21 tools I use to run my business

Every business uses a combination of tools to make life easier, to protect their assets, and to share their products/services with the world. Below is a list of tools I use to keep my business moving smoothly. I'd also love to hear what tools you use!

Project management

• Basecamp - the free version, which is what I use, includes one project. I organize my whole business within one project since I can create multiple items on the to do list for each project I have open. 
• iCal - I live and die by the calendar that syncs between my Macbook and iPhone. I wouldn't know which way was up if I wasn't able to look at it each day! I'm not against using Google Calendar, but when so much of my life is already sunk into iCal, I'm going to stick this relationship out for the long run. :)

Web services

• Gmail + Boomerang - Gmail is awesome, obviously. Gmail + the Boomerang extension via Chrome? HEAVEN. Boomerang lets you schedule emails to send later, or "boomerang" an email back to your inbox if someone hasn't responded within X amount of time. (X being totally up to you.) Probably one of the top tools I use - and it's only $50/year for unlimited email scheduling/boomerang-ing. :P
• ​Weebly - because I don't have eCommerce on my site, I keep it simple with Weebly. If you're looking for the best drag-and-drop website building site out there, I highly recommend Weebly.
• Google Voice - I've had the same phone number since I was 14. I'm also not from Columbus. Since it's such a hassle to change your number, I avoided it until I realized I could get a 614 number via Google Voice! It's free, and provides me with a great way to know which calls are coming to me from my business - all while having one phone, not two!
• LastPass* - looking for a program to scramble all your passwords (so they aren't "abc123" or "password123")? Look no further. LastPass sets crazy passwords to keep your accounts super safe, then allows you to access them with one master password. (So you only have to remember one password for ALL your accounts!)
• MailChimp - I send about 5 emails per month to my whole client list. I wouldn't be able to do it as beautifully as I do without MailChimp! Plus, I think Gmail would cut me off if I tried to send an email to over 500 people.
• Eventbrite - I host workshops once per quarter. To make ticket sales easy for both me and the attendees, I always turn to Eventbrite!

Social media

• Instagram (f*ck Twitter) - for my business, Instagram is king. (And I must admit I absolutely hate Twitter.) But for a writer, Twitter might be king. Consider how your network prefers to receive your content, and go with it!
• Planoly* - Super easy interface. This is how I used to schedule my Instagram posts. (Now I just do it manually - personal preference!) Plus, it's helpful to plan all social media ahead of time - I plan a whole week every Monday!
• Facebook* (but not really) - I never use Facebook, but I also hesitate to delete my business page on Facebook...you never know what could happen! Tech is often unpredictable. For now, I'm not a huge fan because I personally don't want to spend money on Facebook ads. And if you're a business on Facebook, no one is seeing your content unless you're paying for those ads.

File management

• Google Drive - holds EVERYTHING in my life.
• Pixieset - this is how I deliver images to clients. LIght, fresh interface that allows me to use a password to protect images, then lets the client share with friends, order prints, or download originals.
• External hard drive - I backup photos in 3 places. You may not need to back up your work in 3 places, but I'd recommend at least two places (one being cloud-based). 
• CrashPlan* - like I said, I back up my work in multiple places. CrashPlan automatically backs things up for me wirelessly. It might be my best (tech) friend. 
• Photoshop - what photographer would even consider living without Photoshop?! I recommend paying $10/month for the Adobe Creative Cloud suite of applications. Way better than paying hundreds of dollars for one version of Photoshop and then having it already be outdated within months.

Accounting

• QuickBooks (Self-Employed version) - makes logging mileage and transactions (plus photos of receipts!) super easy. My accountant asked for an overview of this year so far and within a few clicks, I printed off all my information - without having to look up anything!
• Square - I send all my invoices to clients via Square because I love their simple interface for both me and my clients. Why am I ok with paying a percentage of my income to Square fees? Because at the end of the year, I can add my income to my Schedule C with one click. That's worth it to me!

Client appreciation

• Greetabl* - send gorgeous boxes of small gifts to clients for less than $20! They even have a space where you can add a message and a few photos to the interior of the box.
• Ink Cards* - send beautiful, pre-designed (but also highly customizable) cards to your clients for $2-5. You can add your own message and even a photo or two, depending on the template you choose.

Most important (to me)

• iPhone - while it sounds cliche, I do have to admit that without my phone, I'd be in trouble. Everything I listed above is accessible via my phone, which means I can do business every day of the week, around the clock, from anywhere on the globe. (Provided there's wifi or data connection, of course!)

I hope this list was helpful to you! If you have any questions on additional information, let me know!
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Happy Friday!
Autumn


As of January 2024, I no longer use these tools:

• LastPass and CrashPlan (Apple does these for me now)
• Greetabl and Ink Cards (I've found other ways to thank people)
• Planoly and Facebook (less social media usage these days)