8 Free Tech Tools for your business
Running a business can be costly and its always a good idea to save a few dollars here and there I reckon. I know it can also get confusing with tools and apps galore these days… but did you know that there are stacks of FREE tools you can use?
They are easy to use, make a difference in your biz and keep your clients connected to you (and they keep coming back!).
When I sat down and wrote all the tools down that I use on my computer/iphone - I had way more than 8! More likely 25…but perhaps I am more techy than the next person?
Anyhoo - I thought this blog could help you out and simplify what to use. Plus I have been using most of these programs or apps for years and I know they work.
p.s I am not sponsored or paid by any of these programs, I just love them!
So here are the top 8 tools I use in my biz:
- MailChimp - www.mailchimp.com
Seriously, if you are not using your peoples emails and directly contacting them regularly you are MISSING OUT!
MailChimp is a web based program that allows you to email your people in bulk, with ease (and even joy!).
You can send well designed, professional mobile optimised email within minutes to thousands of people. I use MailChimp weekly by communicating with my peeps, updating them on cool stuff, giving value and reminding them of programs I am running.
Relationship building is the new black. No really…! Build that relationship with a customer and they will trust you. Trust leads to sales. Simple.
So communicate, give value and don’t sell to them at every give moment. They will buy when they are ready and feel they can trust you.
On a side note, I use the reporting tool on MailChimp to get feedback on my emails. I can tell whether they are reading them, what links my customers are clicking on and work out my potential leads for new programs. This is itself is gold.
Lastly, I have also been running regular MailChimp workshops in my hometown for the last 18 months and its great to see other business’s taking this easy system up and creating new customer opportunities. If you need training, give me a yell out. ;)
2. WordPress and other free web plugins - www.wordpress.com
I am a massive fan of WP. It allows me to create websites, update my own sites and gives me creative freedom. You can blog on it, build websites on it and connect with many of the programs I am talking about on this blog. Plus its FREEEEEEE!
I know I am a bit of a tech-head and I love to tinker and create websites for fun. But I started with zero training and just Googled my way through it all. And you can too!
If you don’t want to learn how to do it yourself (Remember sites like Weebly and Wix are not Google friendly anymore), just hire someone to do it for you. Yes I can help, but you can also outsource overseas using places like Upwork or Fiverr for fairly cheap rates.
3. Canva and StockSnap - www.canva.com and www.stocksnap.io
Creating your own images and graphics has never been easier now.
I can honestly say that Canva has changed my life! I even designed my book on there. Thus saving me stacks of time and money - plus I DID IT! Thats a sense of accomplishment for sure!
Canva is an Australian company and I am stoked that I run trainings on this FREE program regularly. Its a web based graphic design program that you can literally make pictures, flyers, posters, social media pics and so much more…in a matter of minutes. They even have an iPhone app for it too. Yes I do make pics whilst laying in bed and it looks like I am working haha.
If you want to see what you can do, go check out their website or scan your eye over my Facebook page. ALL of the graphics are made on Canva and I even use them with MailChimp campaigns. This creates a consistency across all the platforms - this consistency creates even more trust with customers. So its a win-win all round.
For royalty free images I use StockSnap. This website uploads new photos weekly and they are top quality images you can use freely in your business. Plus they are just beautiful!
4. Facebook
If your business is not on Facebook and your clients or customers are on there - you need to get your head out of the sand and JFDI!
Its a free source of advertising and marketing. Its a free source of advertising and marketing. Yes I meant to say that twice…!
Use it, get your presence out there and communicate! Facebook’s mission is to get people to connect and be ‘social’. So this does mean that you need to communicate regularly with your peeps. Nope - this doesn’t mean by selling to them all the time…FB will notice this and you won’t appear on newsfeeds. I rarely pay for advertising on FB as I am ‘social’ and my posts get seen…in fact I only boost posts if I see they are getting traction already.
Social media is here to stay and whether FB will stand the tests of time - if you are in business, you need to embrace this and work with it. Or you will get left behind.
Tip: If you find that you spend hours on your phone as a result of social media… GET OFF YOUR PHONE. Its as easy as averting your eyes. Plus something to note here… if you are using this as a distraction - what are you NOT focusing on? ;)
5. Google Drive, docs and forms
Gosh what a great invention! So earlier this year I upgraded my Mac and decided that I wanted to use cloud based storage more than ever. So I started to use Google Drive to store my files on. Its FREE (up to 30gb) and I can access my stuff from anywhere! Even my phone.
Now I also use it for shared projects with clients and they love it too.
Google Docs are fab too. So Google has their versions of Word/Pages, Excel/Numbers, Powerpoint/Keynote…all utilised on Google Drive. All for FREE! I love it! Personally I use their docs for things like invoicing, spreadsheets, presentations/talks and writing/saving blogs when I am on the go.
Something to note is that all their designs are sparkly and professional. Therefore people think you are super clever and will want to hire you.
Lastly, I use Google Forms a fair bit too. You can design questionnaires and send them to people. I use this system to qualify clients. I ask a bunch of questions before we chat and I already have a picture of them and what they need. Plus if they don’t fill it in…I don’t let them hire me. I only work with people who get sh*t done. This tool allows me to work this our before we talk. What a time-saver. ;)
6. Trello - www.trello.com
This is a fab program that I use to keep track of projects and online courses. I can use it to keep tabs on my clients and I can access their stuff on my phone and its incredibly time effective.
For example, I have use it for various online health challenges. I created a tab for each client with a checklist. This checklist meant I could tell who had sent me what and who I needed to follow up. I even uploaded their measurements/pics to their file and I could make notes on them as I went along.
You can use Trello for almost anything. I even use it for all those post-it notes I used to have on my desk. Shopping lists, ideas, the tax man…anything!
7. Dunnnk - www.dunnnk.com
When I learnt about Dunnnk I was overjoyed! Its a mock-up website that you can embed your logo/whatever onto tech devices. For example I used it for when I launched the audio version of my book. I embedded the book cover onto an iPhone and it even moves it into the correct place.
It looks incredibly professional and perhaps even a little addictive…
Its so easy to use and totes free!
8. Zoom - www.zoom.us
Webinar conferencing technology has evolved very fast and you no-longer have to pay for lock in contracts for communicate to your people over the net.
Zoom is free (for the basic version) and means to can have meetings/run trainings worldwide from your computer. It even has a recording capability, which I love as I can re-purpose content and share it after the love event.
You can do trainings via sharing your screen, have guest speakers and your people can also talk (you un-mute them). Its fabulous!
I do also use Facebook’s Live video too in my groups, but you can’t always depend on it and I prefer Zoom as you can edit the recording too (I use iMovie on my Mac).
Summary
Ok so as you can see, these free tech tools can be used in most business’s to create systems and therefore more flexibility in your life. I love the fact that I can use most of these on my laptop and also my iPhone. I can use the phone whilst I am on the run and they all link - how good is technology? I certainly embrace it and hope you will too.
**After writing all this, I realised I used more tools (and paid ones too) so I’ll probably do another post on this for you!
Catch you later
Emma xx
Emma P. Expert in getting sh*t done, author, coach, mentor and mum