Applications I Use Every Day as a Virtual Assistant
There are so many different tools to use on the internet these days for your online business. It’s nice to know there are a multitude of options to choose from but sometimes, less is more!
Using too many apps to run your business can get confusing and chaotic, so once you’ve found the ones you work with best (believe me, I’ve tried a lot of them), stick with it!
Gmail
This should be a given, but some sort of email communication is a must. I use gmail because I’m familiar with it so it was easy to set up a business account.
I have it hooked up to my website so this is where I respond to inquiries that come through my website and where my current clients and I discuss big projects. Any subscriptions or other business related things will come to this email, and it is only used for business. I have a personal email with Gmail as well!
Toggl
I knew from the beginning I was going to have to track my time. Granted, some tasks I do not track that I know will only take me a certain amount of time (such as Instagram engagement), but for the rest, I’m starting the timer. This helps with billing accuracy and so I can analyze how long certain projects are taking me. Having a clock running also helps to keep me on track, vs. working without one and distractions flow easier.
Canva
Of course, this makes the list! Canva is basically Amazon for online business owners, you can create everything you need with it. It’s so easy to share designs with clients or to amp up project that could have easily been done on word but you want to give it an extra personal touch.
I use Canva for every single one of my clients whether its for a post or freebie, or for my own personal use and I have no regrets about upgrading to Canva pro, I want all those features!
Voxer
For quick messages and general communications, I use Voxer with my clients. Voice notes are so much easier these days! As business owners, everyone is on the go so email is not always accessible. Voxer is great because you can also send text or attachments through it but its an app, so you are able to keep work and personal life separate.
Honorable mentions:
These are apps I may not use every day, but close to!
Scheduling Apps: Planoly is my go-to for my personal account and for some of my clients. I was able to quickly learn how to use it and enjoy the weekly emails from them. I use Later for some clients, as it was their preference. Later has some amazing features and tons of resources but is a more difficult to learn.
CRM’s such as Trello/Asana/Clickup: Same as above, Trello is the easiest to use and is more simple and I use that for personal use to organize my client/personal work. It’s also easy for clients to drop work in shared boards that you can easily access. Asana/Clickup are very similar in look and feel and offer a much more detailed and integrated experience. What is so great about these tools is it keeps a lot of different tasks in one place instead of using a bunch of different apps.
Honeybook: I almost forgot one of the most important pieces, how I get paid! Honeybook is where you can track client inquiries, form project pages, create contracts, receive payments, etc. There is a lot to go through, but you learn as you go and the customer service team is very helpful and responsive.
Flodesk: I’ve been slacking on my email marketing as of late, but Flodesk makes me want to send out emails with their pretty templates and super easy to use interface. It’s a newer email marketing system and might not have all the bells and whistles that large corporations needs, but I think it’s perfect for small businesses who are trying to nurture a smaller audience.
I also have a discount code! Get 50% off your Flodesk Subscription here.