A handy list of the tools we use and recommend. Helping you grow your business – without spending a fortune.
Business Email: Google G Suite (Paid)
Build customer trust by giving everyone in your company a professional email address at your domain, like joe@yourcompany(which we can help you set up for a one-off fee). Gmail for business offers you a secure, private, ad-free email for your business.
Email Marketing: MailerLite | Drip (Free & Paid)
If you run any type of online business you need a newsletter list to engage with past customers because it can cost anywhere from 5 – 25 times more to attract a new customer than keep an old one; so make sure you keep them updated with on new offers/news Etc.
We currently use MailerLite which is easy-to-use, nicely designed and free. Drip is halfway between Mailchimp and Infusionsoft(without the hefty pricetag) with next level marketing automation and is fantastic for small business owners; looking to take that next step.
Imagery
Photography: Unspalsh (Free)| Stocksy (Paid)
You need striking imagery to go with your awesome content and we love using these websites for their quality stock photography to improve our blog posts. With a limited (or no budget) you can use Unspalsh. But when you do have budget use Stocksy; they really do have beautiful unique and creative images (and videos) that don’t look like a typical staged stock photo.
Icons & Symbols: Glyphicons (Paid)
If you need professional and consistent looking icons we use and recommend this icon pack of over 800, you will never run out of options. Glyphicons is the best $59(one-off) you will spend, making your brand look consistent and professional across all mediums.
Data Storage
File storage/transfer: Dropbox | WeTransfer |GoogleDrive (Free & Paid)
When you need to send artwork files to a printer or video files to an advertiser you can use Dropbox (free storage up to 2GB) or WeTransfer(files under 2GB) and you don’t need to create an account to use WeTransfer. GoogleDrive is our preferred choice to store files and its linked to your Google G Suite account(if you have one).
Productivity
To Do List: TickTick
Working for multiple clients means you need one central place to manage your workflow/to-do list and TickTick is great for that. Did you know your brain loves ordered task lists and you get a biological buzz(a flood of dopamine) everytime you tick something off your list, according to research.
Motivation: Momentum
They say if you have more than 3 items on your list a day you aren’t organised enough, but you need to list short and long-term goals so Momentum is great to help you focus and tick off at least one important item every day; giving your work momentum over the course of a week/month/quarter. It helps you with stay focussed with a daily dose of inspirational quotes and beautiful photos (from locations all over the world), even showing you the weather in your area.
Ambient Sound Generator: Coffitivity
Do you find it hard to concentrate in complete silence? Well, you’re not alone “A moderate level of ambient noise is conducive to creative cognition” according to a peer-reviewed study from the University of Chicago. Ever wonder why your Ah Ha Moments happen while you’re taking a shower, driving, mowing the lawn or brushing our teeth? That chatter and clatter distracts you a little, allowing your creative juices to start flowing(sound crazy but it works). So when you’re working from home alone Coffitivity gives you the atmosphere and noise of being in a coffee shop.
Organise your Tabs: OneTab
One thing us Millennials are guilty of is having 10+ browser windows open, draining valuable laptop battery and slowing our computers down. What’s the solution you ask? OneTab. It’s a Chrome Plugin that converts all your open tabs into a handy list in “one tab“(see their clever name), so when you’re ready to use a page(s) you have it to hand. They claim memory demand is reduced by 95% per cent.