We all know starting a business and going full-time is an adventure. We dive deep into our business because we want it to flourish and expand, but we also have a life to live. This is exactly why I am writing this article. These programs have helped me save time throughout the day so that I can get shit done and still have a life. So let’s dive deep into the five must-have programs that I use weekly to run my business.
5. Google Analytics
Alright coming in hot at #5 we have Google Analytics. This FREE tool is probably standard for you if you already have a website and you want to track your traffic, but I have come to realize that some people don’t check their website analytics! Knowing how possible future clients are interacting with your content is so vital. You need to see what pages they are spending the most amount of time on and which ones they are spending the least. You can use that information to tweak some things in your website so that more of your content is being seen. And that’s even half of what this tool helps you with! You really need to check this out and start using it to better connect with your clients!
4. Google or Apple Calendars
Alright, #4 is free, simple, and easy but don’t let its basicness fool you. It has a ton of potential if you use them correctly. and they are Google Calendars or Apple Calendars. So for me, I personally use the apple calendar app every single day because I am lame and I rely heavily on apple products to survive (because I can’t force myself to use anything else but whatever). As you probably know I have a busy life, so having something digital in my pocket that has my entire schedule planned out is extremely important to me. The number one reason I love a good calendar app is that I can sync my Dubsado account so that all of my upcoming weddings and sessions are instantly uploaded and I can see them anytime I need to on my phone. This makes scheduling new sessions and personal tasks/appointments so much easier and less time-consuming. Another thing that I do is have multiple calendars one for work (sessions/weddings), bills, personal, and home tasks. Then I allow my husband to be subscribed to whatever calendars I need him to see so that we are both on page with anything concerning home and work. This helps not only my business run smoothly, but also my household run smoothly!
Via Apple Calendars
3. Quick Books
So #3 is not a completely free program but is super useful! Quickbooks is such an awesome and useful tool that many people sleep on. Through this platform, you can connect your bank account and record all your business expenses, track mileage, and so so much more. Quickbooks also lets you connect with turbo tax so that you can file your taxes seamlessly!
2. Pic-Time
#2 is my favorite way to deliver galleries! Pic-Time is a gallery delivery site that allows you to deliver beautiful and flawless galleries straight to your client’s inbox. Now there are many other gallery sites out there, and I have used a TON of them before I finally settled on this one. The galleries are stunning, the upload and download times are super fast, the sales automation are freaking amazing, and the print shop is so so so good. Clients can easily navigate through their gallery and pick what image they want to be printed and how they want It. They can choose from regular prints, acrylic prints, canvases, photo albums and so much more! They have many plans to choose from and you can even try them out for FREE! If you later decide that you want to upgrade your plan and pay here is a discount code so your first month is free! ( ND59HG )
1. Dubsado
Last, but CERTAINLY not least, we have Dubsado coming in at #1 on my list. My life would be absolute chaos without Dubsado. Dubsado is a Customer Relationship Management program. (or CRM for short) On this site you can schedule onboarding calls, create canned emails, create forms and contracts, invoice clients, create online portals for client so they have all your emails and contracts in one place, and so much more. It’s also compatible for desktop and mobile use, so anytime you get an inquiry or need to schedule someone for an onboarding call, you can do some from anywhere. It’s literally insane how amazing Dubsado is. It does take some time to truly understand the ins and outs of how it works but I am telling you, it’s so so so worth it. When people ask me whats the one thing I can’t run a business without, my answer is always Dubsado.
Alright so, I’ve spilled all my secrets about the business programs you should use to better your business. So go and make it happen! I know firsthand about the challenges and difficulties you suffer through while running a business, so hopefully, these five programs can give you some peace of mind and hope! If you ever have any questions regarding business tools or anything else I am more than happy to help! Leave a comment below and we’ll get in touch!
Caliyah Hart
This article was written by me, Caliyah Hart. I have gained knowledge of the wedding industry firsthand through my own personal experience as a wedding photographer for the last 3 years. Because I have gained so much knowledge about the industry and how it works, I have made it my mission to share as many tips and tricks as I can to my fellow photographer colleagues and anyone who is eager to learn the ins and outs of this industry.
Author
Author
Caliyah Hart
This article was written by me Caliyah Hart. I have gained knowledge of the wedding industry firsthand through my own personal experience as a wedding photographer for the last 3 years. Because I have gained so much knowledge about the industry and how it works, I have made it my mission to share as many tips and tricks as I can to my fellow photography colleagues and anyone who is eager to learn the ins and outs of this industry
