Switching gears today and sharing with you the apps and resources I use to streamline my business processes. They just make my life easier!
1 – Agile CRM
Since I’m always writing about email marketing and creating marketing funnels for businesses, I want to let you in on what system I use to automate my marketing campaigns and manage my contacts effectively so I’m always on top of my outreach efforts. I use AgileCRM to keep “everything marketing” in one place. I believe it’s one of the most unrecognized platforms aside from Infusionsoft and HubSpot. Just some of the main features that I love about Agile:
- Lead Management
- Email Campaigns
- Social Marketing
- Real-time Alerts
- Basic Organized Workflow
- Trigger Responses
- Customized Templates
- Personalized Messaging
2 – Aweber
If you don’t need all the functionality of a sales CRM system, I recommend using Aweber for your email marketing campaigns. I’ve used their platform for years, but I needed to move into an all-in-one system with sales and service. I like the ability of Aweber’s email marketing segmentation, trigger responses and the ability to set up your blog feed within the platform. Aweber does not offer a free plan like Mailchimp does, but it does have a lot more features and it’s well worth the $19.00 per month you pay for up to 2,000 subscribers. You can try Aweber for free for 30 days.
Other Features:
- Email newsletters
- Drag and Drop Editor
- Sign Up Forms
- HTML Templates
- Email Automation
- Tagging
- Subscriber Segmentation
- Email Tracking & Analytics
- Split Testing
- Autoresponder Follow Ups
- RSS to Email
- Email API
3 – Trello & Planyway
In order to manage my multiple client task list, I use the Trello platform and app to manage my projects seamlessly. I couple it with the plugin, the Planyway calendar, so I’m able to time-block my day and drag and drop my tasks into these time-blocks so they’re getting done. I wrote an earlier blog post about how I’m able to manage my day using Trello and Planyway here.
Trello’s Most Important Features:
- Detailed & Quick Overviews of Front/Back Cards
- Easy, Drag-and-Drop Editing
- In-Line Editing
- Easy Organization with Labeling, Tags, and Comments
- Progress Meter Checklist
- Card Records Archive
- Easy Upload (Local Devices, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Box)
- File Attachment
4 – Divi Theme and Builder for WordPress Sites
This is one of the most important platforms I use ALL the time when I’m building (or rebuilding) client websites. If a prospect approaches me to design their website or blog, I always propose to them I use the Divi theme layout to build websites with. There is so much I can say about their platform, but with their ever-changing releases and excellent customer service, Elegant Themes will always be my go-to for website design. I love their platform so much, I purchased a life-time membership last year. Well worth it!
Just some of Divi’s Theme Features:
- Drag & Drop Building
- Floating elements – just released this yesterday, 1/16/20!
- True Visual Editing
- Custom CSS Control
- Responsive Editing
- Design Options Galore
- Inline Text Editing
- Save & Manage Your Designs
- Global Elements & Styles
- Undo, Redo & Revisions
- 40+ Website Elements/Modules
- 100+ Full Website Packs
- Complete Design Control Over Everything
- Email Marketing
- WooBuilder
- 24/7 Support
5 – Zoom
As part of my client process and communication, I love to use Zoom Video Conferencing! It’s a great way to speak with not only clients, but prospects that I may or may not be working with. It’s just a personal touch, being able to see the face of the one you’re working with. To me, it’s a great way to build trust and a great working relationship. I do use Zoom for recording purposes as well. I highly recommend subscribing to the Zoom Pro plan to unlock a lot of the features you will not get on the free plan. Just recently, a Zoom subscriber who used their free version ended up getting disconnected with their session after 45 minutes and I happened to be on that call. It was a bit of an embarrassment on their part, but hopefully they will decide to go pro so not to have their webinar cut off again in mid-sentence.
Zoom’s Feature List:
- Video Conferencing
- Web Conferencing
- Group Collaboration
- Includes up 100 Participants
- Meeting duration limit is 24 hours
- Reporting
- Admin Feature Controls
- Assign Scheduler
- 1GB of MP4 or M4A Cloud Recording
- User Management
There you have it. I have other apps and platforms I use for my business, but too many to list on this post. If there’s an app or platform you use to streamline your business or personal life, let me hear about it below in the comments section.
Please keep in mind that I may receive commissions when you click my links and make purchases. However, this does not impact my reviews and comparisons. I try my best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you.
- 5 Creative Ways to Build Your List Using Video - January 31, 2020
- AccessAlly Certification Training in the Works - January 30, 2020
- 5 Offline Marketing Strategies to Build Your Email List - January 29, 2020
I am going to check out the Divi themes. Hubspot is something our firm uses (not me). Aweber left me cold (as in “out in”). And, Zoom is useful for those times I need it- and it is easy to use (no summits to climb for success)
Roy A Ackerman, PhD, EA recently posted…It’s just a silly little love song. No. It’s a contest.
Roy, I believe you’ll like Divi. 🙂
I use Trello and Zoom – great tools! Thanks for sharing, I will check the others out!
You’re welcome, Denise! Let me know if you have any questions on the other platforms.
Thanks for sharing your great tools.
You’re welcome, Martha! 🙂
From your list, the only one I use is Zoom. Thanks for the enlightenment. I need to learn a lot more about what’s available to make life easier.
You’re welcome, Karen!