Black Friday 2024 is here, offering unbeatable opportunities for small businesses to get ahead in 2025. With a projected $240.8 billion in U.S. online holiday spending, now is the time for small businesses to invest in the best tools for success in 2025. Preparation is key, and having the right tools can help you streamline operations, boost productivity, and engage customers effectively.
In this blog, we’ll highlight the best tools for small businesses for 2025, and how you can take advantage of Black Friday 2024 deals to secure them. From customer management to marketing solutions, these tools are essential for thriving in 2025 and beyond.
Trello or Asana – Project Management Tool
Running a small or medium-sized business can feel overwhelming, with tasks like managing
client relationships, tracking finances, handling support tickets, and ensuring projects meet
deadlines can be hard. If you are trying to decide between two project management apps, you
probably have come across Trello and Asana.
Trello is a visually appealing task management software solution that helps individuals and
small teams on a budget who prefer visually organizing workflows. Trello is a Kanban
tool that uses simple boards, lists, and cards to manage projects and organize tasks. You can
create task cards that can be dragged and dropped between lists as new projects come along.
This would be good for visual thinkers, such as marketing team members or designers.
Even though Trello is known for its user-friendly approach to project management, there are
other essential tools that Trello is missing. For example, Trello does not let you assign tasks
to other members of the team or manage financials. However, it would be recommended for
smaller teams that are just starting their business and need a simpler work management solution
with easy-to-navigate features.
Asana, on the other hand, lets you assign tasks and jobs to other members of the team. Unlike
Trello also offers in-app direct messaging. Asana’s plans structure is built for larger teams,
whereas Trello is designed for smaller teams and individuals.
On the good side, Asana has features that Trello lacks, such as access to a reporting
dashboard that can measure a wide range of metrics using custom fields. For example, adding a custom field, such as “Cost,” to your tasks in a project management tool allows you to
track and analyze spending across different projects or tasks. Asana also offers AI-powered
features to give advice and accelerate decision-making.
So, which one is better?
Both Trello and Asana offer great project management features, but depending on the
following, you might prefer one or the other:
| Trello | Asana |
| User-Friendly Kanban Interface | Advanced Task Assignments |
| Customizable Workflows | Powerful Reporting & Metrics |
| Budget-Friendly Option for Small Teams | Larger Teams & Organizations |
| Seamless Collaboration | Variety of Templates & Reporting Options |
| AI-Powered Project Planning & Execution Tools |
ClickUp or Notion – All-in-one tools
ClickUp and Notion are both all-in-one tools – specifically designed to help teams and individuals get more organized by consolidating all their apps into one. We will take a closer look at both software apps as they have many different features that you will need to know if you are trying to decide what the best fit is for you.
This evaluation will make you an informed decision about your next project management solution. So, let’s dive right in!
ClickUp is an all-in-one app that provides more than 100 customizable features to help teams’ projects and improve workflows. ClickUp’s functionality empowers teams to collaborate effectively and manage tasks seamlessly in a centralized platform. With its advanced time-tracking tools, built-in automation, and user-friendly interface, ClickUp simplifies project management and enhances team productivity. They have features such as to-do lists, docs, spreadsheets, chat, team objectives section, and so much more.
ClickUp is also simple to navigate and reasonably intuitive. ClickUp allows you to configure views, dashboards, filters, and almost anything you need. It offers other tools like strategy planning, marketing campaigns, and product releases.
Notion first started as a note-taking tool and has evolved until it became a task management tool with great features for individual and team productivity. Notion is a simple software app that allows you to manage tasks, personal information, and other records according to your needs and preferences. Their databases offer very flexible software that allows multiple views like tables, lists, Kanban, and calendars. A good side of Notion is that is very easy to set up – requiring less customization than ClickUp. Notion combines note-taking, project management, and database functionalities into one tool.
Even though it is more limited than ClickUp in some features, such as custom reporting and time tracking, Notion might still be exactly what you need to cover your needs due to its simpler interface. It provides a clean canvas that you can customize according to your needs.
Review Source: Reddit
So, which one is better?
Choose depending on your priorities. If you need detailed project management features, team collaboration, and advanced tracking capabilities, you should go for ClickUp. If you are looking for a flexible workspace to organize personal or team knowledge and you prefer a simple and all-in-one organization tool, you should choose Notion.
This is how some of their main features compare:
| ClickUp | Notion |
| Task and project management | Knowledge management and notes |
| More complex, feature-rich | Simpler, user-friendly interface |
| Better for team task collaboration, bigger teams | Better for sharing and managing knowledge, individual use |
| Free plan with premium upgrades | Free plan with affordable upgrades |
Hubspot or Pipedrive – CRM
Hubspot and Pipedrive are both popular customer relationship management (CRM) tools designed to help businesses streamline their sales processes, manage customer data, and enhance productivity. When comparing them, they both have common functionalities like storing, managing, and tracking customer data. If you are a small business, Pipedrive is a simple and strong option to consider.
On the other side, if you are looking for a stronger CRM it is suitable for small to medium-sized enterprises. Let’s dive into more detailed features of each CRM!
Pipedrive is designed for sales teams to track deals and manage pipelines. Its user interface is clean and simple – making it very easy to navigate and get most of what you need. Pipedrive offers customizable dashboards and reports to analyze deal performance, as well as other features such as revenue forecasting tools and AI-powered sales assistants.
All of Pipedrive’s key features like this pipeline view are 1-click away via the left-hand navigation
Pipedrive has great customer support, especially for small businesses. They are quick to respond, friendly tone, and helpful.
On the other side, Hubspot is far more customizable, allowing the creation of custom objects. Even though both tools allow you to create custom fields, the HubSpot CRM platform offers richer functionality. HubSpot also offers free CRM tools, including contact and lead management, email tracking, and live chat. Also, if you are looking for an integrated marketing, sales, and customer platform, this is your choice. HubSpot covers all of these sectors in one unified platform.
Both apps are intuitive, which makes it ideal for small and growing businesses. Pipedrive is easier to pick up and use, but HubSpot requires more time and effort to fully understand and utilize all its advanced features, making it more challenging for beginners.
So, which one is better?
HubSpot will be ideal for you if you need a comprehensive CRM that integrates marketing, sales, and customer service tools with automation and campaign tracking. On the other side, Pipedrive is a perfect option if you prioritize a simple, customizable CRM focused solely on managing sales pipelines and closing deals.
Down below are some key comparison features:
| HubSpot | Pipedrive |
| Simple and intuitive interface for salespeople | Sales pipeline management for sales teams |
| User-friendly for small and growing businesses | Simple and intuitive interface for sales people |
| Free CRM with premium upgrades for advanced tools | No free plan; pricing starts with a trial |
MailerLite or Mailchimp – Email Marketing
Email marketing offers a direct and reliable way to reach holiday shoppers, ensuring that your Black Friday promotions land directly in their inboxes. Unlike social media, where algorithm changes can affect visibility, email allows your marketing messages to reach customers without interference, providing a more stable and personal connection.
MailerLite is an excellent option for small businesses and startups looking for an affordable yet powerful email marketing tool. It’s known for its simplicity, which makes it great for beginners and those who prefer a clean interface. It offers some advanced features like email automation and analytics, allowing personalized content. MailerLite is ideal for small businesses looking for a platform that is simple and covers all the basics of email marketing.
MailerLite offers a free plan, easy to use for beginners, and perfect for those small businesses on a budget. On the other side, Mailchimp is another email marketing platform that is highly recognized by small businesses. Mailchimp offers more powerful automation, however, MailerLite’s automation design is simpler.
MailChimp offers advanced features like click maps, eCommerce tracking, and AI-driven insights like Content Optimizer to analyze and improve email campaigns. It also provides over 100 customizable templates and AI-powered design tools for professional, visually appealing emails.
So, which one is better?
Mailerlite is a perfect platform if you’re a small business or startup seeking a straightforward, affordable email marketing tool with strong automation and landing page features. Opt for Mailchimp if you require an all-in-one marketing platform with advanced analytics, integrations, and diverse tools beyond email campaigns.
Here is an overview comparison of key features:
| Maiterlite | Mailchimp |
| Affordable with a generous free tier features | More complex due to advanced features |
| Affordable with generous free tier features | Higher-priced plans with limited free |
| Focused on email marketing | All-in-one marketing solution |
For email marketing, MailerLite is an excellent option for small businesses and startups, offering an affordable, user-friendly platform with strong automation and landing page features. Plus, with MailerLite’s intuitive interface and powerful tools, you can easily create personalized email campaigns for the holiday season.
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Tools to Empower Your Black Friday Success
Black Friday 2024 is an unparalleled opportunity for small businesses to shine amidst fierce competition. By choosing the right tools—be it for project management, customer relationship management, or email marketing—you can not only streamline your operations but also create meaningful connections with your audience.
Trello, Asana, ClickUp, Notion, HubSpot, Pipedrive, MailerLite, and Mailchimp all offer unique benefits that cater to different business needs. The key is understanding what aligns best with your current goals, team size, and future ambitions.
Don’t wait until the holiday rush catches up—start planning now with the tools that will support your workflow, improve your campaigns, and deliver outstanding results. With preparation and the right strategies, Black Friday 2024 can be your most successful season yet!
