Earlier this year, Stuff‘s editor-in-chief Toby Shapshak wrote about the concept of low-code/no-code, a new advancement inside the world of software development that lets people make cool software without needing to be programmers. People, including those who own, manage, or otherwise run small businesses.
Following on from that, we thought we’d put something together on the kinds of projects that small businesses can embark on, using low-code/no-code software.
While some no-code solutions are fairly complicated and require that you familiarise yourself with them to use them effectively, others are as easy as reading the screen or following prompts to build the solution you’re looking for.
No matter which type of no-code software you end up using, there is no harm in remaining open to learning new things before starting. Any way you slice it, building solutions this way will take a lot less time and money than it would if you were paying an actual programmer to do it.
And THAT is the power of no-code: the ability for anyone to build software without having to know absolutely everything about the process.
So, with that in mind, here are some suggestions for things you can accomplish with this revolutionary approach to software creation, using specific no-code software for each task.
An Online Store
No-Code Solution: Shopify
You could use Shopify to create an online store to show off your products and sell them to your customers directly, without needing someone else to do it for you.
Shopify does all of the heavy lifting and lets you focus on the important stuff: customising your store’s design, adding product listings and descriptions, setting up payment gateways, and managing orders and inventory – everything you need to get started.
Costs: US$65/m (R1,220) if paid monthly, US$49/m (R920) if paid annually
Event Registration and Management
No-Code Solution: Eventbrite
If you’re running an event (whether it’s online or in person) and you need a way to digitally sell tickets, Eventbrite will let you do that. Eventbrite’s functions include creating the event, setting up the tickets you’ll be selling and payment processing options, as well as setting your refund policy, specifying the number of tickets available, and more.
By using Eventbrite, you can set up just about any kind of event that people can easily sign up for, buy tickets for, and receive event information for up to the time the event takes place. Easy!
Costs: Varies depending on the type and size of the event
Customer Engagement App
No-Code Solution: Glide
Glide lets you develop almost any kind of business app you can imagine, thanks to a large number of AI-powered no-code templates. In this example, you could develop a customer portal app for smartphones that lets your customers log in and place orders wherever they are, with a streamlined and personalised interface that inspires confidence in your abilities to deliver quality products and services. There’s plenty more that Glide can help you do, so be sure to check out their templates.
Cost: From US$0 to US$249/m (R4,650), depending on your requirements
Contact Form and Lead Generation
No-Code Solution: Typeform
It’s handy to embed forms into web pages to gather information that you can use downstream in your business. With Typeform, you can create visually appealing forms to collect customer inquiries, feedback, leads, and more. Do it right, and you could capture more qualified leads than you know what to do with!
Building and customising those forms is incredibly easy thanks to an intuitive web interface that can help you build the exact forms you need for very specific purposes, using a variety of templates. Everything you need is right at your fingertips, and you can be done in minutes.
Pricing: From US$25/m (R470) to US$83/m (R1,550)
Employee Onboarding Portal
No-Code Solution: Monday.com
You could use Monday.com to build an online portal for new employees to access onboarding materials, training resources, and any important documents needed to simplify the process of bringing new hires up to speed.
Monday.com’s web interface is intuitive, easy to use, and lets you organise workflows and tasks to ensure a smooth onboarding process. All you need to do is sign up, sign in, and get creating.
Pricing: From US$0/m for 2 seats to US$20 (R380) per seat per month
The sky’s the limit
The beauty of low-code/no-code is that you don’t have to be a programmer to make it do some pretty powerful things for your business. And the more you learn about it, the better your results are going to be.
So give the above a go, or go on your own Journey of Discovery to find ways to do something your business sorely needs with a low-code solution. Who knows, you might end up turning a side project into your main gig if you do it well enough.
Good luck!