My Top Tech Tools
Come take a look under the hood of my business, Shell Creative. I’m sharing the top tech tools that keep my business humming! (in alphabetical order)
CanvaPro: Graphic Design Tool
Using CanvaPro is like having my own graphic designer. While there is a free version of Canva, I find that springing for the Pro version really makes the design process frictionless and makes my results even more satisfying. I use CanvaPro to create templates and thumbnails for Searchie, to create logos and website design accents, to create gorgeous downloads for my business or on behalf of my clients, and more. Canva lets anyone make pro-quality design elements—fast!
Calendly: Online Scheduling
If you ever booked an appointment with me do you know how easy it is to use Calendly! This tool saves me so much time—no more emailing or texting with prospects and clients back and forth trying to find a time for an appointment and then having to send a Zoom link or other details. I tell Calendly when I’m available and then it handles incoming bookings, from confirmations, meeting details, and even reminders! I love that I can customize all the notifications with my own words, links, and attachments.
Back when I was using a paper calendaring system, I double-booked an appointment slot and quickly turned to Calendly to help me make sure it never happens again. Now all of my Book-Me-by-the-Day offerings (as well as my free 15-minute consultation calls) are handled through this app. The system integrates with Stripe, so my clients pick the day that works with their schedule, pay a deposit in order to reserve their dedicated working time with me, then get the details about their day, all handled through Calendly automations.
ClickUp: Project, Task, Communication App
I’m juggling my own business while working on project teams with multiple clients. I need to stay organized! I find that ClickUp is the perfect platform for me and these teams to plan projects, organize project files, and communicate with each other. ClickUp allows you to assign tasks to team members with due dates - this way, you don’t have to rely on memory or paper to track all your amazing ideas! Everyone knows what they’re responsible for, and the tools reminds them of their upcoming tasks. It also allows me to see the big picture for my own business and those of my long-term.
Cloudflare: Domain Connection and Security
I use this free service to protect myself and my business online. It’s a cloud-based secure network. You can’t be too careful with your digital data! For Searchie users out there, if you’re wanting to have a custom domain on Searchie, they require you to use Cloudflare.
ConvertKit: Email Marketing Service
Between running my business and helping my clients improve their businesses, I’ve had experience using a wide array of email marketing services. And ConvertKit is hands-down my favorite. Why? First, ConvertKit gives you access to some advanced features, regardless of the size of your email list. Their pricing is simple and straightforward, including a free plan. It’s also incredibly easy to use, which is important—once you write your content, you want to get it out to your audience quickly and easily! Lastly, ConvertKit provides more support than most other providers.
FlexClip: Video Editing and Creation Platform
Now, let me introduce you to another indispensable tool in my tech arsenal: FlexClip. As a business owner deeply invested in delivering engaging video content, FlexClip has become my go-to platform for all things video editing and creation.
FlexClip offers a seamless experience for creating professional-quality videos without the need for extensive technical expertise. One of the standout features of FlexClip is its extensive library of royalty-free media assets, including stock footage, music tracks, and customizable templates. This allows me to enhance my videos with high-quality visuals and audio without the hassle of sourcing content from multiple sources.
Additionally, FlexClip offers intuitive editing tools such as drag-and-drop functionality, text overlays, transitions, and customizable animations. This flexibility enables me to tailor each video to suit the specific needs and branding of my clients, ensuring a polished and professional end result every time.
Everyone who really knows me will tell you that I love FREE stuff! Hence, my admiration of all things Google! They make it super easy for me and my clients to share information back and forth easily. With Docs and Sheets in particular, we can work together live, tracking changes, making comments, and resolving tasks. With Drive, it’s simple to organize and share files, images, and whatnot. My hubby is a fan of GoDaddy for domains, but I prefer Google Domains because they keep their user interface clean… and they don’t try to upsell you something at every turn. The price is equivalent to other domain hosting, so it’s really a matter of preference.
Google Drive: Cloud Storage (Free) https://www.google.com/drive/
Google Docs: Online Document Creation and Sharing In Real-time (Free) https://www.google.com/docs/about/
Google Sheets: Online Spreadsheet Creation and Sharing In Real-time (Free) https://www.google.com/sheets/about/
Google Domains: Purchase and Manage Website Domains (Fees) https://domains.google/
Keeper: Secure Password Management
A few years ago I was just about ready to go on vacation and I was trying to load a book onto my iPad. I couldn’t get into my Apple account because I couldn’t remember my password. At the time I kept all of my passwords on a spreadsheet, protected with a password. Well, that didn’t do me a lot of good sitting in a lounge at the airport! That day, I made a promise to myself to remedy the situation by setting up some sort of password management tool so that I would never feel so frustrated again.
I did a lot of research and asked for password management tool recommendations from friends and business associates, and Keeper came highly recommended.
Quickbooks: Invoice and Accounting Tools
I’ll admit that Quickbooks really isn’t my favorite tool. In fact I really wouldn’t recommend it, but I’m being transparent here and telling you all the tech tools I rely on. The reason I use it is because hubby helps me with my books and he is a Quickbooks user. If he didn’t insist that we use QuickBooks, I wouldn’t use it.
I do like that I can send invoices electronically and that my clients can pay using credit card or ACH. Interestingly, few people seem to trust using ACH as a method of payment, and yet it’s less risky than using a credit card, I believe...and it doesn’t carry the same hefty fees...but I digress. Quickbooks’ reports are helpful. They give me a useful snapshot of my profit and loss and expenses.
Searchie: Membership, Course, Landing Page, and Video Content Tool
Searchie has got to be top of this list, right? I fell so head over heels with Searchie that I pivoted my business to focus on it. It’s a powerful yet easy to use platform for hosting and effectively delivering your video and audio content. Deliver online courses or memberships that allow your clients to search keywords, download transcripts or other materials, and watch playlists of video content that fits their needs to a T. I’m a hardcore Searchie evangelist and I love helping entrepreneurs use it to grow their business and delight their audience.
Squarespace: Website Hosting
Even though I can sometimes whip up a website in a few hours using Searchie, there are times when the functionality or templates of Squarespace are preferred by my client. No problem! I personally use Squarespace and enjoy the results, and I find it an easy to use platform for creating websites for my clients.
I love that Squarespace provides a one-stop shop, from hosting a URL to online shop and blog capabilities. It’s easy to create clean, powerful websites without needing to know how to use code. Their support is top-notch and there’s no need to worry about plug-ins, security, or the green monster attacking your system because they take care of it all!
Oh, I need to mention here that I’m a Squarespace Circle designer. That means if you design a Squarespace website with me, you get special discounts and extended development time with the software while building. Ooh la la!
Stripe: Online Payment and Processing
Stripe is an industry giant that integrates with Searchie and all the other apps I need it to. Choosing Stripe is a no-brainer for any entrepreneur that takes payments online!
Zapier: Connects Web Applications
Zapier is a free service that helps you automate aspects of your business, saving you loads of time. For example, you can set a Zap so that every time you finish conducting a Facebook Live session, it is uploaded into your Searchie account and appears in the exact spot that it belongs. When I open my membership, I turn on the Zap between Searchie and ConvertKit that adds new audience members to my email list. This allows me to send a rockin’ welcome email sequence to everyone outlining the great things they’ll find in my membership. You can set a Zap so that each time you receive an email in Gmail with an attachment, the attachment is saved to your Dropbox account. One of my favorites is the Zap that sends my Searchie videos straight to YouTube…another media outlet in the pocket without any work! Whew! There are scads of apps that integrate with Zapier!
ZoomPro
You may be burned out on Zoom thanks to the pandemic, but even before the pandemic this was a game-changer for entrepreneurs. It allows me to easily work with clients no matter where in the world we’re based. As you may know, there is a free version, but I pay for the Pro version so I have more capabilities like recordings and the ability to hold group meetings for more than 40 minutes. I’ve also just installed the desktop version (with my new laptop!💖) and really like the user interface of that application much better than the web application. Give it a try if you haven’t already.
What are your top tech tools?
I’m always on the prowl for new tech tools to improve my business and my life. What are your top tech tools? Any recommendations to share? Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear from you
Let’s Create Your Hub!
If you feel stuck or overwhelmed with Searchie, let’s talk. I create Hubs for my clients in a flash.
Top Past Blog Posts
Get Your Searchie Hub Up!
This is really all you need to get started! Personalize your Searchie Hub with a few easy clicks. These clean, fresh, professionally designed Canva templates work right in Searchie. All you need to do is add your own images.
*Some of these links are affiliate links, which means I may get a commission if you purchase. However, none of the fees of these resources have been increased to compensate me. When possible, if special discounts are provided to me, I extend them to you!