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Business Tools I’m Crushing on Right Now!
Just like Monday’s post, Social Media Tools I’m crushing on Right Now, I could ramble on and on about the “best of the best” business tools I’m using for myself and/or for my clients that are the cat’s meow (in my virtual world, lol). For some of you, if you’re nerdy like me, this may be fun! But for those of you just looking to cruise for ideas on how to get your business what it needs and fast, this blog will be the short version. The right at your finger tips when you need it kind of read. So, no more chitty-chat … Let’s just dive in!
I want to start with Dropbox, for good reason. Its main function is as a free data sharing system that allows individuals, businesses and teams to access media without sending endless back-and-forth emails. Because files are all saved within the cloud-based software, when one-person changes or moves a file, the updated format is available in real time to everyone else working on it. Dropbox also allows users to access their files from just about anywhere with a WiFi connection, eliminating the need to be at your personal computer or laptop to get work done.
Organization isn’t about perfection. It’s about efficiency, reducing stress and clutter, saving time and money, and improving your overall quality of life. ~ Christina Scalise, Author and Professional Organizer
CrowdFire is a newbie I have recently added to my own business plan when it comes to content creation for my social media channels. I actually came across it recently and by accident when I was on the hunt for something else. It is a social media marketing product that allows you to clean and grow Twitter and Instagram accounts with ease. It makes it easier to gain followers and get content to share through its curated feed that supplies content to you based upon the keywords you select. You can also schedule your posts, track and reply to mentioned through the dashboard as well as track your social growth, post performance and follower details. It’s also not only limited to TW and IG but I’m still experimenting so more on this platform in another blog post soon …!
Bit.ly is something every entrepreneur should be using and if for some reason you’re not yet then keep reading …!
This free, yes free, online platform unleashes the power of your URLs as it is a URL shortening service with a built-in link management platform. It also allows you to share, manage and analyze your favourite links from all around the web. You can make your links shorter, customize them to be labelled as you want or as you need and keep an eye on your analytics. You know what else is really great?!?! They do not have an expiry date attached to them. So, as long as Bit.ly itself is in business, your link will remain active. YAY!
FUN FACT: On average, Bit.ly shortens roughly 600 million links per month for use of social networking sites, SMS and even email.
Carbonite is a very special tool near and dear to my heart due to a recent computer malfunction. A few weeks ago my computer suddenly froze then wouldn’t turn on so I madly rushed it to the “computer hospital” where they had to hold my baby hostage for just under a week but the kicker was they may not have been able to recover all my data. That had me frightened to the core as I’ve been so busy with work for my clients (as well as for myself) that I hadn’t taken the time to do a good back-up in a while. Yes, yes … I know. Something that should be done almost daily. However, it slipped my mind.
Thankfully the IT crew were able to recover everything and get me back up and running in no time. This is where Carbonite came into play (thanks again Linda Lopeke for the suggestion). This program is an online backup service, available to Windows and OS users, that backs up documents, e-mails, music, photos and computer settings. And if you upgrade, which I have, you can not only get the auto back-ups to the cloud but to an external drive. Now I’m safe forever!
FUN FACT: It is named after carbonite, the fictional substance used to freeze Han Solo in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.
Whether technology’s effect is good or bad depends on the user. It’s important that we shouldn’t be slaves to technology; it should help us. ~ Dalai Lama
PandaDoc is also something new I’ve added to my virtual toolbox quite recently. It is a great yet simple way to empower you, and your sales team, to create, sent, track and eSign beautifully branded proposals, quotes and invoices. You can use this platform to get your branded docs out the door faster and with the use of collaborative workspaces, automated approval workflows AND metrics that let you know what deals are stuck. Seize the opportunity and let your business stand out by looking like a billion-dollar business without spending millions to create stunning, interactive sales documents. I just love the ease of access with built-in electronic signatures and custom design themes and think you will too! Not to mention it being quite the time-saver for both parties involved!
Only two more tools to go … Having fun yet?
Loom is all about video communication. And in today’s world, being virtual is not just all the rage but necessary. Just like Zoom, where you have the ability to have virtual meetings with your team members and clients across the globe, Loom had the same idea in mind but works just a bit differently …
With this online platform (that also has a Chrome extension) you can capture, narrate and instantly share videos to communicate with your team members, clients and/or customers faster, clearer and friendlier. And it’s 100% free! With its one-click to record, one-click to finish and a publicity shareable URL automatically copied to your clipboard, Loom is truly changing the way we desktop communicate. They make video communication not only easy but fun! Especially if everyone is in different time zone or unable to attend a schedule meeting, whether virtual or in-person. A real time-saver and money saver all bundles into one neat little package.
And, last but not least … Kartra.
This online tool is not something I use for myself but for some of my clients. It is an all-in-one platform that is all about helping you launch legendary campaigns (and yes, done for you ones too) with just the push of a button. Ready to create stunning, high converting pages in just minutes? With their amazing built-in page builder, you can now create your own landing pages, squeeze pages, sales pages, portfolios, pricing pages, checkout pages, video pages, thank you pages and oh so much more. but not only that … you can design and launch automated funnels and campaigns as well as take care of your email blast. YES, this is finally your all-in-one business solution. No more billions of programs to do different things … All you need is just this one!
Utilizing these business tools, as well as the social media tools mentioned on Monday’s post AND many the many other exciting options out there (old and new), will help improve your daily workflow and results right across the board. Happy entreprenurial-ing!
Do Business Right … #BeOrganized and #OpenMinded!
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Crystal Kordalchuk
Crystal is an artist, a writer, an organizer, a dreamer, a doer, and down-right proud of it NERD!.
Struck with a love for #AllThings creative at a very young age, Crystal dreamed of a life fueled by her passion for creating and bringing the stories and images in her mind into reality.
As she worked toward her dreams, she earned a diploma as a Computer Applications Specialist then another in Graphic Design and from there began to develop her extensive background in multimedia and the arts. She began her worked in the magazine industry as a layout designer and had a succession of design jobs thereafter. It was her role as a graphic/web designer that gave her the first real glimpse of her future. Soon she began a side job as a freelance designer while keeping one foot in the corporate world. A spark was lit! She turned her freelance gig into a full-time business combining design work with her other passion: creating organization from virtual chaos.
Crystal is one of the most organized individuals on the planet. She is by all means a Zen master of her crafts. She excels at helping others become “untangled” and provides her clients with tools to run their businesses smoothly while she takes care of the details behind the scenes. Thus Virtually Untangled was born. A successful business where her work as a top notch creative in graphic and web — with a twist of virtual assistant — married into one amazing place where clients can come with their virtual messes and become magically untangled. Crystal can always make sense of even the most unorganized chaos and offers a virtual detox of order and peace, so her clients can get busy doing the work that they love the most.
