When I started my freelancing business, I had a two year old and was two months shy of delivering my second son. I quickly realized that in order to not hit the fast track to burnout, I was going to need some solid systems and freelancing tools in place.
I have dabbled with more tools and systems in my three years of being a business owner than I might be willing to admit, but I have also learned that keeping things simple is the way to go. You don’t need all the pricey bells and whistles, but you definitely need helpful tools and systems in place.
Today, I am sharing my top 5 favorite freelancing tools and systems that I strongly believe every business owner needs in order to save time and stress less.
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Tool #1: Google Calendar
I use Google Calendar daily to organize client meetings, personal events, podcast interviews, coaching calls, and more. For a while I only used a paper/pencil type calendar but quickly realized that in order to prevent double booking, a digital calendar was a MUST!
I also love that I can share my calendar not only with my team but also with my husband so everyone is always in the loop of what is going on both personally and professionally.
I love to set reminders and color code my calendars to help keep everything organized. This one is a no brainer.
Tool #2: Google Drive
Another one of my favorite freelancing tools is Google Drive. I organize files, templates, free downloads, client work and more within Google Drive. Organized folders make my heart sing so this is a definite must on the list.
I recommend creating different categories such as marketing and then sub folders underneath (IG, TikTok, Pinterest, blogs, emails, etc.)
This is also where I house testimonials, brand photos, tax information, and SOPs. Basically without Google Drive, my business wouldn’t function.
Tool #3: ClickUp
I recently switched over to this project management tool. You could also use Airtable, Asana, Monday and more but for me, this is the most robust way to keep my day to day tasks organized. I also use this to keep my team organized as well as my podcast and social media tasks.
There are so many features ClickUp has to offer and I feel like I am barely scratching the surface. I love the forms you can create directly in ClickUp along with all of the automations. You can also embed Google docs, templates, and your calendar. Win, win!
Tool #4: Voxer
Who doesn’t love talking out their thoughts?! Voxer is way faster than texting or sending emails. I use this walkie-talkie style app to talk with clients, my team, and even my biz besties.
You just download the app and you are able to talk with whoever you need for longer than the one minute time limit those other social media platforms cap out at.
Tool #5: Dubsado
Having a strong CRM (customer relationship management) makes for a streamlined client experience. Dubsado is the perfect way to send custom proposals, contracts, invoices, and schedule discovery calls.
Honeybook is another great CRM that has all of the capabilities of Dubsado but for me I have always swayed towards the latter.
If you are looking for a more budget friendly approach, especially if you are just getting started, you can use tools such as Acuity, Waveapps, and Calendly.
Once you hit those 3k+ months, I do highly recommend investing in Dubsado or Honeybook as it will save you tons of time and make the client experience one to remember.
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