I created this resources page to help you decide what tools, services, and sites will be most useful to your business. I personally know how stressful and frustrating it is to make a choice on what to use or buy. With all the tools and services available, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Hopefully, this page will ease your mind a bit.
I’ll be adding more to this page as I learn and test out new things. I will reference this page in future posts quite often, so I recommend bookmarking it for your own personal reference and convenience. Thanks!
Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links on this page are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. These are all things that I currently use or have used before. I am recommending them because they are helpful and are companies that I trust, not because of the commissions that I may earn from you using these products and services.
My Most Recommended:
If you look at nothing else on this page, these are the five that you should know about. I find myself recommending these resources again and again, in emails and on podcasts. I use them because they make my life and business easier, and I’m confident you’ll agree too.
eBags – If you travel as much as I do, you want a bag big enough to carry a heavy load, small enough to stuff into an overhead bin, sturdy enough to take a beating, and soft enough to rest your head on a long, unexpected layover. As a certified bag junky, I swear by my TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible from eBags. I love this bag so much, I look for reasons to travel just so I can carry it!
Bluehost – I’m not a techie, so my websites need to be hosted with a company that provides unbeatable service and ease of use. Bluehost fits the bill. If you want a fully functional website that’s mobile-ready, easy to customize, AND you want full control over content and design, you can’t beat WordPress, and Bluehost offers an easy one-click installation. When you’re ready to graduate from free template, fill-in-the-blank websites, get on over to Bluehost!
Freshbooks – To stay on top of invoicing, there’s no easier solution than Freshbooks. I’ll admit I’m not a huge paperwork fan, so I love being able to send invoices from my iPad or iPhone. With Freshbooks, you’re able to track when your invoices are received, viewed, and paid. Freshbooks also gives you the ability to get feedback from your customers, track billable time and expenses, manage project billing, create estimates and turn them into invoices, and you can now accept payment by credit card directly through Freshbooks.
Groundlink – There are times when a cab or Uber simply won’t do, and you just need a luxury car with a professional driver. Groundlink was made for those times. The Groundlink app makes ordering a car or SUV a snap. Click on the ad to take advantage of my special discounted rate.
Hootsuite – Who has time to run from Facebook to Twitter to Google+ to LinkedIn…? If you’re busy (and I know you are) and if you’re serious about social media (and you should be), Hootsuite gives you the ability to see all your social activity in one place. Schedule posts, get analytics, and make your social media management easier. The easier it is to manage, the more consistent and effective you’ll be.
Hotels.com – I love my hotel rewards, but I gotta tell ya, Hotels.com has the easiest-to-use rewards program going. With Welcome Rewards, sign up, stay 10 nights, and your 11th night is free. It’s just that simple. No matter where I am, if I need a hotel, Hotels.com is my go-to app. Booking is just a few clicks, and their support is amazing. Click the ad for special discounts.
Hosting:
- Bluehost: They are incredibly easy to use especially their 1-click automatic WordPress installation and excellent customer service – via phone and via chat. I highly recommend using Bluehost to anyone who is just starting out. (special discounted rate)
Here’s a super quick tutorial on setting up your blog on BlueHost.
–> Click here now to get Bluehost at the discounted rate!
Landing Page Software:
- LeadPages: Easily create high quality landing pages, squeeze pages, and sales pages. LeadPages will help you convert viewers into subscribers or buyers. Best of all, it works with WordPress as well as non-WordPress sites.
Email Marketing Services:
- MailChimp: A powerful email opt-in service and email marketing tool. It’s what I personally use to build my email list, and it’s used by lots of high-profile businesses and online marketers. There’s really no excuse for not collecting an email address from every contact, and MailChimp makes it easy.
- VerticalResponse: This is a fantastic email service, especially if you have a smaller list. I absolutely love Vertical Response. Their support and user friendly interface is amazing. It’s extremely affordable and easy to start using.
Analyzing & Tracking Results:
- PrettyLinks: The BEST link tracking and URL shortener for WordPress blogs. The best feature is that it converts keywords on your blog with the actual links you cloak. A true autopilot plug-in
- Google Analytics: Google’s free website tracking and analytical tool. A must have for anyone with any type of website.
Keyword Research:
- Google Adwords Tool: A free keyword research tool. This is good to check the popularity of certain keywords and to spy on the competition if you’re doing Google Adwords stuff.
Outsource:
- Fiverr: Anything you need for just $5 bucks. I’ve had logos, t-shirts, and web graphics designed here. If you’re on a tight budget, look here first.
- Odesk: One of my favorite places to outsource. You can pay by the hour or a fixed rate. A big advantage with Odesk is that you can monitor their work.
- Freelancer: Another outsource website for freelancers, IT companies, programmers and web designers from all over the world.
- TasksEveryday: For professional virtual assistance services, TasksEveryday provides flexible, scalable professionals for one-time or ongoing projects.
Video Hosting Resources:
- s3 Amazon: The best and cheapest place to host all your video. Not only that, but you can host all your audios, PDF’s, eBooks, pretty much anything you can download and stream. (make sure you get “Simple Storage Service”)
- Easy Video Player: This is the best video marketing software EVER. It integrates with s3 Amazon. Very POWERFUL and HIGHLY recommended!
- Youtube: Free video streaming service. This is good for any videos that’s free for the public to view. (For any private videos, I suggest getting s3 amazon and use EVP for easy access and streaming.)
Media Hosting
- Libsyn: This is where I host The Entrepreneur Diner podcast audios and small-size files like PDF’s and ZIP files. Perfect for podcasters, and great for small size files.
- Blubrry: This is where I host the Build a Bulletproof Business podcast. Simple to set up, and I love how they offer allowances if you exceed your data plan.
Product Distribution & Payment Processors:
- Clickbank: A digital product retailer. Probably the most popular of all payment processors. Great affiliate program for your products.
- Commission Junction: If you want to offer high quality, high profile affiliate sales on your site, Commission Junction is a treasure trove of income opportunity.
- Paypal: An easy way to take both online and in-person payment. Paypal makes taking online payment easy, and with Paypal Here, there’s simply no excuse for not taking plastic if you’re face-to-face with your customers.
- Stripe: There’s simply no easier way to take online payments. Stripe is easy to set up, easy to track sales, and easy to administer refunds.
Recommended Books:
- The 4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss: Read this book 4 times. LOVE IT! It’s a blueprint for taking control of your life and business, and becoming location-independent.
- Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuk: If you’re into blogging, social media, or simply just want to crush it! Then this is the book for you. Read this one 3 times. No one will get you more fired up to succeed!
- Think and Grow Rich: What more can I say. The title says it all 😉 This classic is still the go-to book for successful people all over the world.