Let’s talk business. If I take a look back on my biz path the last 1, 3, or 5 years, I can clearly pinpoint the exact tools that have allowed me to go to the next level, improve my systems, and become more productive and profitable. They’re not quick fixes, but they’re strategy stirrers that have totally upended and improved my approach to running this multifaceted business of mine.

What about you? Whether you’re less than a year into entrepreneurship or 7 in, can you point to the software, tech, and tools that have helped you scale your business? If the answer is no and you’ve been hobbling along, piecemealing together the moving parts of your biz bit by bit, then I have news for you. Running your business does NOT have to be all-consuming, beyond overwhelming, and up-to-your-ears stressful. It doesn’t need to take all of your effort, energy, and time. In fact, if you ask me, it shouldn’t.

That’s why I wanted to put together my top 5 highly recommended tools to scale your business in 2020, and remove a whole lotta heavy lifting and juggling you may or may not have been putting up with until this point. Let’s be honest, you deserve a business that’s fun to run! And these tools will make it all that and then some. Let’s get into it, shall we?

01. Flodesk for all your email needs

I’ve said it before and I’ll prob say it a million more times: If you’re not building your biz on your own land (aka an email list), you’re missing out on major profit potential. And if you haven’t hopped on the Flodesk train, what in the world are you waiting for?!

Let me back it on up for a sec, if you haven’t heard me gush about it yet, Flodesk is a new email marketing platform on the scene that makes creating and sending stunning emails for your business easier than EVER before. Not only that, but it makes starting and building your email list absolutely effortless. Like, for real. It’s SO. EASY. I will never get over it (and I’m kinda bummed this wasn’t around when I started my list!).

The kickers: they have gorg templates to get you started, they have tutorials to walk you through everything (even how to set up an opt-in form on a landing page if you don’t have a website), there are automations galore, and it’s the most straightforward process for email marketing I’ve literally ever seen. It’s also women-owned and ran which you know I am so into. I love this platform so dang much that I tapped the founders on the shoulders and asked if I could get my people easy access. So if you’re ready to sign up, you can just head right here to get a 30-day free trial, plus 50% off your monthly subscription after you fall in love and join for good!

02. Honeybook for everything biz tracking & communication

This is another one of those golden platforms that I’ve been obsessed with for years and years now. In fact, it kinda saved the day for my business when I was haphazardly tracking numbers, projects, and contracts with my photography clients back in the day. If your way of tracking the day-to-day of your biz includes a random mix of Google docs, PDFs, un-followed-up emails, and wishful thinking… I’ve been there, sister, but I’m here to say there’s a far simpler way to run a business.

Like WAY simpler. Your own cobbled-together system might be “working,” true, but it might also be costing you a ton of time and stress (and time is money, am I right?). What would it look like to have everything in one place, from your invoices and contracts to client messages, questionnaires, and timelines? Doesn’t that sound like a freakin’ zen bubble bath for your business or what? Track and manage it ALL in Honeybook: sending invoices, collecting payments, crafting workflows, exporting financials, sending branded proposals, automating tasks, and so much more.

And because I love you (and Honeybook) a whole lot, I got them to hand over a sweet deal if you decide you like the idea of automated systems and simplified workflows. (I mean, who doesn’t?!) Sign up here for a free trial and then save 50% off your annual subscription!

03. Pinterest to get more eyes on your stuff

I mean, I can’t write a post about tools to scale your business and *not* mention Pinterest, because this platform has been a transformer of my biz in so many ways. I think probably the biggest misconception of Pinterest is that it’s another social media platform, when that’s just not the case. Pinterest is a search engine and a place where many of your ideal clients and customers flock for inspo, how-tos, and advice. So how can you use it to scale your biz?

We have a strategic plan for Pinterest that involves pinning consistently every day, bringing in new content weekly, and making sure our first 5 pins are our own content. You also want to have compelling, pin-worthy images and copy that compels users to click through to your website. By using Pinterest the right way, we’ve been able to 10x our website traffic and reach nearly 1 million monthly viewers on Pinterest itself. I’m SO passionate about using Pinterest to get more leads, increase traffic, and scale your business that I created an entire masterclass for it! You can sign on up right here if you want to learn more.

04. Showit for easy website maintenance & management

Um, guys, this is the website platform I swear by — and I’ve been around the block with website platforms, let me tell ya. Don’t know how to code? NO PROBLEMO. You don’t need to know a lick of coding or contact a web developer to build out your website, create new pages, or update old ones with Showit. They have tons of pretty website templates to choose from (or you can do your own thang) and after you pick, just drag and drop the features, images, and text blocks wherever you want them to go! It’s seriously that easy.

You can have a stunning, easy-to-manage website in no time, and it’s the website platform I personally use (click around my site and bask in its beauty, because it’s ALLL thanks to Showit!). The best part — other than the simplicity and prettiness — is that it integrates with WordPress like nobody’s business, so you can easily track and manage your blog and community updates. If you’re like, “I am IN!”, then make sure you use the code goaldigger to get 10% off when you sign up!

05. Opt-in Monster to integrate pretty (and non-annoying) pop-ups

Ever been reading a blog post or article and then suddenly this beast of a pop-up blazes onto your screen and it takes you the better part of a minute to figure out how to exit the heck out of it? Yeah, Opt-in Monster is NOT that. It’s smart, customizable, and branded pop-ups that you can use and set up on your site with strategy. We use ’em to grow my email list, point to related resources, and lead visitors to trainings they might be interested in taking.

The cool part is you can set rules for your pop-ups so they come up when someone’s been on the page for a certain amount of time, or when they’ve reached a certain point of the article. That way it’s not just flying in someone’s face the moment they land on your website and irritating them way more than converting them. Using pop-ups is one of the best ways we’ve grown our email list and puts you in control over when people receive them and when! You can even get 25% off if you use the code jennakutcher when you sign up.

K you guys, who’s ready to grab our businesses by the horns this year and take them to the next level?! If you ask me, up-leveling is all about introducing and integrating smart systems that make sense for your business and ultimately save you time down the line. These tools will do all of that for you — I’m certain because they’ve done it for me, too! — and you’ll scale your business with way less effort and a whole lot more joy this year.

I one-hundred percent recommend these tools because I’ve used, loved, and become obsessed with each and every one of them, but please know that some links in this post are affiliate links and so I get a small kickback of anything you choose to sign up for (which in turn lets me continue finding and sharing amazing resources! Score!).

---

Wonder what other resources, tools, and goodies I swear by?

Check out all my favorite things, from beauty to tech to fashion recs, right here!