Tools and resource recommendations to help run an online business efficiently
I love tools that allow me to spend less time doing admin and less time being frustrated!
These are the tools that allow me to spend more time working on my creative design business as opposed to being bogged down in administration tasks. These tools are ones that any online business will find beneficial so read on to learn what tool just might make running your business an easier task.
*this post contains some affiliate links which means I may receive a small commission for any purchases you make at no additional cost to you. Always remember that I will never share or promote a tool or resource that I don't use and love myself.
Dubsado*
I can’t even estimate how much time Dubsado has saved me in admin tasks. It is definitely a lot!!!
Dubsado is a Client Relation management tool that allows you to manage everything about your client projects. Everything from setting up consult calls with automated email reminders to sending proposal and automated payment reminders along with everything in between in the project schedule.
I use Dubsado exclusively for my Squarespace Design Day projects. The scheduler has my available dates and interested clients simply click on a date of their choosing and fill out the proposal and contract which is automatically included. Once they have submitted these documents and paid the downpayment Dubsado takes care of the rest. Through my workflow I know that the client will automatically receive welcome emails and any other instructions they need automatically without me having to do anything!!
I can also set up reminders in the project to encourage them with preparing their content and reminding them about our Strategy Call meeting.
I don’t even have to worry about sending the final invoice as that is also part of my workflow. I love not having to deal with all these admin tasks on projects!
I have a more in depth post on Dubsado which you can read right here.
You can try it for free for up to 3 clients! Use my affiliate link to receive 20% off your first month or year.
Google Workspace
Google Drive
Need to share files with a client? Google Drive is an amazing way to allow sharing of files between yourself and your client. You can create folders and organize content so it is easy to find and share.
Google Docs
Google Docs are an amazing way to share copy with each other with the ability to place comments right on the document and tag each other. Any edits made to a google doc are reflected instantly so all parties can see the up to date document right away.
You can restrict access to documents as well and allow users to duplicate documents without being able to edit the master copy. I use this method to share a very in depth Website Content planning workbook with clients. They are able to make their own copy automatically and fill it in as they like while leaving my original intact.
Most of my web design clients provide their website copy using a Google Doc which makes it easy for me to cut and paste from.
Google Chat
Kind of like instant messaging, but within your Gmail account… Send messages with notification sounds. This is what I use on a Squarespace Design Day to communicate in real time with clients and it works really well.
Other amazing Google Workspace features are Gmail for a custom business address (ie yourname@yourdomain.com), Google sheets (spreadsheets), Google Meet for video conferencing and of course Google Calendar!
Notion
I just started using Notion in the last couple of years after using Evernote for many years. I am a total convert now! They have a very robust free plan and that is sufficient for me as an independent business owner.
Think of Notion like a combination of documents, spreadsheets, notes and galleries all combined in one place. It is incredibly powerful, but can also be a little overwhelming to set up.
I would recommend searching Youtube for some Notion tutorial videos to ease the set up process. Notion also has some help documents and videos which are very helpful.
I use Notion to keep track of everything in my business such as:
Notes from consult calls
Squarespace Design Day planning notes and content links
Affiliate links
Resource and tool links
Blog post ideas
Website inspiration
Website code
Tax filing information
Testimonials
Email scripts/templates
Courses I am enrolled in
etc
And even my personal life:
Gardening notes
Travel plans and itineraries
Christmas wish lists
etc
With everything in one place now I never have to try to remember “where did I put that????”. It’s a game changer!
1 Password
I have hundreds of passwords and logins and I make sure they are not the same and not easy for anyone to guess so I need a system to save these without having to remember them.
1 Password is my tool of choice for saving passwords and having my logins be “auto-filled” using the 1 Password chrome extension. The software even suggests a safe password for you when you sign up for a new account and then saves it in your app. You just have to remember…. You guessed it - one password to log into your 1 Password account or app.
I have the app on my phone and tablet and 2 computers so my logins are accessible on all my devices.
Loom
A video is worth 3000 words??? I think so anyway. Being able to demonstrate on a video to walk clients through something on their website is incredibly helpful. Teaching anything is made easier using video. I use Loom for all my tutorial videos. It’s easy to send a link to the video or even embed it in an email in gmail.
Also, I can embed loom videos right in my Squarespace website to include tutorials in my blog posts.
Loom hosts the videos as well so no need to worry about downloading or storing them anywhere.
Squarespace
Ok, this is a given considering I am a Squarespace web designer, but no matter what your business is, Squarespace is an amazing website creator that is easy to use and quite affordable.
The beauty of Squarespace is that it is an all-in-one platform. There is the ability to have a blog, a shop, a calendar of events, a membership and more. There is even an email tool and a scheduler built in (via Acuity Scheduling).
Nothing beats the ease of use of Squarespace with the functionality built in!
Flodesk*
Flodesk is a very easy to use email marketing tool that has the potential to send very pretty emails without any fuss.
I love their simple pricing structure too. Just a flat rate per month - no matter how many emails you send or how big your email list is. It’s simple and so nice to use!
If you use this Flodesk affiliate link you can get 50% off your first year. Try it out and see what you think!
Stock Photography
I have 2 main sources for stock photography resources that are purchased:
Haute Stock *
Haute Stock has the MOST BEAUTIFUL stock photos and videos. I have not regretted this membership for a second! I have their images all over my website.
Their library is easy to search and in addition to the photos and videos there are also gorgeous CANVA templates that incorporate their images that are provided regularly. This makes my social media planning so much easier.
There are also lots of other education resources available and content planning guides and more available to subscribers.
As a bonus - there is now a partnership with Moyo Studio (see below) where many of their images are being made available in the Haute Stock membership!
Moyo Studio *
Moyo Studio provides gorgeous images and photoshop files for designers to showcase their work. They do have some beautiful stock images too that aren’t just geared towards designers.
Every year around Black Friday they offer an amazing photo bundle deal as well!
For free photos I use these sources all the time:
Pexels - Pexels also has great video content!
Hope this post helped you find a tool that will save you some time and sanity!
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