Tools I used to launch my website: a review
If you feel overwhelmed by information and what to do, then this is for you. Here is a review of handy resources and tools that I used to get started on my copywriting career. I mean, let’s be honest, we know it's important to outsource, but sometimes you have to DIY when you are starting out.
Although these aren’t all copywriting specific, take and leave what you like.
Squarespace ($216/year)
I recommend Squarespace over any other web platform if you are a beginner. Every designer is familiar with Squarespace. They have boatloads of info in their help center--in blog and video format, for different learners. It’s not too complicated (unlike Showit). And, to be honest,it looks sleek. I mean, you can tell a Squarespace site vs a Wordpress or Wix site. Squarespace is the one for me (until I decide to run to Webflow).
G Suite (included in Squarespace subscription)
Okay, so this comes with a Squarespace subscription so I am not sure if it counts. Even though I have a love-hate relationship with the big G. I do love G Suite. I’m sure we can all agree that’s it’s extensive features are easy to navigate. Of course, that is because many organizations use it, so it better be dependable. This was also a huge reason why I went with Squarespace because imagine having to use Windows OneDrive? On a daily basis? Shudder.
Macbook ($1349)
This is embarrassing, but I actually haven’t had a laptop before 2021 for two years. When mine broke, I figured I could just get by on my phone, right? Nonetheless, it was time for me to make a huge investment because crafting copy on a phone would be time consuming. I have had no such luck with previous laptop brands and figured I would finally take the plunge from Windows to Mac. I did research on what would be best (Macs are virus protected and supposedly harder to break). I also wanted something with a larger processor as I knew I wanted to possibly run Adobe for my photography pursuits. I settled on a refurbished Macbook Pro at a local computer store and am enjoying it. Although the learning curve was more of a shock then I expected.
Pinterest (Free! Free! Free!)
Okay again this is pretty embarrassing but here we go: I hopped on pretty late to the Pinterest train. Say mid-2019? I knew many people who used it to collect recipes, shop, and design their dream home or wedding. I never really cared to look for myself. Then one day, while looking for vegetarian recipes, a pin caught my eye.
Bam! I was hooked.
You know the saying; Pinterest is a riddle, wrapped inside a mystery, hidden in an enigma. Okay, well maybe not, but I don’t know how they make it so addicting. Seriously, it’s a vortex of ideas. Ideas that you never even thought of….
But I digress.
I knew that Pinterest and blogging go hand in hand when planning curriculum at my previous job. I saw the power that it brought to small blogs who would get lost in the SERP shuffle. I have no idea how to create pins, but I gobbled up a bunch of free and low cost resources. Voila, I was able to set up a Pinterest account for maximum traffic optimization.
Canva (If it’s free, it’s for me)
Canva, canva, canva. I know there are some who say that Canva cheapens the design profession, which could be true to an extent. But, as someone who knows that they are not a good designer, Canva is a lifesaver. And way more accessible and easier to navigate than Adobe Illustrator. Plus, anyone who grew up in the 00s will feel a sense of nostalgia while uncovering its features (Hello Painter!). The pro subscription has more options as far as branding personalization and watermark free graphics. I still use the free version because it’s already so vast.
Coolors (Free)
Bryn of Grey and Gold mentioned this website on IG stories on how to create a color palette for your brand. Unfortunately, I focused more on my colors and fonts when I thought about branding. In any case, I do like this nifty tool for the beginning stages of creating this website. Now whether my colors will stick, I don’t know...
Fontpairs.co ($0)
Like I said before, I focused a little too much on the aesthetics of the brand. I took a Professional Writing class in college where we had a section on Serif vs Sans Serif fonts. I enjoyed it, but honestly still didn't think it was that important in the grand scheme of things. But, I do want to say that I found this website to be nifty in identifying what fonts would be best for my initial brand. Although, my web designer has a simpler explanation that I prefer...
*Honeybook ($9/month)
One of the first things I asked the various Facebook groups that I’m a part of was, “What CRM is better”. I heard that Dubsade was more extensive and got put off that it would be overwhelming. For now, I need the simple things, you know? Honeybook makes client management self explanatory. Who could ask for more?
*This is an affiliate link
*Flodesk ($19/month with a referral code from another Flodesk user)
Good news: Everyone loves Flodesk, which is why they are finally got out of beta! But, the bad news is that everyone loves Flodesk. Which means everyone uses Flodesk. Which means that every Flodesk email is recognizable. Since it was in beta there weren’t many design variations. I admit sometimes that part is frustrating. Fingers crossed that this will change as it become more popular.
*Another affiliate link
Incfile ($499)
Okay. You may be wondering, Deenah, why did you use IncFile to file your LLC? And let me say that it’s because I didn't want to be a horror story that people would talk about for years as the business owner who-didn’t-get-it-all-in-order. And you should too. No one talks about the legal side of business. And we should because you never when someone’s trying to take all your hard earned money. Anyways, I know you are going to say, “Well you can file an LLC for free through the state”.
Yes.
Yes, I can, but the operating agreement and virtual mailbox was a plus. I can get all that at a similar price through other legal shops, but it was already included, so why not?
Contracts, Proposals and Invoices (Contract was $367, Proposal and Invoice $39)
OK–so I don’t technically need legal documents to start my launch, but I figured it’s better to come in prepared. I went to The Contract Shop to get my initial contract for copywriter’s. What I like is that each purchase includes a guide and a video vault to make the walk through the process easier.
Sold! Not to mention their customer support is actually responsive. Another plus!
I then found out about Terry Schilling’s copywriting specific proposals and invoices which I decided to buy as it was $39 at the time. I’m glad to have bought these, although I have yet to use them, I know they will be worth the money as I dive further into running a business.
A guide to launching your website templates ($109.60)
As far as content planning goes, I had no idea what that looked like. So I bought Copy Uncorked’s Guide to Launch for $109 (during a Black Friday sale). Beforehand, I bought Ashlyn Carter’s Primed to Launch playbook with accompanying course. In this case it was too overwhelming for me as I needed something that I could “plug in”. I do still like Primed to Launch and ended up going through it. For launching this website I followed Copy Uncorked’s guide to a T.
Facebook Groups
Facebook groups lead me to many different resources on starting this business. Groups like Freelancing Females, Create and Cultivate, and Think (and write like a marketer) to name a few. It’s where I found out about other copywriter’s, devoured their resources and asked for their advice (Forever grateful to Paid Copywriter, Jill Wise, and Cearr Creative). Although, I really don't want to be on Facebook (#sorrynotsorry Zuck), these Facebook groups keep me coming back and for that I am grateful.
*MilaNote
I use Mila Note primarily for internal use as I plan to use Google Docs for client facing projects. Like Notion or Trello, it has options to pull up a doc, checklist, board or columns. I would say Mila Note targets the visually minded. It's popular amongst art directors or videographers for storyboards. That's probably why I like it though. I could do with some more visuals in this copy heavy world I’m in.
*Another affiliate link
ClickUp
ClickUp was recommended by Kaitlyn of Copy Uncorked as a tool that that she frequently uses . Lord knows that I need organization in my life so I hopped on the ClickUp train. I do find it to be satisfactory to see a check mark when I complete a task. I also like that there are different options to view your tasks in calendar view. This is great for content planning if you don't want to use GoogleSheets. I know there are other channels to explore in ClickUp, but for now, I am happy with what I am using.
