Freelancer friend, if you’re doing things right, you’re working in the zone and maintaining a steady flow, doing things like managing your client work, generating content for inbound marketing campaigns that fill your sales pipeline and invoicing clients so you’ll get paid, for example. There’s a lot on your plate and making good use of time is a must.
Maximizing productivity is the way to get through your to-do list. Recognizing where you can create operational efficiencies is integral to the process. How wonderful that there are numerous, easy to use online tools that can be of service. You are certain to find that a modest investment in digital productivity tools can pay big dividends, allowing you to save time, show clients that you’re organized and in control of project details and reduce your stress level. Here are eight online tools that can help you get more good things done and give you more time to relax as well.
1. Project management—ProProfs Project $19.99/month (solopreneur)
The right project management software can replace several of the tools you’re using now, to monitor and evaluate the progress of your project, collaborate with clients, share files and feedback, create reports and more. Here’s an online tool that will simplify planning and scheduling of your projects, allow you to quickly view your project, delegate tasks and schedule deadlines all in one dashboard. The platform is a straightforward and user-friendly software solution designed for small to medium-sized businesses across different industries. Keep clients in the loop and let them see that the project is moving forward and you are on top of things.
https://www.proprofsproject.com/
2. Time tracking and invoicing—My Hours free; or $6/user/month
Time tracking software helps employers and workers keep track of time spent on various tasks, projects and other deliverables. You can use this tool to stay organized, whether you’re working solo for a client or when you must track both your own hours and those of subcontractors you’ve brought in to help you.
- Time tracking: You efficiently keep track of how your employees/ sub-contractors spend their time while on the job.
- Timesheets: Timesheets calculate the work your employees/ subcontractors perform in terms of billable hours and make client billing and invoicing faster and easier.
- Reporting: Most time tracking software creates reports on active employee/ subcontractor hours, tasks they complete and more.
- Integrations: Seamless integrations with project management and communication tools such as Salesforce, Asana and Slack, tools your client probably uses.
- Mobile app: With a mobile app, you (and your employees or subcontractors) can efficiently manage reporting and tallying billable hours from anywhere.
https://myhours.com/billing-invoicing
3. Digital wallets—Apple Pay 1.5 % fee applied to each transfer of funds to debit card or bank account when using Instant Transfer.
Digital wallets are apps that enable you to store and use credit cards, debit cards, passes, tickets, ID cards, gift cards, reservations, boarding passes, coupons, membership cards and whatever else that you need to store safely and access easily. So many transactions are now online, I think you’ll agree that it’s time to properly organize and safeguard your important records and receipts? Digital wallets are more secure and convenient than traditional physical wallets and can be used to make payments or transfer money directly from your smartphone.
https://www.apple.com/apple-pay/
4. Writing—Hemingway Editor free or $19.99 one-time payment
Are you producing relevant content that showcases you as a thought leader and expert in your field? Of course you are and that means you do a lot of writing. Hemingway Editor will do more than Microsoft Word grammar and spell check to correctly identify spelling and grammatical errors in your text. The software also illustrates which of your sentences are too clumsy and wordy and suggests alternative words and phrases that are simple, eloquent and make you sound like a silver tongued genius (which is the whole idea!).
You can type directly into Hemingway Editor or, if you don’t want to be bothered with its recommendations while you write, paste your draft text into the tool for edits when you’ve finished writing.
5. Social Media Management—-Meet Edgar $29.99/ month
A social media management platform that allows you to create a library of posts that can be scheduled to appear on the accounts you choose and at a day/time you specify. In other words, if you’re creating content today that will be ideal for a campaign or occasion that will take place six weeks from now, you won’t have to remember to dig into the file (and hope you can find it), you just save and schedule and know your great content will show up where and when you like. You’ll also receive data that lets you analyze how your content performs on the various platforms you use.
6. Email Management—-SaneBox $7/month
This handy tool works with every email platform and, by using Artificial Intelligence and machine learning, figures out which of your emails is important and which are not so urgent. Low priority emails are placed in a “SaneLater” folder, while important emails remain in your inbox to receive your immediate attention. Better still, you can learn which emails you’ve sent that have not received a reply, automatically save email attachments to your cloud filing platform and quickly unsubscribe from mailing lists.
7. Scheduling—Calendly free or max. $12/user/month
Regardless of your appointment-setting needs, your scheduling software should present your business in a professional light while simplifying the booking process on both ends. The best appointment scheduling apps offer the practical mix of flexibility and ease of use. They save you time (and headaches) by allowing clients to make appointments with you on their own, as well as cancel or reschedule as needed. At every touchpoint, provide a pleasantly efficient and memorable customer experience.
8. Online signatures—DocuSign $10/month (solopreneur)
Here’s an electronic signature platform that will speed-up and simplify your signature processes, all while providing better customer experience and document management. Electronic signature software allows you and your clients to quickly and easily digitally sign contracts or other documents. Whether you need to sign an IRS Form W-9 or authorize an electronic invoice payment agreement as part of client onboarding, your clients will appreciate, and be impressed by, digital signature capability.
https://www.docusign.com/plans-and-pricing
Happy Labor Day and thanks for reading,
Kim
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