Designer-Recommended Tools
Professional-designer-recommended tools for all the small business design DIY-ers out there
Business Building Tools
Social Media Helpers
Scheduling social media content in advance is a huge time-saver. My personal favorite is Later.com. Canva Pro is now offering basic social media scheduling as part of their system too.
If you’re struggling with hashtag generation, check out Display Purposes to get a handy list of suggestions created for you.
E-Mail Helpers
Whether you’re looking to build full-fledged campaigns or simply to get more organized, ConvertKit and Google Workspace have your back.
Storage Solutions
Our favorite cloud-based storage around here is Dropbox. It’s an oldie, but a goodie. Get an extra 500MB of space for free if you use this link.
If you don’t need paid storage, Google Drive is where it’s at.
Office Furniture
I love, love, love my Flexispot adjustable standing desk and under-desk exercise bike! Get $30 off your first order by using my link here.
Podcast and Video Helpers
I’ve got to share Descript, because it is AWESOME. Video/audio recording, automatic transcriptions, easy-editing, and so much more.
Website Tools
Domain Names
There’s a ton of places on the web to buy a domain name. My top choice: Google Domains. It’s cheap, easy to manage as part of your pre-existing systems, and simple to share with your team.
Web Hosting
There are also a million places to host your web site – not all are created equal. I highly recommend WPEngine for reliability and security. Get 3 months free on annual plans using this link.
Note: If you’re planning on working with me, it might be best to hold off on hosting until we talk.
Website Plugins
Some must-haves include Gravity Forms for top-of-the-line forms, Google Site Kit for tracking analytics, Yoast SEO for SEO and readability setup, and Imagify for image compression.
If you’re looking for a great anti-spam plugin, CleanTalk is what I use for all of my professionally managed sites. It does an awesome job at filtering spam comments and messages, as well as providing extra security.
Web Themes
My #1 theme for WordPress due to its ease-of-use, scalability, and built in visual builder is DIVI from Elegant Themes.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
While I use Google Search Console quite often, a more fun and easier way to get keyword data is using a browser plug-in called Keywords Everywhere. It’s really cheap and oh-so worth it.
Graphic Design Tools
Design Programs
If you’re looking for user-friendly design tools for social posts or quick projects, check out Canva Pro. I use it with my clients all the time and every single one has a great response!
Color Palette Explorers
There are a ton of color palette creators out there. My favorite to explore and create in are Adobe Color and the Pantone App for iPhone.
Typography Explorers
I find free web fonts through Google Fonts quite often, but I also love Creative Market.
If you’re looking to understand the basics of typography, try this free 5-minute tutorial.
Stock Photos
My favorite sites to snag some awesome free stock photos are Unsplash and Pexels.
If you’re looking for some incredible paid content, check out Adobe Stock.
Print Companies
If you’re shopping for business cards, post cards or stickers, my favorite place is Moo.com. If you use this link, you can score 25% off your first order!
If you’re looking for more expansive options, my hometown print shop, Center City Print, does an amazing job!
If you’re looking for a finer print quality with super unique options, I am IN LOVE with Smartpress. Use this link for 15% off your first order!
Inspiration Helpers
Some of my favorite places to search for inspiration are Pinterest.com, Typewolf.com, and Behance.com.
