Digital Toolbox for Businesses

Digital technology means that you and your team can communicate faster, more efficiently, and stay connected. This is essential to scale your business especially in the world of remote working where teams are not only spread across the country but the world. 

How do you keep your team connected?

How do they operate more efficiently?

How can you scale your business?

How do you do all the above at the same time? 

Well, it starts with your tech stack or what I like to call your “digital toolbox.” 

Every business needs a digital toolbox with the right CRM and software in place that are the right fit for their company. There is no “one size software fits all” as each business has different needs, a different budget, and a different team.

Whether you need a program to manage communications, customer relations, project management, task management, email communications, social connectivity, routine tasks, or complex processes, putting the right software in place for your business can be a game changer.

At a minimum, I recommend getting some basic software foundations in place. Below are some of our favorite software to work with (remember there is no one right software and your needs will vary), however, this should give you a great start to start thinking about what is in your digital toolbox.

Asana

One of the best apps for team and task management is Asana. I love Asana and Justin Rosenstein for creating this game-changing software. While there are so many great task and project management software such as Monday, Smartsheets, Teamwork, and Basecamp (just to name a few). They all have their pros and cons. The one that is best for you is the one that you and your team will use. The #1 reason software fails is user adoption, meaning if your team does not use it (or does not know how to use it) then the software will not be used and will just sit on the shelf.

Software training is most effective when it is focused with the end user in mind. Asana is a software that has more complex features than its competitors and is easy to implement and use (which is why we love it). Plus Asana has enterprise features so if you are a solopreneur or running a large team you can grow into this software and you get your first 15 users for free! 

Asana eliminates the need to juggle between spreadsheets and emails to manage status updates, deadlines, and tasks plus connects your team to know the status of projects no matter where they are located. With Asana, you can create a project, customize tasks, create Gantt charts to manage timelines, communicate with your team, share statuses, streamline the project schedule, organize tasks, assign deadlines and so much more. Asana not only runs my business world but also my personal as well. This is one of the secret sauces that allow me to juggle thousands of balls simultaneously and not miss a single detail.

Miro Whiteboards

Miro is another one of my go-to software. If you know me, then you know I Love whiteboards. I turn my walls into giant whiteboards to have creative space to map outflows, and processes and create journeys. Miro is a big giant digital whiteboard that allows hundreds of people to simultaneously collaborate at the same time. Idea generation and creativity come naturally when you work together in a group. But, re-creating the energy of meeting in person can be a daunting task. Miro’s online collaborative whiteboard platform lets you host interactive sessions and share ideas by mapping complex situations. With its robust tools, several pre-built templates, and an infinite canvas, you and your team can brainstorm ideas together and spend purposeful time together. 

Plus you get your first 3 boards for free, so try it out and see for yourself!

GreenRope CRM and Active Campaign

I am sure you hear the buzzword “CRM” over and over again. The question is always “What CRM do I use?” Well, there is no one size fits all and this is why we have consultations with you to map your needs, current tech stack, team, and long-term goals, so we can make the best recommendation for your business.

Two of our favorite CRMs are Greenropeand Active Campaign. They both serve very different client needs. For example, if you are already knee-deep in Kajabi as an LMS, are looking for email automation, or have a limited team so you need an easy-to-use CMR that natively integrates with Kajabi, the Active Campaign is typically an excellent choice.

However, if you need a more complete holistic experience that includes email automation, sales pipelines, billings, surveys, journeys, ticketing system, wikis, and forms (just to name a few of the many features of Greenrope), then Greenrope CRM may be a better fit. GreenRope has built this all into one easy-to-use platform.

Imagine having one software to run your sales, marketing, and operations. Well, that is Greenrope in a nutshell. Greenrope competes on a Salesforce, Keap, and Ontraport level (except in my opinion Greenrope is way easier to use, manage and implement. GreenRope does come with a little higher price tag and the need for an in-house developer, so for many other businesses who have more basic needs of just contact tracking, email automation, and deal tracking at a lower cost, then Active Campaign is a great go-to. Yes, you can always use Aweber, Convertkit, Constant Contact, dare I say Mailchimp…of course. However, you get what you pay for, so for something as important as your email list, stay away from the free software and get started with something a little better. If you are in business for the long run, then it is worth it. 

The goal is to professionally manage your company’s communication and relationship with its customers using CRM software. GreenRope and Active Campaign are amazing CRM platforms to help you generate leads, improve conversions and profitability, and streamline the process of customer interactions. Both are very different. 

Your email is your business’s most valuable asset, so make sure your email list is protected and properly cared for.

Passion.io

Do you want your own app and do not have the time or money to hire your own app developer? Look no further as Passion.io has filled this need and yes, they are the real deal. 

Businesses, coaches, and creators can create their own apps in 1 day (realistically probably 1 week). This no-code app builder offers a plethora of features ranging from live streaming and interactive learning to offline sync and drip content. You can sell through global Apple and Android app stores, get actionable insights and get your very own app without any coding required. The founder, Daniel Harvey has created a platform for you to create the ultimate learning experience and if I could shoot this platform from the rooftops, I would. If you need an app, then start here. Yes, you will probably grow to build your own custom app down the road (and before you do that figure out what your app needs, get your first few thousand users, and make a substantial amount of money)! Why not as that is what Passion.io is here for.

Disclaimer: Yes, you do need to have your business branding, images and course content ready to load. No worries if you do not have this, then we can help you get a solid foundation and get your app launched.

Kajabi

Kajabi is an all-in-one business platform that lets you effortlessly create online courses, podcasts, coaching programs, membership sites, and online communities without requiring any knowledge about coding and plugins. Although Kajabiprovides everything from payment platforms, website and product builder, email marketing software, sales funnel software, and mobile app to help develop an online business, you must understand the good and the bad. 

Kajabi is an amazing LMS (Learning Management System) and has an awesome web builder and basic email automation to get you started. While they do offer email automation, email automation is not their specialty, so I typically recommend Kajabi in conjunction with an email Marketing CRM. Kajabi natively integrates with Active Campaign and Convertkit, so often these CRMs are great choices to use. Kajabi does have a build App, however, as of writing this that App cannot be white-labeled. So if white labeling (in other words having your business name on the App) is important to you, then Passion.io might be a better choice. 

Let’s talk about Kajabi’s web builder next as you can make your own website that might serve you for years with Kajabi, however at some point once you grow, you may reach a wall and will need more robust SEO, google Analytics and may need to run ads (while Kajabi can do this on some level, building your own website on a proper WordPress back end can do this must better). Trust me we have done this heavy lifting and research with our clients to know. 

Now all this being said we still LOVE Kajabi. If your budget does not allow for all the extras and you want to launch your online course, then just get started in Kajabi. You can start with their website, email automation, and course builder. Then when you hit bigger numbers, you can grow and expand.

Please note we never recommend just blindly getting started with any system. Contact us for a  

Get a free assessment and we can at least steer you in a good direction to get started. 

Canva

Who needs to learn complex design interfaces or Adobe Illustrator or have a graphics person on staff, when you can use the Canva app to make professional, well-defined designs for your business online. Its easy-to-use interface, thousands of free drag-and-drop widgets, and a premium collection of templates and pre-built designs with an endless stream of development tools take your social graphics to a new level. While it is important to have a designer who can make images that convert and speak to your audience, many times when you are just starting out, you may not have this in your budget OR you may have someone on your team that has an eye for design but does not have the time to learn a full-blown design software. Canva can fill this need and do so much more!

Check it out!

Zoom

The key to efficiency in business operations is clear communication. Using Zoom meetings, you can conduct group video calls to share ideas and thoughts and perform asynchronous work in a fraction of the time. Whether you need to share feedback, give a presentation about a new project, provide a status update or address your team, zoom can help you bring life to your ideas with its numerous features. I am just going to leave this one right here. Zoom is under $20/month and just get it or at a minimum get the free account that will let you do 45 minutes for free.

Zapier and Make

Ok so you have multiple systems and you need to connect them. Maybe they do not have native integration and why have data in two places that are not synched up?

Specializing in connecting platforms, let me introduce you to Zapier. 

Zapier can connect multiple systems (including Google Sheets) automatically in real-time.

Zapier is compatible with thousands of apps and saves precious time by handling and automating any task. You can also look into Make (formerly known as Integromat) to connect platforms. They do similar things and can both be essential for connecting your software together.

With so many software choices, at Live Large Launch, we help you select the right technology to optimize business systems and help develop a data-driven strategy for your business growth. 

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you!