One of the biggest obstacles event planner entrepreneurs face doesn’t have to do with creativity, motivation, skills, or talent. It simply has to do with behind-the-scenes organization. It’s not uncommon for a client to come to me and reveal they’re using 15 different platforms to organize their business. And to front-facing clients, your business may look organized, professional, and well-thought-out. However, there comes a point where your customers can get affected by the lack of proper systems and automation you need to efficiently run your business. In other words, online business tools are crucial for your company’s maintenance and growth.

You may be thinking right now, Brandee — there are so many business tools out there. Hundreds! How do I choose the right ones? That’s a great question and luckily, I’ve already done all the research so you don’t have to! Read on to learn more about my five favorite business tools I firmly believe all event planners need. 

1. Honeybook

For entrepreneurs who are just getting started on their business journey, Honeybook is a fantastic tool because they make it easy to automate your lead, contract, payments, and onboarding process. The setup is straightforward, and you can even integrate it with several payment platforms so you don’t have to worry about transfers constantly. This platform will seriously save you hours of manual work per week, all while keeping your client workflows organized. Almost too good to be true, right? Well, it gets better because you can get Honeybook for 50% off with my discount code, which you can access by clicking here.

2. Planning Pod

For the entrepreneurs who are ready for a more robust customer relationship management (CRM) that can handle lead generation, contracts, payments, and all other planning software you could need in a beautiful client portal, Planning Pod is going to be your new favorite platform!

Our team switched to Planning Pod because we scrambled between over five different software to plan and execute our events — it was pure chaos. We needed one platform that could offer tools to plan seating arrangements, a shared calendar, contract processors, online file storage, and more. And after a ton of research on all the CRMs available for event professionals, Planning Pod was the best solution to our issue. Now, our clients can go from inquiry to payment to planning to execution to offboarding all in this one system. Our team also loves Planning Pod because it makes our jobs much more simple and streamlined since all client information is in one place. There’s also less room for human error, so our clients are also happier!

Check out Planning Pod by clicking here and make sure you let them know Brandee sent you! And if you’re looking for someone to build it out for you, our operations team is now offering this service. Click here to email us about this, and we would be happy to help!

3. The Legal Paige

I know the legal aspects of business aren’t exactly as appealing as other aspects of business building, but you definitely need to make sure your business is “legit” and protected. I understand that this can get really overwhelming to figure out what you need. Not to mention there are a ton of expensive fees to pay for and unclear directions on what you actually need to invest in. Enter: Legal Paige. Our team uses this website for all our contracts, templates, and clauses.

Paige is an attorney and photographer who understands all the nuances that make the wedding and creative industry unique from other businesses. She crafts contracts for everything you need in your business, including client contracts, non-compete agreements, non-disclosure agreements, employment contracts, COVID clauses, and much more. Check out her shop by clicking here, and you can use the code BRANDEE at checkout to receive 15% off your order! 

4. Kickstart Accounting

If you’re anything like me, receipt logging, mileage reporting, and tax filing are not very high on your “things I love to do” list. That’s why one of the first aspects of our business we outsourced was our bookkeeping. As a busy entrepreneur and mom to three girls, I have limited hours, and I need to make the most of every single one of them. So outsourcing our bookkeeping allows me to stay in the zone of my genius while growing and scaling our businesses without getting bogged down with the parts of my businesses that, frankly, suck the joy from my soul.

Having an experienced and knowledgeable professional keeping track of your books, how to add or subtract items and services from your budget, and how your cash flow is performing is crucial for something I talk about all the time — knowing your numbers, which can help you make educated decisions about your business’s growth.

I really can’t say enough amazing things about Kickstart Accounting because they are truly life-savers! And if you’re new to business-building and think you don’t need an accounting service yet, they have an amazing package for you, which is their budding entrepreneur package. This will save you a lot of headaches and help you reach your goals quicker and more sustainably. Check out Kickstart Accounting by clicking here, ask for Danielle, and let her know Brandee sent you!

5. Tailwind

Say goodbye to the days where social media was only something you did “if you have time.” Did you know that 82% of engaged couples research their vendors on social media, according to a Wedding Wire report? That’s incredibly significant and shows just how important it is to integrate social media into your business strategy if you haven’t already. Planning and scheduling can be quite tedious, though. And again, as busy entrepreneurs, we need to squeeze out as much productivity as we can! That’s why Tailwind is so amazing. For our team to stay consistent with our online presence without putting in more effort than necessary, we use Tailwind to schedule our Instagram and Pinterest posts. You can try Tailwind for free by clicking here.

Now you’re equipped with the best business tools for growth!

Hopefully, this list of online business tools helps you grow your business sustainably and with ease! Did we leave any of your favorites out of the list? Drop them below and let me know why you love that platform!
If you’re ready to take your business to the next level, but want some personalized guidance on how to implement these tools plus other strategies that I’ve used to grow my business (and other wedding and creative businesses), let’s chat! I’d love to see how our team can help you reach your full CEO potential.