Affordable Tools for Starting a Professional Services Business
Setting Up a Professional Services Business with the Right Software on a Shoestring Budget
In episode 4 of Getting Down to Business, Mark Mondo and Cynthia Zimmerman discuss how entrepreneurs can set up a professional services business on a tight budget. They cover affordable or free software solutions for website hosting, CRM, email marketing, video editing, and collaboration tools. We explore how AI tools, like ChatGPT, can help streamline content creation, making it possible to run a business efficiently without breaking the bank.
Key Takeaways
- How to find affordable website hosting and domain services (Weebly, GoDaddy, Zoho Sites).
- Affordable tools for video and image editing (Vimeo, CapCut, GIMP, Canva).
- Collaboration and communication tools for teams (Zoho Cliq, Slack, Zoom).
- Using AI (ChatGPT) to assist with content marketing and other creative tasks.
- Introduction to email marketing tools (Mailchimp, Mailjet) and free invoicing/accounting tools (Zoho Invoice, PayPal).
In This Episode
- 00:00 – Show Introduction: Mark and Cynthia introduce the topic of setting up a professional services business on a budget.
- 05:00 – The Importance of a Website: How to set up a professional website using affordable services like Weebly or Zoho Sites.
- 15:00 – Domain Names and Hosting: Discussion on buying domain names and the importance of having a professional email address.
- 25:00 – Tools for Video and Image Editing: Free tools like CapCut and GIMP for video and image editing, and when to invest in premium services like Vimeo.
- 35:00 – Collaboration Tools: How tools like Zoho Click and Zoom can help teams collaborate efficiently without high costs.
- 45:00 – AI for Content Creation: Using ChatGPT to generate marketing content, including blog posts, cold emails, and SEO strategies.
- 55:00 – Email Marketing and Invoicing Tools: Free email marketing platforms like Mailchimp and Mailjet, and accounting software options like ZohoBooks and PayPal for startups.
Guest Bio
Mark Mondo founded MondoCRM 1997 and earned his skills growing up in the family business and working in the software industry as VAR, publisher and consultant since 1993. Cynthia Zimmerman has worked in the non-profit space since 1991 in event and project management, and when she’s away from the desk, she’s singing utilizing her classical training for Christ Church in Winnteka, Illinois.
Additional Resources
- Website Hosting and Domain Services:
- Weebly: https://www.weebly.com
- GoDaddy: https://www.godaddy.com
- Zoho Sites: https://www.zoho.com/sites/
- Video and Image Editing Tools:
- CapCut: https://www.capcut.com
- GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program): https://www.gimp.org
- Canva: https://www.canva.com
- Vimeo: https://www.vimeo.com
- Collaboration and Communication Tools:
- Zoho Cliq: https://www.zoho.com/cliq/
- Slack: https://www.slack.com
- Zoom: https://www.zoom.us
- AI Content Creation:
- ChatGPT by OpenAI: https://openai.com/chatgpt
- Email Marketing Tools:
- Mailchimp: https://www.mailchimp.com
- Mailjet: https://www.mailjet.com
- Invoicing and Accounting Tools:
- ZohoBooks: https://www.zoho.com/books/
- PayPal: https://www.paypal.com
Format Data from Act! to Zoho migration
This video reviews how to prepare the data before converting from Act! to Zoho. This video focuses tells you how to standardize the company names for contacts so Zoho sees multiple contacts at company as one account once they arrive in Zoho.
Embracing Change: MondoCRM and WiredContact UK Come Together
From the States to the Isles:
MondoCRM and WiredContact's USA-UK Partnership
As we reflect on a year of significant transformation, we’re excited to share the journey of MondoCRM and WiredContact UK coming together. This union marks not just the merging of two companies but the fusion of innovation, customer commitment, and a shared vision for the future of CRM technology.
A Year of Growth and Expansion
January 2023 was a landmark month for us at MondoCRM as we welcomed WiredContact UK into our family. The months that followed were a testament to our commitment to growth. With new hardware, expanded teams, and the launch of our podcast, “Getting Down to Business,” we’ve set the stage for an even more customer-centric approach to business solutions.
1997
Year Founded
A Glimpse into Our Roots
MondoCRM’s inception was driven by a vision to create a world of opportunities for businesses seeking growth through technology. “Mondo,” meaning “world” in Italian, encapsulates our global approach to delivering top-tier CRM solutions. Our roots are deeply embedded in innovation, and as we grow with WiredContact UK, we’re bringing a legacy of excellence to an even broader audience.
3
Additional CRM and Enterprise Platforms
Branding Transition and New Horizons
The integration phase is an exciting time for us as we transition our branding to MondoCRM. This change will be reflected across all platforms, reinforcing our global identity. Moreover, we’re enhancing our service offerings with the introduction of Zoho CRM, Zoho One and Constant Contact to our UK market, ensuring our clients have access to a wide array of tools to thrive in a competitive business landscape.
20
Years of WiredContact Partnership
Our Commitment to WiredContact Continues
We understand the value that WiredContact brings to its users, and we want to assure our clients that we are dedicated to its continual development. Exciting new features and updates are on the horizon, and we’re eager to share these advancements as they unfold, ensuring that WiredContact remains a cutting-edge solution within the MondoCRM suite.
Staying Connected
Communication is key during this transition. We’re making sure that while our branding evolves, your points of contact do not. WiredContact sites, email addresses, and the UK office phone numbers will remain as they are, providing you with the continuity you need.
Accounting Updates
With change comes the need for updates in our accounting processes. We’re making these transitions as smooth as possible, with clear communication on invoice branding and payment details. Additionally, we’re in the process of acquiring a VAT number to align with financial regulations and ensure a seamless billing experience.
Conclusion
The path ahead is bright with the promise of innovation, growth, and an unwavering dedication to our clients. We’re grateful for the trust you’ve placed in us and look forward to continuing our journey together.
Should I use Outlook as a CRM tool ?
Short answer: No. It lacks too many essential features.
Given that we use Outlook in house to manage e-mail, personal contacts and a personal calendar, our opinion isn’t out to snub Outlook just to pitch CRM.
In fact, you don’t need to abandon Outlook to get a CRM. Most CRMs will integrate with Outlook to integrate e-mail, contacts or a calendar so critical information can be seen on the smartphone. Furthermore, you can see the email correspondence on the contact record from the CRM.
Difficulties of Using Outlook as a CRM:
- Documenting conversations by date/time stamp and easily sharing them among your team.
- Implementing contact security among your peers.
- Creating a sales forecast.
- Creating a mail-merge to a Word document.
- Creating effective user fields to classify contacts by more than one field such as "category".
- Re-Entering the same data among different applications like Word or Excel becomes a chore to create call reports or sales forecasts.
- Using Outlook is ineffective as a help desk ticketing system.
Zoho Bigin allows an easy way to get into CRM.And you can still use Outlook.
In a matter of minutes, you can have a starter CRM system that tracks contacts, companies and a pipeline along with a mobile app.
- E-Mail: Zoho Mail, Outlook, Office 365, IMAP
- Zoho Apps: Zoho Flow, Books, Invoice, Campaigns, Analytics, Desk and Meeting.
- Popular Apps: MailChimp & Zoom Meeting.
- Advanced Tools: Zapier & API
- Pricing starts at $9/user/month.
- Annual discounts available.
- Training videos included. Chat support provided by Zoho at no additional charge.
What if Bigin isn't enough? Don't worry. We offer plenty of options.
What’s the best CRM platform for you? It depends on what business processes you want to improve. For instance, if you want one point to see all meeting notes, emails and ability to create a report based on those activity KPIs then WiredContact is a great solution. If you want to have one platform to manage CRM, e-marketing, help desk, projects and accounting then Zoho One is a great candidate.
Conversely, if your focus is marketing automation on a tighter budget, Benchmark One has many capabilities similar to Hubspot at a lower price.
Once we know the features you need; then, we craft with a custom solution based on your budget. If you aren’t sure how to approach this, feel free to contact us for a complimentary discovery call.
Using AI with Zoho CRM
How to setup data enrichment with ZIA.
I found a practical and easy to setup feature in CRM to take advantage of AI. This 2 minute video will show you how to configure ZIA (Zoho Intelligent Assistant) to fill in missing data (ex: a phone number or email address) on a new lead you just acquired.
Why we believe it's significant
One of the problems CRM faces is data entry. Reps, stereotypically, don’t like to do the admin work CRM needs so we can analyze the data further. This tool makes it easier for everyone to get better data to make better decisions.