by Elaine Slatter | Featured Contributor
If you are a startup or even if you are an established entrepreneur, marketing is always a focus for your business. We have listed 10 must have technology marketing hacks for you to use to create your online presence and work efficiently. These marketing hacks will save you so much time and money you will wonder what you did without them.
This list of software was chosen for ease of use. You don’t have to be a technical wizard to put these tools into action because we know as an entrepreneur you wear many hats and one thing you need more of is time. All these tools will save you tons of time.
Our Top 10 Marketing Hacks
Canva – Graphic Software
Whatever we are doing in our marketing campaigns, graphics are number one. The best tool for designing graphics for your social media campaigns, advertising and blog posts is Canva. There is a free version and a business (paid version). Using the pre-determined templates in Canva you can design the shape of graphic that is ideal for your marketing use. This includes business cards, facebook covers, Twitter covers, Instagram posts. You can upload your own pictures or for $1.00 you can purchase a photo from the Canva image library. This is easy to use software. Once you have tried it you will be hooked!
Lumen5 – Video Software
If you don’t have a budget for professionally produced videos, why not try Lumen5? This software also has a free and paid version. Why do we like it? You can take text from your existing blogs and turn them into a compelling video. Basically, this software makes 3D slides with headings. You can choose music to go with your video and the overall effect is professional and amazing.
MailChimp – Email List Building & Automation
MailChimp has been around for a long time, and it has evolved now so that it can be your automated funnel without using expensive options such as Infusionsoft. If you have a WordPress website, you can link your MailChimp list to a popup on your homepage and then automatically send your new fans your free digital gift such as an ebook, without you having to do anything.
Designrr – Lead Magnet
Create a beautiful workbook, ebook, checklist without writing a word! Using material from a Word document or your blog, you can create professional looking pdf’s in a matter of minutes as this software formats everything for you.
Fiverr – Freelancer Platform
Looking for specific help in your marketing? Maybe you want a new logo, a professional voice actor, podcast or video editing, video ads or explainer videos? You name it in the world of marketing and a freelancer could be your best friend. We suggest before you purchase you looking at the star rating of the seller and read the recommendations before you hire. You can always send the seller a quick e-mail first to outline your project and ask for a quote before you purchase.
PromoRepublic – Social Media Content Creation And Scheduling
This is relatively new software in the market but one we can’t do without. It suggests posts, offers content, graphics and so much more. Everything is editable enabling you to add your own branding. You can add multiple accounts and schedule posts for each account. In just a short time you can schedule a week’s worth of social media postings while sitting at home in your PJs at midnight or at 5 am! It doesn’t matter when you create your postings with this amazing scheduling tool. It’s like having a cross between Canva and Hootesuite. If you are creating social media posts as part of your business service, this is a definite 5* ‘must have’ tool.
The free version is great for video and podcasting, especially when interviewing one guest. With the recording button, you are all set.
You can use Zoom for online meetings, too. The record button helps here because if anyone misses the meeting you can send the recording to keep them in the loop of the discussion. Zoom automatically puts the recording in its own file on your computer once you leave the meeting.
Some people also like to use the recording button to record their own dictation and then use voice recognition software to translate into the written word. This is a great way to “write” a book without all the tedious typing. You do have to edit the finished result, but if writing a book is a daunting task, try recording instead.
Time Saving Tools
Dropbox – Large File Depository
Sometimes you want to share large files such as graphics or documents with multiple people. With Dropbox, you can drop your files into this depositary and share the dropbox with the people who need the files.
Asana – Project Tool
If you have a ton of marketing projects to do and are working with multiple collaborators, Asana is free software that makes the assignment of different tasks among your team a breeze. No more emailing back and forth with each other.
Doodle – Call Scheduling
When you are working with multiple people on a marketing project and need to have a meeting, Doodle can be your absolute best friend. You schedule the available dates and times for the meeting and send out to all the participants. They fill in their availability and you can determine the final date/time that fits the majority of the participants.
If you have a favorite technology that you couldn’t be without, be sure to drop us a note in the comment section. We always love to hear from our readers.
Elaine Slatter is a Small Business Expert, founder of XL Consulting Group and author of the popular book, “Fabulous Fempreneurship”, a complete business guide for women. XL Consulting Group helps entrepreneurs with market planning, strategy, branding, web design and social media. She has over 30 years of executive business and marketing experience and is ready to help you rocket your business to success. Elaine is passionate about mentoring women to become successful women entrepreneurs. To find out more, visit XL Consulting Group or join the Fabulous Fempreneurship mastermind.
One Reply to “10 Must Have Marketing Hacks for Entrepreneurs by @XLConsultingGro”
Rebecca Matias
Thanks for sharing this, Elaine! These tools will really help manage our Marketing campaigns. I have tried some these tools, I’ll gonna try the rest for our future marketing campaign.