Getting started with inbound industrial marketing is a challenge, to be sure, but keeping everything organized and well-scheduled is a job of its own. So how can you keep your website updates, content development, email marketing, and other initiatives in order? Better still, how can you keep them in order without losing your sanity?
Project management tools, of course! Here’s the lowdown on some popular options for manufacturing and industrial companies.
No, that isn’t the name of a trendy new program. They may seem old-school, but spreadsheets are a natural first step in getting organized, and they may even be all you need for smaller-scale, basic project management. Microsoft Excel is the most ubiquitous tool, and it’s free (assuming you already have Microsoft Office). If you don't have Microsoft Office, Google Sheets is another option that offers a lot of features for no cost.
Price: Free (Google Sheets) or as part of Microsoft Office.
If you are new to project management or want to step up from spreadsheets, Trello could be a good tool to start out with. Very simple and straightforward, Trello allows you to create "lists of lists," and add detailed information to help you keep track of different tasks. With a very short learning curve, you can build your Trello board in a few minutes. Key benefits and features of this project management program include:
Price: Free version available; upgrades offered for $9.99/month per user and $20.83/month per user
Basecamp provides simple, easy-to-use task management and communication tools for carrying out various tasks. Main features include:
Price: $99/month with all features, for the entire company
Originally started as a free, stripped-down version of Basecamp, today Freedcamp is feature-rich and still manages to offer a free option. Here are some features the tool offers:
Price: Basic model is free for unlimited users and projects; upgrades come in various degrees and top out at $15/month per user
Zoho offers a variety of cloud-based tools, from email to word processing, to accounting. The company's project management platform is one of its most popular options, giving teams an easy way to communicate and track progress. While very powerful, the learning curve for Zoho may be a little steeper than with the other tools on this list. Zoho’s main features include:
Price: Free for one project, $25/month for up to 20 projects, $50/month for up to 50 projects, $100/month for unlimited projects
5pm is an enterprise project management tool built for serious project management. If you have multiple projects, project managers, and contributors, and are looking for a robust tool, it may be a fit for your inbound marketing needs. Top features include:
Price: Ranges from $24/month to $199/month, depending on number of users, number of active projects, and amount of data storage
Price: Free version has no time limit or user limit, but an upgrade with a substantial increase in features costs $5/month per user (10% discount when paying per year)
Need some help getting your manufacturing marketing plans organized and optimized? Reach out to the experts at Thomas today; we’ll help get you on track.