I’m what I’d like to think of as a successful small business owner, I need to remain connected to all of the goings on in my physical office, even when I’m on the road. That goes the same for any remote staff or business partners (like freelancers) that I work with.

It’s vital for me to have my finger on the pulse of what’s going on in my physical office with an arsenal of mobile tools to stay connected, even when I’m collaborating with a graphic designer half way around the world or conducting business from a coffee shop.

That’s why I highly recommend the following four mobile apps for entrepreneurs who want to successfully manage their small business on the fly.

1. Dropbox (Free for iPhone)

The Dropbox app offers the most convenient and secure method for storing, distributing, editing, and sharing documents across the cloud. I honestly don’t know what I did before Dropbox. The cloud-based system allows me to upload all of my secure client briefs, meeting notes, presentations, images, financial spreadsheets, and more, and have the peace of mind that when I save them to Dropbox, I can share them securely among my team members, business partners and even share them securely with specific clients (i.e., if I pitch them a story) without worry. I also use Dropbox when I’m meeting clients on the road. I know that regardless of what computer or mobile device that I’m using, I can access whatever document I need in the Dropbox cloud with just a few clicks!

2. Skype (Free for Android, iPhone, iPad & BlackBerry)

I work remotely with many of my clients, and to be honest, without Skype it would be difficult to keep tabs on their progress and explain more complicated tasks over a distance. I also use Skype to meet and communicate for free with clients based half way around the globe. Skype’s offers almost every communication feature for free, including messaging, virtual meetings, video conferencing for team collaboration, and video calls, right from any desktop, laptop computer, tablet, or mobile phone. With this tool you’ll never worry about a disconnect between remote staff, clients, and business partners, or freelancers, regardless of where you are in the world!

3. Intuit Go-Payment (Free set up for iPhone, iPad & Android)

This merchant account by Intuit.com is a free credit card reader, one that you can use on the fly to collect credit card payments on your iPhone, iPad, or Android. All you do is swipe the client’s card, get them to sign in the box right on your mobile phone screen and the payment is instantly processed, you can even print them out a credit card receipt right on the spot or text them an e-receipt. Intuit Go-Payment is an invaluable tool for small business owners who sell on a mobile basis. Plus, if you have a team of salespeople, this tool will let you add up to 50 users, so your staff can accept payments on the road as well.

4. Evernote (Free for iPhone)

I was riding public transit last week when I thought of the most brilliant headline for an article I’m writing for a corporate client. I’m not going to share it with you, but I will tell you that even though I didn’t have a pen or paper handy, I wasn’t worried in the least. Why? Because I had Evernote on my mobile phone, an app that lets me take what I like to call audio or virtual text sticky notes to capture my ideas as they come to me in a wave of caffeinated brilliance. All I did on that bus was launch my Evernote app, and quickly record a voice capture of my idea. You can do the same when clients book meetings with you on the fly. Simply jot down reminder or to-do in text or audio form so that you don’t lose track of it. And, once you need to access all of your notes and ideas, you can be sure that the sync feature in Evernote has already stored them across all of your mobile devices: mobile phone, laptop, desktop, tablet, etc.

About The Author

Pearlie Davis is a staff writer for Andgeeks, a popular site that provides cell phone news, commentary, and reviews on popular mobile devices and industry news.

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This article is published by Will Sherwood | The Sherwood Group |Website Design | Graphic Design | Marketing Communications: The Sherwood Group has over 30 years of experience working with all sorts of companies, small and large. Our clients range from entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 firms, in nearly every business sector, from across the street to around the world (and yes, even Europe, China, and South America). Our goal is to create advertising,  graphic design, website design, and marketing communication that still looks fresh and relevant 10-15 years later. Our mission is to stir your imagination and leave your competition shaken and wondering,  Now what do we do?”  We are located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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