As a small business owner, we wear A LOT of hats on our sleeves! With that comes the necessity to then learn a lot of different programs to make everything we want to do streamlined and effective.
We truly are a jack-of-all-trades.
So today, I wanted to share with you the top six programs I use in my business basically everyday. They are my side kicks, and my best friends. I would not be able to provide the same experience I do to my clients and students if it were not for them. So, let’s jump on in…
1. HoneyBook:
This program I know, for a fact, I am in everyday. HoneyBook is my CRM, or customer relationship manager. This is the program I use to communicate with my clients. The reason it is so amazing is because everything can be housed within it. Each client gets their own workspace, and in there, I can send the contract, invoice, emails, questionnaires, etc. It keeps everything in one place, so my clients and I are not bouncing between programs to find information.
Plus, it allows me to create workflows and automations to alert me when different tasks need to be completed, so every client receives the same experience. I never miss a step, and it saves me time with the templates I am able to create. If you don’t have a CRM, please give HoneyBook a try. You can even try it out free for seven days. Use this link to get 25% off your first year. You won’t regret it!
2. Canva
Social media is the name of the game. Even though we may not love it, showing up consistently on those platforms allows us to connect with newer audiences daily and allows them to get to know us. If you struggle with creating graphics or showing your photos in new or fun ways, Canva is an incredible tool to check out. This platform lets you create any type of graphic you can dream up: Instagram posts, Instagram stories, Facebook covers, Pinterest pins, documents. The list goes on and on.
You can start with one of their thousands of templates or create your own. There is a free and paid version. With the paid version you can save your brand colors and fonts, so you can quickly update any template to be on-brand in minutes. Check it out here.
No more staring at a blank screen!
3. Flodesk
Everyday, we receive who knows how many emails. As a business owner, it can be daunting to have to standout amongst that. Flodesk is here to help. Flodesk is an email marketing platform that allows you to email your audiences with beautifully designed emails. In addition, you can organize your followers into segments, so you can easily send them through different funnels based on offers you are promoting.
Once an email is sent, you can also review your insights to see how it preformed and review the open verse click rates. It’s a one-stop shop when it comes to email marketing. Click here to learn more and see how it can help to streamline your business (plus you will save 50% on your first year).
4.Trello
As mentioned above, HoneyBook is my go-to program for keeping everything client-related in one place and organized. But what do I do for everything that keeps my business running that is not for a specific client such as marketing, albums, education, etc? Insert Trello.
This platform allows you to create workflows, lists, and checklists so you can make sure nothing gets missed. Create schedules to know what social media posts need to go out when. Design launches so you can be top of mind to potential customers.
The potential goes on and on.
It is also an amazing platform if you have a team member. You can easily know what they are working on, create deadlines for tasks, and upload attachments to share with each other. The best part, it is totally free! Sure, there is a paid version, but I haven’t needed to upgrade yet. Check out Trello here and unleash the potential for your business.
5. Cloudspot
I deliver an online gallery to my clients after their session. Cloudspot is the platform I use to house those galleries. I love it because you have so much control in what photos different viewers see. For example, for each wedding, I create one gallery for my couples and one for the vendors. The vendor gallery doesn’t show family formals or more intimate moments between the couple, but it does show any vendor images I capture during the day. Cloudspot allows me to upload the images once but control who sees which folders.
In addition, anyone who views a gallery can save their favorites and revisit them at any time. Plus, the downloading options are endless. One image, one folder, only the favorites, all the images! It is versatile for, not only me, but also my clients. And if they want, they can purchase prints, canvases, and albums through the platform, as well, and I get a percentage of those sales. I love this gallery host and highly recommend it to everyone. Click here and save 20%.
6. ImagenAI
Last but not least, my editing buddy. ImagenAI has been a newer addition to my workflow, but I am really loving it. Initially, I uploaded 5,000 of my edited images, and it began learning my editing style. Now, I can upload wedding galleries, and in minutes, have it edit the entire thing with only minor changes afterwards. Plus, it is constantly learning and refining my style to get it even more spot-on in the future. It has saved me time and money. Check it out here and get 1,500 free photo edits!
There you have it! My top six programs I use in my business.
Each one for a different purpose but each saves me time working in my business, so I have more time to work on my business or be with my family. Go test ones out you haven’t heard of and let me know which you love in the comments below!
If you found this helpful and are just starting out with your photography business, click here to grab my 45 Goals to Get Done in Your First Year guide and propel your business past the competition.
XOXO ~ Heather Marie
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