So much of what I do is focused on images. But there’s a lot going on behind the scenes for small business owners that our clients don’t see. Accounting, budgeting, communication, education, management, marketing, obtaining various permits and licensing, website development…the list could go on. Curious about the photography business resources I use to help optimize my business/increase the level of services for my clients? Below I’ve provided a list of my favorite tools to keep my small business running smoothly and successfully.
*To offer a discount or free trial to my readers, links included in this post may be affiliate links. I may receive a small commission or discount when you open a link or make a purchase. Each of the photography business resources mentioned in this post are tools I use almost daily. I can attest first-hand to the value they bring to my business!*
Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop
Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop are the only tools I use to edit my images. I also occasionally use Adobe Premiere Pro to edit any aerial footage I capture with my drone. Adobe Creative Cloud is a great option to explore if you’re interested because it allows you subscribe to multiple apps! I use Creative Cloud to subscribe to Lightroom and Photoshop in a combination package instead of subscribing to each separately.
You can start a free trial for Adobe Creative Cloud with the following link: Adobe Creative Cloud.
BlogStomp
After Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, BlogStomp was one of the first tools I downloaded to help optimize my business. I mainly use BlogStomp to easily re-size photos and arrange the placement of photos in each of my beautiful blog entries. With BlogStomp, images I upload to my blog load easily and effortlessly.
Canva
Do you follow me on Instagram? If so, you’ve seen gorgeous graphics I’ve created in Canva to tailor my social media posts to suite my brand perfectly. The free version of Canva is more than enough to explore when you’re just starting out! There are many stunning free templates to work with. If you’d like to check out the program, you can do so with the following link: Canva.
Dubsado
All of my clients love Dubsado. Dubsado is an amazing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software providing clients easy access to personal portals, fun questionnaires, payment options, and contracts after a session is booked with me! I love all of the excellent educational resources and training Dubsado provides. The team at Dubsado makes it so easy to set-up everything you need for your business in a few days.
Fellow small business owners, you can use the following link to receive 20% off your first month or year: dubsado.com/?c=bayleyjordan. If you sign-up for Dubsado, I’d recommend starting with the free beginner course they offer on their website to get set-up.
Flodesk
As the most recent addition to my business toolkit, I can absolutely say I’m already in love. Flodesk allows me to send complementary guides and stunning messages to my email subscribers, tailored to fit my brand to a T. It’s the best email marketing platform I’ve tried and I can’t wait to dive into it further/integrate it more fully into my website soon!
If you want to receive 50% off of Flodesk after a free 30 day trial, you can sign-up using the following link: https://flodesk.com/c/BAYLEYJORDAN
Pixieset
I use Pixieset to send pretty, personalized, Pinterest-like photo galleries to my clients after their portrait sessions. My clients can easily download and share the images from their session directly through Pixieset. As a bonus, they can order physical prints directly from the gallery too!
Because my print shop is also hosted through Pixieset, I have been able to offer gorgeous, glossy Vivid Metal prints of my aerial and landscape photography as home/office decor that look stunning in any setting. If you’re interested in purchasing a print, you may do so from The Print Shop.
For fellow photographers, you can receive an additional 250MB of storage from Pixieset on top of 3GB of free space via the following link: https://pixieset.com/ref/wAyBdapZK3.
Photomechanic
Photomechanic helps me easily cull and curate my images and deliver the gorgeous galleries my clients know and love. The company allows photographers to purchase and download the software without monthly or yearly subscription fees – it’s a one-time purchase only. I wish all organizations were this generous!
Planoly
Planoly is another tool I used to help plan my social media marketing, specifically for my Instagram grid. It’s another great program to use when you’re just starting out because it’s free!
QuickBooks® Software
Quickbooks is invaluable for accounting and budgeting. I use Quickbooks weekly to keep track of expenses, income, invoices, and receipts! Quickbooks is worth the price when it comes time to do taxes every year. My CPA can see everything associated with my business in once place! It has helped cut-down on the number of consultations I need each tax season and saves all of us time.
Because I am a member of the QuickBooks® Ambassador Program, you can use the following link to learn more, receive a discount for your first 3 months, and sign-up if you so choose: https://quickbooks.grsm.io/bayleyjordan.
Showit
Showit has helped me to create a website I love that represents my brand perfectly. My Showit site is easy to update (without any coding!) and continually helps me book clients I am thrilled to work with! Their team has also been invaluable whenever I have questions!
If you’d like to see if Showit is the best fit for you, you can get a free month by using the link https://account.showit.co/r/g37r25hc. And if you need a BEAUTIFUL template to go with your new website, head over to TONIC templates at https://bayleyjordanphotography.com/?ref=bayleyjordan. Honestly, I cannot say enough good things about how both Showit and Tonic have transformed my website.
If you want to learn more about the photography business resources listed or about the business-side of what I do, stay tuned to the journal for more tips soon! You can find new entries at https://bayleyjordanphotography.com/journal.
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