It’s a question I get asked all the time: which marketing apps do you use? What’s your favorite social media scheduler or email provider? How do you manage your workflows?
I know that handling the technology-side of business and marketing can feel overwhelming for some entrepreneurs, myself included! But, once you find the right system and softwares to support your business goals, it will usually free you up to spend more time on the things that matter – like making authentic connections and growing your dream biz!
Today I want to share some of my favorite tools and resources that I use in my business. They help me manage all of my marketing and keep me organized which trust me, this mama needs. I’ve tried out so many platforms and done tons of research over the years, so my hope is to cut down on that effort for you by sharing what I know already works!
Note: I am not affiliated with any of these companies – I’m just a true fan! Alright now that that’s out of the way, let’s dive in!
My Favorite Social Media Scheduler Is…
Later! I’ve tried them all over the years – Hootsuite, Buffer, Planoly, you name it. But once I found Later, I never went back. For me, it has all the key features I’m looking for in a social media scheduler.
- It can manage multiple social media accounts in one subscription
- You can edit Instagram and Facebook posts separately to add links and tags where you need them (no more rushing to Facebook after it posts to add a link to your post!)
- It has a visual grid preview for Instagram to easily plan your feed aesthetic
- Automatic Linkinbio for Instagram to easily link posts
- First comment functionality for hashtags
- Plan Instagram Stories
This is pretty much the whole package for me, and it makes my life so much easier especially as I juggle my personal brand and my marketing agency, and all the content and social media platforms that come with it.
My Favorite Email Provider Is…
Flodesk! Now, I’ve only been using Flodesk for 6 months or so, but I have to say that I am in love. It’s intuitive and easy to use without a lot of effort, and the built in templates make for beautiful emails.
I’m also a huge fan of the automation functionality – it’s perfect for a business that needs to create lead magnet landing pages and pop-ups, and it’s so easy to create email funnels to target specific audiences.
I used MailChimp for a long time before I made the switch to Flodesk, and honestly? I never really figured out how it worked! I found the automations and contact management to be clunky and confusing. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not all that tech-savvy… but if I can figure out Flodesk, so can you!
My Favorite Design Tool Is…
Canva! This baby makes it sooo easy to design social media posts, blog graphics, Instagram stories, and even make reports, presentations, and print collateral. I love that it’s easy to create a brand kit to save your color palette and upload custom brand fonts and logos. It’s also simple to share designs with other Canva users which I love.
The free version has awesome functionality unlike some other tools out there, and for me the pro version is totally worth it for the low monthly cost. You get more font options, ability to have many brand kits (essential if you are managing multiple brands like me!), and access to a ton of stock photography.
When I need a logo designed I still work with professional designers, but for all the other everyday design tasks, Canva is my go-to!
My Favorite Project Management Tool Is…
Trello! A huge part of running a successful business isn’t just creating great products and services, it’s staying organized! I like Trello for simple project management, both for myself and to collaborate with my team.
It’s free (always a plus!) and has simple functionality that is easy to use. I also love that it has multiple layers for managing details – you can have different “boards” to manage different workstreams, and then lists within each board, and then cards within each list. You can even add checklists to your cards to get super into the details!
It’s also great for adding deadlines and assigning roles, with built-in email reminders to help you stay on track. If you’ve been feeling all over the place managing your to-dos, I highly recommend giving Trello a try!
These are just a few of the marketing and project management applications I use, but believe me, there are more! Get my full list of recommendations, along with pros and cons for different platforms by downloading my free marketing resource guide.
What applications do you use to run your business? Did I miss a platform you love? Tell me below!
