Best Tools for Small Business Owners
Best Tools for Small Business Owners: A Comprehensive Guide for Creative Entrepreneurs
Success in photography and business coaching isn’t just about talent or know-how—it’s also about having the right tools in your toolbox. From project management to client relationships and content creation, today I’m sharing the best tools for small business owners that have transformed my workflow and elevated my brand. Let’s dive in!
Showit
What it Does
Showit is not just another website builder; it’s a playground for creativity. Designed with the artist in mind, this platform lets you drag and drop elements freely, which means you’re not boxed into a rigid template. And for those who dread coding, rejoice! Showit handles the technicalities behind the scenes, allowing you to focus on design. Our site is based off our ShowIt Templates, which you can shop here!
Why I Use It & Tips
I chose Showit because it lets me express my brand’s personality with unparalleled freedom. The feature that sells it for me is its compatibility with WordPress, making blogging seamless. My tip? Don’t hesitate to make use of their customer support—they’re incredibly helpful when you’re stuck or need advanced customizations. Click here or use code “edenstrader” to get your first month free!
Dubsado
What it Does
Think of Dubsado as your virtual assistant that never sleeps. This Client Relationship Management (CRM) software manages contracts, invoices, questionnaires, and even automates workflows. Its functionality extends beyond mere administration, allowing you to create a branded client portal.
Why I Use It & Tips
What I love about Dubsado is its ability to automate the tedious parts of client management. From sending reminders to automating follow-ups, it keeps my communication authentic without the manual hassle. Pro tip: Use their canned emails feature to send personalized messages in bulk, saving you time without compromising on authenticity. Use code “edenstrader” for 20% off your first year or month! Trust me – sign up for the year.
Sprout Social
What it Does
Sprout Social is more than just a social media scheduler. It’s a robust platform that offers analytics, engagement tracking, and even competitive analysis. With its all-in-one dashboard, you can post content, monitor its performance, and interact with your followers, all without switching tabs.
Why I Use It & Tips
I use Sprout Social for its comprehensive analytics. Understanding engagement rates, peak posting times, and audience demographics has never been easier. My tip for maximizing Sprout Social is to utilize its team collaboration features. Assign tasks, leave internal notes, and streamline your social media process. We specifically use Sprout because of the agency work we do through AMARA + the VA work we do for our coaching clients. If you’re looking for something simpler, we suggest Planoly or Tailwind (which we’ll talk about below!)
Delta Amex & Chase Sapphire
What They Do
Delta Amex and Chase Sapphire are not just credit cards; they’re your business’s best friends for managing finances and reaping rewards. Delta Amex is perfect for those who travel frequently, offering extensive air travel rewards. Chase Sapphire, on the other hand, offers flexibility in points redemption. I used to exclusively use my Delta Amex, but after recent announcements I’m leaning towards Chase Sapphire as my primary and using the Amex for Delta specific travel!
Why I Use Them & Tips
Delta Amex keeps my air travel costs low with its rewards program, while Chase Sapphire’s points can be used for anything from dining to shopping. Tip: To maximize benefits without accumulating debt, make sure to pay off your full balance each month! I use mine like I would a debit card, since I’m committed to paying it off each month, and therefore am able to rack up more points/miles!
Use this link to get 60,000 bonus points with Chase and/or this link to earn up to 100k bonus miles with Delta Amex.
Podbean
What it Does
Podbean is your one-stop-shop for all things podcasting. This platform lets you record, publish, and distribute your podcasts with ease. It even provides monetization options, such as premium content and sponsorship opportunities.
Why I Use It & Tips
I use Podbean to reach an audience that prefers auditory learning. Its user-friendly interface means you don’t need a degree in audio engineering to get started. My tip: Use their built-in promotional tools to automatically share episodes on social media platforms and grow your listener base.
The Artist Lawyer Contracts
What it Does
The Artist Lawyer Contracts are pre-made legal contracts specifically tailored for creatives. These contracts cover everything from intellectual property rights to confidentiality agreements to wedding contracts. Magi has it all!
Why I Use It & Tips
These contracts save me the time and stress of drafting legal documents from scratch. I can rest easy knowing that my legal bases are covered. Use code “edenstrader” for an amazing discount off the Artists Lawyer’s products!
Kajabi
What it Does
Kajabi is more than an online course platform; it’s a full-fledged business suite. It allows you to create, market, and sell online courses, digital products, and membership sites. From landing pages to email marketing, Kajabi has it all. Not only is this one of the best tools for small business owners to scale their business, but also for small businesses to LEARN.
Why I Use It & Tips
I use Kajabi because it centralizes all aspects of my digital product business, eliminating the need for multiple tools. From presets to full fledged courses, my clients are able to enjoy all their purchases in one spot! Click here to learn more.
Lightroom & Photoshop
What They Do
Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop are the bread and butter of photo editing. While Lightroom excels in photo organization and basic edits, Photoshop dives deep into complex image manipulation.
Why I Use Them & Tips
Lightroom is my go-to for quick edits and batch processing, while Photoshop is reserved for more intricate work, like compositing. My tip: Master the art of using both in tandem; start with Lightroom for basic adjustments and then switch to Photoshop for detailed edits. If you want to learn more? Check out our Ultimate Photography Bundle!
Notion
What it Does
Notion is your digital workspace for everything from note-taking to project management. Its highly customizable features make it an excellent tool for both personal and team use.
Why I Use It & Tips
I use Notion as my central hub for content ideas, client details, and coordinating socials and VA notes with my team!. It’s the ultimate tool for maintaining work-life balance.
Trello
What it Does
Trello is a visual project management tool that uses cards and boards to help you organize tasks, projects, and even your entire business. This is where we keep track of everythinggggg Eden Strader from coaching client progress to personal to-dos. This is one of my FAVORITE tools for small business owners.
Why I Use It & Tips
I love Trello for its intuitive design. The drag-and-drop interface makes project tracking a breeze, and its visual nature allows me to see the status of all ongoing projects at a glance.
ConvertKit
What it Does
ConvertKit isn’t just another email marketing tool; it’s specifically designed for creators. With a focus on simplicity and automation, ConvertKit allows you to segment your audience, automate email sequences, and even sell digital products—all from one platform.
Why I Use It & Tips
ConvertKit is my go-to for nurturing leads and maintaining relationships with my audience. Its visual automation builder lets me create complex email funnels effortlessly, making it easier to deliver targeted content. My tip? Use their tagging and segmentation features to send hyper-personalized emails, improving your engagement rate significantly. You can also connect it to Kajabi, making your workflows and automations even more targeted!
Tailwind
What it Does
Tailwind is the ultimate tool for Pinterest and Instagram marketing. It allows you to schedule posts, track performance, and discover content, all within a single dashboard. The platform even offers “Tailwind Tribes,” a feature that helps you connect with like-minded creators to share content and grow your reach.
Why I Use It & Tips
I use Tailwind primarily for its SmartSchedule feature, which suggests the optimal times to post based on when your audience is most active. This has been a huge time-saver and has boosted my engagement rate on both Pinterest and Instagram. My tip: Utilize Tailwind’s analytics to understand your best-performing content and refine your social media strategy accordingly. We’ve used it for Pinterest Marketing for YEARS and cannot recommend it enough. Use this link for extra credits!
Conclusion
There you have it, friends! These are my top tools that have been absolute game-changers in my journey as a photographer and business coach. From client management to content creation, these tools cover it all. Have you ever used any of these? I’d love to hear your experiences and tips. Share them in the comments below!
Chat soon – and in the meantime, dive into some of our favorite free resources!
The Podcast // Pinterest Possibilities // Flash Photography Freebie // Manifestation Challenge // Pre-Wedding Client Questionnaire download
