Spend Less Work Less

Introduction 1
Hello savvy entrepreneur,
Congratulations on your purchase in the Ultimate Work at Home

bundle, and for accessing my brand new book. It’s packed full of
resources I hope you’ll love, as much as I loved writing this book.
But I’d also love to gift you with a couple of extras.
1. One free template pack from my shop (up to $10), to save

you more time in your biz.
2. Free membership in the Portable Biz Club, where you’ll
receive ongoing training, community support plus a free
course or ebook each month.
Grab your bonus (in exchange for your email address) by clicking
through to free.loraleehutton.com/ubwah-spendless
You might also be interested in my weekly-ish email on new tools I

discover throughout the week at free.loraleehutton.com/tools
Whatever you choose, I hope you’ll find valuable tips and ideas that
will streamline your business, save you some money and help you keep
more of your well-deserved profits.
Warmly,
Loralee
Spend Less, Work Less Loralee Hutton.com

SPEND LESS, WORK LESS
INTRODUCTION
Inside this book, you’ll find every single tool I currently use to run my
online business, including exactly what I spend. And as much as it
could be the core focus of this book, what I’d really like to share with
you is how much less stressful it is to run a business when not worrying
about extra overhead costs, like the $20K+ I used to spend.
In 2009, shortly before closing up my accounting business where I’d

worked with more than 600 small business owners, usually
solopreneurs, I promised myself I’d find another way and began
challenging myself to stick to a $30/month budget (or less) for a year.
I wanted to see what was possible, not just for myself, but to share
what I’d learned with others.
My personal challenge extended on for several more years. And,

although I’ve since upgraded a few things, I’ve been able to keep
operating with a lean budget ever since.
When I find myself spending a bit too much, I do an audit (I’ll show you
how later) and find a way to streamline things that have gotten out of
hand.
In 2011, it seemed like everywhere I tried to speak about this topic, all
I heard back was "You need to invest money to make money" or that
"Maybe you need to do some work on your money mindset." Or it was
labeled as frugal or cheap.
But the times seem to be changing. I'm not sure if it was the release of
books like Chris Guillebeau’s “The $100 Startup” or just that I've built up
a thicker skin - but it feels like (to me anyway) that people are more
open to embracing a lean budget than they were in the past... which
makes me really happy.
Introduction 3
Sometimes we do need to spend more to make more – but the two

aren’t mutually exclusive. Spending more, doesn’t necessarily mean
you’ll earn more.
And it certainly doesn’t mean that you’ll save time either.
In this edition, we’re focusing on working less, while spending less. This
means finding ways to automate more (it’s easier and easier, every
year, as better automation tools are created), while being incredibly
mindful of our spending habits. And, keeping more of the revenue you
earn as net profits.
It also means you can take vacation, time off if you’re ill, or to spend
time with a loved one who’s going through a transition, and not worry
about recurring costs, or needing to “earn more” – instead, just focus
on the important things in your life and business.
Use the Tools You Already Have

Getting familiar with the tools you already have, the ones that are
already on your computer (Mac, PC, old version or not), is the best
place to start. Every type of computer or mobile phone has word
processors and Internet Browsers of some sort.
You really don’t need to buy all the latest gadgets to run your business
even though it’s tempting. I would know. I’ve gone down that rabbit
hole more than most people.
Some of the tools I use and mention in this book are ones I chose
because they’re pre-installed on my computer. In addition, some
other tools I mention are due to the fact that I’ve been using them for
a decade or more, and it just makes the most sense to continue using
them, even when there are newer alternatives.
I test out new software all the time. But if the tool I already own is
working just fine, I tend to stick with it.

What’s the saying, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it?”
You may need some tools that are industry specific. For example, if
you create custom logos, you probably already have an Adobe
Creative Suite license. Or, if you edit client videos, you’ll need a more
powerful computer. Or, if you’re like me, and chose a special system
early on, that’s now an integral part of your business (I’m referring to
my Woocommerce setup) then you may also find extra expenses
creep up as you grow.
But if you’re editing a few of your own images a month, or just like to
tinker, there are better alternatives for you. Save your money for some
other fun life experience, or reinvest it into something your business
can truly benefit from.
Beyond industry specific tools, tap into the simplest and least
complicated combination that will get the job done.
I’ll give you some examples of combinations you can use, for
example, a hands-off way to collect
payments, while booking client
appointments. Watch out of the sign.
ARE THERE WAYS YOU CAN STREAMLINE AND STILL

FEEL FULLY SUPPORTED IN YOUR BUSINESS?
Phew, feels good to say that! Let’s get on
with the show, shall we? There’s a lot of good information in here.
Probably too much to consume in one sitting. Skim through, read what
you need, and please please implement at least one change that
makes you feel great about your business this week. And maybe even
send me a message or share in our Facebook group.
That would be awesome!

Introduction 5
Publisher’s note
Every possible effort has been made to ensure that the information
contained in this book is accurate at the time of going to press. The
publisher and author cannot accept responsibility for any errors or
omissions, however caused. No responsibility for loss or damage
occasioned to any person acting, or refreshing from action, as a result
of the material in this publication can be accepted by the editor, the
publisher or author.
First published in Canada in 2017 by Portable Biz Publishing
© Loralee Hutton, 2017

The right of Loralee Hutton to be identified as the author of this work
has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright Act of
Canada 2012
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing and Publication

Hutton, Loralee, 1970-
Spend Less Work Less: How I run an online business with a super tiny
budget / Loralee Hutton
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-9918331-6-0

LEGEND THINGS TO HELP YOU NAVIGATE
Asterisk - One of the ways I earn income, besides the sale of small
books like this and member upgrades at the Portable Biz Club, is
through affiliate commissions. Almost everything I recommend is free
or very low cost, but companies will still sometimes offer commission or
referral credits for sending new customers their way – even free
customers. So, when you see a little * throughout the book, know that
I could potentially get a kickback. And in exchange, you’ll receive my
gratitude for helping me continue doing the work I love.
Expense / cost - If there is no mention of price when I speak of a tool,

it’s because I’m using the free version and haven’t switched to a paid
version, if available.
Uprades/Prices – If there is a price mentioned, I’ll also include a free

option, so that you can make mindful choices.
Just the Tools - at the end of the book you’ll find a list off all the tools
mentioned in the book. Plus a section where you’ll see just the tools
I’m using, and a recommended toolset if you’re a freelancer, or just
getting started.
Worksheets & Checklists – keep notes by downloading your

worksheets and checklists at loraleehutton.com/spendless-sheets (no
opt in or email address required
Online tools are prone to change. The company may at some time
decide to no longer offer a free version or they may be purchased by
another company. Sometimes the company closes and you’ll need
to find an alternative. I’ll do my very best to update my site
loraleehutton.com/tools/ as soon as I have an alternative for you.
Introduction 7
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................... 2
LEGEND THINGS TO HELP YOU NAVIGATE ............................................................................................................... 6

NOTE TO COACHES AND FREELANCERS ................................................................................................................ 10
MY STORY – WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK .................................................................................................... 11
COMMUNICATION PLAN ......................................................................................................................... 16
Consulting Appointments and Networking ................................................................................ 17

Email Settings ................................................................................................................................. 20
Signature Lines ............................................................................................................................... 20
MARKETING/ADVERTISING AND PR ........................................................................................................ 22
SOCIAL MEDIA – MAKING CONNECTIONS .......................................................................................................... 23

Facebook For business ................................................................................................................. 24
Instagram ....................................................................................................................................... 27
Pinterest .......................................................................................................................................... 27
INVITING PEOPLE TO “OPT I N”............................................................................................................................. 28
Opt-In buttons and List Building ................................................................................................... 28
Landing Pages............................................................................................................................... 29
STAYING CONNECTED VIA EMAIL ........................................................................................................................ 29
Creating Newsletters .................................................................................................................... 30
Autoresponders and Workflows ................................................................................................... 31
Email Signature lines...................................................................................................................... 32
Track how people find you .......................................................................................................... 33
Step outside of Facebook and join other groups ...................................................................... 34
MARKETING ON MY “TO-DO LIST” ........................................................................................................................ 34
Podcasting ..................................................................................................................................... 34
Online Free Classifieds .................................................................................................................. 35
Free PR Options ............................................................................................................................. 35
VIDEO – USING VIDEO TO PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS ........................................................................................... 37
AFFILIATE ARMY .................................................................................................................................................. 37
TRACKING TRAFFIC .................................................................................................................................. 39
Google Analytics and Cpanel Stats ........................................................................................... 40

Bit.ly................................................................................................................................................. 41
URL Shorteners ............................................................................................................................... 41
Tracking Dashboards .................................................................................................................... 42
CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS ..................................................................................................................... 44
EMAIL SYSTEMS.................................................................................................................................................... 45
CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGEMENT TOOLS ..................................................................................................... 45
KNOWLEDGE BASE.............................................................................................................................................. 46

Chat Plugin ..................................................................................................................................... 47
SURVEYING CLIENTS OR LIST ................................................................................................................................ 48
Why create a survey? ................................................................................................................... 48
ACCOUNTING AND LEGAL ......................................................................................................................50
Waveapp ....................................................................................................................................... 50
Freshbooks ...................................................................................................................................... 51
ShoeBoxed ..................................................................................................................................... 51
Contracts and Legal Forms .......................................................................................................... 52
WEBSITE AND DESIGN ...............................................................................................................................53
DOMAIN NAMES ................................................................................................................................................ 54

HOSTING SERVICE .............................................................................................................................................. 55
Themes for your website - WordPress ........................................................................................... 56
CREATING FORUMS AND MEMBERSHIP SITES ......................................................................................................... 56
CREATION, WRITING AND PRODUCTS .....................................................................................................58
Writing Programs ............................................................................................................................ 59

CREATE PDF FILES EASILY .................................................................................................................................... 60
Creating Kindle Books ................................................................................................................... 60
Compile PDF from content you already have ........................................................................... 60
Ebook Cover creator and Digital Product Mockups ................................................................. 61
Compressing pdfs before selling or giving Them away ............................................................. 62
Fillable PDFs .................................................................................................................................... 62
Packaging digital products .......................................................................................................... 62
IMAGE EDITING AND CREATION .......................................................................................................................... 63
Creating and editing images and logos ..................................................................................... 63
Stock Photos ................................................................................................................................... 64
Compress your images for the web............................................................................................. 64
Signature on web documents...................................................................................................... 65
LIVE TRAINING AND RECORDING......................................................................................................................... 65
Video – To Create products and Promo’s .................................................................................. 65
Webinar Tools ................................................................................................................................. 66
TELEPROMPTER ................................................................................................................................................... 67
FORUMS AND GROUP WORK .............................................................................................................................. 67
FACEBOOK GROUPS .......................................................................................................................................... 68
CREATING ECOURSES......................................................................................................................................... 68
Mailchimp – for autoresponder ecourse delivery ...................................................................... 68
MailerLite – for ecourses ................................................................................................................ 69
SALES/DELIVERY/PAYMENTS ....................................................................................................................70
CREATING SALES PAGES ..................................................................................................................................... 71

SHOPPING CART ................................................................................................................................................ 72
Woocommerce ............................................................................................................................. 72
PayPal ............................................................................................................................................. 73
Introduction 9
Stripe ............................................................................................................................................... 73
Gumroad ....................................................................................................................................... 73
BOOKING EVENTS AND FILLING YOUR CLASSES .................................................................................................... 74
SUPPORT SYSTEMS .................................................................................................................................... 75
COWORKING ..................................................................................................................................................... 76
ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS ................................................................................................................................ 77
MASTERMINDS .................................................................................................................................................... 77
ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS ................................................................................................................................ 77
WORKING OUTSIDE MY HOME.............................................................................................................................. 77
EDUCATION, LEARNING, PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................. 79
Learning on a small budget ......................................................................................................... 80

Trick to avoid “Forgetting” about recurring payments ............................................................. 80
Beta Testing.................................................................................................................................... 81
DATA PROTECTION AND STORAGE ......................................................................................................... 83
CREATING A FILE STRUCTURE ................................................................................................................................ 84

ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE .......................................................................................................................................... 86
WEBSITE BACKUPS & SECURITY ............................................................................................................................ 86
PRODUCTIVITY TOOLS .............................................................................................................................. 90
WHERE AM I WASTING TIME? ............................................................................................................................... 91

HIDDEN G ADGETS IN YOUR EMAIL AND PHONE .................................................................................................... 92
AUTOMATION TOOLS .......................................................................................................................................... 93
WHILE BROWSING AND WORKING ONLINE ......................................................................................................... 95
KEEPING I T ALL I N ONE PLACE ............................................................................................................................ 96
MY EQUIPMENT – MY CURRENT TOOL INVENTORY................................................................................. 97
JUST THE TOOLS ........................................................................................................................................ 99
MY TOOLS (UNDER $900/YR) ................................................................................................................. 105
Similar, but with time on my side (under $600/yr) .................................................................... 107

Similar but on an even smaller budget (under $300/yr) ......................................................... 108
Coach or Freelancer (From $225/yr)......................................................................................... 109
WHAT’S NEXT: ......................................................................................................................................... 110
OTHER BOOKS AND PROGRAMS........................................................................................................... 111
ABOUT LORALEE ..................................................................................................................................... 115

SPECIAL NOTE TO COACHES AND FREELANCERS
I prefer to have everything “built on my own land”. However, if you’re
offering consulting or coaching primarily, and you know you’ll be
doing so for the upcoming 1-2 years, consider giving yourself a break.
Don’t force yourself to learn all the ins and outs of building a website
or spend money on hiring a designer.
Instead, set up a great system for booking appointments, collecting
payments, and an easy to use blogging platform (Medium is a great
one – you can add in your own custom domain for no cost), and build
up your writing muscles and audience from there.
You can always “syndicate” the content you write there to your own
website if you choose to build one later. But in the meantime, make it
really easy for people to buy from you. Spend your money on extra
education or software that makes the onboarding process easier for
you and for them.
My story – Why I wrote this book 11
MY STORY – WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK

6 years ago I wrote an eBook I called “Online for $30” with the inside
scoop on how I had been running my online business while spending
less than $30 in expenses. Everywhere I turned, I heard...
• "You need to invest money to make money."

• "Maybe you need to do some work on your money mindset."
• “I don’t like using cheap tools.”
• “I want people to treat me seriously, so I use this $200 tool
instead.”
This created some internal self-doubt for me. At the very least, I didn’t
feel like people were ready to hear what I wanted to share.
But words like “frugal” and “cheap” seem to have less of a negative
connotation now than they used to (a little more acceptable,
anyway). This I suspect is related to the growth of the tiny house
movement, minimalism, and books like “The $100 Startup” by Chris
Guillebeau.

Of course, it could also be that I’ve just developed a thicker skin and
learned how to process criticism better (after selling thousands of
eBooks and eCourses).
The voices of a few people with negative feedback started to carry

less weight.
Who really knows. Maybe a bit of both?

When I sat down to write again, I tore the original book apart and
started over. Who doesn’t like a clean slate, right?
After another 6 years of experience, the loss of 3 parents (my in-laws

and my Dad), and my own health challenges, I’ve truly put my own
business to the test.
I worked less than 2 hours per week for 5 months in 2015 and spent
time away from work for another 5 months in 2016, often working less
than 5 hours a week.
So, when people ask me,
Is it possible to still earn a decent income with semi-automation

and a super tiny budget?
(okay, no one really asks the question quite like that… 😊)
My answer is yes, mostly. Sure, during these months “off” …
• I didn’t earn as much as I would have liked.

• Sometimes I let my spending get out of control when I bought
into the notion that this tool or the next would save me time
and money (not all of them did).
• I tend to retreat when I’m unwell or sad– and without a solid
marketing plan in place, ultimately, revenue slowed down to a
trickle.
But yes, I was still able to earn a living from my business.
And this year I’ve spent a lot more effort on creating relationship
funnels (sales funnels that go on long after the sale; so that customers
don’t feel like they’ve been “sold to” and then dropped like a hot
potato) and implementing plans that allow my existing work to
continue to be showcased, even when I’m not creating new content.
And, scaling back on any extra expenses I don’t really need, of

course.
That’s why I’m writing about this topic again this year.
But the original reason goes back much further. Even before I started
my first official business, almost 20 years ago. In the beginning, I did
everything myself (and loved it) until I started to become overbooked
in my consulting business.
I really struggled to figure out which parts I wanted to outsource and

which ones to keep. I was lucky to have a virtual assistant (VA) as part
of one of my networking circles. She helped me brainstorm and even
helped me realize I could tap into my friends and family network for
some much-needed help.
It took us a while to start working together, but once I made the

decision to hire her, my world changed. It was quite an amazing shift.
I was only paying her for 10 hours per month (about $400 total) yet I
felt like I had a full-time employee, just a phone call away. Not all VA's
are able to pull this off with such finesse, I've since found out.
We worked together 6 years, while helping over 500 entrepreneurs

with various aspects of their accounting, bookkeeping, and taxes,
until I decided to take the business to the next level, bringing my
growing team of subcontract staff under one roof.

She couldn’t work in my downtown office so I had to find a full-time
receptionist instead. Once again, life changed and some of it wasn't
good. I needed someone like her to keep me organized and my
employees may have been a bit too free spirited, like me (note to self:
hire people who balance your weaknesses). I started creating info
products around this time, hoping to free up my personal resources
and create the freedom I craved.
I put a lot of emotional blocks in my way while on the path, though. I

didn't have the immediate success I craved and I struggled to
formulate what I wanted to build and grow. I knew how to create a
business plan, a marketing plan, a financial plan, but I was stubborn
enough to want to figure things out when they weren’t working,
instead of hiring someone to help.
Eventually, I realized I needed to close down the office, say goodbye

to managing staff and return to my solo-consulting roots.
I was still so driven to make this online thing work that I spent the next
3 years trying to sort it out. By early 2011 I was ready to share what I’d
learned and make the shift official. I enrolled in an online marketing
program, knowing my ideal customers would also be part of the
community, wrote the first version of this book and made my first digital
book sales (exciting times).
What I uncovered during that stage was that no matter what kind of
work I was doing, my great passion is to continue supporting
entrepreneurs to find freedom in their businesses, the same freedom I
was experiencing.
My vision: Experiencing Freedom Through Support Systems,

Streamlining and Simplifying.
Suddenly I could remember why I created my new business the way I
did, and where I really wanted to go in the future.
I was meant to bring conversations to entrepreneurs to encourage

them to find the support they need, to find ways to simplify their
business, to remind them of the support they already have, and to
help them create systems to make it all easier.
Throughout the remainder of these pages are the resources, tools and
systems I use in my own business.
And as the old adage goes “We teach what we need to learn” I’ve
continued to struggle on and off with all of this myself. I forget that I
have beautiful support systems, people willing to help, and the
freedom to do what I crave.
Knowing something intellectually doesn’t guarantee things will always

be easy-breezy.
But hopefully while you read through these pages, you’ll be reminded
of the support available to you, through technology, tools, the little
changes you can make to your current systems and the opportunities
where you can streamline and simplify.
With all of that said, let’s get started with my Communications Plan!
Grab a notepad or the worksheets. You’ll want to take some notes
along the way.
Have you downloaded your worksheets and checklist? Now is a

great time. Go to loraleehutton.com/spendless-sheets (you don’t
need to enter an email address to access this page)

COMMUNICATION PLAN
Communication is the heart of your business. If you don’t have the
proper resources to stay in contact with your customer, vendors, joint
venture partners, and staff, things can fall apart quickly. Some things
you can semi-automate to support you and some things can be
streamlined with great systems to improve your communication plan.
The tools in this chapter include: Google Voice, Uberconference,

Zoom, Gmail, Facebook Messenger, and Hubspot CRM.
My total expense for this chapter is $0.00.
I keep things pretty simple in this department even though it does look
like a long list.
1. Google Voice for my business phone number (and also
use it for incoming SMS/ text messages)
Communication Plan 17
2. Uberconference for 1:1 conversations where we would

benefit from having a recording (consulting, interviews,
etc.)
3. Zoom.us for video conferencing with small groups when
we want to see each other
4. Gmail for all things related to email
5. Facebook Messenger to answer quick questions
6. Hubspot CRM for some basic lead generation, follow up
with affiliates, etc.
Hubspot CRM and Sales lead forms are free, but their
bundled services are very expensive, so I’m mindful of how I
integrate with it.
CONSULTING APPOINTMENTS AND NETWORKING

Although I rarely offer consulting appointments anymore, I still have a
system in place that connects the dots so I don’t have to fuss too
much. When I want to offer up a session, I can send people to an item
in my Woocommerce store, that directs them to my calendar (after
payment), automatically adds it to my calendar, sends out a
confirmation to them and me, and then sends them information with
our call-in numbers. If I’m proactive in making sure my own calendar
in Google is up to date, there are no conflicts and it’s nearly impossible
for me to miss a call.
This system saves approximately 15 minutes per booking,

once set up.
I use Uberconference, Calendly, and Google Calendar to make this

system work.
If you’re offering coaching or other 1:1 services that include

regular phone calls or group work, consider a tool designed
specifically for coaches.

Acuity Scheduling* is by far the most recommended by other online
coaches because they can collect payment at the same time the
appointment is being booked. It’s also great for coordinating group
programs that might only have 8 seats available, as an example.
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING TO AVOID

Day 1 – Website visitor reads one of your blog posts
Day 1 – They send a message (they may be potential coaching client)
Day 1 – An email arrives in your Gmail inbox
Day 2 - 24 hours later they receive a rushed apology response
Day 3 – There’s a back and forth email, with a 30-minute consult

booked 3 days from now
Day 6 – They haven’t heard from you since day 3 but they’re still really
excited about the call. Unfortunately, they can’t find the call
information. Or, did you agree to meet on skype? They’re feeling a bit
frustrated, the call starts late…
How do we fix this? Simple, use some kind of contact form that offers
the new visitor (who is really excited they found you) to get some kind
of instant response. It may be as simple as setting the expectation of
when they’ll hear back from you, or it may include a link to book that
30-minute call. If booking a 30-minute call is a something that happens
frequently, then allowing them to book, before sending the first email
would be even better.
Then, have that same system send out an email reminder to your new
contact with information about what to expect (where you’ll meet,
what time, how to get in touch – anything that will help ease anxiety
and allow them to come to the meeting with a clear mind).
If you tend to ask the same questions in your emails, prior to talking to
them, consider creating a form, so they can answer the questions and
send it back to you, without needing to rely on email.
That’s it. You’ve got a new system in place that you can refine, revise
and improve upon over time.
ALL-IN-ONE FOR COACHES OR FREELANCERS

You might also want to consider 17Hats* (includes invoicing, banking,
workflows, and templates), Dubsado (client questionnaire, collect
payments, sign contracts, workflows, private client portal), or
Satoriapp (book appointments, collect payments, sign contracts).
They were all created specifically for coaches and freelancers.
They all have a bit of complexity with the initial setup, but once you
see the power of their workflows, you may find they save enormous
amounts of time and help you avoid missing any steps, ultimately
increasing your profitability and working less.
A workflow example might include:
1. A potential client fills out a questionnaire on your website.

2. It sends them an email with a calendar option to meet with you
for a discovery call.
3. After the call, it sends them a contract and intake form.
4. Then, it follows up to make sure payment has been completed.
5. If it has, it will book the remaining sessions.
6. If it has not, it will send out reminder.
When done manually, these tedious little steps can easily be missed
which could lead to potentially losing out on a new client or customer.
Or at the very least, creating unnecessary friction.

I wish there was a similar tool for a membership model business like
mine. I’d sign up in a heartbeat to have these automation steps taken
care of for me.
EMAIL SETTINGS
To make sure lines of communication stay open, even when I’m not
working, I keep a default template in my vacation autoresponder
ready at all times. This allows me to turn it on if I take some last minute
time off and want people to be kept in the loop.
I only need to change the dates in the subject line, edit a word or two
in the email body (like the date they should expect a return message
from me), and turn it on.
When it’s that easy, it’s more likely I’ll use it which can make a huge
difference in how little stress I feel when I’m “back in the office”.
Keep a copy of some well written vacation templates in a

template folder.
For some swipe copy examples of vacation email templates, visit

loraleehutton.com/spendless-resources
SIGNATURE LINES
I use my email signature line as an extension of my regular
communication plan. Email signatures by default are an effective
marketing strategy, but they’re also an ideal space to create
expectations and provide a few extra links people can access if they
prefer self-serve options.
When I’m writing from my tablet or phone, I have a signature that

apologizes for typos, and my brevity (yes, I really do use that word 😊),
which keeps my message on brand and helps me feel less like a loser
for sending an embarrassing message.
When I respond from my computer, there’s a more robust signature

line, that includes links to my knowledge base (FAQs) on my website.
Some experts suggest there should we should always include a call to

action: “Join Now”, “Buy Now”, “Book Now”, etc. But I’m not sure it’s
necessary here. Just mentioning what you’re working on is often
enough.
ACTION YOU MAY WANT TO TAKE

1. Change your email signature to include something you’re
currently promoting in a simple text version (no graphics).
Without thinking about it, every single time you send a
message, you’ll be creating a very subtle offer to people who
you write to.
2. Find one area where your readers can save time with an
automated system. Or simply by creating a repeated or
documenting system (create a workflow).

MARKETING/ADVERTISING AND PR
This is such a huge category that I believe we could talk about for
days. Having said that, I wonder if sometimes we spend so much time
thinking about and working on our marketing, that we spend less time
truly connecting with our ideal clients. Is it possible we use it as a way
to avoid doing the work we’re called to do?
I don’t have the answer but I thought I’d pose the question before
diving into this topic.
The tools in this chapter include: Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram,

Twitter, Recurpost, IFTTT, Buffer, Planoly, BoardBooster, Mailchimp,
Mailerlite.
My total monthly expense for this section is $12.00
Marketing/Advertising and PR 23
SOCIAL MEDIA – MAKING CONNECTIONS

I only use a few social networks right now because of where my ideal
customers are hanging out. There are lots of temptations to jump into
every single new social media platform but I have been waiting a little
longer than I used to. However, I may jump in to secure my username
and then jump back out. These are the ones I’m using right now:
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• Instagram
• Twitter
I manage them all by a small combo of free resources. Although, I’ve

also used many paid tools like MeetEdgar (6 months), Postplanner (3
months), SmarterQueue (5 months), Buffer (2 months), Coschedule (2
years), and Hootsuite (5 months).
As I mentioned earlier, at the beginning of this year I decided to shift

back to my roots and streamline as much as possible. One of the
things I chose to let go of was paid social media schedulers. Not
because they aren’t great but because I wasn’t seeing the ROI I
would like to see.
So, until I have a different social media strategy, I’ll stick with the tools
I’m currently using (Recurpost*, Buffer, and IFTTT). You can see a full
post about how I set up this time saving system here.
Basically, my library of stored posts is in Recurpost. Then, anything

current gets added to Buffer (sharing other blogger's posts, for
example). Lastly, anything I add to Instagram (currently through a
tool called Planoly) gets reposted to Twitter and my Facebook
page, via IFTTT.

USING TWITTER FOR MARKETING
By following 1 or 2 threads of conversation, and participating, you’ll
be surprised at the real-life friendships you can create. Try not to lose
your entire day on Twitter though.
TWEET CHAT
Tweet Chat is ancient as far as online tools go, but it’s still a great tool
for connecting with people you may not be able to reach through
your direct social circles.
Look through their directory list and see if there is a chat happening
where you could provide value to the conversation while making real
connections. If it benefits your business goals, consider adding it to
your daily schedule.
SEARCH.TWITTER.COM
You can use their built-in search tool to search for topics you’re
interested in and then follow people or conversations you can
contribute to.
FACEBOOK FOR BUSINESS

So many things change with Facebook – almost every week it seems.
So, I won’t go into too much detail here, except that it's a great idea
to be in business groups where you can hear what other people are
experiencing. It will help you stay in the loop without needing to
become a Facebook expert.
At a bare minimum, have one Facebook page and set up your

Facebook pixel on your website and/or on your landing pages.
FACEBOOK ADS MANAGER

Creating ads in Facebook can be incredibly expensive, but also
rewarding when done right. If it’s not something you have time to
delve into, I’d recommend setting aside just enough time to figure out
how to send a targeted campaign to people who are already on your

email list who haven’t purchased yet. Instead of promoting to
strangers, you’ll be able to reach out to people who already know,
like and trust you.
I don’t spend much money on Facebook ads (although I may in the

future) but when I have a promotion on my website, I create a
targeted ad campaign and it sometimes costs as much as $20.
Be Mindful: It’s really easy to go down the rabbit hole here by signing
up for new courses, hiring experts or simply doing it yourself
and blowing your own budget. Be mindful of your goals and
expected ROI
FACEBOOK GROUPS
Twenty years ago, the easiest way to build up a new client base was
to go to live networking events. Places where other people mingled
and talked about business.
Now, you could certainly do the same thing, but it’s easier to jump into
a social media platform even if your hair is messy and you’re not in
your power suit. You can offer great tips and share your wisdom with
new potential friends and business associates around the globe in your
pajamas.
95% of the people who signed up to be part of the Portable Biz Club
met me through a Facebook group at some point in the past 6 years.
That’s a very high enrollment percentage and the reason why I still
spend so much of my time there.
YOUR OWN FACEBOOK GROUP

This is also something I cover in “Product Creation” section of this book,
but from the perspective of adding value to a new course or program.

Creating your own Facebook group can be an interesting way to
build up a potential customer base and community, with zero upfront
expenses. My own community is super tiny but I’m able to build new
relationships with people online without any pushy sales tactics.
Having your own Facebook group is similar to inviting all of your

customers to a Christmas party but it happens every day. They mingle
with each other, they talk about things you might not otherwise hear
about, and you get to know them on a different level.
With all that information at your fingertips, it makes it so much easier

to create things you know they’re eager to use.
Getting started can be slow these days, with so many other groups
discouraging the promotion of your own group within their group.
And, usually less than half of your customers and email subscribers will
take you up on the invite to join your group even if they’re a big fan.
Why? Maybe because Facebook can be a huge time suck. Or,
maybe because they only want to be on Facebook to connect with
friends and family.
Regardless, a segment of your community will want to connect with

you in a group and some won’t. Treasure those that do and you’ll
benefit from those relationships for years to come. And also make sure
to share similar topics (or summaries of what was discussed in your
groups) via email for people who would have missed what was
posted.
OTHER PEOPLE'S GROUPS

Create a list of groups your ideal customer might hang out in. Find out
their rules, participate in the group, but also add their ‘main thread’ or
‘promo thread’ days to your calendar, so you can have something
ready to share instead of missing it, like I often do.
INSTAGRAM
I’ve only recently started strategically using Instagram for business. I
created a new business account, made a decision about the style of
images I wanted to share, and found a planning tool that I really like,
called Planoly*
My Instagram posts are automatically forwarding to Twitter and my

Facebook page (through IFTTT), so that when I want to share
something new, I don’t have to worry about remembering to repost
later to my other social media platforms.
Work Less: Create on image for Instagram, and share it to all of

your social media networks
PINTEREST
I go through phases where I enjoy using Pinterest. I wish I loved it more
because I know it’s a great search engine and can bring in lots of
traffic.
But I’ve noticed that a lot of the traffic that arrives via Pinterest doesn’t
stick around long enough to read what’s on the page. So, I’m not sure
how much of a benefit it is.
Even so, I haven’t given up on it, and have accounts with Tailwind*
and BoardBooster* to automate some of these tasks. They give 3000
pin credits when you sign up. I’ve pinned a little over 500 pins with their
tool, leaving me with another 2500 pins before my free credits expire.
Instead of using their default settings, I changed mine to 20 pins per
day total (that’s about 20% of what they recommended) which might
make my free plan stretch out for another 6 months, while still being
able to batch my Pinterest posting.
My point in saying all of this is, this might be a tool you could add to
your toolbox without having to worry about adding an extra expense
too.

INVITING PEOPLE TO “OPT IN”
Opt Ins, the “Freebie Opt-In”, lead magnets, and pink spoon offers.
Isn’t it all a bit overwhelming? I used to stress over creating my first one,
and then I created too many that I didn’t know where to place them,
how to measure them, and what to focus on next.
But what I did master though, was figuring out how to add them to my
site easily and how to deliver them without causing me any extra
stress.
Before I go too far on this topic, I want to mention that I’m using 2 tools at
the moment that sound very similar. I’m using Mailerlite for list building and
landing pages (what we’re talking about in this section) AND I’m using
Mailchimp to deliver content to existing customers, students and club
members. MailerLite could handle everything for you, but I’ve chosen to
use Mailchimp because of integration with the tools I’m using to deliver my
courses and content (you’ll read more about this in the Sales/Delivery
chapter).
Now, back to the topic of opt ins, and list building.
Creating website forms used to require a lot of fiddling with code or

buying one of a few good plugins that worked with Mailchimp*, or
your favorite email service provider. Now there are hundreds of
options to make it easier, but sorting through the options to make the
best decision can get pretty confusing and intensely time consuming.
I’m currently only using one email service provider for list building
called MailerLite.
OPT-IN BUTTONS AND LIST BUILDING

I use Mailerlite* for list building. It has really great features, including:
• Landing pages
• 2 step opt in forms (like leadboxes from LeadPages)
• Autoresponders / workflows
• Tagging
And everything is included in the free plan if you’re sending emails to

less than 1000 subscribers per month (even though you may have
more people on your list). Interestingly, they only charge for people
you send emails to in a month. They hold nothing back “because it’s
free”, like some of the other companies do.
I keep my eyes on new tools (in general), and I’m bound to test out at
least one or two in 2018 (it’s part of what makes me, me. I love testing
out new tools). There’s always something “new and improved”, but for
now, this is by far the best option on the market for my business model.
LANDING PAGES
A landing page is like a sales page, in case you were just scratching
your head wondering why I mentioned both in this book. But, landing
pages are usually dedicated to a free offer, a webinar sign up, or
something that doesn’t include a payment button. Not always, but
usually.
The tools to create landing pages used to be so complicated. But,

now you can easily create a landing page with almost any website
theme by removing the footer and sidebar from a page.
In some cases, I use MailerLite as a landing page and other times I use
a regular page on my website using the Divi theme.
STAYING CONNECTED VIA EMAIL

Once you’ve invited someone to try your free offer, you’ll need to stay
in touch by email too.
I’ve been a huge fan of ActiveCampaign* for years but recently I’ve
made the switch back to MailChimp for one main reason.
My site is heavily invested in its Woocommerce setup (I’ll explain more

about this later in the chapter about Sales), and MailChimp released
a plugin that digs deep into Woocommerce data.

So, when someone purchases something in my shop, I can send
specific emails related to that purchase (in the case of eCourses, this
is particularly helpful), or if someone adds something to their shopping
cart, it can send out a couple of short message reminders, with one
quick click for them to finish their shopping trip (similar to what you’d
experience on Amazon).
There are so many other tools out there with similar capabilities, but
they require expensive add-ons or complicated settings. This is just the
simplest thing I’ve experienced to date.
When someone asks me, “What email service provider should I

choose?” I first ask them, “What shopping cart do you use?” because
you always want something that plays well with the system you’re
using to collect your revenue.
CREATING NEWSLETTERS
To keep things straight, I use MailChimp for customers and MailerLite
for list-building (or pre-sales) because I absolutely adore the settings
and simplicity of MailerLite. And, their pricing can’t be beat either. So,
I find myself still building out landing pages, creating some email
eCourses, and list building in MailerLite (I prepaid for a year of
MailerLite, to get their best discount).
Even though this might change as 2017 progresses. I may switch

everything to MailChimp. Or, if MailerLite develops a Woocommerce
integration, it would be tempting to move everything there, especially
since they have tagging, a feature that used to only be available in
high priced tools like Infusionsoft.
Some questions you might want to ask yourself as you’re making

decisions about email service providers (ESP):
• Do you already have an ecommerce tool? If so, what ESP

does it integrate with the best.
• What ESP works the best with the website platform you’re
using? (or, the simplest)
• What will their forms look like on your website?
• Can you easily move to another provider later if you need
to?
• Will it collect the information that you need if you want to
move later? (i.e. Some providers don’t collect the IP address
when a user double opts in. That means that if you’re
audited at some point, you could be open to penalties. But
you will also have trouble proving you didn’t purchase the
email list if you try to move to another provider later.)
• What kind of reporting do you need? Something simple or
are you someone who loves in-depth reporting?
• What kind of support do you prefer? Are you happy with self-
service and email support, or do you need phone support as
well?
There isn’t one email service provider that’s perfect for everyone. Get
started with a service that provides most of what you’re looking for
and continue growing and nurturing your subscriber relationships. If
you need to switch, do your homework and then make your move.
AUTORESPONDERS AND WORKFLOWS

I use autoresponders to deliver eCourses (like, “How to Outsource”
and “Rebrand as ME”) and to follow up with emails after a person has
signed up for a specific freebie or purchased something in my shop.
Basic autoresponders work by sending out a message on day 1 (or
immediately) and then the next message is sent after a specific
number of days later, regardless of what might happen in the
meantime.
So, for example, if I’m sending out an email sequence to someone

who downloads a freebie, and on Day 4 I offer an upgrade to a paid
course and they buy it. I don’t want them to receive another offer on
Day 6, that asks them to purchase again. And, I don’t want to have
to manually make those changes. Having an autoresponder system

know that a purchase occurred and adjust the email sequence is
much more helpful and respectful to our customers.
It’s quite a bit of work to set up these workflows, but well worth it. It’s
an area that I will continue to work on for the next few years. For
example, please don’t judge me too harshly if you get an email
completely out of sequence in the next few weeks (but please do let
me know so I can fix it).
It’s a lot of work especially if you’re like me and have 30+ courses in
an online school (what was I thinking?) and haven’t always created
the follow up content like I intended to.
So, when you’re shopping for your esp, keep in mind that some
providers use the same term “autoresponder” when they really do
offer the full workflow scenario. And others will deliver content
regardless of how things may have changed in your subscriber
relationship.
There are very few email service providers who offer a low cost or free
option that include the autoresponder with workflow feature.
• If you’re in the 1-500 subscriber range, Mailchimp includes all of

their features for $10
• If you’re in the 1-1000 subscriber range, Mailerlite* includes all of
their features for free (and then $10 for 1001-2500)
• If you’re in the 1-500 subscriber range, ActiveCampaign* offers
a truly stellar workflow sequence, for about $10
EMAIL SIGNATURE LINES

I mentioned earlier that using a signature line is really effective to help
keep the lines of communication clear. Remember to set up a
template signature line with your tool of choice, to include your FAQ’s
and to set expectations of your time in a short line below your
signature.
TRACK HOW PEOPLE FIND YOU

When you add a new customer to your database, make a note as to
where they found you. Was it through social media, an advertisement,
networking event, or referral? Ask them (either in your opt-in or when
you speak to them).
Over time, review where your favourite clients are coming from and
make a concerted effort to spend your marketing time and dollars on
these methods. What works for someone in the same field as you, may
not work exactly the same for you.
This has been especially useful to me when I’ve been approached by

companies who want me to purchase advertising for a listing with their
service.
Without knowing where my existing customers found me, I might feel

compelled to spend money on something unnecessary.
For example, I had a client who spent $390/month on yellow pages

advertising (about 10 years ago, when people still used the big yellow
book). He believed it was an essential business expense. I wasn’t
entirely sure and encouraged him to add a little box to his intake form
asking how they heard about him.
When he started tracking how his customers found him, we noticed

that 70% found him through the regular phone listing (white pages, or
online phone listing), 20% found him through friend referrals, 5% found
him through his website (not often enough – his website wasn’t
optimized), and about 5% in the yellow pages (less than 1 call per
month).
This meant he either needed to be charging more for his service (on
average he was charging $200), or he could drop the monthly
expense and put some extra work into increasing his website traffic.

STEP OUTSIDE OF FACEBOOK AND JOIN OTHER GROUPS
This is a hard one for me to do. I love being a part of the Facebook
community and often forget to engage with people through local
groups, meetup groups, or industry specific groups.
I used to attend at least one big event a year for QuickBooks Certified
Advisors – it was great networking for me, even though my ideal
customers weren’t there. I always met people who wanted to refer
their clients to me though.
Now, I attend WordCamp (a conference for people who use and/or

develop for the WordPress ecosystem). I should probably keep my
eyes open for other events that would support me.
You’ll see more about this in the “education” section of this book.
MARKETING ON MY “TO-DO LIST”

I’ve had a few things on my “to-do list” for a while, like podcasting and
getting back into creating simple online ads. I have a few other
priorities for 2017 that come first (updating course content for the
membership is a higher priority) and some things will have to wait a
little longer, but I wanted to mention them here anyway.
PODCASTING
I have a website called “AskLoralee.com” that I’ve been meaning to
turn into a podcasts series. It’s sitting there right now with a Speekpipe
voicemail service. Similar to what Pat Flynn (from Smart Passive
Income) uses on his podcast AskPat.
I’ve been planning to invite people to leave voice mail messages with
questions. Then, turning those questions into a YouTube video,
extracting the audio and uploading it as a podcast, and then posting
it on my blog, as a blog post (linking to the podcast, and the YouTube
video).
It seems relatively simple, but it just hasn’t happened yet. Who knows,
maybe by the time you read this, it will be up and running. If so, please
pop over to the website and ask me a question. I’d love to answer it
for you.
ONLINE FREE CLASSIFIEDS

There are probably thousands of online classified services where you
can list personal or business items and services for free. I used to keep
an eye open frequently (often daily) and even post a few ads. Now
that I have so many digital offerings, I think it’s a bit of a waste that I
haven’t taken advantage of these free services.
These are a few popular ones:
• Craigslist
• Close5.com (formerly ebay classifieds)
• Kijiji
• OLX.com
FREE PR OPTIONS
You might be wondering what I mean when I say, “Free PR”. I’m
referring to tapping into media outlets with information that helps
them tell their story by sharing your story.
You could try doing this with traditional news releases, but I haven’t
personally found much benefit from this approach. I think, if I was in
the software industry or had some big announcements that might help
a wider audience, I might try it.
But, what does work really well for me is to respond to queries that
media outlets have posted. For instance, responding to a writer for
MSNBC who was interested in why people would housesit. Or, a writer
for the Huffington Post who was writing about how to deal with fear
while being an entrepreneur.

There was very little upfront work for me (just a simple email response)
and then I let them decide if I was a good fit for their story or not. I just
went on with my work day / week / month, and if they responded
back, they responded. If not, no big deal.
I think it’s been my ‘who cares’ attitude that’s made it easier for me.
Many people tell me they’ve tried using the sources I use but find
themselves stressed or bothered because no one responds to them.
Maybe I’m just lucky but it’s been close to a 50% response rate for me.
When I look back at the number occasionally, mostly out of curiosity,
I can’t help wondering if my nonchalant attitude is read between the
lines of the emails I send. Either way, it works for me.
HOW TO CONNECT TO FREE PR SOURCES

1. Create some through connections you make in Facebook,
Twitter, and LinkedIn.
2. My favourite ways to be involved in the community is through
my subscription to HARO. If you haven’t heard of it, HARO
stands for Help a Reporter Out.
3. Sourcebottle is a great resource that I believe is curated in
Australia. It’s not nearly as extensive as HARO, but attracts
different sources that I’ve been happy to connect with,
including a couple of interesting podcasts.
Added benefits: each time a website links to my website there is a new

‘trackback link’ which increases my ranking in Google. Working with
reporters through HARO was one of the reasons my old company
ranked on the number 1 page for so long.
I’ve also created a short course on this method that you can find in
the Portable Biz Club, called “PR for Ordinary People” (not that I think
you’re “just ordinary” – maybe I should have named it “PR for Normal
People”).
VIDEO – USING VIDEO TO PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS

Video is everywhere, isn’t it? It’s funny though, I do everything I can to
avoid watching video, even though I still create a lot of it myself.
I used to recommend so many different tools. Now, I just have one for
my video recordings, Screencast-o-matic Pro (SOM). I use SOM to
record videos and upload files to places like YouTube, Vimeo, etc. or
I can edit them first like I would if I used Camtasia (except that it
doesn’t slow down my computer like Camtasia does).
In fact, I can create one video after the other and let them process in
the background without slowing down the next video. Something I
know is a challenge with a lot of other tools (except Screenflow for
Mac).
The use of video is one of the best ways for you to build the “Know,
Like, and Trust Factor”, even if you don’t want to be “on camera” like
me.
If your potential and current customers can connect with you via
video, they are more likely to purchase from you later (or so the
statistics tell us). Plus, there’s some hard evidence that claims video is
still considered much more valuable than the written word. Which is a
bit hard to believe, when I can crank out a video in 15 minutes, but it
takes weeks or months to finish a book. But, I’m not here to argue with
the facts, not right now, anyway.
AFFILIATE ARMY
I haven’t tapped into my own affiliate program very much, yet. I do
purchase an annual license for an affiliate plugin that helps me help
other people promote my products and programs while earning a bit
of extra money themselves.

Although it sounds like a really easy way to earn some extra money in
your business, affiliate programs are a lot of work to set up. Plus, they
are best done once you know your sales pages are truly effective, that
your onboarding system is flawless, and you’re confident you have the
right pricing structure.
Until then, I encourage people to start with a basic old fashioned (but
updated for this millennium) referral system. For example, instead of
setting up and installing an affiliate system, you can duplicate a page
on your website, just for your online friend Joanne. You could modify
the page to mention that this page is for friends of “Joanne” and when
someone purchases, you pay the commission to Joanne.
Or, you can track referral sales by offering a special coupon to your
referral partner. Whenever the coupon code is used, you pay out their
referral commission.
See how much easier that feels?

Tracking Traffic 39
TRACKING TRAFFIC
Analytics might sound completely boring, but it’s integral if you want
to track your growth and to help you make changes when things
aren’t going exactly the way you hoped they would. Knowing your
numbers will make it easier to connect with new Joint Venture (JV)
opportunities and keep your website health in check.
Plus, you may notice spikes in website traffic from bad bots and take
immediate action to clean things up faster.
If you’re blogging and would like to attract Joint Venture partners or

paid advertising at some point, having Google Analytics history
installed early, tracking your progress, will be incredibly helpful.
If it’s just for yourself, you’ll still benefit from having the information
available, even if it’s just to look at it once a year.

The tools I use are Google Analytics, Jetpack and the Facebook
Pixel. I have accounts and occasionally use Mixpanel, hotjar and
Segment.io.
I also use Neatly.io and the Bloglovin’ dashboards to track
performance from one location. If I need to dig in deeper, then I
go to the source tool (like Facebook or Google Analytics).
My total expense in this category is $0.00
In this section, we’re talking about traffic – not only traffic to your
website, but also learning what visitors to your social media profiles are
doing.
If you aren’t tracking right now, please install the FB pixel and set
up google analytics on your website (it can be as easy as
copy/pasting a code snippet). Let those tools start building up
information in the background, so that when you’re ready to use it,
you’ll have data to look at and make decisions with.
GOOGLE ANALYTICS AND CPANEL STATS

Spend time learning who is visiting your website, where they exit or
enter your website, who has referred them, etc. There are many
programs you can use.
These are the ones I use:
• Google Analytics
• Jetpack - I already have the JetPack plugin installed for
other things and it has a really easy to read tracker.
• Awstats - the CPanel of your website will have some detail
statistics as well, but it’s rarely as informative as Google
Analytics
Tracking Traffic 41
BIT.LY
The Bit.ly website will shorten a website address for you to use in
Facebook, Twitter, or other social media. It’s a default in programs like
Tweetdeck, Hootsuite, and Buffer. But, you may not know that you can
also log into your account with them and actually track how many
people have clicked on the links you’ve sent out.
While looking at that data, you can begin to revise your “copy” or the
wording in your messages. If you find a high click rate with keywords
or a certain style, then keep it up.
Sometimes I’ll only have 2 or 3 people click through from 3000

followers. Knowing that what I said really didn’t connect with anyone,
helps me to figure out which wording will work better.
URL SHORTENERS
When you see links from me with LoraleeRecommends.com at the
beginning, or Herportable.biz, that’s from my URL shortener. I’m using
a software service from Short.cm to convert a domain I purchased into
a shortener, similar to Bit.ly. What I didn’t know when I set this up, is that
Bit.ly offers the same service (also free, I believe).
I primarily use these URL shortners for affiliate links (tools or services I
recommend) or when I want to share something from my shop and
the URL is really long.
For example, I might want to make this URL shorter:

http://loraleehutton.com/shop/the-fairy-tale-princess-
entrepreneur-kindle-edition/
By changing it to: herportable.biz/princess
They both go to the same place, but the second one is a bit easier on
the eyes and to remember.

For years I used a WordPress plugin called Pretty Lite. It’s a good plugin
(even the free version) but when I moved website hosts or had my
website down for maintenance, my short links didn’t work. Last year I
moved everything to short.cm and haven’t looked back.
I can easily see what links are working (just like I spoke about with the
social media shorteners with Bit.ly) and I don’t have to log into my
website to create it or look up one I created last year. I just click
through to short.cm, paste the URL, and it’s ready to share.
TRACKING DASHBOARDS
Having so many places to look up information can get a bit
overwhelming. There’s only so many hours in the day, and it’s
something that can easily be forgotten about. Thankfully, there are
more tools becoming available that help pull the data together.
Although, most of them cost a lot (upwards of $200 per month). There
are two that are good, in the free category. One is Neatly.io and the
other is Priceonomics.
They both serve slightly different purposes. Priceonomics is more

focused on social media traffic and the number of hits a blog post
might receive. Where Neatly.io will pull in data from your customer
service portal, knowledge base, email service provider, accounting
software and Google Analytics. Neatly.io has just recently moved to a
completely free / freemium model (they have another core business
that brings in revenue) and Priceonomics offers a generous free plan,
with options to upgrade.
Activate.Bloglovin is a great tool for marketing if you’re blogging

regularly. It’s also got an amazing dashboard, so that you can see in
an instant how big your reach is across all networks, your blog traffic
(growth), the demographics of your audience, and you can easily see
your most recent blog posts, Instagram posts, Twitter posts, and
engagement information.
Tracking Traffic 43
ACTION YOU MAY WANT TO TAKE

o Add Facebook tracking pixel to your website
o Set up Google Analytics

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS
Earlier we talked about communications. In this chapter, we break it
down to the customer level. I’ve worked with a dozen or so CRMS
(customer relationship managers) like Pipedrive, Nutshell,
ActiveCampaign, Insightly, Zoho, Nimble, and Contactually. None of
them are perfect, so most recently I’ve switched back to the free
Hubspot account and it’s just as good (maybe better) than a lot of
the others.
The tools I mention here are Gmail, Hubspot CRM, Outlook,

Freshdesk, Tawk.to, Olark, Crisp, and Typeform.
Customer Relationships 45
Since email is still the place where much of customer relationships

branches from for me, I thought we could start here.
EMAIL SYSTEMS
A few years back I switched from using multiple email addresses,
(flowing into a desktop email setup - with frankly, some pretty chaotic
settings) to using Gmail as my hub.
It wasn’t my first choice and I guess that’s why it took me so long to

convert. But, almost every other tool out there works with Gmail, so it’s
easy to still use a desktop client, while also keeping things synced with
my phone, or any other device I might be using.
Syncing being the most important word… I know so many people who
still struggle with emails getting deleted on one device, or not being
able to find an email because they initially received it on their phone,
and they’re not sure where it went later.
If you don’t use Gmail, you can still create the same functionality, by
setting all of your devices to receive email through imap, and use the
same folder structure everywhere. The most important thing here is to
create a system that works for you and that will stop you from wasting
time.
Along with that change, I also made the switch to Google Calendars,
for the same reasons. It works with everything out there. All operating
systems and all devices.
CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGEMENT TOOLS

For some people an actual CRM tool is where they’re going to start
their day. If you’re providing services or coaching, it might be what
you’ll look for too. With a CRM tool, you can keep track of calls you’ve
made, follow up with specific people at the right time, and help you
close the deal just a little faster / easier.

I mentioned Hubspot earlier, and it’s the new favorite on the scene.
It’s mostly known for their expensive email systems, but their CRM tool
is completely free. Like any freemium product, I’m sure they hope
you’ll eventually graduate to their paid program (and you might) but
I haven’t noticed any pressure to upgrade.
One way I’m using my CRM is to help me stay in contact with potential
affiliates. So, instead of the terms you may have seen in other sales
tools, I’ve used these terms, so I can measure how things are going.
• Active Member
• Facebook Contact
• Request Affiliate Info
• Actively Promotes
Like I mentioned earlier, I’m not leveraging affiliate promotion as

much as I could, so we’ll have to see how this Hubspot strategy pans
out. I imagine it will change a bit over time, as everything does.
KNOWLEDGE BASE
I use Freshdesk for initial contact and my knowledge base. If you’ve
been to the contact page on my site, or clicked on support, then
you’ve probably seen this form. On one side, it offers self serve options
(with answers I’ve added – if I don’t update it, it can become stale),
and the other side is a traditional contact form.
The emails all go to Freshdesk, but are also copied to my Gmail

account, so I can answer from either my inbox or from Freshdesk.
Although, I prefer answering in Freshdesk because I have a lot of the
most common questions answered there already, and I can pre-
populate my emails with bits of content, saving me lots of time. This is
especially helpful for those emails where people are offering to guest
blog post on my site, or they’d like me to add a link to one of my
resource pages.
Their free account comes with unlimited accounts (something new, it

used to be limited to 3), so I can have a VA help with my support desk
when things are busier, and then scale back to just being me, when
things are slow.
CHAT PLUGIN
My chat plugin helps me stay connected in real time, and also has
helped me save sales on more than one occasion.
You’ve likely seen the pop up message on my site letting you know I’m
available to chat when I’m online. Maybe you’ve even said “Hi” back.
Lots of people tell me how surprised they are to talk to a real human.
Go figure.
This has been, by far, the best way for me to create new relationships
with completely random people who are seeking out advice that’s
already on my website.
I’m sure the idea of having a live chat sounds overwhelming to a lot
of people, but keep in mind you can set your own hours. You don’t
need to be there all day.
Or, if you’re like me, you can leave it running in the background, and
decide if you want to answer a call or not.
I’m using Tawk.to (completely free, no upgrades or limitations), but

I’ve also been happy with Olark, and Crisp, if you’re looking for
alternatives.
A chat plugin in many ways feels like the doorbell on a physical

storefront. It rings when a customer comes in. I can let them know I’m

available if they need anything, and then let them go about their
business. If they need me, they can ask for help. If not, no pressure.
It feels natural and it’s a great fit for the type of business I want to be
running.
SURVEYING CLIENTS OR LIST

I’m probably not using surveys as much as I should. But when I do, I
have some good templates to start from and tools I can easily use.
WHY CREATE A SURVEY?

1. Clients like to know you care. Give them a chance to provide
regular feedback.
2. When asking the right questions, you can find out what your
clients really need. You might be able to create a brand-new
product, or revise one you currently have.
3. It’s a chance to educate your clients on what
products/services you provide that they might not have been
aware of.
I tend to gravitate to Typeform or Google Forms. They’re both fairly
easy to set up and look good on mobile devices, where most people
are completing surveys now.
There’s also Jotform.com and SurveyMonkey to consider, if you’re

looking for alternatives.

ACCOUNTING AND LEGAL
I’ve been very lucky to continue receiving free premium accounting
software, because of my past career as an accountant. But I also
have used and worked with many other free tools that are excellent
alternatives to shoebox accounting or tracking in an excel
spreadsheet.
The tools I mention here are WaveApps, Freshbooks, QuickBooks

Online, 17Hats, Satori, Dubsado, Shoeboxed, and Lawtrades.
WAVEAPP
While I still have a wave account, I mainly keep it so I can support
others and troubleshoot. I don’t balance my accounts there anymore,
because I have the accountant edition of QuickBooks Online (as a
free perk). Otherwise, I would still use it, I think.
Accounting and Legal 51
Wave has been given 2 thumbs up from our online community

members from South Africa, to Australia, to Europe, and throughout
North America. They support over 10,000 banking institutions, making
it quite likely they’ll be able to provide you with service wherever you
are in the world. Plus, they will sync your sales from Paypal and Etsy.
While writing this book, I reconnected with my WaveApp account and

set up their new credit card system (previously they used Stripe) and it
was incredibly easy. I needed to scan my driver's license and within 5
minutes my account was approved and ready to accept payments.
Deposits are made into my account within 2 days (Stripe takes 7 days)
and the transaction fees are the same. I suspect I’ll close out my
Freshbooks account and use Wave the next time I offer time based
work.
The biggest reason I can think of, to use a tool like WaveApp, is that it
regularly imports your banking info, so that you’re not scrambling later
to get everything in order. All you really need to do is log in, and make
sure everything is assigned to the right accounts (often their
assumptions are wrong or they post to an uncategorized account,
until you tell them differently). And then, review, revise and grow.
FRESHBOOKS
I also have a lifetime free bookkeeper Freshbooks* account. I see a lot
of people paying $19/month for the paid version and I try to
recommend steering clear because it’s only part of the accounting
puzzle. There are lots of other invoicing tools available that can help
you with your full cycle. But I’ve still included a link, with my referral
code.
SHOEBOXED
I still send my receipts to ShoeBoxed.com* primarily because I want to
be using it when I share my affiliate links with you. They pay a generous
fee, just for free account sign ups. Plus, the service is quite good. You

can snap images of your receipts and they’ll be ready to import into
your accounting software. You can send them all of your paper
receipts and they’ll be scanned and stored so you don’t have to worry
about tax compliance.
Then again, you could just take pictures of your receipts on your
phone, store them in OneDrive or Google Docs, and upload them to
Wave, which might be even easier.
ALL-IN-ONE
Earlier I mentioned services like 17hats*, Satori*, and Dubsado. I know
17hats will connect with many bank services already and I believe the
other two have this option coming in the future. These may help you
streamline in this category too, although they come with a price tag
(approx. $30)
CONTRACTS AND LEGAL FORMS

When I need to sign a contract electronically, I use Hellosign. When I
need to source out legal documents (like privacy agreements, terms
of service, independent contractor agreement, etc.), I use free
account from LawTrades.com.
Website and Design 53
WEBSITE AND DESIGN

Personally, this is where I spend most of my budget. I take advantage
of the best pricing for hosting that I can (prepaying for 3 years in
advance, while there’s a sale) and purchasing lifetime licenses for the
theme I use on my site. But it’s still expensive. However, it doesn’t have
to be for you though.
I use Hostgator, Siteground, Divi from Elegant Themes, Godaddy. I

also mention Namecheap, Responsive, and Twenty Seventeen
WordPress themes in this chapter.
My total website costs are approximately $30/month.
In the ‘payments section’ I’ll talk more about shopping carts and
website integration. But, if you don’t have to have a shopping cart,
and your main business isn’t blogging, or you have courses delivered
on another platform, then a basic shared hosting plan will be more
than enough for a long time.

I still have a Hostgator* account that I use for all of my smaller projects.
And a slightly better package at Siteground*, for my main site. I’ll need
to upgrade again for this site within the next year, but I’ll wait for their
next sale (unless something prompts me sooner).
THERE ARE 4 BASIC DECISIONS TO MAKE ABOUT WEBSITES

1. What platform to use (most people turn to WordPress because
it connects to almost everything).
2. Where to host your website (this is the place where your
content lives).
3. Where to buy your URL (the address people type in to find you,
this is also called a domain. This address then points to the
place where your website content resides – Your Website Host /
Server).
4. What your website needs to provide to your visitors (Will they
need to login for purchases? Or courses? Or are they there just
to read your blog or look at your services page?)
Depending on the answers to your questions, you may want to build

out your business on a platform like Thinkific, Teachable, or Kajabi if
you’re offering a lot of course content. If you’re selling digital and
physical products, you might choose a platform like Shopify, or Etsy,
and skip the whole WordPress website entirely.
Weigh out the pros and cons and choose something you believe will
serve you in the short term but will also grow with you at least for the
next few years.
DOMAIN NAMES
I’ve moved all of my domains to GoDaddy because I kept forgetting
when I needed to renew, when I had them registered all over the
place. My emails often ended up in spam folder so having them in
one place just makes so much more sense.
ALTERNATIVES:
• NameCheap
• Directly from your website host, when setting up your hosting.
HOSTING SERVICE
I’ve used Hostgator since 2009, but have also had accounts with
DreamHost, a small orange, GoDaddy, WordPress hosting, and
Siteground.
Hostgator has been my “steady eddy” and any new project I start, is
started there. If it grows and requires a faster more dedicated plan,
then I consider a different account.
The reasons I stay with Hostgator (the baby plan) are because it
includes:
1. The small package will limit the size of your uploads (usually 8
MB). A typical 1 hour conference call recording is about 10MB,
and most videos are at least 24MB. You’ll end up spending
money on hosting your audio and video somewhere else.
Easier to spend the extra $5 here instead.
2. Super easy WordPress blog installation.
3. They have unlimited domains (meaning I can add in anything
I’d like to the account, so I can test to my heart’s content).
4. I can add on an SSL certificate for a small fee (something most
of us need to have on our sites now). At the moment I’m letting
my smaller sites go without since they’re not collecting any
sensitive visitor information.
Siteground is my newest friend. It includes an SSL certificate and

everything was really easy to set up.
However, I’m not incredibly fond of their rules to limit traffic. I was a bit
misinformed about what “visits” meant. Assuming they meant website

visitors, not every single page load (including my own, bot visits, and
calls made by web hooks).
I’ve found myself bumping into their thresholds quite often, to the point
of having my site shut down for hours at a time. But, having said that,
their staff have been helpful and I have to believe that I’m tightening
up some loose ends that may have been problematic for years,
without me realizing it.
THEMES FOR YOUR WEBSITE - WORDPRESS

There are plenty of free themes when you’re getting started. I’ve also
paid for some themes (Woothemes and Elegant Themes), and most
often I work with Divi from Elegant Themes.
After being an annual member since 2011 I’ve purchased a lifetime

account this past year.
But I still occasionally use these other free themes.
• Twenty Seventeen, from Automattic (the creators of WordPress)

• Responsive, by Cyberchimp
CREATING FORUMS AND MEMBERSHIP SITES

We’ll look at this a bit more in the Product/Creation section, but
creating a forum or environment for your clients and customers to
communicate with each other isn’t right for everyone. But if it’s right
for your business, you might be able to learn from my mistakes in this
area.
I’ve tried working with, what feels like, hundreds of options in this area.
I’ve used s2member, CoursesPress, LifterLMS, WPComplete, Wishlist,
Kajabi, Rainmaker, Zippy Courses, and many more.
They all make claims to have discussion areas, but what I consider
discussion, and what they consider discussion is two very different
things. They usually have some form of commenting system (similar to
what you use on your blog) and while that can create discussion on a
specific course lesson, or page (which is great), there’s no room for
things like:
• Job postings / help wanted

• A place to post products and promotions
• Create lists
Some that do fit the bill, but were a bit hard for members to dig into
were:
• Discourse (my favorite – although technically quite hard to set

up)
• bbPress
MY CURRENT WORDPRESS PLUGINS

• AffiliateWP
• Groups
• Woocommerce
• Jetpack
• WordPress Editorial
• WP Rocket
• WPComplete Pro
• Yoast SEO

CREATION, WRITING AND PRODUCTS
Capturing the information you have in your head – the things you’ve
learned during your career, and already taught to other people – can
sound easy, or overwhelming. Wherever you are on the spectrum,
know that it’s possible. Sometimes it’s a lot of work, but there are other
people who’ve done it before, and are willing to help you capture it,
and share it with others.
It’s absolutely possible.
I tend to create written documents or tutorial videos, so that’s what

you’ll see in my toolbox below.
You might prefer to create mp3 recordings (meditations, self help

talks, etc.) or digital art. However, your creative style works, there will
be a tool (or combination of tools) to get the job done.
Creation, Writing and Products 59
In this chapter I talk about Google Docs, OneNote, Word,

Printfriendly, Beacon, Placeit, MagicMockups, Pixlr (express and full
editor), Canva, Unsplash, Deposit Photo, SmallPDF, TinyPNG,
PDFescape, and Calibre.
My total costs are $10.00 (for Microsoft Office 365)
WRITING PROGRAMS
I use Google Docs, OneNote, and Word for most of my writing projects.
I also own Scrivener (purchased through an appsumo deal several
years ago), but it’s not nearly as feature rich for PC as it is for Mac, so
I gravitate to Word for big projects (like this book).
GOOGLE DOCS
For small projects, like1-2 page pdfs, I tend to use Google Docs, as well
as group collaborations on a single document.
ONENOTE
For several years, I also followed the trend and used Evernote, but
never really got into it. I’ve since switched back to OneNote
(something I’d loved since early 2006) and I’m really enjoying it.
There are a lot of resources out there to help you make your own
decision. I’ll include a link to some of them on the resource page of
this book.
MICROSOFT WORD
For anything bigger than a couple of pages, I use Word (Microsoft
365). I love that I can create my own themes and apply them quickly
to any document I create. Making the doc my own – fitting my brand
style quickly.
You can do this in Google Docs too, but it’s not as detailed or option
rich, in my opinion.

CREATE PDF FILES EASILY
Saving documents as PDFs are an essential part of creating an eBook,
but also equally essential in all areas of your business.
Why use a PDF? It’s a small file that can be sent easily by email, can
be opened by anyone with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader, and it
“locks in” the contents of the document. This is different than sending
a Word document which can be easily modified or edited.
CREATING KINDLE BOOKS

The first time I created a Kindle book was for a client while I was
offering tech VA services. Thankfully she knew it was my first time and
hadn’t hired me with the expectation I would get it done in an hour.
I naively thought it would be as easy as turning a Word document into

a PDF or at the very worst case scenario, working with a finicky blog
post.
Twelve long hours later, I knew I was very, very wrong.
Thankfully, I had an online friend who had written a very detailed book
about publishing to Kindle with free tools. And, I learned how to do it
the right way, by turning the book into clean HTML and using a tool
called Calibre to convert to the format that creates a nice-looking
Kindle book.
It doesn’t take me 12 hours anymore, but it does require a bit of

stubbornness and focus to get it looking great, so that people will give
you the 5-star rating you’re looking for.
COMPILE PDF FROM CONTENT YOU ALREADY HAVE

If you’ve been writing blog posts for any length of time, you can
probably organize some of your blogs into a package and offer them
up as a free opt in on your website. That might sound silly since people
could just read the posts on your blog, but posts get lost in the shuffle
and people often prefer something they can download and read
later.
PRINTFRIENDLY
One really easy tool I use is Printfriendly.com. It’s hard to explain how
simple it is to use. You really just paste a URL into their homepage and
it creates a print friendly version that you can edit and save as a PDF.
BEACON
Beacon.by is another free option, although they have a fairly
noticeable logo on the bottom of your PDF reports. What I find really
interesting about this one is that it connects with the Hubspot free CRM
tool I mentioned earlier, so that you can see how successful your
content is.
You can then make changes to the PDF so that it is more beneficial to
your readers, without having to ask them for individual feedback.
Quite an interesting approach that you may see me using a lot more
this year.
EBOOK COVER CREATOR AND DIGITAL PRODUCT MOCKUPS

There aren’t many great free options in this category, so I’ve
purchased a license* to a software so I don’t need to search each
time.
Here are a few alternatives that I use for different projects
• Placeit.net – free for small images that you would use on your
website, paid for larger ones that you might need if it’s on the
top of a sales page, for example.
• 2D covers are easy to create with Canva
• MagicMockups.com
• Find a service provider on Fiverr

COMPRESSING PDFS BEFORE SELLING OR GIVING THEM AWAY
Regardless of where I create my PDF, I find that the file size can be
huge. Especially if I add a lot of image files. If I create one in Canva,
for example, it may be 10MB or more, which isn’t much if you’re
planning to watch Netflix, but it can be a bit too big if your readers
are downloading on their mobile phones.
Smallpdf.com is the tool I use to compress my PDFs. Always double

check the quality later to make sure your images aren’t blurry, just in
case. If they are, it might be better to compress the images in your
document first (make them web-ready) before saving it as a PDF, and
then try compressing again. They even have a WordPress plugin.
FILLABLE PDFS
Pdfdescape is a tool to create fillable PDFs where people can add
their own words, check off boxes, etc.
PACKAGING DIGITAL PRODUCTS

After finishing the ebook, short report, or checklist, there’s still a few
other steps to take.
ZIP UP OR COMPRESS
If there’s more than one piece of content (a report plus a checklist)
then I use the .zip tool that’s part of Windows
Highlight both items > right click > send to > compressed zip folder
It’s almost always easier to send everything in one file, if possible.
CREATE A DIGITAL MOCKUP OR COVER

We’ll go over this in another section, but you’ll also need to create
some kind of digital representation of your product. There are lots of
places where you can make digital mockups (see my list below).
IMAGE EDITING AND CREATION

As much as I resisted it, I’ve had to learn a lot about putting images
together. It’s not a natural talent for me and I still struggle with it.
Sometimes I feel like image creation is 40% of my job. I need to create

them for Instagram, Facebook, blog posts, course image covers,
inside the content of courses, inside newsletters, free opt in headers
and the list goes on and on (sorry if that’s too depressing to read).
Thankfully, there are better tools available today than there were 5
years ago that help me line up text elements and stop me from
making really big mistakes. Plus, there are lots of great teachers out
there too.
If you’re stuck with something, ask for feedback in groups, or search

Youtube for a tutorial. It can make a huge difference in how quickly
people are willing to buy what you’re offering.
CREATING AND EDITING IMAGES AND LOGOS

This may be something you’d prefer to outsource. But if you have the
desire to create some of your own graphics, especially simpler things
like blog images and social graphics, here’s a list of tools I use.
CANVA
I use canva for to create flat, 2D images. It has fantastic templates,
and for some people it makes sense to have a paid account ($10/mo)
GET STENCIL
I use Stencil to create images I share on social media, and blog post
covers (I paid for a lifetime Pro account last year), and have created
templates that I can use over and over again.

MICROSOFT PAINT.NET WITH PSD
I’ve been using this for years instead of Photoshop. I’m not sure I’d
recommend picking it up if you’ve never used it before. It’s dated in
appearance, but it works just fine for the projects I need it for.
PAINT
That little tool in Windows Accessories is still great if you want to open
an image and quickly resize it for a blog post or to insert into a
document you’re working on.
Often images from our phones are over 3000 pixels wide (way too big
for web images) and if I right click, open in Paint, click “resize”, reduce
the size by 40% and save it again (with the same filename, or new) I’ll
save a lot more time than using an online tool.
PIXLR
I use the full version for editing or creating logos or anything with a
transparent background. I use their express version for anything else.
For example, lightening up a dark image, adding a border or text, or
cropping an image to a size that would better suit the project I’m
working on.
LOGOMKR.COM
I use this to create really quick transparent logos. Something I might
need on the fly or just to test out a concept idea with someone.
STOCK PHOTOS
1. Unsplash
2. Gratisography
3. Depositphoto
Click here Click here to see my ever-growing list of stock photo sites.
COMPRESS YOUR IMAGES FOR THE WEB

When I have a few images I need to compress (or even just one) I go
to Tinypng.com, drop my image on their browser, and they compress
the image file for me (similar to how Smallpdf compresses a PDF).
Then, I download the new version and upload it to my website or the

project I’m working on.
SIGNATURE ON WEB DOCUMENTS

I used to see people including their signature at the bottom of their
articles, newsletters, and on their website (usually just their first name).
Do you want to know the easy way to do this?

1. Take a clean white piece of paper.
2. Write your first name (preferably with a thick/bold ink).
3. Put it on your scanner and scan the image to your computer.
4. Insert this image into any document for a personalized look.
It’s easy to make it look Just like this:
(Obviously, use your name, not mine😊)
LIVE TRAINING AND RECORDING

Webinars are still a vital part of most businesses online, just not mine,
because I don’t like to rely on my finicky health situation.
I’m better off recording and sending something out than scheduling
live. Although, it’s debatable about the effectiveness of doing it this
way. I suspect people don’t take action as often when there’s always
a recording available. There really is something to be said for creating
some “urgency” in your strategy. It gives people the nudge to either
say yes or no, instead of “maybe later”.
VIDEO – TO CREATE PRODUCTS AND PROMO’S

We talked about video for marketing earlier, and I use the same tools
to create videos for courses, tutorials on YouTube, my blog, or my
Freshdesk knowledge base.

There’s something to be said about having video content vs just
written content. It often increased the perceived value of the
information you’re sharing. So, it’s worth adding to the mix, even if you
don’t want to turn the camera on yourself (like me).
Currently, most of my videos (over 750, mostly short videos) are still
hosted on Teachable, Google Drive, or Youtube, although I do have
some buckets on Amazon s3 that I may start using again, as I continue
my transition back to WordPress.
WEBINAR TOOLS
If I were to begin hosting live training again, I may use one of these:
• I have a lifetime pro account of MeetingBurner that’s incredibly
simple to save/record calls (they haven’t updated their
platform for years though – it’s dated.
• I also purchased a lifetime account with WebinarNinja that I
haven’t used since my 2 year webinar hiatus started – but I plan
to use it soon.
• Zoom is another great option and one I’ve used most recently
with my Mastermind partners. Our weekly face to face meetups
on Zoom are recorded just in case there was a piece of wisdom
we really wanted to capture.
But, by far the easiest, and completely free way to create your own
webinar is with this tried and true setup: (you’ve seen “big gurus” using
it regularly in the past year)
1. Use this combo of tools

a. Your website for a landing page (or MailerLite*)
b. Youtube Live
c. ChaTango
d. Powerpoint, Keynote or Google Slide presentation
2. Create a page on your website where you’ll host the live
webinar (save the URL for upcoming steps)
3. Create your landing page inviting people to join
4. Create the thank you page, with information about the call,
the URL from step 2, and share links so they can invite their
friends
5. Create scheduled emails sent 1 day before, 1-3 hours before,
and 10 minutes before the call starts, with links to your live
event, and reminders to share the opt in form with their friends
6. Setup your Youtube Live event and paste the code they give
you, into the page you created in step 2
7. Create an account with Chatango and add the code they
provide to the same page
8. Prepare your presentation (Keynote, PowerPoint or Google
Slides will all work fine – use the tools you’re familiar with)
9. If possible, have 2 monitors available so you can monitor the
chat and present the webinar at the same time.
Before your call, check that everything is set up as it should be, and
then set your Youtube video to live. The chat will happen on the same
page, so sometimes it’s good to have two monitors, but you can also
tell people that you’ll answer questions at the end of the call, and
save them all for later.
TELEPROMPTER
I don’t use a teleprompter myself, but people often ask about this one,
so I’m including it. Just cut and paste your text onto the screen in your
browser at cueprompter.com, click “start prompter” and your text will
begin to scroll up the page for you, so you can effortlessly talk into
your webcam and do a presentation without looking at your notes.
FORUMS AND GROUP WORK

Depending on which course or program I’m putting together, I need
to decide if it will be self study, or if it needs a group element. If I’m
able to provide what everyone needs, without group interaction
great, but often people see better results when they have built in
accountability.

FACEBOOK GROUPS
Most people create Facebook groups. It makes the most sense, as it’s
where people already are. But if you want something that’s yours, or
wish your people don’t need as many distractions, there are a few
alternatives out there.
I’m using Slack right now, but have also used bbPress, BuddyPress, and
Discourse.
The lack of good alternatives in this area is what took me away from
my Teachable school and why I haven’t built on Kajabi or Thinkific.
Most have ‘discussion’ listed as features, but they’re just commenting
systems, like on blog posts. These are fine for discussion, but I look for
places to compile lists, create directories, past “offered”, and wanted
postings that expire, etc.
CREATING ECOURSES
The simplest way to create an ecourse is to blaze through creating the
course content and pasting it into your email service provider. Or,
opening up the email autoresponder and typing your course right into
the email.
Even better than that, create an opt-in offer that promotes your
course. Prepare your welcome letter, lesson one, and your outline.
And only create lesson 2, 3, and 4, after your first person signs up for
lesson 1.
As long as you can stay 1 day ahead of them, you’re golden, and
there’s a great energy that often flows when you’re truly writing for
people who have already signed up to hear (read) the rest of what
you’re offering.
MAILCHIMP – FOR AUTORESPONDER ECOURSE DELIVERY

Ecourses can be delivered easily through MailChimp with their
autoresponder feature. Click on the Education workflow and it will
populate a series of email templates in the automation feature. Adjust
the dates and times of the emails and then add your content.
MAILERLITE – FOR ECOURSES

It’s similar in MailerLite*. Go to Automations and create a workflow.
Give it a name and begin adding your content.
You can customize things a bit more here to make sure they’re not in
a specific group already (i.e. Receiving another email series, and you
don’t want to over clog their inbox), or wait until a specific date (like
the official launch date of a live course).

SALES/DELIVERY/PAYMENTS
In this chapter I talk about Woocommerce, Paypal, Stripe,

Gumroad, WaveApps, 17Hats, and Ontrapages.
My total costs are $20.00 (mostly WordPress plugins)
Before you can start earning, customers need a place to look at your
offers. In comes the topic of sales pages.
And before we dive into this chapter, I think this might be the perfect
time to explain how my online shop works. I sell digital products (like
eBooks, template packages, image bundles, and courses) as well as
recurring memberships that includes access to the online courses (and
other digital downloads). I offer coupon codes to existing members
and have affiliates who promote the membership.
Sales/Delivery/Payments 71
My shop setup is a lot more complicated than it was when I was

offering Tech VA services and consulting, but it’s also possible to build
on a small budget. Occasionally I still offer 1:1 appointments, so I’ll
include information on how that setup works as well.
Selling digital products, the way I have it set up, isn’t that much
different from selling physical products (like t-shirts or custom made
jewelry) except that I don’t need to physically ship anything. And, the
customer can have immediate access.
But the security, extra maintenance, a slightly bigger website hosting

package, and no way of getting around the extra expense of a
private SSL certificate, is all the same.
If you’re providing a service, and maybe 1 or 2 digital products, I

would avoid the setup I’m using, and either use a company who will
send invoices on your behalf (like 17hats, Dubsado, or WaveApp), use
a Jotform sales page, or a digital delivery system like Gumroad (I’ll talk
more about this in a bit).
CREATING SALES PAGES

Creating sales pages used to be one of the most complicated pieces
of the puzzle, which is why Leadpages became so popular. But in the
past few years most themes developed options to turn off the header
and sidebars, making it really easy to create a sales page right on your
website. No extra tools needed.
But, it’s still worth knowing other options, especially if your site is a tiny
bit slow to load.
ONTRAPAGES
Ontrapages.com looks just like any typical sales page, with the
exception of the logo at the bottom of the page. I’m not a huge fan
of that part, but if you want to get something online quickly, and your

website isn’t able to create a distraction free page, then this is a
decent alternative.
JOTFORMS
Creating a landing page with Jotforms.com is quite similar to creating
a basic form. They some really nice templates that integrate with
PayPal or Stripe, allowing you to create a simple sales page, with a
confirmation page, and email. There is no obvious jotform branding,
(except their URL) and you can copy and paste the code directly
onto your website (any website) to avoid their URL from displaying in
the browser. It’s nice to be able to share a URL from your own website,
whenever possible, instead of jotforms.com/my-landing-page-3 (you
get the idea! 😊)
SHOPPING CART
This is one thing that will probably never be completely free. There’s
always going to be some commission or cut taken by the payment
processor (i.e. PayPal, Stripe, square, etc.). But, you can avoid monthly
recurring costs with your shopping cart tool by choosing your tools
mindfully.
WOOCOMMERCE
I use Woocommerce for my online store, and although the core is free,
many of the plugins I add onto it, are not.
Keep in mind that your shopping cart, email service provider, and
affiliate program, should all talk together nicely – sometimes this is
where an all in one solution could work better than what I’m using.
My Woocommerce integration includes PayPal, Stripe, and the option
for someone to send me a bank transfer (slightly manual process, but
it works).
Sales/Delivery/Payments 73
PAYPAL
You can create a simple shopping cart with your PayPal Account.
Setting up an account with PayPal is simple, but there are a few
additional steps and time involved to set up a business account. It’s
worth it.
Verifying your account can take up to one week, so keep that in mind
if you’re getting ready for a sale and want to add a shopping cart
tomorrow. It won’t be ready in time.
You may even want to use a Paypal.me link to keep things really
simple. There are a couple of downsides though.
You may still need to create an invoice / receipt for your customer
after the fact.
There's no "Thank you" redirection where you can give them

information about their purchase.
But, in some cases it's all you'll need. And, it's super easy to use.
STRIPE
Stripe and PayPal are the most popular now, If you want a great
affiliate program and payments collected, you can consider
Gumroad (especially if you’re mostly offering digital downloads, or
something you can deliver with a PDF, mp3, or video file).
GUMROAD
Gumroad is one tool I continue to come back to as they keep adding
new features. They’ve grown from simple payment collection to a fully
functioning shopping cart, with an affiliate system built in. You can
collect money for presales of something you’re currently creating, sell
subscriptions, or even deliver course content (although, the course
layout isn’t as nice as I’d like it to be). They also include the ability to
add several items to their shopping cart before checking out.

It’s definitely worth considering, if you’d like to avoid the hassle and
tech challenges of a plugin or the cost of a tool like Samcart (limited
payment options for your client – credit card only), or Infusionsoft (big
initial investment, and ongoing costs). You can see an example store
at Gumroad.com/lahara (my sample store).
There are many other shopping cart options but these are probably
the simplest and most commonly accepted.
BOOKING EVENTS AND FILLING YOUR CLASSES

If you’re offering live events (even live online events), you could keep
it really simple and create an event on Eventbrite or create a
Facebook event.
I prefer to create an item in my Woocommerce shop, but again, that’s

because I already have it set up. If I didn’t, I’d use a simpler tool.
Support Systems 75
SUPPORT SYSTEMS
In this chapter I talk about Google Hangouts, Skype, Zoom and

Uberconference.
My total costs are $0.00
Although I do occasionally hire a VA or subcontractor
Being a solopreneur can be really lonely. Even for someone like me

who really values alone time.
Helping people feel like they’re supported in their business is

something I’ve been passionate about since I was very young (if
you’ve heard the story of my Grandad, you’ll understand why), so I
want to include some of the tools I use to make sure you feel
connected and supported.
You don’t need to feel lonely.

COWORKING
For some people, going to a place outside of their home allows them
to be more productive. I used to rent space in a coworking office
(although it wasn’t called that in 2003) and it helped me to leave my
work, at work. I’ve created a better routine for myself since then, but I
know there’s still a lot of value in having a unique space.
COWORKING PHYSICAL OFFICES

There are places in most major cities around the world where you can
rent space, even just for one day. Or, for a couple of days per month.
Coworking spaces charge as little as $25/month for a couple of days

in their space per month. And often provide you with access to
hundreds of other coworking locations (for example, the CoWorking
Visa mentioned below will grant you access of up to 3 days in
locations all over the world – you might even want to plan a cross
country trip, with a few days in each location)
Websites that might help you in your search:
• Desksurfing.net
• Coworkingmap.org
• Desknear.me
• Regus.ca
• CoWorking Visa (free)
VIRTUAL COWORKING
There’s a bit of overlap with Accountability partners here, but I’ve
often created 3 hour virtual Coworking events where people are all
working on some kind of project (not the same as a live class where
I’m the facilitator) and we check in at the top of the hour to make sure
we’re all still on track. The easiest way has been through a Google
group call and chat.
Support Systems 77
ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS
Sometimes I just need a little accountability, and I’ll post in a big
Facebook group, asking if a few other people are working on
something big and want to check in every hour or so.
Other times, I might need something a bit more formal. It might be 1

person that I check in with every day. Or a group of people, who are
all checking in every day.
People who are going through the same process with you will help you
stay on task, motivated and engaged.
MASTERMINDS
An organized mastermind might have a hefty price tag. Some of the
ones I’ve been in have cost hundreds of dollars per month, or even
five figures for a year. I’ve been in free masterminds that sort of fizzle
out, but they’re still worth pursuing.
MASTERMINDING AND ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS

Options for working with mastermind partners:
• Google plus has video conferencing - I haven't used it yet

• Google Hangouts
• Skype Chats
• Zoom
Teleseminar bridge lines (see section above with more details
about bridge lines)
WORKING OUTSIDE MY HOME
Several years ago, I needed regular outings, so I set aside money to
pop into Starbucks for an afternoon a few times per month.
I don’t crave that anymore, and instead prefer to have virtual coffee
meetings, virtual Coworking days and trips out are almost all personal.

I used to budget $5/month for a Starbucks coffee card - buy it (write
off as business expense) and use it to get a $2 coffee in the
morning...enjoy the ambiance of the café, and catch up on some of
my e-learning programs and teleseminars I didn’t get the chance to
attend live.
Education, Learning, Personal Development 79
EDUCATION, LEARNING, PERSONAL

DEVELOPMENT
When I started this new online business, I registered for every single
teleseminar I could. I’d attend the classes as though I were in college.
I took notes, implemented after the call and built up my business
muscles.
The tools I mention in this chapter are Mooclist and Udemy.

I budget between $100-300 in this category annually.
I set aside a small budget to attend some live events. But I also keep
my eyes and ears open for creative opportunities to have events paid
for from a company who my audience purchases from. You might
watch for opportunities from another small business who has even as
little as $300-500 for their advertising budget.

SPONSORSHIP
I was a Microsoft partner and part of their advocate program. They
offered to pay for me to attend a live event, so I took them up on the
offer, and they paid $500 for me to go to WDS in Portland (an annual
un-conference founded by Chris Guillebeau), if I would give away
some t-shirts and free gift cards on their behalf.
LEARNING ON A SMALL BUDGET

There’s really no reason to shy away from continued education on a
tiny budget. There are so many options available, if you’re willing to
self manage.
MOOC’S – MASSIVE ONLINE

MOOC List is an aggregator (directory) of course you can access
online. MOOC stands for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), and
the courses are offered by different providers. If there’s a topic or
concept you’d like to brush up on, mooc-list.com is great place to
start.
TRICK TO AVOID “FORGETTING” ABOUT RECURRING PAYMENTS

I’ve signed up for programs by using a prepaid credit card (it might
be called a Visa or Mastercard ‘gift card’ or ‘travel card’ where you
live). It helped me budget by purchasing a card for a specific value
that would get me through an entire 6-month program. Most can be
purchased for $4.95 per purchase (plus the value of the card)
I make sure to register the new prepaid card with my mailing address,
so that when I use it to make purchases online (little eBooks, HostGator
fees, domain purchases) it doesn’t create the common errors related
to “gift cards”.
I use prepaid cards because many programs don’t renew again for
months or years. I rarely remember, and then it just shows up on my
regular card when maybe I should have cancelled earlier (although I
Education, Learning, Personal Development 81
do try to mark purchases like this in my google calendar). It gives me

a chance to send them a note to say, “sorry, I should have cancelled
this earlier, can I still cancel now?”
I’m not referring to payment plans. If I’ve agreed to pay 4 payments

of $40, then obviously, those payments go through, regardless. I’m just
referring to things like the video tool or membership club that I
purchased with the idea of evaluating it within the year.
BETA TESTING
With increasing ease of creating online courses, there is always a need
for someone to beta test them. If you’re not familiar with the term
“beta testing”, it refers to the stage in a development cycle when a
product (usually in this case an online course or program) is partially
developed, but not quite ready for the public.
The creator may still need additional feedback, ideas on pricing or still
need to create video training, and they almost always appreciate a
quality testimonial.
I’ve participated in over 50 beta programs, some paid, but mostly

free, in exchange for quality feedback and testimonials. Thousands
and thousands of dollars worth of training, in exchange for my opinion.
It’s a nice trade off.
In many cases, I’ve also been grandfathered into their current paid
training, which often includes a built-in community of like minded
entrepreneurs.
How do you find beta testing opportunities? Keep your eyes open in
Facebook groups where course creators hang out. Especially in
conversation threads titled something like, “Collaboration Thread”.
I’ll occasionally send out invites in my emails, but usually to a small

segment of people who I know really enjoy being part of beta

programs. You might even reach out to someone you’d like to learn
from to see if they have a beta wait list.
For an up to date list of education resources, visit

loraleehutton.com/spendless-resources/
Data Protection and Storage 83
DATA PROTECTION AND STORAGE
In this chapter I talk about Onedrive, LastPass, Microsoft Security,

AVG, Gsuite, Amazon S3, ManageWP, Jetpack, Securi
Isn’t it true that a lot of times we don’t want to think about protection
until something bad happens? Things like home or life insurance, or
even making a will. I think the same is true for our data – on our
websites and computers. It just easier to not think about it, than to
figure out how to protect it.
Coming from an accounting background, this kind of thinking wasn’t

an option for me. Losing files could mean losing months or years of
work, and not protecting data could mean a lawsuit, or worse.

In this line of work it’s not as scary, but I do still need to protect member
data, and make sure my courses and content is safe, so that if there is
potential downtime, it’s the shortest amount of time possible. I also
need to save my sanity (and time) by creating systems that make it
easy for me to get access to my info from any device I choose to work
from.
CREATING A FILE STRUCTURE

When I decided to create a file structure on my computer that is also
synced to cloud storage and other devices (completely automated
in the background), I stopped wasting time looking for files and
documents.
I always know where my files are stored (I have a system in place) and
they are easy to access if I happen to be working on my tablet,
mobile, or computer without worrying about duplicate copies.
You don’t have to email things back and forth to yourself all the time.
It’s just connected. It’s hard to get into the habit at first, but here’s how
I made it easier for myself.
(screenshot of my file storage today)
If you’re planning to build a team, these folders can be shared

with team members without any hassle.
REMEMBERING PASSWORDS
The task of remembering passwords for all the different online portals
not only wastes our precious time, but the other risk is that you may
end up using really simple passwords and repeat them everywhere.
Since switching to an online password keeper (lastpass*), I’ve not only

saved time, but I’ve improved my password protection.
It’s also really easy to share with staff, without exposing your actual
password.
The paid version is super affordable (about $12 per year) but I’ve been
fine using the free version since 2011.

ONLINE FILE STORAGE
I have three accounts with huge storage limits, and this year I should
probably minimize one of them. But my main structure is at OneDrive.
I have a backup at box.com and use GSuite* for a lot of my video
storage, and all my image storage.
MICROSOFT ONEDRIVE
Their free account is fairly small, but if you aren’t storing image, video
or music files, it can be more than enough for a long time. I have 1
Terabyte storage included in my paid office 365 membership.
GOOGLE DRIVE OR GSUITE

If you’re switching to Google for other functions in your business, this is
a great solution. They include 5GB with the free account, and paid
accounts start at $5/month. If you decide to try out GSuite, get started
with your free trial, and then send me a note for a special coupon
code (usually 20% or more)
AMAZON S3
Amazon s3 account – I use this account occasionally. When I was
hosting my videos there, I would pay about $5/month for hosting
(billed to my credit card, based on the prior month’s usage)
ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE
For over a decade I used AVG antivirus, but Microsoft has done such
a good job with their Windows defender built in system, that I wouldn’t
consider anything else now. There’s zero downtime, and I never feel
like it’s slowing my system down, like other antivirus tools do.
WEBSITE BACKUPS & SECURITY

I usually use a plugin on my website like WP Clone or Updraft to
backup my website. But with my recent move to Siteground, I ended
up with a daily update package for the next year, so I’m not as
focused on it as I used to be. It’s nice having it handled for me.
JETPACK
I’m already using Jetpack for other things, so I also use it to monitor my
uptime. If my website goes down, I receive an email within minutes,
and then again, when it’s back online again, I get another email. It’s
a good way to make sure things aren’t misbehaving.
SECURITY SCANS
Siteground* is also scanning my site once a week, and sending an
email to let me know if it passes (or not). Security scans perform a
periodical check of your site for weaknesses where viruses and
malware can gain access. There are software programs and plugins
that scan daily, or on whatever schedule you program into it. When
the program finds something suspicious, it will bring it to your attention
and ask if you'd like it removed.
SECURI
Securi can scan your website to look for potential malware (or other
threats). The free version is manual. It’s easy though. Just pop an
appointment into your calendar, click through to sitecheck.sucuri.net
and add it your website URL.

WP CLONE OR UPDRAFT
My favorite cloning tool has been WP Clone for many years, by
creating a quick snapshot of my entire website (all the folders and
directories) and allowing me to move it to another location. Which
also makes is a perfect backup tool. If I’m doing any big updates or
changes, I make a quick clone, knowing I can easily restore it again.
I wish I could say, “add it to your site”, but I know it doesn’t work well
on all websites. The most popular alternative is Updraft, although the
free version only allows you to restore to your own site, not move it
elsewhere.
But, it makes great backups, and can relieve a lot of anxiety.
MANAGEWP
Manage WP can also do monthly backups for your website. When you
install the ManageWP plugin on your site(s) you can then manage all
of your updates and get rid of spam comments, with a click of a

button. If you have more than 2 websites, I highly recommend
checking out ManageWP for at least a couple of months, to see if it
saves you as much time as it does for me, and for several good friends.
ACTION STEPS YOU MAY WANT TO TAKE

1. Book a weekly recurring appointment in your calendar to
scan your website for any potential threats
2. Set up a recurring website backup so that you don’t need
to worry about losing your work

PRODUCTIVITY TOOLS
In this chapter I talk about Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive,

Outlook, RescueTime, IFTTT, Freshdesk, Adobe Reader
Our digital office space is just as important (or more) as our physical
space. I’ve implemented several productivity tips over the years that
help me stay on top of projects.
I keep some of my key tools on my taskbar, including a snipping tool,

notepad, and calculator.
I also pin Gmail and Google calendar, so that it opens in its own
browser (vs inside my main browser).
Productivity Tools 91
It keeps me from checking my email while I’m in a browser or another

app. (See the little icons on the bottom – those are pinned, and
connect directly to those tools).
And, yes, the document you’re looking at is the work in progress

version of the book you’re reading.
WHERE AM I WASTING TIME?
RESCUETIME
RescueTime is a small program that runs in the background and tracks
what I’ve been doing during the day. For some people, I think it would
be terribly disturbing, but I like that it’s keeping an eye out for me and
sending me a report at the end of the week to let me know how I’m
doing.
I can also use it to create timed invoices on the occasions when I take
on a short bit of contract work.

HIDDEN GADGETS IN YOUR EMAIL AND PHONE
MICROSOFT OUTLOOK
There’s a tool in Outlook that allows me to automate daily email tasks
easily (in Microsoft Outlook 2010 and later versions). It’s called Quick
Steps, and it can turn a click into a series of steps (like creating a task,
plus an appointment, and reminder to call someone back).
I've also integrated Outlook with Hubspot CRM, but haven't tested it
much yet. It should technically reduce some steps and help me build
stronger relationships because I won't let things slip through the cracks
as often.
AUTOMATING EMAILS
Automate as many of your sequences as you can through your emails
service provider, but I wouldn’t recommend automating anything
that sends directly from your personal email account. With the
exception of your vacation out of office reply, or if you’re taking a sick
day and want to let people know.
CANNED MESSAGES
You can, however, use “canned messages” as a template, but
it’s always important to be real with your audience.
These aren’t “autoresponders”. They don’t get sent automatically. But

instead, they’re basic elements of an email that you may otherwise
find yourself repeating over and over again.
I have a few stored in the “canned responses” tool in Gmail, and a

bigger selection in my Freshdesk account, where I try to do the bulk of
my customer service emails.
MOBILE PHONE
Most phones have a notepad, an audio recorder and a calculator.
Use them to make your life simple. I used my Blackberry to write my first
big eBook in 2011, if you can believe it.
You can even open Google Docs and start talking to record your
speech and turn it into a text document – now that’s a huge time
saver. Some people find they can get a 1000-word blog post done in
less than an hour with this method. (see support doc)
AUTOMATION TOOLS
IF THIS, THEN THAT (IFTTT)

This is one of my favorite tools, designed especially for automating little
mundane tasks that happen between apps or software you’re using
every day. I mentioned earlier that my Instagram posts are

automatically shared to Twitter and my Facebook page, courtesy of
Instagram.
It also sends me an SMS alert so that I don’t miss calendar

appointments, and saves my handwritten notes to Outlook.
GOOGLE DRIVE.
Google also automatically backs up my contact information from my
devices to Hubspot and keeps my contact information up to date
everywhere. So, when I add a new contact right into my phone, I
know it will be updated everywhere.
WHILE BROWSING AND WORKING ONLINE
MOZILLA FIREFOX OR CHROME

Chrome or Firefox are the industry standard for anything related to
web design and digital product creation.
You’ll find it easier to make quick edits, spend less time emailing back
and forth with support, and learn to troubleshoot your own problems.
Plus, there’s lots of plugins and add-ons that can extend the browser.
Some of my favorites are the Momentum browser, that helps me focus

on one primary goal (with a to do list on the right side, and quick links
on the left).
And video speed controller that lets me speed up any video, so that I
can listen faster.But, be careful not to add too many extensions – they
will slow down your browsing speed.
Also, be sure to login / create an account, so that your bookmarks are

always synced. There’s nothing worse than needing to get a new

computer and realizing you need to start all over again with your
bookmarks…. Well, not much worse, anyway.
I set up favorites so I can quickly access the websites I’ve mentioned

here. I can back up the favorite’s folder and reinstall them when I
switch to a new computer, saving me time and effort.
Look for apps for your device that will help you with focus.
Some words to look for are Pomodoro, Distraction Free
Browsing and “getting things done” or GTD.
ADOBE READER – FOR READING, BUT ALSO TO EDIT MY BOOKS.

When I’m ready to do the first edit of any e-report or ebook I save it as
a PDF, open it up and then turn on the “audio reader” in Adobe. Then
I listen to my entire book read by the computer. It’s another way to
pick up on strange grammatical errors and typos.
KEEPING IT ALL IN ONE PLACE
ONENOTE
I mentioned this earlier in the writing section – but it’s important to
mention again here. This is where I save all my notes, screen clippings
and anything else that I might need to use again later. You might
choose Google Keep, Evernote or another tool.
But for me, Onenote is the easiest for:
• searching for my existing content (including text in images)

• simple to add something new
• always captures the URL of the place where I copied
something from (great for researching, so you don’t worry
about citing a reference later)
• available for all devices (Apple, Windows, Android)
• saves instantly, so nothing ever gets lost.
My Equipment 97
MY EQUIPMENT
This is the big one… I know everyone is a fan of Macs, and many
people say, “when I can afford it, I’ll get a Mac” but I don’t feel that
way at all. The devices I use are fast, efficient, and my most recent
computer purchase was the same price as a Mac. It’s just faster,
lighter, and easier to use. Anyway, I’m not trying to estrange you by
voicing my preference or to insult anyone for their choices. I just want
to remind you that it’s okay to make your choice based on your
preferences and workstyle, not what’s “cool” and what everyone else
has.
And, here’s a little extra reminder, to shop when you’re not feeling
impulsive, or when it’s “urgent”. There are great deals to be had on
the tools you really want that you will benefit from the most, if your
eyes are wide open.

I like to stagger my bigger purchases. Usually I need a new laptop
every 3 years or so… That’s something I can plan for. I also like having
a tablet. Something I can hold in my hand, that I can use for watching
Netflix, but also to write emails, stay up to date on my business
Instagram, Facebook, or read books.
I suppose I could do that on my phone, but honestly, the phone I have

right now isn’t my favorite… And, my eyes aren’t what they were when
I was in my 30’s. I prefer a bigger screen.
HERE’S MY CURRENT TOOL INVENTORY

• Samsung Tab Pro due for replacement in late 2018
• Asus Chi due for replacement in early 2018
• LG Optima due for replacement (soon)
• Samson Meteor Mic purchased 2016 should last 5-7yrs
• Neewer Lighting Kit purchased 2017 – should last 10yrs
You can view my up to date list on Kit kit.com/portable-biz-kit

Just the Tools 99
JUST THE TOOLS

COMMUNICATION
• Google Voice (voicemail transcribed, dedicated number, SMS)
• Skype (great alternative, for $2.99/month with dedicated
number)
• Uberconference (groups up to 10)
• Zoom.us (less than 40 minutes for group calls – unlimited 1:1)
MANAGE SOCIAL MEDIA

• Recurpost – free library of 100 repeating posts (including posts
to groups)
• Buffer for non-recurring – just keep topping it up (on the free
plan, up to 10/day)
• IFTTT - If This Then That - automation for online tools

• BoardBooster* – allows me to batch Pinterest images and post
them throughout the week
NEWSLETTERS
• Mailchimp* – free 2000 with autoresponders and ecommerce
• MailerLite* - landing pages, 2 step opt in buttons, workflow
automation, tagging, pay based on active subscribers (who
you send to) not how many people are signed up to your list
(paid $90/year)
• ActiveCampaign* - very affordable with plans starting at $9
PR (GETTING MEDIA ATTENTION – GOOD FOR “AS FEATURED ON”)

• HARO - Help a reporter out (mostly North American)
• Sourcebottle - based in Australia, but many global opportunities
SCREENCASTING / WEBINARS
• $1/month Screencast-o-matic (purchased a 3 years’
subscription $39)
• Youtube Live (will record your presentation, even if no one is
there – great for digital products, and you can download and
edit the file)
• Handbrake to compress videos for easier upload
TRACKING TRAFFIC
• Mixpanel - helps analyze and manage website data. Especially
helpful if you have a store or online school
• Google Analytics - tracking information on any of your websites
• Short.cm - create short links. Great for long affiliate links
• Bitly - create short links, using bitly at the beginning
• JetPack* - easier to understand information about web traffic
CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS
• Gmail - email account from Google
Just the Tools 101
• Hubspot CRM - free CRM tool and leads collection (not the
same as the full Hubspot - very expensive)
• Typeform (surveys and other forms)
• Freshdesk* (I use this for my knowledge base, contact form, etc)
• Join.me for calls when your client needs you to access their
computer during the call
• Jotform (if I want to collect payment at the same time – it’s
included in free version)
• Google Forms - create forms, surveys and quizzes
• Qzzr – create quizzes (great for online courses)
ACCOUNTING
• WaveApp – used by our online community members from South
Africa, to Australia, to Europe and throughout North America.
They support over 10,000 banking institutions.
• Freshbooks* - track time, create invoices and collect payment
• Slickpie - free accounting system, built in Canada
FREELANCE WORK
• Facebook Jobs - job postings found posted on Facebook
• Remote Job listings - list of 50+ websites to find remote jobs
• Angel.co - originally a site for Angel investors to connect with
startups, but now it's a great networking and jobs board too
ANALYTICS DASHBOARDS
• Neatly.io will pull data in to create a nice dashboard (with
goals)
• Bloglovin’ - networking for bloggers, but also great dashboard
WEBSITE AND DESIGN

• $2/month Hostgator * for my small sites (I prepay for 3 years
when there’s a sale, and it works out to $2/month)

• $4/month Siteground * for my main site – prepay for 3 years – it
includes SSL certification
• Logomkr.com (transparent logos for web projects)
• $4/month Divi* (elegant themes) WordPress theme (paid
lifetime developer account)
INFO PRODUCT CREATION

• Pixlr (express and full editor)
• Canva (create blog post images, short pdfs, book covers, etc)
• Unsplash (for images – also see my site 50 other options)
• SmallPDF (compress PDFs before selling / giving away)
• TinyPNG (compress images for web and pdfs)
• Printfriendly (to convert blog posts into pdfs/ content upgrades)
• PDFescape (to create fillable pdfs-people can add their own
words)
• Google Docs (spreadsheets, docs, forms/surveys–can save as
pdf)
SALES PAGES
• Any blank page on your website (minus header/sidebar)
• Mailerlite – landing pages
• Timerboss* - create evergreen sales funnel timers
• Motionmail - create countdown timers for email or website
SHOPPING CARTS / COLLECTING MONEY

• I use Woocommerce, but it’s not necessary, especially for
coaches or freelancers
ALTERNATIVES THAT I HAVE USED BEFORE UPGRADING

• Simple Paypal plugin
• Simple Stripe Plugin
• Acuity Scheduling* ($10/month – well worth it if you’re doing
coaching calls)
Just the Tools 103
• WaveApp (can enter client credit card number while you’re on

the phone with them)
ALL IN ONE SOLUTIONS

• Teachable - great solution for delivering online courses, but not
so great for a membership site, so I’m moving back to
WordPress
ALTERNATIVES I’M NOT CURRENTLY USING

• Thinkific - create an online school
• Gumroad - sell digital products, videos, music (includes email
and affiliate marketing)
• Selz - sell digital products
• SendOwl (monthly fee) sell digital products
FREELANCE AND COACHING - ALL IN ONE

• 17hats* - create workflows, invoices/payments, book
appointments, etc
• Acuity Scheduling* - book appointments, collect payment, SMS
reminders
• Satori* - book appointments, collect payments, sign contracts
• Dubsado - client questionnaire, collect payments, sign
contracts, workflows, private client portal
STORAGE AND FILING SYSTEM

• Box.com - cloud storage
• OneDrive - cloud storage part of Microsoft free/paid accounts
• Google Drive - cloud storage with Google free/paid accounts
CALENDARS
• Google Calendar - online calendar that syncs to everything
• Calendly - online scheduling tool for client and networking

• Acuity Scheduling* – online scheduling. Consider this especially
if you’re collecting payments or have group programs
$10/month
PRODUCTIVITY
• Asana - project management tool but also a good “to do list”
• Trello - project management and visual “to do list”
• Onenote - keep all notes and scanned papers/receipts in one
place. Easy to search (even text on photos). Similar to Evernote
(depending on the project / or my mood – alternates every 3-6 months
AUTOMATION – CONNECTING THE DOTS

• Zapier - connect data from two or more online tools together
• IFTTT.com - connect data from two or more online tools
• LastPass*- securely stores passwords and autofill’s fields to save
time (also, avoid reusing the same passwords)
My tools (Under $900/yr) 105
MY TOOLS (UNDER $900/YR)

COMPLETELY FREE TOOLS
• Google: mail, docs, drive, photos, voice, hangouts, analytics,
adsense, forms
• Uberconference
• Zoom.us
• IFTTT
• HARO
• Sourcebottle
• Mixpanel (phasing out)
• Short.cm
• Hubspot CRM
• Typeform
• Jetpack*
• Freshdesk*
• Join.me occasional use
• Jotform occasional use
• Freshbooks* occasional use
• Angel.co
• Neatly.io
• Bit.ly occasional use
• Short.cm
• Pixlr
• Logomkr.com
• Canva
• Unsplash
• SmallPDF
• TinyPNG
• Printfriendly
• PDFescape
• Motionmail

• Woocommerce
• Box.com
• OneDrive
• Calendly
• Asana
• Zapier
• Ifttt.com
• LastPass*
• Mailchimp*
PAID TOOLS
• GSuite* - the business version of Gmail, Docs, etc
• Mailerlite* ($80/year)
• Teachable
• Microsoft Office ($100/year)
• Screencast-o-matic ($39 for 3 years)
• Hostgator * for my small sites (I prepay for 3 years when there’s
a sale, and it works out to $2/month)
• Siteground * for my main site ($4/month– prepay for 3 years –
includes SSL certification)
• Godaddy* ($80)
• GPLChimp ($120/year)
• WPComplete ($26/year)
• Divi* by Elegant Themes ($200 lifetime developer account)
• QuickBooks Online (Accountant Version free)
• Stencil ($39 lifetime)
• Deposit Photo ($39)
• Ecover Authority – for 3D ecovers ($27)
• Timerboss* – evergreen funnels ($27)
• Facebook Ads ($80-$100)
• Education /Events ($200)
Total Costs: $900 (tools purchased previously were divided by 3)

SIMILAR, BUT WITH TIME ON MY SIDE (UNDER $600/YR)
FREE OPTIONS
Anything from my free list above, plus:
• Google Docs (instead of GSuite*)

• WaveApp (instead of QuickBooks Online)
• Pablo (instead of Stencil)
PAID TOOLS / SERVICES

• Microsoft Office 365 ($100)
• Siteground - 3 years ($50/year)
• GoDaddy ($40)
• Elegant Themes ($200/3 years = $67/year)
• Screencast-o-matic ($36/3 years = $12/year)
• GPLClub ($120)
• Facebook Ads ($80-100)
• Education ($100-200)

SIMILAR BUT ON AN EVEN SMALLER BUDGET (UNDER $300/YR)
FREE OPTIONS
• Google Drive (instead of GSuite)
• MailerLite or Mailchimp
• Free WordPress Theme (modify Twenty Twelve)
• Gumroad to deliver digital products
PAID TOOLS / SERVICES

• Siteground - 3 years ($50/year)
• Godaddy ($40)
• Screencast-o-matic ($36/3 years = $12/year)
• Facebook Ads ($80-100)
• Education ($100-200)

COACH OR FREELANCER (FROM $225/YR)
FREE OPTIONS
• Google Drive (instead of GSuite*)
• MailerLite (mail to 1000 people per month)
• Medium for blogging (instead of taking on the steep learning
curve of WordPress or other websites)
PAID OPTIONS
• Custom Domain ($10-$20 annually)
• Acuity Scheduling - client bookings and payments ($10/month)
• Or, 17hats*, Satori, Dubsado to handle workflow, if there’s more
room in your budget (approx. $30/month)

WHAT’S NEXT:
This book has been all about keeping expenses low – but hasn’t
covered much on how to earn more revenue. I can help with that too,
in some of the courses at the Portable Biz Club. Throughout the year I
host live challenges to help you create extra revenue in your business.
Or, if you’re someone who simply needed this resource (or a quick
reference list) and don’t require help, then that’s great too! Create a
leaner and simpler business that supports you while you’re doing your
best work.
If you feel like you need some extra support, we’d love to have you
join us in the Portable Biz Community (it’s free). We’re waiting for you.
And, I’ll be there personally to answer questions, as will other members.
Join the club here: LoraleeHutton.com/join/

Other Books and Programs 111
OTHER BOOKS AND PROGRAMS

Info Product Complete
Online entrepreneurs are bombarded with bright
shiny objects everyday, keeping them from finishing
their most important projects. This book challenges
the reader to finish 1 digital product within 14 days
and experience the rush of finishing! It requires quite
a lot of sweat equity, perseverance and stamina. But
it's worth it! Because finishing really does change
everything.
Fairy Tale Princess Entrepreneur

Young Princess Lahara is forbidden to sell her artwork
in the market by her father, the King. She runs away to
assume a new identity and live her dream. But soon she
takes ill and falls into a deep and dreamless sleep.
When she awakes, she struggles to find her way back
to health and happiness.

Portable Biz Club
A super affordable online business training program
packed with tools, worksheets and checklists. Delivered
each month, plus access to discussion forums to ask
and answer questions, and network with other awesome
online business owners.
How to Outsource ecourse

Avoid entrepreneur overwhelm and frustration
learn to outsource, even on a tiny budget. I'll walk
beside you in this nine-part email course, where
you'll gain confidence while learning to outsource,
regardless of your budget and time constraints.
Automate Your Biz

Learn how to automate and semi automate parts
of your business, so you can free up more time,
improve cashflow, and reduce stress. Topics
include website creation, email marketing, social
media, analytics and testing, finance, scheduling
and more.
About Loralee 113
ABOUT LORALEE
My name is Loralee Hutton and I’m
passionate about helping small business
owners feel confident about what they’re
doing in business.
Having a good friend in business to talk to
about things can often unravel what seems
like a mystery. That missing piece of the puzzle!
If you’re looking for help in transitioning to a
full time online business, I’m here to help, with
lots and lots of free resources and community
support inside the Portable Biz Club.
By taking action every day, I moved from
paralysis to clarity, and know you can too.
Even during the times when I wasn’t sure it “made sense” or I was
scared out of my mind, taking action (or what some might call inspired
action) helped me shift from stuck and frustrated, to building a solid,
sustainable business.
I started my entrepreneur journey creating wedding bouquets & baby
blankets and selling them in a little boutique craft store in a local mall.
My business career started in the hospitality industry, and then working
as the general accountant for Intuit Canada in the corporate world
(in a software company prior to the dotcom crash). Since then, I’ve
worked 1 on 1 with hundreds of small business owners.
I’m passionate about travel, I even spent 18 months traveling,
housesitting and hammock camping with my little red Toyota Yaris!
(pic above)
FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK AT TWITTER http://twitter.com/lahara

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Introduction 1

Hello savvy entrepreneur,

Congratulations on your purchase in the Ultimate Work at Home

But I’d also love to gift you with a couple of extras.

1. One free template pack from my shop (up to $10), to save

You might also be interested in my weekly-ish email on new tools I

Spend Less, Work Less Loralee Hutton.com

In 2009, shortly before closing up my accounting business where I’d

My personal challenge extended on for several more years. And,

Sometimes we do need to spend more to make more – but the two

And it certainly doesn’t mean that you’ll save time either.

Use the Tools You Already Have

Spend Less, Work Less Loralee Hutton.com

ARE THERE WAYS YOU CAN STREAMLINE AND STILL

That would be awesome!

© Loralee Hutton, 2017

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing and Publication

Spend Less, Work Less Loralee Hutton.com

Expense / cost - If there is no mention of price when I speak of a tool,

Uprades/Prices – If there is a price mentioned, I’ll also include a free

Worksheets & Checklists – keep notes by downloading your

LEGEND THINGS TO HELP YOU NAVIGATE ............................................................................................................... 6

MY STORY – WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK .................................................................................................... 11

COMMUNICATION PLAN ......................................................................................................................... 16

Consulting Appointments and Networking ................................................................................ 17

MARKETING/ADVERTISING AND PR ........................................................................................................ 22

SOCIAL MEDIA – MAKING CONNECTIONS .......................................................................................................... 23

TRACKING TRAFFIC .................................................................................................................................. 39

Google Analytics and Cpanel Stats ........................................................................................... 40

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS ..................................................................................................................... 44

Spend Less, Work Less Loralee Hutton.com

ACCOUNTING AND LEGAL ......................................................................................................................50

WEBSITE AND DESIGN ...............................................................................................................................53

DOMAIN NAMES ................................................................................................................................................ 54

CREATION, WRITING AND PRODUCTS .....................................................................................................58

Writing Programs ............................................................................................................................ 59

CREATING SALES PAGES ..................................................................................................................................... 71

SUPPORT SYSTEMS .................................................................................................................................... 75

EDUCATION, LEARNING, PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................. 79

Learning on a small budget ......................................................................................................... 80

DATA PROTECTION AND STORAGE ......................................................................................................... 83

CREATING A FILE STRUCTURE ................................................................................................................................ 84

PRODUCTIVITY TOOLS .............................................................................................................................. 90

WHERE AM I WASTING TIME? ............................................................................................................................... 91

MY EQUIPMENT – MY CURRENT TOOL INVENTORY................................................................................. 97

JUST THE TOOLS ........................................................................................................................................ 99

MY TOOLS (UNDER $900/YR) ................................................................................................................. 105

Similar, but with time on my side (under $600/yr) .................................................................... 107

WHAT’S NEXT: ......................................................................................................................................... 110

OTHER BOOKS AND PROGRAMS........................................................................................................... 111

ABOUT LORALEE ..................................................................................................................................... 115

Spend Less, Work Less Loralee Hutton.com

MY STORY – WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK

• "You need to invest money to make money."

Spend Less, Work Less Loralee Hutton.com

The voices of a few people with negative feedback started to carry

Who really knows. Maybe a bit of both?

After another 6 years of experience, the loss of 3 parents (my in-laws

So, when people ask me,

Is it possible to still earn a decent income with semi-automation

(okay, no one really asks the question quite like that… 😊)

My answer is yes, mostly. Sure, during these months “off” …

• I didn’t earn as much as I would have liked.

But yes, I was still able to earn a living from my business.