SPOILER: Yes. Yes, it does.
Look, I get it. Lean marketing teams are trying to do their best with the resources they have.
When people are trying to save money in their budget, they typically are afraid to spend money on tools.
Freemium email service providers like Mailchimp make it easy to get the bare minimum done without the budget.
But guess what happens when you skimp on tools? You end up trying to scale your business with one hand tied behind your back.
Why is that? When you don’t invest in the right tools, you lose out on opportunities to supplement your skills.
For example, if you upgrade your Mailchimp account, you now have access to much easier templates to use and data integrations that let you segment your audience much more manageable.
For what? An extra $10, $20, $50/month?
What could you do with that extra 10 minutes or 3 hours you saved during that month with the functionality you just unlocked?
- Made an extra offer to your email list to bring in additional revenue?
- Pitched a podcast to be a featured guest?
- Coached your assistant or leadership about what it is you do and where you want to take it?
You could reinvest your time into getting a new process documented or report template drafted.
Investing in the right tools frees up time so that you can template your processes to make them run more efficiently.
That means less micro-managing and more revenue-generating activities.
Here are a few tools I use (and happily upgraded) that make marketing operations easy peasy:
Your project management system is the lifeblood of getting shit done. ClickUp has a free version that is pretty robust.
Upgrading it unlocks custom fields and status reports that make templating tasks a no-brainer.
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Appointment Scheduling Tools
Create specific appointment types for particular types of meetings—networking, coffee talk, project check-ins, etc. You’ll save HOURS a month by partially automating meeting scheduling.
I recommend:
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If you’ve ever talked to me for more than 5 minutes, you’ll know I talk about Zapier.
It’s like having a javascript developer on hand to help you integrate every app you’re using. They have a free version. The Premium version gives multi-step zaps.
For example, if you’re a service-based business, every discovery call booked can then set up a task for you in your PM system with every detail you want about the lead.
It can also add them to your contacts, update them in your CRM, create a deal, and much more. In one zap.
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This one goes without saying. Your CRM, or Customer Relationship Management tool, helps you manage all of your contacts so you’re not stuck digging through emails every time you want to find a contact.
Some CRMs can also send out email campaigns. Some don’t.
I always recommend ActiveCampaign to ANY business at EVERY budget level. It’ll legit give you the biggest bang for your buck.
BUT some businesses have very specific needs. In that case, it requires a much more intense search which I always handhold through.
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Those are just a FEW tools that I recommend investing in.
Of course, investing in the right help with tools and processes is always on the table. Accelerating scaling a business requires A LOT of time, effort, and strategy.
If you’re looking for a way to dip your toe in, check out the Catch & Convert Power Session I offer. One hour to get an action plan together for your marketing challenge. Then, a half-hour follow-up 30 days later to analyze and refine.