Eps 39 - Which software and websites can help my training business?

Are there websites, software and systems which can free up your time and make things easy? (Sure!) That’s what today’s episode is all about…. The ‘internet’ has been around since the 1950’s. The ‘WWW’ (World Wide Web) was born in 1991. They are two different things. I know because I used to teach this stuff at the Institute for Public Administration in Ireland. But, who cares… (Right?) What really matters is that you are taking advantage of some great websites and software online which will save you money and simplify a lot of the tasks in running your own training business. *** DISCLAIMER: I am not an expert in matters of law, tax or business compliance. It is strongly advisable that you seek professional advice in these and ancillary areas as they are complex subjects in their own right, which require subject matter expertise *** Start off simple One of the ways in which online services can make your life easier is in the area of business formation. Sure, you can start out as a sole trader regardless of where you are heading on your journey. But, there are advantages to keeping things simple at the outset. Dip your toes If you are just ‘dipping your toes in the water’, you might want to trade for a while in your own name to establish whether you like running a training business and whether you want to – and can afford to – keep going. But – let’s say you do like working for yourself and that you have reason to believe your training consultancy / coaching business can survive the critical first two years in business. LLC or LTD? In that case, many training business owners consider setting up an LLC (Limited Liability Company) which is a US form of private limited company. An LLC and its counterparts in other jurisdictions, are created to allow a business owner to separate  personal assets and liabilities from those of the business. In the UK, business owners may opt to create a Limited Company (frequently abbreviated as ‘Ltd’). In Australia, the equivalent is referred to as a Proprietary Company (Pty Ltd). Many clients I work with, require that I have a limited company before they will do business with my brand. This is why I have to have a private company. So… is that the case for you? Save your money The formation of a legal entity requires that you get things right first time. The problem is that this expertise can be expensive to avail of. LegalZoom was created to make common business legal services both affordable and transparent. They can help you with the registration of a trademark, the filing of a patent, the filing of a DBA (Doing Business As) [USA], the creation of an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement), business licenses and much more. LegalZoom’s packages start at $79 plus filing fees  in the USA, or £34.99 in the UK. * PLEASE NOTE: None of the links on this page are affiliate links – which means I do not benefit financially from anything you click on or decide to sign up to. It is your choice to select your provider * Have you given any thought to which type of business formation suits you? If not….it’s time to go talk to a few people and find out. Find the money One of the most rewarding times in running your training business is the moment when you submit your invoice for a job well done. In the beginning, you might simply create invoices using a Microsoft Excel template. You might even be creating your invoices in Microsoft Word and send them via email. (But, that sounds so ‘1999’!) Make life easier Instead: Why not send your invoices automatically and receive notifications when the money is credited to your account? Why not give your accountant access to your online records so you s/he can file your taxes on your behalf? Why not run reports which instantly show spending patterns at the click of a button? These are just several of the many reasons why it makes sense to use online accounting software. Less time chasing expenses and filing claims. More time consulting and making money. For a modest fee, you can set up an account with one of a range of online accounting providers including Xero, Quickbooks, Zoho, Freshbooks and more. Xero has come in for special attention because of its ability to connect with many apps including your marketing software, your CRM (customer record database – listen to the episode) and of course, your bank account. Check your bank I’m definitely not a numbers and accounts kind of guy, so using online accounting software is designed to make my life easier. You can sign up for each of these for a free trial, which means that you can play around with the software before you decide to commit. Just remember that you do need to ensure that your bank can connect with the relevant online accounting software vendor! Now listen to the episode to get more information on the kinds of services which can help you. Biggest takeaways for you today:  Which online services can help you to create a winning brand Why you might need a landing-page rather than a web-page Why you need to understand SEO and Online advertising How a CRM can track every interaction you have with customers Where you can find free images and videos to use in your content Why you need both an offline and online marketing strategy How you can find local events and create sell tickets to your events Some helpful resources for you: LegalZoom – Avail of affordable legal and business services UpCounsel – Identify and hire legal experts in a range of areas [US] Xero – Connect bank accounts and manage accounts Freshbooks – Track your time and invoice for project work Zoho – Manage accounts and invoicing online QuickBooks – Online accounting & invoicing platform NameCheckr – Free service to check domain name and social media names 99Designs – Create design contest to attract designers GoDaddy – Buy domains and arrange website hosting Fiverr – Find and hire designers, coders, assistants online Moo – Create and order quality business cards Wix – Low-cost website builder using templates LeadPages – Create landing pages online Instapage –  Create landing pages online Unbounce – Create landing pages online Ontraport – CRM, landing page and marketing automation NeilPatel – Expert on Search Engine Marketing Amy Porterfield – Expert on Facebook marketing Hubspot – Marketing, Sales and CRM platform PipeDrive – Sales-focused CRM Zoho – Online CRM Salesforce – Small-business version of salesforce CRM Pexels – Find free photos and video footage for marketing Unsplash – Find free photos and video footage for marketing PiktoChart – Create infographics, presentations, reports online Beacon – Create ebooks and lead-magnets for marketing purposes EventBrite – FInd events and sell tickets to your own event MeetUp – Find groups and create your own group Zoom – Host webinars and video conferences online BigMarker – Host webinars, video conferences and webcasts online *** DISCLAIMER: I am not an expert in matters of law, tax or business compliance. It is strongly advisable that you seek professional advice in these and ancillary areas as they are complex subjects in their own right, which require subject matter expertise ***