business online tools

{E76} Tool Time! The essential tools to run your online business

In this week’s solo episode I go over the tools and apps I am using to run my business. Too often we get caught up spending time researching tool after tool so I wanted to share what’s working for me right now.

My biggest takeaway: tools will keep changing but find what works and stick to it! No point in spending all your time researching tools because as I’ve seen over the years- they will change!

Below you will find the tools I am using to run my business, with everything from social media to email management:

Website

WordPress.org

Backup Buddy

All in One SEO

Shareaholic

Contact Form 7

PopUpAlly

Click To Tweet

Google Analytics plugin

 

Social Media

I use a combo of Hootsuite and BufferApp. I use Hootsuite for scheduled content and following conversations and hashtags and BufferApp for content that I want to share on the fly and gets added to my buffer queue.

Hootsuite

BufferApp

 

Images/Image Creation

If you’re looking to create your own images for social media and blog posts:

Canva

PicMonkey

PlaceIt

Deposit Photos

123rf

Free Digital Photos

 

Email/Management

Mailchimp

Boomerang (a  must!): This is one of my favorite apps. You can schedule email to go out at certain times (within Gmail)- just because you’re responding to emails on a Saturday night does not mean your clients have to know! Or if you want to break the habit of real-time email reply.

 

Landing Pages

Landing pages give your visitor a single call to action and decision point and remove all the other distractions from your website. This is helpful for optins (webinars, freebies) and sales pages.

Lead Pages

 

Webinars

Go To Webinar

Meeting Burner

Google Hangouts On Air

 

Screen Capture

To record Powerpoint presentations or actions on your screen (for example, modules in a digital course)

Camtasia (Mac/PC)

 

Call Recording

If you want to record video/audio interviews or coaching calls:

Skype

ecamm call recorder (Mac)

Google Hangouts: Set up through Youtube Live Events as Unlisted

 

Audio Recording/Editing

GarageBand

 

Digital Product Delivery

E-junkie

Sellfy

 

Scheduling

End the email ping-pong and stay on top of your calendar!

ScheduleOnce

 

Payments/Invoicing

Freshbooks

PayPal

Focus

Ah yes, the all important focus..it’s so easy to get distracted. Here are the apps I use to combat the constant distractions of the Book of Faces

SelfControlApp

Pomodoro plugin for Chrome (acts as a timer + blocks distracting sites for that period)

Focus@will for concentration

What tools are you using in your business? Let me know in the comments below!

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