Running a profitable and lean freelancing and consultancy business takes some effort.
Several of you have asked what type of tools and services I use to maintain productivity in the business.
Productivity Tools
Here are my top tools to keep me on track during the business day.
Clockify
I’m obsessed with tracking my time for client work and whatever I’m doing on the computer.
School term 1 is just around the corner, so I have to fit all my client work into a 9:30 am to 2:30 pm window, Monday through Friday.
When I track my time, I can review my timesheet every Sunday and adjust for the week ahead.
I use Clockify with its built-in Pomodoro timer every day. It’s my number one productivity tool.
ClickUp
I use ClickUp primarily for client projects and retainer services. It integrates with Clockify so that I can bill clients per second. I also store my Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on it.
ClickUp has a new chat system that I’m integrating into client projects to replace Slack.
Zapier
If you read my emails regularly, you know that I love automation. While I use various automation services for client projects, Zapier is my favourite.
For example, I have a Zap that takes a new ClickUp Clockify time entry for any of my retainer clients and adds it to the relevant time-tracker Google sheet. The client can instantly see the hours used and remaining for each month.
Bitwarden
I use complex and lengthy passwords and passphrases for all my logins, so I need a robust password management system. In the five years since I migrated from LastPass, Bitwarden has not disappointed me.
I have a family subscription where I can share credentials with family members for personal sites and create business passkeys to share and revoke with clients.
Grammarly
My grammar is good, but I suck at spelling! Because I author a 💩-tonne of content, Grammarly works in the background, correcting my lousy spelling. It may be paranoid about commas, but it saves me heaps of time.
Xero
Every freelancer needs good accounting software; for me, Xero is the best choice. Linux Australia also uses Xero, and as I’m a subcommittee member for the WP Sydney meetup and WordCamp Sydney events, I can easily switch between LA and my own business without learning yet another service.
I use Xero for client quotes, invoices, and snap financial reports. Staying on top of your business’s profit and loss is always good.
Loom
I bet this scenario sounds familiar: You receive a client support email that starts with “How do I….”
🤚STOP!
I’m not replying with a 20-step explanation complete with snipped images. Hell no. Instead, click on Loom, record the screen with a voiceover, and send them the link.
There. Done! 💪
ManageWP
Sync WordPress sites. Click update all. Done. 😸
I use the fancy image regression testing and rollback for most business sites, which works every time.
My complicated client sites all have staging servers that I manage using ManageWP. If the updates are okay, I apply them to the production server.
I also use the ManageWP uptime, backups, speed performance and security features.
I would go crazy if I had to manually apply updates to all the sites I look after with my WP-Wingman Site Care service. <<< Blatant plug 🔌
Google Workspace
I don’t understand how businesses can function without Google Workspace. Nuff said.
Amelia
I got a lifetime deal with the Amelia WordPress plugin, which I use to book clients and schedule events. It’s an excellent and versatile booking system.
When I receive an email from a new potential client, I ask them to book an initial 15-minute triage Zoom meeting.
I only do triage calls on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday between 10 am and 12 noon. Amelia makes it easy for me to specify those times for this service, and it integrates with Zoom, automatically creating the meetup and emailing the calendar invites.
Bonus: Fluent Support
I’m moving to Fluent Support to replace Zendesk. I need to manage support from multiple email addresses as I run multiple businesses. Zendesk is too expensive to implement, but Fluent Support makes this easy for a single low yearly cost.
What’s in Your Toolkit?
That’s my stack of must-have productivity tools, each key to keeping my freelance business running smoothly. Whether tracking time, automating tasks, managing projects, or maintaining organised client work, these tools help me stay efficient and focused.
But I know every freelancer has their own secret weapons. What are yours? Hit reply and let me know which tools you swear by. I’m always keen to discover new ways to work smarter! ðŸ§
Until next time, keep thriving!
Wil.
