Year after year, this blog has been wildly popular with fans, followers and clients so I have this year's Ultimate Tools The Pros Use Guide here for your viewing. New for this year, I have added in apps too.

I realize that this digital landscape and technology moves so fast it's hard to keep up with everything out there so hopefully this will be an incredibly valuable resource for you.

This blog is truly massive and covers over 60 different tools. You'd be crazy not to download the PDF version of my guide so you have all the valuable info at your disposal anytime you need it. Grab your own copy for free below.

Quick Note: Some of these tools listed in this blog are free, others are not.

Nearly everything I use and/or advise my clients on is in here. I'll do my best to update this every once in awhile to keep it fresh and current.

Here is this year's Ultimate Guide of Tools The Pros Use.

Let's start with the absolute simplest tool to start with that's free...

LastPass

LastPass made last year's list and it's another winner this year. Lastpass is a password management software that stores your (encrypted) log-in details such as your user names and passwords. It's free, it offers great organizational features, and it can also auto-fill all your passwords and payment details for you anywhere you go online. Never rely on the dreaded "Forgot Password?" button ever again!

Should you wish to use additional features they offer, you can set up team shared folders, have them create encrypted passwords for you and you can even store credit card payment details so that it can auto populate for you at check out. The paid version comes with a mobile app so no matter where you are, you have your entire world of passwords, URL's and payment details with you always.

How I Use LastPass:

Not only do I use LastPass to store all my passwords, I also use it to conveniently share my log in details with colleagues, freelancers, and team members without ever having to actually provide them with my sensitive log-in details. (It also gives you one-click control to pull back shares as well). 

Google Drive

Google Drive is a cloud based file storage service that allows users to digitally store, synchronize, and share files with others. 

What kinds of files? A ton. Google Drive comes with their own applications for you to create your documents online such as Google Docs (Word), Google Sheets (Excel), Google Slides (Powerpoint), and more.

It also gives you the ability to collaborate on projects by sharing files and adjusting permissions.  Collaborators are able to view, comment, or edit your file (or all three) depending on what you allow them to do. And, it's much easier to share and send a link of a Google Drive File rather than emailing large attachments.

I use Google Drive for two main things:

1. I house all my staff files on here so my entire team works from and in Google Drive.
2. I store Client projects and files in there enabling me to grant access to certain folders for them which makes the transfer of assets, documents and spreadsheets simple and painless.

BackBlaze

Backblaze is a cloud storage back-up...but wait, there's more! While most cloud storage systems will limit the number of devices you can use to back-up your files,  BackBlaze offers unlimited back-up of your files to as many drives as you have connected. 

How I Use Backblaze:

I use to it back up all my important files across all my hard drives, and I also use their app for easy, safe, and convenient access. 

Microsoft Office 365

Microsoft Office 365 is a cloud based software aimed towards corporate users that provides productivity applications through the web. It includes a suite of Office Web apps, which are web based versions of traditional Microsoft office applications such as Microsoft Excel, Powerpoint, Access, etc.

Microsoft Office 365 is also subscription based, and has different plans based on what your business needs.

How I Use Office 365:

I use Office 365 for my agency email, and I can set up group inboxes for my different teams, so that my clients can easily and directly email, say, my copywriting team or my design team. Also, Office 365 has great customer support, which is worth mentioning! 

TextEdit

TextEdit is Apple's version of a simple word processor and text editor that comes free with your operating system (If you have a PC, then your version is called Note Pad). When you paste text into it, it strips the code from it and changes it into plain text. This is absolutely vital if you need to take copy from a document or website to use in anything digital - email, website, landing page, etc.

How I use TextEdit:

I use TextEdit every single day to copy and paste "code-less" text from and into different documents and materials. I would be lost without it! 

AppointmentCore

AppointmentCore is an incredibly powerful scheduling software for Infusionsoft users. It also offers full integrations with Google, Outlook, Infusionsoft, Zoom, GoToMeeting, PlusThis and a handful of others.

It is incredibly versatile enabling you to create multiple calendars with specific availability, meeting length restrictions and the ability to have your entire organization's calendar availability easily accessed to schedule appointments that are powered by automated reminders.  

How I use AppointmentCore:

I use it to set up appointments, consults, and more for my agency. If you'd like to see AppointmentCore in action and have my agency set it up for you, click here now.

Grammarly

Grammarly is an online application that checks grammar, spelling, punctuation, style. (Its paid version also detects plagiarism). It offers a free browser extension for Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Firefox, so you can install it in your browser, and have it work everywhere you write  the web.

Grammarly comes with a free version, but if you want premium features (like its plagiarism checker, or the vocabulary enhancement tool), then you would have to purchase a subscription.

How I Use Grammarly:

As much as I'd love to catch all my grammar errors, type-o's and misspelled words, it's just not feasible for me. I move fast, and don't always have the time to review and review again. Grammarly is a huge help.

GoogleVoice

Google Voice is a voicemail service that allows users to send text messages, read voicemail transcripts, and more. Domestic calls to landlines are free. If you have a Gmail account and a phone plan, then Google Voice will work for you if you are on a tight budget.

What makes this great is that you can get a 2nd phone number that will ring on your computer and on your cell phone without you having to give out your real number. That means clients and customers will never have your real cell phone so you can keep your privacy (and sanity).

Grasshopper

Grasshopper is a VOIP phone service that allows you to have a centralized call system that can route calls to departments, ring to your team's cell phone and provide voicemail and text messaging.

How I Use Grasshopper:

Grasshopper is the system my agency uses and we love it. It always works and it comes with text, voicemail and an employee phone directory. If you have a growing company that is either virtual or spread out across multiple geographic locations, Grasshopper is a cheap and powerful solution you'll want to consider.

Zoom

Zoom is a web based conference, live video, screen share and messaging platform. You can also record calls which is perfect for doing live trainings and providing the Client with a copy of the training afterwards.

The free version is downright amazing and what I love about Zoom is that it is so simple to launch an online conference call and invite someone to it. It even integrates with your email and calendar.

How I Use Zoom:

I use Zoom for all - and I mean ALL - of my meetings. If you do anything where you need to have meetings with your staff and clients or customers then Zoom is, by far, the best solution for you!

Crowdcast

Crowdcast makes hosting webinars as easy as possible. It's amazingly intuitive, easy to use, and will make you look like the pro you are.  Registration is simple, replays can be set up in a snap, the comment section, Q&As, and polls can be easily manipulated, and they provide you with some killer analytics.  Plus, it allows registrants to save your event to their calendar and it sends them reminders, so you don't have to. 

Slack

Slack is a workspace and chat room designed to replace email as a method of communication, and it is amazing for discussing anything and everything with your team (individuals AND groups), especially if you're tired of managing an email inbox filled with emails that never seems to cease. 

How I Use Slack:

I use Slack for my entire agency to discuss projects and communicate amongst each other; plus, I even use it with some clients who aren't able (or don't like) to check their email inbox throughout the day. 

We save our emails for client communications which has cut the amount of emails down by 60%. It has an amazingly powerful free version I'd suggest that you try today!

SnagIt

SnagIt is an application allowing users to capture screens on their laptops/computers and recording it to share with other people. This is especially useful for recording information on your screen that you want to demonstrate for other people, and share with later so they can refer to it later.

Here's how I use it:

I am constantly working with my team to make adjustments to Client projects ranging from landing pages, ads, digital marketing campaigns and graphic design. Sometimes you need to show them a specific area you are talking about and SnagIt enables you to capture your screen and then mark it up.

Here's an example of what I am talking about.​

Facebook Invite Tool

The Facebook Invite Tool is a simple Google Chrome extension that allows you invite all your friends to a group or an event, rather than having to manually click on every single friend.

Here's how I use this:

I run Facebook ads. I get a lot of "likes" and shares with my ads so I go into the ad and use the tool to invite everyone to like my page because people who liked your ad does not mean they liked your page. 

Google Chrome

As you hopefully already know, Chrome is Google's web browser and, in my opinion, the most powerful browser for a small business owner. 

Here's why I use Google Chrome as my primary browser:

1. Google Chrome has automatic updates including Flash. Many other browsers at the time of writing this do not offer that. 
2. Google Chrome is the fastest loading browser with the cleanest code layout which means websites, fonts and most everything on the Internet will look as close as possible to how it was actually designed. 
3. Google Chrome has lots of extensions and apps to expand it's power but the #1 most powerful addition is the Google Chrome Remote Desktop app. By having Google Chrome as your primary browser on your computer and having the Chrome app and the Remote Desktop app on your phone, you can VPN into your desktop and control it from anywhere in the world using your phone. 

If your goal is to be able to work anywhere in the world at anytime then this is a must-have for you.  I have been in London editing docs that were sitting on my office computer in Los Angeles and then finished the edits and emailed them to myself and the client.

ColorPick Eyedropper

ColorPick Eyedropper is a fantastic browser extension that allows you to grab the color code for anything online with the simple click of a button.  

How I Use ColorPick Eyedropper:

I use it to ensure that I'm matching brand colors for all  marketing and advertising assets.  I also use it if I need to copy a color from my site over to a platform that allows customization such as Facebook Instant Articles.

QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks is an accounting program that is web based and designed for the small business owner. For my business, QuickBooks Online has much to offer. It integrates well, is cloud based and nearly all bookkeepers and accountants use it. 

How I Use QuickBooks Online:

In my own business, I have an accountant on retainer so QuickBooks Online is very easy to log in and see reports on everything going on in my business since he and his team handle everything from expenses to account reconciliation and payroll.

If I did not have an Accountant that required QuickBooks, I would NOT use it. Their customer service is absolutely horrible and for me that is incredibly important when running a business.

Hubstaff

Hubstaff is a fairly inexpensive time tracking and payroll software that integrates with PayPal, QuickBooks, TeamWork, Trello and many other platforms.

It offers screen capture, geolocating and idle time capture to make sure your payroll is accurate and as painless as possible.

It also allows you to also set budgets and user roles to make staff management and reporting easier for you and your team.

How I Use Hubstaff:

All my agency team members use Hubstaff to track their time, and I have integrated for easy payroll. 

Stripe

Stripe is a third-party payment processor with a shining reputation among developers for being incredibly easy to work with...and it IS! Everything is built in, it's quick to set up, and you can easily enable convenient features like subscriptions, card storage, and bank payouts. And the best part is there's no merchant gateway you have to work around. 

Here's how I use Stripe:

I use Stripe as my payment platform for the premium resources and paid courses  I offer through my digital marketing agency, Built By Love. We also recommend (and integrate) Stripe for our clients, especially those with subscription-based services. It's easy for the visitor, it's easy for the team, AND there's no redirects, which means branding stays consistent for the user from beginning to end.

Gusto

Gusto is an online, cloud-based company that provides easy management of payroll, benefits, and human resource services that businesses can tailor to fit their specific needs. It's able to automate and schedule calculation and payment of payroll (and payroll taxes at the local, state, and federal level).  It also provides simple benefits administration and management, HIPPA-, ACA-, and ERISA -compliant consolidation of employee data, and easy integration with a number of 3rd party software systems. 

Here's how I use Gusto:

I am a full-time employee of my full-service digital marketing agency Built By Love. Therefore, I need to run payroll for myself and include all the proper state and federal taxes. I used to use QuickBooks payroll and it was  a nightmare. Services like ADP are too expensive and not worth the investment based on my full-time staff size so, Gusto is the perfect price and fit.

Literally within 2 clicks of a button absolutely everything you need to have done, submitted and handled for all the tax purposes and payroll is done. It is so simple and their customer support is absolutely amazing. Even better, they have a feature that is payroll on autopilot. OMG, amazing!!!

I only wish I had started using them sooner!

ClickUp

ClickUp is a project management tool designed to help you centralize and streamline your all your processes. It utilizes a unique and convenient hierarchy structure that aids easy project planning and workflow; plus, there's a wealth of customizable features that makes communicating with team members, assigning tasks, and changing project statuses, due dates, and priorities a breeze.  It also allows for project-view modification, so individual team members can choose to view and interact with ClickUp in the way that best suits them. 

Here's how I use ClickUp:

I run my entire agency project management on ClickUp. It's easy, powerful, intuitive and their support is incredible. You get chat, email, phone support all for free and they are constantly developing new features. This is the future of project management.

Here's how to get ClickUp:

You can find more about ClickUp by following this link.

Personal Capital

Personal Capital is a free tool geared towards investment planning, but it also lets users put their financial accounts in one location.  Their investment planning options include retirement planning, keeping track of your assets, etc. As mentioned, it is a free service, but they also offer paid financial advisory services if you need it.

Here's how I use Personal Capital:

I've been asked many times by business owners and entrepreneurs how I manage my finances, this is my tool. I use Personal Capital as a Dashboard to see the entire spectrum of all of my assets, investments and accounts across all the various platforms including my overall net worth and trends.

Google Analytics

Everyone should know this one right?  It's the default web traffic tool we all know and sorta love. Just in case you're brand new to the scene I'm providing a short description below for you.

Google Analytics is a web analytics service that allows you to track and report traffic to your websites. It tracks your data such as buyer behavior, evaluates the performance of your content and products and allows you to use these analytics to drive real impact. It also allows you to process all your data and share it easily through reports.

Google Tag Manager

If you run paid traffic then you can understand it's very important to track where the source of your traffic is actually coming from. That's where this free tool comes in handy.

Google Tag Manager is a tag management system that allows you to quickly and easily update tags and code snippets on your website or mobile app, such as those intended for traffic analysis and marketing optimization.

You can add and update AdWords, Google Analytics, Firebase Analytics, Floodlight, and 3rd party or custom tags from the Tag Manager user interface instead of editing site code. This reduces errors and frees you from having to involve a developer when configuring tags.

Graphly is a reporting platform that Infusionsoft users have been waiting for (and has been voted #1 by Infusionsoft's Founders). It provides you with a slick dashboard that's visually appealing and reports on your marketing campaigns, sales pipeline, sales, leads, lead magnets - basically anything you want to report on inside of Infusionsoft.

Impressionwise

Impressionwise  provides multi-layered, real-time email verification and validation services as well as list cleaning services to get rid of dormant accounts, disposable accounts, non-human invalid traffic, habitual protesters, and more.  All of this serves to protect and enhance your sender reputation, so you can better engage your list and get better results. 

Infusionsoft

Your CRM is the foundation of your entire business. Without a well equipped, well designed and intelligently managed CRM your business is being built without a strong foundation and eventually there will be cracks in your foundation.

Infusionsoft is the Ferrari of the CRM's bar none. It is an email marketing and sales platform that automates all the tools necessary for a small business to thrive such as email marketing, tracking lead sources,  marketing campaign automation, ecommerce, and sales pipeline automation. 

If you own or operate a small business with plans to stay competitive, scale the world of technology, and, most importantly, free up your time so you can focus on more important tasks then Infusionsoft is for you.

PlusThis

Speaking of Infusionsoft...if there's one add-on to include with Infusionsoft, it's PlusThis. PlusThis is a popular library of 50+ additional features you can add onto your marketing automation including SMS, Facebook retargeting, video tagging and way way more.

FixYourFunnel

Fix Your Funnel is an application used with Infusionsoft that helps create automated SMS messages that captures leads through multiple step conversations.

Additionally it can track data through your SMS messages, tag personal contacts, add contacts through your campaign builder, etc.

It also allows you to track any inbound calls, and has an integrated dialer that allows you to contact anybody in your Infusionsoft saved searches.

Images can be catered towards what audience you’re aiming for, or the videos can be dynamic and have the capabilities of tracking, scoring and marketing to your audience depending on its viewer history.

PicSnippets

PicSnippets integrates with Infusionsoft and allows you to upload your own pictures and then lay custom text over the images to send via email. The custom text could include the email recipients name and any other information. It's an incredibly easy and effective way to get your email recipient's attention.

To learn how to use this and get your own version, watch the video below and click on the link.

Zapier

Put simply, Zapier connects everything. Zapier is the ultimate modern day MacGuyver for being able to take two platforms and super charging them with automation that would not be possible without Zapier.

Zapier's list of integrations is impressive. Check it out if you do anything online with a CRM then this is one of those integrations you'll eventually need.

How I use Zapier:

There are these times where you say to yourself, "Gosh, it'd be so nice if every time I added a new invoice in QuickBooks that it would automatically add that contact to my Infusionsoft CRM," and then, all of a sudden that lightbulb appears. Zapier! Zapier does that! Zapier does nearly anything you need it to do to automate, integrate and trigger actions between platforms.

PandaDoc

PandaDoc is an online document management and automation software that helps users create attractive proposals, quotes, contracts, and other documents that can be shared online and signed with legally binding eSignatures. It includes an easy-to-use document builder, CPQ functionality, workflow management, high-level analytics, and built-in electronic signatures for faster, more streamlined processes.

Here's how I use PandaDoc:

I use PandaDoc for sales proposals, contracts, and client engagements. Their support is incredible, you can create beautiful documents, it's easy to use, and it natively integrates with Stripe, Zapier, Hubspot, and many other systems.

Parsey

If you have Infusionsoft and use Docusign then Parsey is a must. It's the only service that has full integration with both platforms.

I'm currently using Parsey to connect Facebook chatbot with Infusionsoft which is amazing! It automatically talks to leads on Facebook Messenger, grabs their contact info and then adds them inside Infusionsoft which then, sends them an email.

You can see exactly how I did this by clicking the image below to access the free tutorial.

Parsey, best used for Docusign, allows you to create contacts, create company records, apply tags, create orders, etc. all in one package.

Flow

Put simply, Flow is going to be your new best friend. Flow enables you to create your very own Facebook Bot. You can then use that bot in your Facebook Messenger and integrate it with Infusionsoft for FREE.

Even better, Flow can also enable you to embed your Facebook Messenger bot on your website and still pull all the message details from the conversation and import into Infusionsoft so you can automatically tag and launch campaigns.

It's just plain bad ass. I created a training to walk you through the entire thing step-by-step for free so check it out by clicking this link.

LiquidWeb

LiquidWeb is my personal favorite WordPress hosting company. They offer white glove service and lightening fast dedicated WordPress servers. Admittedly, they are not the cheapest out there but you seriously cannot beat their customer service and that's why I am loyal to them.

How I use LiquidWeb:

If you are running a WordPress site and you're not 100% happy with your hosting service then check LiquidWeb out, you won't be sorry for it. My entire agency runs an agency plan and offers hosting services under LiquidWeb.

ClickFunnels

ClickFunnels is a landing page platform that is 100% focused on sales funnels. It conveniently automates all the tools necessary to create you sales pages, allowing you to bypass designing and programing these pages by yourself or hiring somebody else to do it.

Here's how I use ClickFunnels:

I use ClickFunnels for primarily one thing - creating client landing pages. It is very easy to use and set up landing pages and simple order forms and sales funnels. There seems to be a lot of mixed messages out there on what it can and can't do and, in my personal opinion, it is meant for landing pages, simple order forms and funnels, nothing else. Although not always reliable, they integrate with Infusionsoft which is why I keep them in my technology stack for clients who need landing pages with upsells.

ThriveThemes

ThriveThemes is an absolute game changer for WordPress websites. It's a visual editor in WordPress that allows users to set up themes that are simple to read, and creates a better user experience while increasing conversions and sales.

Thrive overwrites the entire structure of how you typically edit a WordPress page and provides you with an incredibly easy to use drag and drop builder. It also comes with templates built for its platform and the necessary marketing plug-in's also. They have plugins that will target content to your audience, and create more calls for action. This means rarely you will need to go grab random plug-in's and hope they don't break your site. 

Here's what their editor looks like. Notice how you can drag and drop all kinds of different elements into your page easily without knowing code.

How I use ThriveThemes:

I use it for all website design. I love it because it makes websites look beautiful without needing to hire designers. It come with nearly everything you need for a marketing based website right out of the box. It integrates with Infusionsoft and is mobile responsive. Their templates look beautiful and are easy to work in. The site you are on right now is built in ThriveThemes.

If you'd like to learn more about how to use ThriveThemes, check out my Ultimate ThriveThemes review here.

AccessAlly

AccessAlly is a WordPress solution designed to help businesses successfully sell, teach, and engage their customers and prospects.  It allows you to create beautiful, pro-level membership and course websites (without costly custom coding), automate your content sharing, and collect useful, usable customer data. Plus, its order forms, built-in LMS, member directories, and gamification can all be easily integrated within your marketing automation system. 

Audio Jungle

AudioJungle is a website dedicated to providing royalty free music and audio tracks meaning the music that you use from their website won’t violate any copyrights.

You can browse all genres of music, and a wide variety of sound effects or sound tracks if you need them. Each track ranges from a dollar to more depending on what the author of the music charges it at.

Here's how I use AudioJungle:

AudioJungle is the cheap version of Premium Beat. I use Audio Jungle to grab a simple sound effect or background sound and know it won't cost an arm and a leg.

Premium Beat​

PremiumBeat is another website that gives users music, sound effects, and audio tracks free of royalties. This is simply another option for finding more music in case you need it to. PremiumBeat is generally more expensive as audio tracks go for $49 per track, but the production of these tracks are generally better produced (depending on what you’re seeking).

Bigstock​

BigStock is a database that allows you to use images and videos royalty free. It comes with photos, videos and vectors to suit your business’s graphical needs, and has a huge variety to choose from. BigStock comes with several pricing plans depending on how many images you need.

How I use Bigstock:

I have a subscription for the royalty free images which makes grabbing creative graphics  super simple. My graphic designer can go in and grab an image to use for anything including ads, websites, email or a client project.

Font Bundles

FontBundles.net is a website dedicated to providing you fonts. It is more selective by choosing more professionally made font choices.

It also comes in bundles, meaning you get several fonts with each bundle, but it does come at a price.

Vimeo

Vimeo is a video hosting platform that allows you to upload videos online that can be shared anywhere online. Vimeo is the player I suggest clients use when they want high quality videos that are specific for web pages, training videos and sales videos.  Below is a video of mine that is housed in my Vimeo account.

We all know YouTube, yes? Just in case you have been hiding under a rock, YouTube is the most popular video hosting platform in the world.

How I use Youtube:

YouTube is where I house all my public facing videos as well as my unlisted client training videos. All the videos on this blog post are YouTube videos (excluding the one video in the Vimeo section).

Hire A Professional Consultant

I wrote this blog so forgive me for this shameless plug! On a serious note however, it is crucial to have the proper strategy and know-how to take the tools listed above and put them to your best use for monetization.

Here's why you need a Professional Consultant:

You don't have to hire me as your professional marketing and business strategy consultant but you do need to hire one. I certainly hope you consider me but please do find a pro to speak with and get started.