Running a small business can be overwhelming at times. So that is why I want to share with you some of my favorite tools for photographers.
After being in the photography business for 12+ years, I’ve learned that having reliable systems in place is key! Systems such as finance management, client management, social media management, etc. It makes life so.much.easier! So that’s why I wanted to share with you all some of my favorite staples as a photographer that I think you also need in your life as a fellow photographer! Many of them have special going on right now for those of you dealing with tough times with the coronavirus, and some are special deals that you can utilize from my special referral!
*Note, some of these links are affiliate links where I make a little something if you go through them and make a purchase. Please keep in mind, I only share companies that I truly believe in. It will be a win-win for us both and I’ll be extremely grateful!
Flodesk – beautiful + simple email marketing
If you are on my email list (if you aren’t, why aren’t you?!), you’ve noticed it’s recently gotten quite the facelift! It’s because I’ve switched over to Flodesk and it’s made my life about 10x’s easier! Flodesk allows you to design emails people love to get. Beginners and experts use Flodesk to create stunning campaigns that grow their business. It’s super intuitive to send emails and build workflows that convert.
Honeybook – Manage projects, book clients, send invoices, and get paid.
HoneyBook helps creative entrepreneurs and freelancers book more clients, manage projects, and get paid—all in one place. Again, this has been another lifesaver for me with managing my time and keeping my business organized! With this business management software, you can automate your busy work and stay on top of all your to-dos, saving time and money so you can grow your business. It’s like having a team of your own personal assistants. I’ve tried a handful of other client management programs and this is, by far, my favorite one!
YNAB – Finance Management + Budgeting
I’ve been using You Need A Budget for just about a year now and it’s a gamechanger when it comes to managing your money and making sure you keep a budget. It honestly makes tracking expenses easy! I pair it with the help from the team at Let’s Do the Books for my bookkeeping and it totally took that task I hated doing off my to-do list! (Though I also use this app to manage my personal finances too…you can create multiple budgets with one account!
Pixieset – online client photo galleries
I’ve used a few different hosts in my time for online client photo galleries, but Pixieset is, by far, my favorite! The layouts & designs are beautiful, setup is super easy and the customer service support is like no other! The checkout process for clients ordering through the gallery is also very user-friendly.
Moo – Printing for business cards + marketing materials
I’ve been using Moo.com for what seems like forever for my business cards! I always get compliments on how professional and beautiful my Luxe cards are!
Peak Design – Bags
I have had the 20 L Everyday Backpack for about 2 years now and it is by far the best camera bag I have ever owned! Quality made, ease of use to get my camera and lens out of, and works well for travel.
Clickin Moms – Online photography community + education
Clickin Moms serves beginner, intermediate, and advanced artists with a lively community forum, wide-ranging educational offerings, an online retail store, print magazine, and a targeted program serving photo professionals.
JPeg Mini – Photo optimization
JPEGmini is a powerful tool for quality photo optimization: up to 80% size reduction without compromising quality. You can save so much space off your computer and hard drives utilizing it, as well as help to speed up your website load times when you optimize photos before adding to your website. Definitely a must-have!
BlogStomp (StompSoftware) – Powerful, simple software for photographers
StompSoftware provides a better, simpler, cheaper and more enjoyable way to prepare images for web use, album design, and proofing online.
Artifact Uprising – Sustainable online printing company
I’ve been in love with Artifact Uprising since I first heard of them at WPPI Conference about 7 years ago. I love their mission and their products are simply divine!
Do you have any favorite companies that have made your life as a photographer or your business a million times easier? Let me know in the comments below!
PS, be sure to check back from time to time as I will update this list with more recent deals!
