Maybe you know by now if you listen to some of my podcasts or follow my blog or social media.

If not, it is my pastime, yes. I find a new tool; I sign up. I play with it and find out possibilities for me, my business and, as a result, for my clients and you.

So today, one tool I discovered while searching to optimise a workflow for a client.

Gmass: it is a service that allows you to send mass emails and email campaigns inside Gmail.

Tell you more in my latest podcast;

The post How to automate your emails to get more free time if you are using Gmail appeared first on Laura Moreno.

In this part 3, I will talk about the essential tools and skills you need to grow and scale your business.

And last Friday, I missed to posts my podcast, yes, life happens, and sometimes we just need to go with the flow. Even I have a plan when posting and publish content; I'm very realistic with life. So I couldn't post my content as usual last week, and that it's ok.

If you didn't listen to the previous series, here:

Part 1: The only three digital tools you need when starting a business >

Part 2: 8 essential digital tools to run your business with confidence >

Friday's Tech Tip - Episode 10

Tools of the trade to grow and scale your business

Here is the list of tools and skills to grow and scale your business:

1. A cloud service:
   I use few of them, Dropbox for both personal and business, Google Drive mainly for business and Livedrive for just personal.
   Essential to have all your important business files accessble everyone and easy to share ith your clients when they need a file or sign a document
   Dropbox >
   Google Drive >
   Livedrive >
   
   
2. Copy: learn how to right a good copy for your business is essential. Learn the basis and then delegate when you can.
   
   
3. Know your process: how do you do things, processes in your business?
   In one of my blog post: How to have more time for you and your business > I talked about the important to track your processes and check what is working and what is not.
   
   
4. Automate: after check what is working in business, and how to do your processess, then you can next the next step and automate as many as you can. Emails responds, check payments, onboarding emails for clients...
   I use Zappier and Automate for some of my process, and MailerLite automations for email and emails onboarding for clients.
   
   
5. Check your data: get to know your data form your website and social media communications channels to plan your next steps.
   
   
6. Have a plan: yes, having a plan help you to get clear in your next steps.
   
   
7. Digitallize your notes: my last tool adquisisiont and a way to keep all my files in one place, I'm not losing my papers any longer. Remarkable 2 is a really remarkable! (the referral link give you 40€ off.
   

Many of these links are affiliate links, which means I may get a commission if you purchase. However, none of the fees of these resources has been increased to compensate me. In fact, many of the creators of these tools have given me special discounts that I get to extend to you!

The post Essential tools and skills to grow and scale your business appeared first on Laura Moreno.

Today I bring you the part 2 of 3 of Tools of Trade in digital tools to empower your business.

Part 2. Essential digital tools to run your business with confidence and don't crash half way there.

#1. Google Drive

Get the space upgrade and start to use this fantastic tool to save, organise and keep all your files for your brand and clients. It's too easy to share files between people and a team, keep track of all the changes and updates, and you can access them via your mobile if you need to.

#2. Automations with email marketing

If you don't use it yet, start today. Create automation inside your email marketing tool; MailChimp, Mailerlite and many others offer automation for welcome email when someone subscriber, a follow up after a purchase, a client journey as series of email for the onboarding process and more.

#3. Calendar

If you already have Google Suite, use Google Calendar and sync all your work, family, and team calendars in one only. You can add many calendars to Google Calendar and subscribe to other's people and projects calendars.

#4 Task manager

Get on top of your task. I'm not talking about a to-do list, but more about the task you know you need to do for a project, or part of your business carry on.

Here you can use Google Tasks that it's nicely integrated with Google Calendar, and from Gsuite Email or Gmail, you can make a task from email.

Or, if you already have a team or a person helping you in your business, check out Trello or TeamWork (visual project managers) to help you keep track of your business.

#5 Designer app

Here you have few options.

1. Canva Pro, great features to keep your brand consistently and optimised your time as 'resize for social media' feature and teamwork
2. Affinity Apps: if you are more advanced in design, try Affinity, professional creative software that doesn't cost the earth! And I love it! Actually, check them out as they give 90 free trials and are currently with a 50% off offer.
3. Pay for someone to do your graphics and designs: if you don't have the time, and design bits are one of your weaknesses, it will be worth paying someone to do it and more cost and time effective.

#6 Whatsapp or a business phone line

If your business is growing and you want to do work even more, it's time to have a business phone line (a new sim card) or WhatsApp for business, which it's free. So you can customise automatic reply messages when you are not 'reachable' and be clear of your business hours.

#7 A domain with your brand name

In case you don't have it yet, it's time. Having a domain (that URL on the top of the browser, mine is 'lauramoreno.net') shows you are professional and have a good business. And get an email under that domain, as 'hola@yourdomainname.com'. Having a professional email will show more trust and credibility for your brand.

#8 Website

As an established business and have clients, it's time to have a 'decent' website. A website is your business card to the world; it's how you present yourself. Here you have two options only:

1. Do it yourself; so thinking well and choose a tool you can handle as WordPress, Squarespace or other,
2. Or you choose a professional to do a website for you.

Next podcast, I will share a PDF with all the digital tools and link to each one.

Any tool you use and want to share in the comments? Tell me!

The post 8 essentials digital tools to run your business with confidence appeared first on Laura Moreno.

Sometimes it is hard to choose which is 'right' and more, which one will work for you.

So my aim on helping you on making digital tools easy and make them digestive; I'm creating a list of my tools of the trade.

Actually, I'm creating three different lists because the tools I use maybe not be the tools you need. So depending on the stage of your business and what you should focus on.

In today episode, I will list the 'starting stage tools'. So if you are starting a business or you have a business idea, and you don't have much time and money to invest, or maybe you have time but no money to invest.

Tools for a starting a business stage:

#1 Email marketing tool

MailerLite or Mailchimp to capture email address for potential and offer a freebie in exchange for their email.
With this tool, you can even create a mini-website or landing page to collect email addresses.

#2 A surveys tool

Google forms or Typeform - to survey potential clients about the product or service you want to offer - testing before investing!

#3 A Design tool

Canva: to do graphics for your social media account and create a nice freebie - PDF, infographics, recipes.

Listen to full episode below:

The post The only three digital tools you need when starting a business appeared first on Laura Moreno.

Let's make our lives easy with digital tools, how?

Group them!

#1 Group your emails accounts

I use Gmail (or Google Suite) to group all the emails I have access to and own, so in one email account, I can check and send from, without the need to check other apps or go to the browser to open that email account.
Under Gmail, go to the top left, cogs symbol, and click 'settings' > 'see all settings', there you will find a tab for 'Accounts' - there you can find where to add another email account to 'send email as' and 'check email from other accounts.

In one mail account, you can access all other emails and send them on behalf of that email account without login in somewhere else. This functionality is not only in Gmail; many other email apps and services provide the same functionality.

#2 Group your calendars

As similar to the email accounts, I use one Calendar app or browser tab to see all my other calendars; how? I subscribe to those via a link or via email access. That prevents me from opening a browser tab to check one specific calendar or an app on my mobile. And one view, I can see all the meetings and appointments that come up.

#3 Group your bank accounts

I use the app Fintonic to check my bank accounts, which are in a different bank, instead of opening each bank app or opening my bank account in the browser to check my balance and outgoing payments.
To simplify your life, group accounts, email, calendars, and bank accounts in one app or account and make the technology for less but better.

Leave me a comment if you want to group a few similar accounts and you don't know which app/service to use. Or, if you use this method, tell me below which accounts/services for! I would love to hear from you.

You can listen to the full episode here:

The post Less but better, making your life easier with digital tools appeared first on Laura Moreno.

The first time I discover and start to use shortcuts was when I was learning Photoshop 3 (yes, years ago, I think about 20 years ago.. ), and it opens a world for me.

I could do repetitive and daily tasks faster, like open a new document, safe, close, take a tool from the toolset. I was using so many shortcuts that sometimes I don't use the mouse or trackpad at all, only the keyboard.

The shortcuts I use the most days are Gmail; compose an email, read and archive emails, make it snooze, make it as tasks, delete.
Also, I use shortcuts for almost everything on my laptop, looking for files, open programs, closing, clone files.

So, how can you use this shortcut tip?

Few questions to help you in this;

• Which Software are you using every day?
• Which tasks do you use on that Software every day?

Then find the shortcut for that; just Google, the name of the "Software + shortcut", e.g. 'Gmail shortcuts' and you, will find the list on the net.
If you want to use the Gmail shortcut, be sure to activate the functionality under 'Settings > General > Keyboard shortcuts: Keyboard shortcuts on

If you want to use Gmail shortcut be sure to active the functionality under 'Settings > General > Keyboard shortcuts: Keyboard shortcuts on.

Another shortcut I use every day is the 'Spotlight Search' on my MacBook, which just with two keystrokes, command and space bar, I can open app, latest files or folders in few seconds, instead of looking at them on my computer using a mouse or trackpad.

Listen to the latest podcast here (2.56min):

And you? Are you using any shortcuts? If yes, which ones? If not, which app you will start?

The post How you can improve your workflow on a daily basis appeared first on Laura Moreno.

You are not alone! I feel like that too.

Let me tell you the secret; sometimes we feel overwhelmed as we want to do things quickly, know to an app work since day one and finally, we don't have the patience for it.

So, what you can do about it?

1# Start Small

Don't try to do 'all'. Start with one app only. Learn one thing at the time

2# Small steps

If you feel overwhelmed with technology and digital tools, just take one step at a time. Learn how to use it day by day, one hour maximum at a time.

3# One thing at the time

Focus on doing one task at a time with the app or technology you want to conquer—just one thing. Then you learn that one you can do one more.

Questions you can ask about the app or digital tool you want to use or learn?

• Do I need this app?
• Am I going to use it now?
• Is this going to help me?
• If not, which app can help me better?

Ask around, google it.

And if you still have doubts, send me an email, I will be happy to help you.

Listen Episode 5 (2:38 minutes):

The post 3 things to do to stop feeling overwhelmed with technology and digital tools appeared first on Laura Moreno.

So in this episode, number 4 already! I bring you three technology tools you can use to help you to be more productive.

#1 Notifications off

Turn off all the notifications in your mobile and laptop/desktop computer, sound and visual notifications while working.

2 Use OneTab in your browser

Keep your browser tidy and less distractive using a Chrome or Firefox extension called OneTab.

You can organise these save tabs in groups and rename the group as the project name.

#3 Keep your ideas

Using Google Keep to keep ideas, things you need to do later, tasks that come to your mind while working. In that way, you will remember them and be out of your mind so they won't distract you 😉

You can listen here:

Tools I mention in the episode:

OneTab Chrome Extension ->

OneTab Firefox Extension ->

Similar to OneTab for Safari - Tabs Saver ->

Google Keep ->

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