Tools of the Trade
Tools of the Trade
The software and equipment you need now, what to add to your wishlist for later, and how to know the difference.
No matter what stage you’re at in your biz journey, the right tools can:
- Save you dozens of hours per week and a whole lotta stress (more time to do what you love = a HUGE win!)
- Automate key marketing activities like email marketing, list building, and showing up on social media.
- Save you thousands of dollars on pricey freelancers and doing things the hard way.
The trick is knowing the right ones to use at the right stage — because there’s nothing worse than software sitting unused on your digital desktop, am I right?
My commitment to you is that I will always go first.
I experiment with what works and what doesn’t and then report back with honest recommendations on what you need (and when you need it) so you can create a profitable business you absolutely love.
Access the full list of tools and insider discounts below!
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Find The Right Marketing Tool For Whatever Stage You’re At
I’ve personally vetted every tool on this list and sorted them by what stage of business you’re in so that you know exactly what to jump on right away and what you can hold off on till later.
Tools for Stage One
When you’re just starting out, your main focus should be on building your platform, creating consistent content for your target market and growing your email list.
The tools below will help you get started in the right direction, even on a tight budget.
Two Weeks Notice
Go from feeling stuck and hopeless to confidently handing in your Two Weeks Notice and running a freedom-fueling online business on your terms.
Free Masterclass
In my FREE masterclass, Inbox Money: How To Monetize An Email List In 4 Easy Steps, I’ll show you how I add 1,000+ new subscribers to my email list every single week.
Leadpages
This single tool has saved my entire team literally hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars per year. Leadpages is the perfect resource to help you scale your business, because it allows you to confidently roll out lead-generating campaigns in record time.
ConvertKit
ConvertKit is a powerful email service provider that delivers automation capabilities without the steep price. Try their free plan that allows you to make unlimited landing pages and forms and choose from multiple templates, add personalization and design, include an incentive email, create a thank you page, manage subscribers and send broadcast emails.
Searchie
Searchie is the most flexible, easy-to-use online platform to create, organize, and sell digital courses and memberships. You can create beautiful, tailored content experiences that serve your students at a much higher level. Searchie has saved us SO much time and energy with automatic transcriptions and captions, and seamless integrations with Facebook, Zoom, and many more. Plus, our students LOVE that they can search inside all of our audio and video content by keyword—they're able to find exactly what they’re looking for in seconds!
Kajabi
Kajabi contains all the features you need to sell, market and deliver your content. Because they make it incredibly easy to turn your knowledge and content into products you can sell, I am a huge fan of this powerful tool. Inside my business, we specifically use Kajabi for our course platforms to highlight and showcase all of our paid content.
SamCart
I finally decided to try Sam Cart after dozens of my friends and peers in online marketing had huge success using the checkout page platform. So, I guess I shouldn't have been shocked that my sales increased almost instantly when I made the switch. Not to mention, I saved thousands of dollars in development fees. Still, my favorite thing about Sam Cart is that it seamlessly integrates with all my other tools. This allows me to launch my courses faster, with the confidence that all the pieces of my funnel will play nicely together.
The Podcast Lab
Introducing Your Complete A to Z Podcasting Roadmap! I’ve partnered with my friend, Jenna Kutcher, to share her course, The Podcast Lab! I know if you take what you learn from her and put it into action, you’ll tap into the power of podcasting for growing your email list, reaching more of your ideal clients, increasing your sales, diversifying your revenue, creating incredible relationships, and so much more. She shares her proven, 5-step stress-busting system and process to plan, create, launch, promote, scale, and monetize your podcast in just 30 Days.
Full Focus Planner
The Full Focus Planner helps you take control of your day and start living the life you desire. Built on the science-backed Full Focus System, each page is intentionally designed to increase your focus, eliminate overwhelm, and accelerate your goal achievement. And it’s not limited to professional growth. Features include ten life domains, daily rituals, and self-care exercises that serve as needed reminders for any achiever who struggles to unplug from work. As you produce your digital course, the Full Focus Planner will help you achieve more by doing less. This is how you win at work and succeed at life.
SiteGroud
If you’re starting from the very beginning, I recommend creating a website with wordpress.org and hosting it with SiteGround. It’s an effective and affordable way to make sure your site is always up and running.
PopUp Ally
In my opinion, list-building should be a primary focus on your website. This is even more important when you're just beginning to build an audience. PopUp Ally will help you maximize your site's list-building potential -- in a non-spammy way. This tool is a popup plugin that actually improves the user experience on your site. Its smart technology anticipates people’s needs as they browse around your site, making PopUp Ally far more effective than a lot of the other “in-your-face” popup options.
Evernote
You may already be familiar with this wildly popular tool. Evernote is a crowd favorite among entrepreneurs and marketers. It’s great for taking notes and brainstorming -- especially on-the-go. A big bonus for me is that it's almost impossible to outgrow Evernote. You can start with the free version as a beginner, and level up later.
Google Drive
Accessible from anywhere with internet, Google Drive is a great collaborative tool for teams to use when you’re working with content, files, or images in tandem. Unlike DropBox, multiple parties can be in a file at a time manipulating data or text without having to download and re-upload the file.
DropBox
In my opinion, the key to minimizing stress in business is staying organized. Dropbox is where I store and systematize my files so that everything has a “home.” You can start using this tool for free and upgrade as your library of digital assets grows.
Last Pass
If you’re still committing passwords to memory (or worse -- using the same password for most of your major accounts), it’s time to geta password manager. My personal favorite is LastPass. I love that it allows me to securely share sensitive information (such a social media logins, etc.)
Boosted
Create marketing videos that take your brand's social media to the next level - no experience or skills needed! With Boosted, you can create all types of videos: ads, engaging Stories, tips, tutorials - all with easy-to-use templates. Upload your own video footage, make videos out of your photos, OR use the stock footage in the app. You can easily add your logo, customize colors to match your brand, add cool filters, and even add music or your own audio. Get 3 months of full access to Boosted Premium for just $4.99! To redeem your offer, click the button on the right, download the app for free via the QR code or App Store/Play Store badges, and redeem your offer when you open the app.
Canva
Canva is the ultimate design tool for non-designers. It’s user-friendly and the free version gives you access to most features. Use Canva to create shareable social media images, cover photos, even video thumbnails. In no time, you'll be on your way to building a memorable online brand.
VideoAsk
VideoAsk is a platform that scales, tracks, and personalizes video communication. You can upload your videos, create them using their library, or make one on the spot. It can be used for virtually anything: lead generation, lead qualification, reviews/feedback, testimonials, the possibilities are endless!
99Designs
As a beginner, most of us start with a tight budget, and a tight schedule. If you’re spending hours on end designing images and freebies for your business, check out 99Designs to save time and money in the long run. This crowd-sourcing tool is a great way to get professional, affordable design support.
MeetEdgar
It's more important than ever to sound like you on social media, even when you automate your posting. MeetEdgar is not just your scheduler, but this platform also is built to fill your social queue faster, share your content in the right places at the right time, keep your feeds fresh and diverse, and help you grow your audience. MeetEdgar is our choice for managing all of our social media platforms in one place.
Social Curator
Creating content every single day can be daunting! For those times you’re staring at a blank screen wondering what to post, Social Curator comes to the rescue. Social Curator is a monthly subscription that provides you with curated lifestyle photos and caption templates to elevate your social media presence so you can have an overall social strategy. I love Jasmine's photos so much I use them on my opt-in pages, sales pages, website and more!
Find The Right Marketing Tool For Whatever Stage You’re At
I’ve personally vetted every tool on this list and sorted them by what stage of business you’re in so that you know exactly what to jump on right away and what you can hold off on till later.
