize Features
Organize the “must-have” list in declining order of importance. Where is your cut-off to solve for the 90%? No software solution will resolve everything on your list, so, in order to avoid analysis paralysis, you need to focus on solving for the 90%. What would remove 90% of the pain points from your current process? Use this sheet to help you analyze your priority features.
4. Method of Evaluation
Don’t be afraid to try. Some promotional products software offers free trials, some don’t. Set a budget that you are ready to spend to try out different business management software—it will pay off later. Create a clear list of what you need to test during the first weeks of use so that you can determine whether the functionality of the platform fits your needs.
5. Set a Deadline for a Decision
The biggest mistake we see companies make when they are evaluating business management software is that they don’t have a clear timeline in their head of when they need to make a decision. Evaluating the software that powers your business is mission-critical. There never will be a “right time” or a “slow time.” This is one of the most important decisions you could make to move your business forward, so determine a deadline and stick to it. Declare your deadline early and communicate it to the whole team so that everyone is held accountable.
Remember, every minute you spend running your business with an inefficient system costs you money. If you are still unsure of what your promotional product software should do, watch this video as it explains which features are incredibly important in promotional software. If you want to speak to someone about your specific needs or want a free expert opinion, you can always chat with us here. We guarantee you will make a confident and conscious decision!
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