Recommended Resources & Tools

Resources Definition Closeup Showing Materials And Assets(AKA the tools I recommend and use in my own business)

I call this my Million Dollar Resource Rolodex because I believe the savings I’ve had using these free and low cost resources have literally saved me tons of money while successfully growing my business.

My disclaimer is that I cannot guarantee results or take responsibility for anyone else’s company but my own.

You must evaluate your need for each service and how you interact with the providers.

Also, please note that some of the links are actually my “affiliate” links. This means when I refer them, I will earn a commission for referring them. This does not mean you will pay more for these services or products by using these links and it does not mean I will promote stuff I don’t fully believe it to earn a commission from your purchase.

You might even get a better deal that I’ve set up exclusively for my clients.  I’ve put an [a] next to these links so that you know which ones apply.

And the ones I’m actually using on a regular basis are marked with a [DM] so you know.

To visit our growing directory of Virtual Support Professionals, click here.

 Appointment Scheduling

  • TimeBridge – Schedule appointment times with individuals or check on availability for meetings with groups of people. Will sync to your Outlook/Google calendar. Free service and upgrades available.
  • [a] Acuity – Same as above, but you can create specific timeslots (e.g. 15, 30 minutes) that will be available through a “schedule book” and send automated messages. This is my primary scheduler now that TimeTrade decided to stop sending reminders to those that schedule as a part of their service.
  • Assistant.To easy to use and currently free scheduler for Gmail or Google Apps for Business users. Can be used with any calendar system (Outlook, Google Cal, Lotus Notes, etc.) and on any device (Desktop, Android Phone, iPad, etc.)
  • YouCanBook.Me – YouCanBook.Me takes the information from your Google Calendar about your FREE and BUSY times and displays it in an online bookable grid for your clients, customers, or partners to schedule with you.

Article Directories & Submissions

Audio Recording & Podcasting Tools

Conference Calling Lines

Customer Relationship Management Systems

 

Creating Programs and Products

Email Services & AutoResponders

Finance & Money

  • Kabbage – provides working capital to small businesses to help them grow.  You can sign up and get as much as $50,000 in 7 minutes. Sign up is fast, free, and there is no obligation to take money. Take the cash you need whenever you need it. See how much funds you have available to you today. You can have a very small business (under 100K even) and don’t have to have perfect credit.   If you qualify, you get a FREE $50 American Express Gift Card!

Goal Tracking

Invoicing

Legal Resources

Video Tools

  • [DM]  Camtasia
  • [DM] Jing
  • Animoto – Easy to use program where you can create short 30 second montage videos with music for free! You can download to YouTube in just a few minutes.
  • Anymeeting – a webinar tool but, I use it to record video trainings with my team since I can have them on the line and their voice and questions on the recording too.
  • Eyejot [a] – easily record video from your computer or iphone and email to your contacts
  • [DM] Join.Me – share your screen with others, record your meetings visual and audio

Membership Sites

Online Payment Processing/Shopping Cart

Private Label Rights Content

Sales & Marketing

  • Client Getting Emails – these email templates make offering your sales conversation or discovery session offer easy and compelling.

Screen Capture

  • Screenr – easy to use; capture pages from a website while you talk through instructions or whatever you want to narrate then share it on twitter!
  • [DM] Jing 
  • [DM]  Camtasia
  • Anymeeting – a webinar tool but, I use it to record video trainings with my team since I can have them on the line and their voice and questions on the recording too.
  • [DM] Join.Me – share your screen with others, record your meetings visual and audio

Survey Resources

Time Management/Productivity

  • [DM] TeamworkPM [a] – my hands-down favorite task and project management tool
  • EggTimer – online countdown timer (e.g. use to limit your time on the internet)
  • [DM] Online-Stopwatch

Text Expanders

  • [a] aText for Mac
  • [DM] TextExpander
  • Phrase Express for Windows
  • WiseStamp – Create Dynamic Email Signatures

Virtual Assistants & Outsourcing

 

Password Keeper/Security

Electronic Signature

  • [DM] [a] HelloSign Get signatures digitally for agreements, contracts, etc.

Location Independent Business  Resources

Traveling Mailbox