When you are just starting out with your business, it's super hard to know what you should spend your money on and when. So I have broken down what I would spend my money on if I were you!
IF I HAD $5.00
Custom Email Address | Google Work Apps
The very first thing (ok, second, buying your domain name is first) I would do if I had $5.00 is purchase my custom email address. This means you can have a professional looking email address. For example, mine is [email protected]. The best part about purchasing your custom email address through Google Work Apps is that when you log into your email it is essentially the Gmail interface, so it's super easy to use! If you are not sure how to set up your custom email you can find a full tutorial here. Note: Before you do this though, you probably want to get the domain name first! See the 'If I had $20.00' section!
Pinterest Scheduling | BoardBooster
BoardBooster is perhaps one of the best, easiest and most cost effective investments I have made in my business. It is an incredible tool that is essentially a Pinterest scheduling and maintenance app that means you need to spend very little time making your Pinterest account successful. My Pinterest has grown exponentially since I started using BoardBooster and you can read all about the things I love about this tool here!
IF I HAD $20.00
Domain Name | Go Daddy
Before you do anything else, do this! Get your own website domain name. This is your www.yourname.com address and securing your ideal name is kinda a big deal. Remember a name can only be sold once, so if you let yours sit there for too long, someone else will eventually snap it up! So, if you have a brand or a business name and you have $20 (actually, it can be much cheaper than that), then my number 1 suggestion is buy your domain name. My favourite provider is Go Daddy. Intuitive to use, great support and all round reliable people! Not sure what you are doing? That's ok, read this tutorial!
Business Cards | Moo
Another great way to invest $20.00 is to get some business cards printed. Moo is a great online service that does this relatively cheaply, and if you want to invest a little more they have foiling and letterpress options. I recommend only taking this step once you have set up your domain name and custom email address. Remember to proof read everything before you hit the order button and if you are not confident designing your card on your own, Moo offer a great range of templates to choose from.
IF I HAD $30.00
Graphics | Adobe Illustrator
This is perhaps a little advanced for people just starting out, but Adobe Illustrator is absolutely my graphic tool of choice. I use it every single day to create the graphics for my business, blog and for my clients. It can be tricky to work out to start with, but there are so many tutorials out there and once you get the hang of it, it's simple!
Fonts + Graphics | Creative Market
I would also recommend investing in some beautiful custom fonts and elements from the Creative Market. As a designer, this is my number one place to go to for fonts, graphics, vectors and elements. Regardless of what I am making, I will always stop by the Creative Market to see if there is anything that tickles my fancy! For instance this font bundle!
IF I HAD $40.00
Mailing List | ConvertKit
My eNews provider of choice is ConvertKit. I recently switched over from Mailchimp and really love the automation feature and the way tags can be used to target particular subscribers. It's a great tool to use, good support and intuitive interface and reasonably priced! I talk about my switch to ConvertKit in this recent post.
Landing Pages | LeadPages
LeadPages is the place to go for beautiful and complex landing pages. Although people often argue that you can create landing pages without needing LeadPages (e.g. Using Squarespace Cover Pages instead) - and I do agree, mind you! - LeadPages certainly makes it easier! You can have a beautiful, professional landing page up in minutes!
IF I HAD $100-300
Video Software | ScreenFlow
I love making vlogs, video tutorials and of course video lessons for my upcoming eCourse and so it was a god-sent when I discovered ScreenFlow. With ScreenFlow you can create videos by filming either yourself or your desktop - so this is how people do those slideshow-looking videos! I talk about how I use ScreenFlow in this recent post. I was using Camtasia, which I still think is great, but I love ScreenFlow more!
Microphone | Blue Yeti Microphone
I also talk about the Blue Yeti Microphone in that post, and let me tell you - it is the best thing since sliced bread! Once you get those settings right, this mic is AMAZING. The clarity is next level and the mic is adorable!
Website | Squarespace
And lastly, my favourite investment to date is absolutely my Squarespace website. I was with Wordpress for a very long time, and I still love Wordpress, I really do. But Squarespace has changed my business and so the switch over from Wordpress to Squarespace has been one solid investment! It is just so simple to use yet offers advanced coding options - I just swoon! You can read all about starting out with Squarespace in this recent post. I definitely recommend Squarespace to all businesses, check out their different packages and levels - I am sure you will find something to suit!
So, what would you spend your pocket money on? If you have any questions at all about any of these tools and/or services, please don't hesitate to leave a comment below. Have a tool you love and think should be added to the list? Pop that in the comments too!
(Note: Some of these links are affiliate links, which means I get a small financial kickback if you purchase them too. However I only promote products I personally use and believe it!)
