As a budding entrepreneur, you have probably stumbled upon a recurring phrase when talking to other business builders. If you’re not a technical geek, you may even have dismissed it as just one more instance of technobabble. That phrase was “authoring tool.”
Authoring tools refer to things like technical writing software. It could be a content creation tool, an integrated learning platform, or a learning management system.
This software is often used to fast-track business success.
You Already Use Authoring Tools
Authoring tools are not as mystical as they may sound. In fact, you probably already use a few in your business.
If you create content for consumers to increase your influence and build your brand, then you may use word-processing software like Google Docs or Microsoft Word to write blog posts.
If you teach your customers valuable skills, then you may use authoring software to deliver your eLearning course.
Work Better and Faster
The primary purpose of an authoring tool is to make it easier to develop, publish, and distribute your content. Without it, you might not be able to connect with your target audience at all. And even if you found some traditional channels to present your content, it would take more effort or take too long.
From a developer’s point of view, it could take hours, days, or weeks to code the software. But as a business user, you can use authoring tools to get your work done with just a few mouse clicks.
Beyond Office Suite Software
You now understand that with the right authoring tool for your business, you could do the work you need to get done in the easiest and most efficient way.
Still, you may have made the mistake of oversimplification. You might assume authoring tools are nothing more than software office suite offered by Microsoft or Google. Or you might conclude that this is just stuff used by writers and documentation teams.
But authoring tools can do much more. There is no limit to their use. In fact, if you can’t buy one out of the box, you might even want to hire a developer to create an authoring tool for you to run a more cost-effective and lucrative business.
3 Tips on How to Take Your Business to the Next Level
You can upgrade your business processes by using a collection of authoring tools for different purposes.
Use authoring tools to market your business. One proven way of marketing your business is to create professional marketing videos. Video editing tools can improve how you promote your business.
Use authoring tools to streamline employee training. A fast way of educating your new hires about technical tasks is to use micro-learning software which provides bite-sized content in less than a minute. Your employees could learn on the job without mentoring or supervision.
Use authoring tools to create a top-selling online training course. Rather than just relying on explainer videos to teach people new skills, you can jazz up your presentations by using images, slides, quizzes, and other attention-grabbing features to increase engagement. Deploying an integrated learning platform to add interactive features will increase the popularity of your online training course and boost your sales.
As an entrepreneur, you can use authoring tools to build out many aspects of your business. Like marketing, in-house training, or delivering a robust online course. You can use these tools to start a new business or to run your existing business more efficient. While you can buy many authoring tools out of the box, this may not always be your best option. If you have a unique business model, you may want to consider hiring a developer to create customized authoring tools.
