Since its inception, the World Wide Web has been an incredible boon to solo entrepreneurs. Nowadays, a grip of free cloud-based tools have made life easier than ever for freelancers. Whether you’re a graphic designer, a web developer or a consultant, these tools will help you to get more done.
If you need a digital corkboard for brainstorming and project management, few apps rival Evernote in the power and flexibility departments. Combined with an app like Dropbox that provides loads of cheap storage, Evernote is the best way to organise your thoughts and keep projects on track.
Every entrepreneur needs a dedicated to-do app to keep them on track. Wunderlist is a versatile cross-platform to-do list program for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux, as well as iOS and Android. With Wunderlist, you can create lists, share them with collaborators and set reminder alerts.
When you’re a freelancer, marketing your skills and networking with like-minded peers are the best ways to get your name out there. SocialOomph is a stripped-down version of Hootsuite that can assist you in scheduling updates on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. It also boasts excellent keyword tracking.
Chock-full of helpful cloud-based tools for busy freelancers, Google Apps is pretty much a must these days. Besides the Drive storage service, other popular tools include Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, Calendar, News and Translate. For many, it’s a full Microsoft Office replacement and then some.
If you want to be your own boss, you’ll need to act as your accountant as well. An app like Mint is a great way to keep the finances in order. It has a slew of features including budget tracking and management, invoice and payment alerts, investment advice and visualisation tools.
Assembling a Software Arsenal
With so many productivity tools to choose from, freelancers often fall into the option paralysis trap. The key is to select a few good programs that work for you and stick with them. The tools mentioned here are sure to help out freelancers in any industry.