Tech these days makes all kinds of promises to make our lives better and easier. 

While not all of it lives up to the hype, there are definitely some software options out there that are game-changers for running our businesses!

There is software that can help us work smarter, not harder. Software that gives us more transparency, elevates our business and our client experience, and frees up our time and mental energy to focus on what we love and what will really impact our bottom line.

Here are the three types of software that every entrepreneur should be using in their business right now. 

 If you aren’t, you’re working too hard!

SCHEDULER SOFTWARE

The first is the simplest, and in fact, it may even be rolled into one of the other software systems you already use. It’s a scheduler.

We’ve all felt frustrated sending availability back and forth, trying to get a meeting on the books, and struggling to find overlapping windows in everyone’s availability.

Save yourself the time, headache, and frustration. And instead, send a scheduler link and let the person you are trying to schedule a meeting with book whatever time works best for them, within your availability.

It’s as simple as sending an email like this:

“Hi! I’d like to set up a meeting with you. Pick whatever time works best for you! <scheduler link>”

Or, of course, you could get a lot more personal and specific. But you get the point.

With one simple email that includes a scheduler link, your client can book the meeting, and all the admin stuff happens automatically, so then all you have to do is show up!

Just think of all the steps using a scheduler eliminates for you:

• the frustrating back and forth
• creating a calendar appointment 
• creating a new Zoom link
• sending an invite
• sending a reminder (or 2!)

Now, none of those steps take a ton of time of energy, but they certainly add up. And they add up over-and-over again for every meeting you schedule. So think of all the time you will cumulatively save over a week, month, or year, by simply using a scheduler.

Worth it, right?

Pro tip: If you are already using software with scheduler capabilities (like some CRM systems), use their scheduler to keep your business systems streamlined and simple! If you don’t currently have software with scheduling capabilities, check out two of my favorites: Calendly & Acuity!

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT (CRM) SOFTWARE

Here’s the harsh truth:

? Without customers, you don’t have a business. 

? Without solid relationships with your customers, you don’t have a sustainable business.

Make tracking and managing all of your client relationships so much easier by using a CRM.

CRM systems help you manage every customer relationship to a level that you are proud of. They help you elevate your client experience so you can build a reputation for not just providing amazing products or services but also for delivering an impactful customer experience that creates raving fans and lifetime clients.

CRMs can track leads, conversions, communications, touchpoints, and even automate many of them to help you deliver a consistent and quality customer experience every single time. Many of them can also manage all your proposals, contracts, invoices, and scheduling, making them essential to running a streamlined and profitable business today!

So, make it easier on yourself to show up for your clients in a way that you are proud of every single time by using a CRM!

Pro tip: There are a whole bunch of CRMs out there, but my to favorites (that I’ve personally used in my business) are Honeybook and Dubsado.

Use these links to get 20% off your Honeybook subscription, or 20% off your Dubsado subscription with the code “ERIN20”

Quick Disclosure: Some of these links happen to be affiliate links, which means when you click the link and make a purchase, it won’t cost you more, but I may receive a commission for sharing this with you. I promise I only ever share what I use and love though, so I’d be sharing these with you anyway!

PROJECT MANAGEMENT (PM) SOFTWARE 

Do you ever feel completely overwhelmed with your business and all the things you need to do? 

Running your own business can feel like we need to be doing all the things all the time. 

• Client work
• Sales calls
• Marketing
• Admin
• Vision setting
• Strategizing offers and launches
• Managing a team (if you have one)

The biggest trick is getting it all out of your head and into Project Management software that lets you see where your business is at, what it needs, and what the top priorities really are.

Doing this will give you back so much time and peace of mind! 

Yes, even if you are a solopreneur, you should be using a PM system that is more organized and dynamic than the daily to-do lists you scribble down in your notebook or the calendar you add things to as they pop into your head.

With a PM system in place, you’ll be able to get super clear on what needs to get done and when, and you won’t waste so much time trying to remember everything and worry that something will slip through the cracks.

You can see exactly where you are with all your client work, as well as your internal projects, and what is coming next. It also helps you delegate and still make sure everything is getting done!

That peace of mind is so worth the time it takes to put a system in place and get in the habit of using it and checking it each day!

Pro tip: Different businesses can benefit from different PM systems. Some are super customizable and dynamic, allowing you to filter and sort tasks, projects, and clients in different ways. Others are much more straightforward and provide things like a client portal that may be crucial for how some businesses run their projects. 

Try a few on for size, and you’ll quickly start to see what works best for you (and your team)! Three of my favorites are ClickUp, Asana, & Notion. (Notion isn’t a true PM system. It’s actually much more than that, but it’s super dynamic, and I’ve seen it used really effectively as a PM system across a bunch of different creative businesses recently!)

If you’re running your business without a Scheduler, CRM, and PM software…you are simply working too hard.

These three systems are serious game-changers for the day-to-day reality of how you can run your business. They will help you get organized, streamlined, productive, and more profitable than ever before.

And most importantly, they will help reduce the overwhelm. Because none of us got into this game to be overwhelmed and burnt out all the time. 

If you are, it’s a clear sign it’s time to start working smarter, not harder! 

Why not leverage some software to do just that?

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I offer more tech tips and ways to leverage software and systems to make your business run smoother in my free guide, The Top 5 Ways to Take the Stress Out of Managing Your Clients!