One thing I learned very early into starting my business, is that loving what you do and actually running a business require two very different skillsets. I’m a copywriter for wedding vendors, and as such, I love writing. I love researching my client’s ideal couples and writing words that connect with them on a heart level (plus get them found in organic and AI search results).
But all the other stuff, like marketing myself, managing my time, tracking my income, scheduling calls, building contracts and invoices…. Yeah. I was not prepared for how much time and energy these “simple” tasks would take me.
Luckily, there are dozens of business tools out there to help with exactly this. I’m going to tell you all of my favorites because us small business owners need to stick together and support each other.
(Psst! I have another blog dedicated specifically to SEO tools I use daily. If you’re interested in upping your SEO game, read that blog, too!)
9 of My Favorite Business Tools That I Use Almost Daily as a Copywriter for Wedding Pros
Google Drive
Everything I do, I do through Google Drive. Which means that when we work together, you’ll have a designated Google folder where all of your website copy or blog drafts will live. Revisions are a huge part of the writing process, and it’s important for you to review every draft and tell me your honest, unfiltered thoughts before anything gets published.
I use Google because it’s the easiest way for you to view your copy and make edits in real time, by highlighting phrases or sections that you like or dislike and leaving me a comment explaining why.
Dubsado
All of my client communication, contracts, proposals, and invoices go through Dubsado. It keeps my projects organized, and I have automations in place so I don’t have to be online 24/7 for fear of missing something.
Plus, Chloe at It’s Chloe G customized my entire system so it looks gorgeous and reflects my brand in every detail.
Toggl
Okay, this is a little embarrassing to admit… but for the first few years of my business, I didn’t track my time. Like, at all. So when clients would ask what my availability looked like, I would have no idea. I was burnt out and overwhelmed because I said yes to everything without considering my capacity.
And then I found Toggl, a free (!!) desktop time tracker that has seriously saved my life. Now, I know exactly where my time is going and can make intentional decisions about what I say yes to.
Canva
I do not like graphic design. I am very bad at graphic design. And yet, Canva makes it possible for me. I use Canva to create Instagram graphics and the occasional chart or flow for my own blog or a client’s.
Asana
Asana is my brain, disembodied and digitized. Every project, due date, and important scrap of information goes in Asana… because if it doesn’t, it no longer exists. It’s color coded, sends me reminders on tasks, and ensures I get everything done on time.
Golden Coil Planner
If you’ve met me in person, there’s a really good chance I’ve talked to you about my Golden Coil Planner. I’m obsessed with it, and for good reason.
Golden Coil is a customizable planner—meaning you can choose exactly which layouts go inside of it to fit your lifestyle. Want to add pages for meal planning? They’ve got those. Want to have an address book, track your hydration, and ensure all your work gets done at the same time? Easy.
I know that between Asana and Google Calendar, I have a digital planner. But there’s something inherently valuable about writing things down. I sit down at the beginning of each week and write down all of my tasks—both in life and in business—and slow my brain down enough to actually consider what my week is going to look like.
It even features in my brand photos because I’m that obsessed.
Frolic Bookkeeping’s Profit & Loss Template
For me, tracking my finances was one of the most intimidating parts of business ownership. And then I got slammed with taxes and decided it was time to learn. I reached out to Olivia with Frolic Bookkeeping, and she answered all of my questions and then some. I use her Profit & Loss Template to keep track of my income, expenses, and put aside the right amount for taxes every month.
Nothing has made me feel more like a big girl business owner than actually knowing where my money is.
The Confident Collab’s Monthly Content Calendar
If you follow me on Instagram and like what you see, you can thank Ariel at the Confident Collab. Ariel has been helping me elevate my social media (and not want to throw my phone out the window) for the better part of a year. She outlines exactly what I need to say and shows me how to say it, taking the overwhelm out of posting.
The Brand Voice Handbook
Am I biased? Yes, absolutely. But I believe that the Brand Voice Handbook is the ultimate business tool. It’s your go-to guide for any and all writing you do for your business. It includes your unique selling proposition (aka, what makes you different from everyone else who does what you do), your brand values, and a detailed ideal client avatar so you know exactly who you’re talking to.
You don’t need to second guess every sentence you write. And you sure as hell don’t need some chat bot to tell you what you sound like. You already have a distinct voice, you just might need some help to understand and utilize it.
That’s the whole point of the Brand Voice Handbook. You can refer back to it every time you go to write something, or it can serve as the strategic foundation for your entire website copy. (More on that here!) At the end of the day, you get a comprehensive document outlining who you are as a business owner and how to talk to your ideal clients.
If you want to learn more about the Brand Voice Handbook and how this single business tool can elevate your online presence and attract your ideal clients, I would love to talk with you. Schedule a free, 30-minute call to chat all about it.
Overall, running a business doesn’t have to mean drowning in admin work. With the right systems in place, you get to spend more time doing what you actually love (in my case, writing words that make couples feel seen) and a lot less time feeling scattered and overwhelmed.
You don’t need all 9 of these tools to run a successful business, but I highly recommend starting with one or a few that would help with your specific needs right now!
