Tools I use for my online business *

Online Business Training

SOMBA KICKSTART // SOMBA stands for Sigrun's Online MBA and Kickstart is an online program that accompanies you over a period of 12 weeks to develop your first (or next) online course.

Sigrun has already helped thousands of women start their online businesses with their Kickstart process - I was one of them, too. At Christmas she publishes her “12 Days of Masterclasses” free of charge, where you can get an idea of how she works. I call her affectionately “the pretty badass Icelandic lady”. Without Sigrun I wouldn't be where I am today, and her community is absolutely the best.

January 7, 2024 at 10 a.m. – Look behind the scenes – what does online business really need? This is an online meeting with me on Zoom, where I give context on Sigrun's content and answer all kinds of questions about marketing and online business. For example: How can six-figure sales really be achieved and what does it take? What is the minimum and what can you do without? Participation only for those who have registered for the 12 Days of Masterclasses. Register for the “12 Days of Masterclasses” here.

Software as a Service

Email Marketing: ConvertKit // Email Marketing: ConvertKit // The best thing I've done for my business in the last few years was to build a mailing list. However, you are no longer allowed to write to a distribution list directly from your normal email address. Otherwise it will be marked as spam and the emails will end up in people's spam folder... Ouch! To avoid this, there are email marketing services. ConvertKit covers everything I need: GDPR or GDPR, segmentation, visual automation, and sometimes tools that I haven't been able to fully explore yet, but which enable quite complicated solutions. // Yes, you have to pay for ConvertKit (although there is now a ConvertKit Free plan up to 1000 subscribers). It's true that there are providers like MailChimp that have a nice design and offer the service for free. Firstly, I have made my investment in ConvertKit every year and earned up to 30 times it. Secondly, MailChimp is not intended for entrepreneurs who want to grow their business in the long term. My recommendation is to start directly with ConvertKit. If you write emails regularly, this will always work itself out.

Video Hosting: Vimeo // Video Hosting: Vimeo // I find my videos are more protected on Vimeo than anywhere else and the player looks fantastic. You can get 25% off your first annual subscription using my link: Click here for 25% off with Vimeo.

Course Hosting Platform: Thinkific // Course Hosting Platform: Thinkific // If you teach courses, you need your protected member area. For me, Thinkific is the best in terms of price-performance ratio, and also very easy to use for course participants and course instructors. One of the best features of Thinkific is that it has a direct integration with ConvertKit (see above), which makes automation incredibly easy. With my link you can test Thinkific without obligation and free of charge: Click here to test Thinkific free of charge for 30 days.

Landing Pages: Leadpages // Landing Pages: Leadpages // Leadpages is a tool that allows you to create pages on which you can present a product or a freebie. Such pages are called landing pages because you land there directly without going through the homepage. Leadpages works with a modular system, it is relatively easy to use and, above all, it comes with many pre-built templates that you can customize easily. With my link you can test Leadpages free of charge for 14 days. They have also released a very practical content planner for 2024: You can download the 2024 content planner for free here.

Surveys: Typeform // Surveys: Typeform // I actually use surveys all the time when I teach a course: At the beginning of a course there is an introductory survey in which I can ask how I can best support my course participants. Then there are forms to collect questions for the group lessons - and after the course the participants can give me their feedback. All of this makes my work easier because I can collect and evaluate the needs of my course participants in a central location. Click here to go to Typeform.

Technology

Hardware: MacBook Pro // My current MacBook Pro is the second one I've ever had (my current model I use since 2020) and the first lasted a whopping 10 years. I am thrilled with the longevity.

Webcam: Logitec c920 HD // Webcam: Logitec c920 HD // Excellent performance for a low price. Great picture, with autofocus and what else do I know. I really like it, it's small and handy and can be taken anywhere.

Camera: Sony ZV-1 // Camera: Sony ZV-1 // This camera is a great all-rounder – I can use it to record my course videos (just plug in a lavalier microphone and it will record the sound directly), and then can I can convert the same camera into a high-quality webcam using appropriate HDMI accessories. The image is simply great, very sharp - and traveling with it is no problem either, as it is very small and handy. Bonus: The price continually decreases. 😅

* Some of the links are affiliate links, which means that if you click my link and then purchase the product, I may receive a small commission. The price stays the same for you. You can be sure: I only recommend tools and training that I stand behind 100% and with which I have grown as an entrepreneur in the long term.