As small business owners, we each have our own arsenal of apps that keep us organized and business running smoothly. They allow us to automate, streamline, brainstorm, and so much more which frees us up to do other things. I love it when a fellow photographer shares an app that has helped their business so today I’ll be paying it forward, in a sense, by sharing some apps that I love! A couple of these are lesser known, personal favorites and a few are well known in and out the industry. Ultimately, they made the cut because I don’t see myself going back to running my biz without them.
Unscripted
It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that this app changed my business. If you’ve heard of Unscripted in passing you may know it as a posing app, but let me assure you that it’s much more than just poses. It’s an aesthetic and not-overwhelming client management system that gives you a bird’s eye view of each of your sessions. Send contracts, invoices, and questionnaires; get access to valuable education resources and industry discounts. The app is free to download, but the subscription (pay monthly OR one time for life) is 1000% worth it. Use my code “DEV20” to get $20 off!
Lumy
This little beauty of an app tells you the exact times of golden hour, sunset, blue hour, and more for any particular location. It may be redundant with an app like Unscripted, which does the same thing, but I like using it as a widget on my iPhone so that it stays on my screen all the time. Buy it for $5.99 in the App Store!
Canva
Chances are you know what Canva is, but in case you haven’t tried or committed to it yet, let me tell you how awesome it is. All of my branding, marketing, and design work (hello, Instagram) is created here. I was able to import my custom branding colors, fonts, and graphics (curated by the amazing Jordan from J. Ashley Innovations!) so everything is in one place. This is a huge help when it comes to staying on brand! The app itself is free, but I suggest subscribing in order to get the most out of the features, such as importing your custom branding. Plans start at $12.99 monthly!
Planoly
Planoly lets you plan out your posts on social media and schedule them to post automatically. If you struggle with keeping your feed looking aesthetic and cohesive like me, this app will help with that! I use the free version of the app since I’m just keeping up with one Instagram account and I don’t post daily. If you have multiple social media accounts, say Instagram and Pinterest, or you’re posting much more frequently they have plans starting at $7.00 monthly.
Unless you live under a rock (in which case you may not be reading this), you’ve at least heard of Pinterest. Disclaimer: While I do have a business account, I haven’t made the leap to Pinterest marketing – yet. That’s for another blog post. Right now I use it to share inspiration with fellow creatives and brides, along with keeping a brand board going for my business. It’s a good reference point whenever I’m looking to try something new with my camera or for color palettes for mood boards. Download it for free in the App Store!
I use these apps on a near daily basis for my business. They cover everything from client management to social media planning and gathering inspiration. Here’s my challenge to you – Download one of these today and give it a try!
