If you ever sit in awe and wonder what we did before apps, you are not alone. Free and inexpensive software that solves the problems of the world and allows professionals to run lean and mean all at the touch of a finger – it is truly amazing what technology can do.
We turned to our colleagues with the question recently, “Which apps help you cut corners?” They responded with an impressive range of apps that help with productivity, communication, accounting, password management, CRM tasks and a lot more. We’re in love with this list as it gives even the most app-savvy pro new tools to try.
Below are the top apps that our event colleagues turn to for cutting corners while delivering amazing results.
Voxer & Freshbooks
Meryl Snow
Meryl Snow of SnowStorm Solutions appreciates Voxer, “a free messaging app that combines the best of voice, text, photo and video messages with walkie-talkies in one messaging app.” She also uses Freshbooks to “send invoices and get paid online, capture expense receipts and categorize spending.” Note: Meryl Snow will be speaking at Catersource 2019! Click here for more information.
Acuity
Sara Dunn of Sara Dunn SEO loves Acuity for scheduling meetings and consultations. “All I have to do is send a link to my calendar, and the person I'm scheduling with can choose an available time that works for them. It integrates with Google calendar, so it knows when I'm already booked and automatically puts new appointments on my calendar. My invitees can even cancel or change the appointment without even contacting me. It has saved me so much time!”
Boomerang Chrome Extension
Christie Osborne of Mountainside Media uses the Boomerang Chrome Extension to schedule emails during normal business hours, or during times when clients are normally awake and working. “I keep odd working hours,” says Osborne. “I get up at 4:00 AM and work through weekends, taking mid-week off. To adhere to my client’s normal work schedule, I send a lot of my emails using Boomerang. This allows me to get things off my plate without setting the standard that I am available 24/7 for small and administrative tasks.” Note: Christie Osborne will be speaking at Catersource 2019! Click here for more information.
Nimble
Matthew Wengerd of A Fine Press searched high and low for a Customer Relationship Manager (CRM) that worked well for him. “There are great mass-market and wedding/events-focused ones out there, but none ticked all the boxes until Nimble,” commented Wengerd. “One of my favorite features is the ability to create non-sales pipelines to help me track my creative partner outreach.”
Forest & Password Keeper
Shannon Tarrant of WeddingVenueMap.com likes Forest, a fun app to help her stay focused. “You set a timer that prevents interruptions and notifications while you stay focused on projects,” she explains. She also saves time searching for or resetting dozens of passwords by using Password Keeper, “a secure app to track every login and password for everything.”
Doodle
Kevin Dennis of WeddingIQ wonders how he survived before Doodle, “a meeting scheduler that allows you to crowdsource availability and interest when you plan important appointments and walk-throughs.” Instead of playing phone or email tag, users plan meetups via Doodle. “Each person can check the best option using a link, and they can input conflicts or preferences based on the selected date and time. By using this, we've eliminated any worry that our meetings might be inconveniencing any party involved, and we can come to the perfect agreement.”
Infusionsoft
“Infusionsoft (www.infusionsoft.com) has allowed us to really be who we are today,” raves Keith Phillips of Classic Photographers. “This is an awesome CRM and marketing automation tool. It allows us to set up automated marketing and communication campaigns using email, text and tasks reminders. Infusionsoft integrates with all of our other apps as well.”
Google Docs
Emily Sullivan of Emily Sullivan Events uses Google Docs to stay connected. “It allows me to keep in touch with my team even when I am away from the office at conferences and speaking engagements.” Note: Emily Sullivan will be speaking at Catersource 2019! Click here for more information.
Wunderlist & More
Love Inc.’s Brittny Drye uses Wunderlist to organize everything in her life, and says that, “Any platform that allows me to take my work off the computer and continue it on-the-go via an app is always going to win my heart.” Drye uses Upwork, Google Drive, Later, Dropbox, and LiveChat on a daily basis and chooses new technology platforms in part based on whether or not they have an easy-to-use app. Note: Brittny Drye will be speaking at Catersource 2019! Click here for more information.
An Industry Secret – Dark Sky
While a weather app isn’t an obvious corner-cutting tool, having an accurate prediction of the weather saves time, money, stress and equipment when you’re on the job. Mary Angelini is a filmmaker based in Florida and New England, and she has a secret go-to weather app, Dark Sky. “It’s freakishly accurate down to the minute, which is great when it looks like rain, but we need a few outdoor shots before reception begins. It uses GPS instead of zip code, and I have found that it is much more accurate for minute to minute predictions. It also gives a pop up warning before rain begins.” Dark Sky is one app we can definitely see taking over the events industry!
If you’re like me, you’re dying to try out some of the exciting apps recommended above. If there is a business need and there isn’t an app for it yet, you can bet there will be tomorrow.
What tops your list of favorite business apps?
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