Episode 150: Top 10 Tools for Successful Remote Working

Freelance remote working is growing and becoming a trend. There are more opportunities for people to live and work on their terms. What’s a freelancer to do? How can we be successful working remotely and become even more productive than ever before? There are tools for that!

Here are 10 of the best tools for successful remote working

1. Some sort of project management tool

I am going to share my favorites in each of these categories, but I want you to know it doesn’t matter what works for me, you have to find what works for YOU. And, don’t worry, we will include links to all of these tools, with discount codes if I have them available, in the show notes. For me, ClickUp is a game-changer. If you have been on our free job board, you see, that is ClickUp. After I assign jobs, pick out articles, put them into my client folder, assign the article to the writer, communicate with the writer, and update the status of every article. You can also attach files to your task card. As you may know, if you’ve been a listener for a while, I can go on and on about this amazing tool.

Some project management tools include ClickUp, Trello, Asana, and SO many more!

2. You need a CRM

A client relationship management tool is essential for you to have an online business. With a client relationship manager, you can find out when your emails were open, what time they were open, and other analytics. I also fit my client management tool, Honeybook in here as well. It doesn’t give me the data, as much as Flodesk/Kajabi, but it is a nice hub for my clients. You can create client portals inside Honeybook so clients can communicate and have their files in their own portal, no more Google Drive/your computer to hold the contracts and other documents.

3. You need a space to hold things

Speaking of Google Drive, You need a place to hold all of your documents. In this day and age, I can tell you, 98% of all my “papers” are online in Google Drive. I know how scary that sounds. WHAT IF Google shuts down tomorrow? What if? Well, my friends, I can’t live in that mindset. I do have folders inside Google Drive for clients that I use for all their deliverables (my content articles). Another tool for an area to hold files is Dropbox.

4. You need to have something to schedule client calls

A scheduler is essential to your online business. Personally, I have used several. I had Scheduleonce and Acuity in the past, but now, with Honeybook, I have Calendly included. (Savin me $!). So, I use Calendy (because it’s part of Honeybook). I use it for podcast interviews, discovery calls, and weekly calls with clients. It integrates with my Google calendar. For example, you know I like to batch, when I put in podcast availability, I am always scheduling podcasts on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9a-2p. BUT, what if I have an oil change at 9:15 am on a Tuesday? Calendly will read that from my google calendar and not include it in the available times (even though my preset is that I am available). Other tools I have had would have scheduled them during my oil change because I said I was open.

5. You need a tool to meet your clients virtually

I have “met” clients several ways. Zoom, Meet, Teams, you name it. For me, Zoom is the best. Google Meet comes in second, and Teams, dead bottom. When I schedule a client meeting, I can do it inside Google Calendar and connect my Zoom for me to be able to invite my clients via email and them to click the link quickly. 

6. You need to have a Grammar checker/proofreader

I don’t care if you are the next Stephen King, you need to have a double check on your words. You can do this with Grammarly and Hemingway App. Why both? They check things differently. You should run both of these tools through your content before you EVER send it to your editor and most importantly, your client.

7. You need to have a planner

Planning is something you have to start doing if you want to run a remote business or any business. If you don’t have a plan, you will be lost. If you don’t have a goal, you won’t have a destination. We’re in a world where you can do this in several ways. I will share what I use and what I have done in the past. First, I have used paper planners. I have used the Full Focus planner and the Passion Planner. I have also used digital planners inside my Ipad. Nowadays, I am back to a paper planner called the Legend planner, but I use a type of hybrid system where I plan inside ClickUp my goals and steps along the way. Also, I ALWAYS use Google Calendar because my kids and husband are all integrated with that. At the beginning of the month, I write in my Legend Planner and weekly I make sure my Google calendar hasn’t changed. Then, every day, I pick a top 3 for the day to work on. Again, if you know me, I can go into a planning conversation for hours…so let’s move on!

8. You have to have a way to organize emails

If you are just starting out, I know what you’re thinking. “Dumb tip Janine, I only have 1 client.” Get into a habit now my friend. Start color coding and labeling your client emails. Gmail is perfect for this. You can categorize them into folders and label them your client names. This is always a great thing to do because when you lose a client because the project is finished, you can circle back a year later and follow up! Remember, the fortune is always in the follow-up!

9. You need to have a social media check-in

Ok, what do I mean about a social media check-in? You have to have a way to connect with new followers and push content out. You should be navigating Facebook, IG, and Linked in to make sure you have a presence out there. Don’t always make it business-related, have fun with it, and most importantly, set a timer.

10. You need to have Good Reads

Ok, I specified a tool, actually, it’s an app. It’s called GoodReads. Every good writer I know is a reader. With Good Reads, you can come up with books to read. I encourage you to set a book goal and stick with it. You can always listen to books because obviously, you like to listen, or you wouldn’t be listening to this podcast. I like to listen at 2x speed, so I can “read” a book very quickly!