Enough Already!
Are you confused, frustrated, and overwhelmed with the “business” side of your business? All the platforms, webpages, and business funnels…Pros make it look so easy, right?
That’s because it CAN be!
If you set your business up for scalable success, you can ensure a work-life balance as you build your dream online business so you can spend more time doing the things that light you up—like providing life-altering expertise and making memories your family will always have to cherish.
Your Tools
Have you heard the saying, “An artist is only as good as his tools”? Well, in the online business world, it’s absolutely true. The tools you use to deliver your services—and how you integrate them—sets the foundation for your sales, customer satisfaction and your success.
I’ve tried a LOT of different platforms—free and paid—and spent many hours testing the set-up and customer service so YOU don’t have to! This list includes the ones I’ve found to work best for me and my clients.
Your Hangout
One thing to keep in mind: the tools you choose to set up your social media scheduling and other back-end business tasks will depend on where you and your ideal clients** are hanging out! You’ll see below where my peeps are at.
Discovering where those you want to reach and serve are receiving their information**, along with what aligns with you, will determine where you show up and the tools that help you do that.
Okay, here we go!
Facebook page: Having a FB page is great for a few reasons. First, it has over 2 billion regular users! It’s also searchable, which helps bring news potential clients to you. You’re able to link your website, write a short bio, post videos, host discussions, take polls, message privately, and more!
Instagram: My girls are definitely on IG, too, especially those who are really in touch with their creative side--love it! This is a platform that focuses more on the visual aspect of their business. (Tools to help with this are below!) You can set up links to your website, coaching/consulting program, freebies, and more, and use this popular platform to grow your business in fun and unexpected ways!
Website: When you buy a website domain, something amazing and important happens—you OWN it! This means no one can take it down, erase it, or use your content without your permission. So I encourage you to look at your website as a valuable resource—YOUR valuable resource! Don’t under-estimate the power of a poppin’ site!
Blog: The blog is the part of your website where you can really show your expertise, offer quick tips and advice, and gather valuable feedback about your ideal clients. You can also tie in affiliate links to promote other people, products and services you admire and make a commission from it. Create a schedule for posting your blog and stick to it! Writing and scheduling these ahead of time will take away some of those jitters and allow you to share your message more clearly.
Pinterest: This is another site geared toward my visual creatives and can be a fun way to gain new clients. You can connect your images to your blog and other social media. Pinterest is also always improving its analytics system, giving you additional insight. Like each of these, tracking your analytics is important—what topics are registering with people? What questions keep coming up? What are you most helping them with? Remember, you’re here to help them with something!
Tailwind: One of the best ways to cut the overwhelm and regain balance (and sanity!) is by scheduling your social media posts ahead of time. With Tailwind, you can schedule your posts to automatically show up on your Instagram and Pinterest when you say so! This saves on confusion, overwhelm and time, and allows more freedom and fun! You can sign up for a free trial to check it out and after that it’s just $10 a month. Building a business doesn’t have to break the bank!!
MailerLite: Building an email list is a must. To keep track of subscribers, different opt-ins and to draft and send emails, I use Mailer Light. It’s easy to use and it’s free while you gain your first 1,000 subscribers.
Google Analytics: All your social media traffic and activity, including your blog, website, and Pins, can be tracked. Google Analytics is one of the best ways to do that. You can view information in list and graph form, making it super easy to see who’s been visiting your stuff and where. This will allow you to make smarter pivots in your biz so you can help your ideal clients with what they’re really looking for!
Canva: To make those amazing Pinterest, IG and blog images FOR FREE, check out Canva. This site provides templates and allows you to design a logo, upload photos, customize fonts, colors and more to fit your unique business style.
Asana: This work management tool allows you to schedule, coordinate, delegate, track, and otherwise organize all those business tasks. Having a system like Asana in place ensures nothing gets lost and you stay clear and on track instead of overwhelmed and confused!
Setting up your business for efficiency, impact and success starts with your tools. I’m happy to share my insights with you.
And I am a strong believer that we constantly learn from one other. So if you have another you’ve tried and liked, or have questions, leave a comment below and you know I’ll get back to you, girl!