Tools I Use
I, like many other business owners, use multiple tools to run my business. And, like most other business owners, I try to find free, or low cost tools, and tools that do multiple functions, not just one task.
So here are ALL the tools I use to keep my business organized and running like it should…
#1 is my CRM, Dubsado. A client actually turned me on to this software a year ago, and it is amazing! All of the things that Dubsado can do, I had been doing on individual platforms, and they were not all free. Things like invoicing, emails, task list, client portal, time tracking, contracts & signatures, lead captures, form creation…
Yes, this 1 software can do ALL that. And it integrates with my other tools so everyone talks to each other and my life stays more organized. Want to learn more about this amazing tool? Let’s chat…
Or if you’ve been looking for a CRM and want to give Dubsado a try, you can sign up for FREE here: https://www.dubsado.com/ It’s completely free for your first 3 clients, and you get full access to all Dubsado has to offer. Plus if you are ready to get the paid version, just enter rvs in the Coupon/Referral Code field to get 20% off your first month or year subscription.
Next is Quickbooks Online - it is the powerhouse that manages all my finances and multiple businesses. It takes care of invoicing, tax reporting, credit cards...everything. And since it integrates with Dubsado, I create invoices in Dubsado linked to my client & their project and it automatically creates one in Quickbooks. It makes it simple to manage my business, my husband’s business, our personal finances, and any clients that I’m managing monthly bookkeeping for. I do use the online version, instead of desktop, that way I can manage my clients files and I can access what I need from my phone...super easy!
Ready to try it out? You can usually get your first 30 days free!
And they have great tutorials on how to use the software...Try Quickbooks Online!
Obviously you can’t run a business nowadays without email...so I use Gmail, specifically Gsuite for my business. My personal one is free, but the free option doesn’t work long with a business. Most email marketing software won’t let you send from a free email service, so go ahead & get a domain email...kimberly@rabelvirtualservices.com as opposed to: rabelvirtualservices@gmail.com and take your professionalism to the next level.
To accompany Gmail is of course Google Drive...this is my file management system. And since 30GB of storage is included for free with your Gsuite, why would you pay for something else? With this platform you can access your files from anywhere you have an internet connection, and you can share files & folders with others, regardless if they have gmail or not.
My website tools include 2 platforms...first is GoDaddy, which I use for my domain hosting. There are lots out there, and some are cheaper, but I’ve found GoDaddy to be reliable, easy to use, and helpful with troubleshooting. I don’t use them for my website hosting...I was told by my marketing company: “Stick with platforms that are experts in their areas...GoDaddy is great at domain hosting, it’s what they do. And Squarespace is great as a website platform, but not so good at domain hosting.” So that’s what I do. GoDaddy has my domains, and Squarespace has my website. I had originally used Wix for my domain & website & that turned out to be a nightmare. Squarespace has been super easy to use, for a non-expert like myself. It’s very drag & drop...so I love it’s simplicity. But it’s as customizable as you would like it to be, so you don’t have to worry that your website will be lacking the professionalism your business needs to portray. Squarespace also houses my blog...so you’re seeing what Squarespace looks like from the client view now...what do you think?
Lastly is Canva...I use this to create pretty much all my images, forms, printables, & flyers. I currently have the Pro version, but I used the free version for years. Pro has lots of perks, one being that I can schedule the posts I create for social media right in Canva. No need to download, then re-upload to another platform. It also has a brand kit so it remembers your fonts & colors, and you have access to more free images. I love that it automatically formats my images to the optimal size for what I’m doing whether that’s a Facebook post, blog thumbnail, infographic, or full size .pdf. I’ve even helped friends make invitations, postcards, and flyers for their businesses that all show their business off to a T. Want to learn more?
So, those are pretty much all the tools I use every day to run my business. Is there one you’d like to learn more about? Or need some help with tools you use? Let’s chat soon!
