There’s an endless supply of business tools out there, and it’s easy to get caught up in thinking you need to have them all in order to run a successful business, but that’s just not true.
One thing I discuss with my students all the time is how I went to create my first online course and discovered I was already paying almost $500 a month for online business tools, apps, and services I thought I needed to pull my course together.
By the time I had actually launched my course I had only used about 25% of those tools I thought I needed to successfully deliver a profitable online course.
It’s easy to think you need to have all the latest and greatest fancy bells an whistles to launch BIG, but it’s only through experience that you learn that the more streamlined your course creation tools, the more profitable you can be and that is what I’m going to share with you now.
Plus, the beauty of this list is that many of them are absolutely free! And I like free tools.
paid tools I love
CANVA – $14.95/MONTH
Canva is a tool I use every day in my business. It’s the tool I use to create my course logos, presentation slides, student workbooks, course thumbnails, and social media promo posts. It has an unlimited number of features that allow you to bring a unique yet professional look to all of your course content which is super helpful especially if you do not consider yourself creative.
Basically, is my BFF, for real. And since Canva created their app, I can create and access my designs from anywhere. So when I’m on the go and need to create a quick Instagram Reel or a graphic where I can promote my online course in my IG Stories, I can do it quickly without waiting until I get home to my computer.
TEACHABLE – $39+/MONTH
I have been using Teachable for years and it’s the course creation toolI recommend to all of NY course creation students. While there are other course creation tools out there such as Kajabi, SamCartCourses and Thinkific just to name a few, Teahcable is one of the easiest and most affordable tools there is. Plus, if you are just getting started you can create your first course on Teachable for FREE!
CONVERTKIT – $9+/MONTH
ConvertKit is my preferred email marketing service provider. I love the flexibility and control I have in sending emails when I want them to be sent, and the platform is easy to understand and use. As a course creator you should be using email marketing in your business, and I definitely recommend this one, they even have a free version, you can up to 300 subscribers.
ZOOM – $14.95+/MONTH
Now technically, Zoom can be used for FREE, but since I’ve upgraded my Zoom account to the paid version, I’m listing it in the paid section because in my opinion its worth every penny if you plan on using it to do trainings and group coaching calls.
Zoom is one of those tools I can’t live without. I use it to record a lot of my course content, host my weekly group trainings and even for 1:1 client coaching calls.
LEADPAGES – $37+/MONTH
LeadPages is my go-to software for creating high-converting email opt-in forms all over my website. Create beautiful opt-in boxes, thank you pages, pop-ups, webinar registration forms, and more with their easy to use drag and drop editor. Hands down, they’re the most powerful lead generation software on the planet.
DEADLINE FUNNEL – $39+/MONTH
To drive urgency and encourage our audience to act fast on our limited-time offers, we use Deadline Funnel to activate countdown timers that we use in our emails and on our sales pages to help us increase conversions and boost revenue.
EVERWEBINAR – $499+/YEAR
Being that I love passive income, this tool took my business to the next level! Everwebinar (from WebinarJam) is a powerful platform that can be used to run automated webinar sessions. Want to automate your busoienss and make sales while you’re traveling, hanging out with the kids, or napping? This is the MSUT HAVE tool that allows you to set up an evergreen automated webinar and call in cash on autopilot.
free tools I love
AIRTABLE – $FREE+/MONTH
If it weren’t for Airtable, my course and social media content would never get organized. Airtable is like Google Spreadsheets on steroids and I use it to keep track of what content I’ve posted, what needs to be posted, and what needs to be repurposed. Every course or digital product I create starts in Airtable. I even integrate AirTable into the products I sell. Best part – It’s FREE and it has literally changed the way I do business!
CALENDLY – $FREE+/MONTH
Calendly is a great little tool that allows people to schedule appointments with you. Their free version includes one appointment event, so you can block off an hour of time and send the link out to any consults, clients, or anyone else who wants to book time with you.
GOOGLE DRIVE + DOCS – $FREE+/MONTH
This is a FREE tool but I pay for the extra storage because of all the content I create. I can not say enough about Google Drive and Google Docs. It’s where all of my content is created, organized and stored. It’s also where I save a lot of the course content and digital products I purchase. Google Drive is definitely my digital library and it’s a must have tool.
Here’s why I save my content to a cloud server: I’ve had two laptops crash and delete my work in the past. It’s devastating, and I’ll never be caught in that mess again. So not only do I back up my connect in Google Drive I also back it up in S3 Amazon cloud service.
what are your next steps?
Ladies, you don’t need ALL the tools, you just need the RIGHT tools! If you want to get fancy, do it after you start making money in your business. Stick to the basics, and put in the effort to grow organically. You’ll get a whole lot more results that way.
So to start thinking about the tools you need (or don’t) to launch your next course…
Ask yourself:
- What tools do I need to create, brand, and launch my course?
- What tools do I already have that will help me to create, brand, and launch my course?
- What tools do I wish I had that will help me create, brand, and launch my course with more ease?
If you need more tips, training or tools around how to create a profitable course and sell more of it on social media, make sure you check out the FREE WomanpreneuHER Resource Library.
Inside you will find the money mindset, marketing, and monetization resources that will help you begin manifesting the business and life you deserve.
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