I joined forces with the unstoppable efficiency force that is ‘simply Jools’ to share some our top free (or nearly free!) tech tools that help take the hassle out of running your small business.
We all know running a small business is a juggling act…not only do you have to do the day job, you’re also the receptionist, accountant, marketing manager and so much more! Thankfully, there are tech tools out there designed to help. However, choosing a tech solution that’s right for you can be tricky, there’s just so much on the market. That’s why Jools and I wanted to share our top picks.
We’ve taken the ‘trial and error’ out of figuring out the right tech solution for your business, so you can get on with the business of running your business (your welcome 😉).
In Part 1 of this blog, we’re focusing on the tools that make marketing easy, while Part 2 (coming soon) will be packed with hints and tips to help you ace the administrative side of your business. So, without further ado, here we go…
Email Marketing Managed 🪄
MailChimp is a fantastic, free email marketing platform. It is perfect for people who are using this channel of marketing for the first time and want to see how it works for them, without any initial financial outlay. It’s easy to use, functional and gives great results. There are limitations to any free service, which is why Jool’s has invested in Flodesk . A paid for email marketing platform that helps you design very beautiful emails to help you sell your products or services online.
Jool’s Top Tip: Think carefully about your long-term email marketing goals. For example, how big will your subscriber list get? How important is the aesthetic of your emails to your brand? Investing in a paid email marketing solution from the get-go might be the best choice for you.
Design Like a Pro
Canva is a free design platform that makes designing anything easy. From social media graphics, to presentations, to lead magnets, to workbooks. Upgrading to the Pro version of Canva is incredible value for money, giving you access to Canva Scheduler that allows you to schedule the social media you create directly from the Canva platform. It’s an app that Jool’s and I use daily, both for our own marketing materials and when producing marketing materials for clients.
No Website, No Problem
Milkshake is the perfect app for small business owners who are yet to invest in a website but who want to market from their ‘link in bio’ on Instagram. It allows you to create a mini website without a domain. You can create several pages, such as ‘About Me’, ‘Services’, ‘Subscribe’ etc. It’s also a useful interim tool if your website is under development. If a lack of website is stopping your business from growing, this is a great solution until you are ready to invest.
Stand Out Social
Giphy is another free app. The app allows you to search for existing GIFs as well as create branded GIFs that can help bring your products or services to life on your social channels in a really entertaining way. We all know how hard it is to turn that scroll into a click or a follow, branded GIFs are a quick fun way to make your social accounts stand out.
Thank you so much to Jools for taking the time to share her top tech tools! I hope you found this blog useful, and it’s inspired you to give some of these marketing tools a whirl. However, if you’re thinking ‘this sounds great but who has the time?’ I’m here to help. I offer one-to-one support with social and email marketing to busy solopreneurs. I take the struggle out of your social, the muddle out of your marketing – helping you to show up online in a no-nonsense way that gets your business seen. Interested? Find out more here.
You can also hear more from me about running a small business, social media solutions and see some Canva designs over on Insta.