Let’s answer one of the most frequently asked questions I get as a creative business owner: What tools do you use?

As small business owners, service providers, or online educators, we have a choice: work hard or work smart. Fortunately, in 2024, there’s no shortage of smart technology that helps us streamline our work and create a more cohesive, consistent brand. In this post, I’ll share the tools we use at ComePlum and some exclusive discounts so you can access them at a lower cost. Let’s get into it!

1. HoneyBook: Manage Your Clients Like a Pro

Every brand needs a CRM (Customer Relationship Manager). We use HoneyBook to keep all client communications in one place, track projects, manage invoices, and even process payments. It’s incredibly easy to customize with your brand’s fonts and images, so your clients have a seamless experience from your website to their client portal.

Exclusive Offer: Click HERE to get 7 days free + 25%/$198 off your subscription)

2. Flodesk: For Beautiful, Easy Emails

Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to connect with your audience, and we love using Flodesk for our email newsletters. It’s clean, user-friendly, and offers gorgeous templates. You can even create a free “link in bio” page for Instagram that is fully branded to your business.

Exclusive Offer: Get half off your first year with our Flodesk link (up to $384 in savings).

 

3. Canva: Design Like a Pro (Even If You’re Not One)

We’ve been using Canva for seven years, and it’s our go-to for everything from customized proposals to Instagram posts and workshop decks. With its easy-to-use interface and vast library of templates, Canva makes designing beautiful branded content simple—even if you’re not a designer.

4. Collective: Leave Your Bookkeeping to the Pros

As small business owners, managing finances can be overwhelming. Collective takes care of our bookkeeping, income tracking, and taxes. Their monthly reports make it easy to stay on top of your financial health, and their team ensures you’re prepared come tax time. If you run an S-Corp, this tool is a game changer.

Exclusive Offer: Get your first month free with our Collective link (valued at $329).

5. ManyChat: Automate Your Social Media Engagement

We use ManyChat to automate responses on Instagram. If someone comments on a post, ManyChat sends an automatic reply with the links or resources they’ve requested. This tool has been a huge time-saver and helps grow our email list effortlessly.

6. Kajabi: Host Your Courses with Ease

For our Brand Opening Mastermind, we use Kajabi to host our course. It’s an all-in-one platform for online educators, making it easy to manage payments, create course content, and build an online community.

7. Descript: Simplify Video Editing

Descript is a dream for video editing. It generates transcripts and lets you edit videos by cutting out words—no complicated software needed. Whether it’s for YouTube or Instagram, Descript makes the process smooth and efficient.

8. ShowIt: Build Beautiful Websites

ShowIt is our favorite website builder. It’s like Canva for websites—easy drag-and-drop functionality with no coding required. Whether you’re just starting or have a WordPress blog, ShowIt integrates seamlessly and lets you create a unique, professional site with ease.

Exclusive Offer: Get one month free ($38 value) with our ShowIt link.

9. Riverside: Record and Edit Podcasts with Ease

For recording podcasts like this one, we use Riverside. It lets us record remotely with guests and uploads the files directly to the cloud, saving space on our devices. Riverside also offers editing features and audio leveling to ensure professional-quality sound.

10. Notion: Organize Everything

Think of Notion as Google Sheets meets a whiteboard. It’s our ultimate tool for organizing photo shoot production schedules, task lists, and mood boards. It’s customizable, easy to use, and perfect for team collaboration.

11. Moo: Print High-Quality Business Cards

When we need beautifully designed business cards, we turn to Moo. Their thick, textured cardstock and fast delivery make them a favorite. Plus, their customization options help keep our branding on point.

Exclusive Offer: Get 25% off your first Moo order with our link.

12. Etsy: Find Unique, Branded Products

Etsy is our go-to for creating custom-branded products like tote bags and client gifts. We love supporting local artisans while also getting high-quality, customized items that keep us top-of-mind with our clients.

Tools for 2024 and Beyond

If you’re building a brand in 2024, these tools will help you streamline your business, create cohesive branding, and free up time to focus on growth. Many of these platforms offer exclusive discounts, so be sure to check out the links in the show notes to save money while investing in the right tools for your business.

Listen to the full episode on the Branding Your Business podcast, or contact us to learn more about how we can work together!