For some crazy reason I usually try almost everything someone tells me about at least for a short period of time, so I have a pretty good idea which services work and how they compare with others in their category.
Disclaimer: There is NEVER one particular tool that will be all things to all people, so these recommendations are just my humble opinion. I feel very strongly about the ones on this list, but by all means check others out and make sure you find the ones that fit for you. I might have a particular like or dislike that would be the opposite for the next person. It all comes down to choice. Eventually you have to pick something and go with it instead of staying in “analysis paralysis” mode. So I’m hoping that by giving you this list it will help narrow that timeline down at least a little bit.
Service #1 – ROBOFORM
There are 2 very strong reasons for having a password capture and retrieval system:
First, most people end up using the same password over and over again because they can’t remember tons of different passwords if they try to create complex and safe ones for every different site they need to log into.
Second, you might NEED your passwords when you’re not at your particular computer and what do you do then? You’re either stuck having to RESET your password (sometimes for the 25th time) so that you can get into the website where you need access.
ROBOFORM not only stores all of your passwords in a simple browser based toolbar up above the tabs, it also will GENERATE random passwords for you if you would like it to do that for you. You can select all numbers, all characters, a combination, upper case, lower case, any type of password you need — this is so that you can comply with certain requirements some websites have for password generation. I use the Password Generator all the time now. It’s easy and I don’t have to think about it. And I KNOW I’ll be able to get to the password no matter where I am, even on my PHONE! So I have no problem with it being complex – I don’t have to remember it!
The reason you can get to your passwords anywhere is because ROBOFORM uses a 3rd party application called GoodSync to store a “server based” version of all of your passwords and they are encrypted like a bank encrypts their data. So you are able to get to that database (using your master login, which you can store in your phone or somewhere else) and access every site you have stored in the ONLINE version of your ROBOFORM account.
I also have an iPhone and ROBOFORM has a great application for that mobile device and many others as well. I just search the list of “passcards” as they call them, click on it and it takes me to the website I need to enter and LOGS ME IN automatically! Fantastic.
If you want to try ROBOFORM out free for up to 10 passwords, CLICK HERE:
Service #2 – BasecampHQ
I used to have all kinds of To Do lists all over the place – most of them on paper – and had no way to sort them, search them, or put any kind of timelines and milestones in place or assign some of the tasks to other people and track the progress. There are certainly other project management programs on the market, but I have not found anything as simple and user-friendly as this product.
They charge a low monthly fee to store all of your projects and To Do lists in one place. I make a new project for every client now and it is INCREDIBLE how much clarity and focus this can create for everyone involved. Nothing falls through the cracks anymore.
I even store my personal Task Lists in the program now so that I know that every single item I need to track is all in one place.
The nicest feature of Basecamp is the ability to invite other people into each “project” and assign tasks back and forth to each other, create milestones (dates to hit certain points of the project), store files related to the project, and a bunch of other cool features like creating To Do and Project templates if you tend to do similar task lists for each client. Each person can have different levels of access, so you can even have some folks involved in the project just log in to “see” how things are going but not be able to change anything.
The company that produced BasecampHQ is called 37 signals. They offer a full 30 day free trial and the product website is:
Service #3 – HighriseHQ
The company that brought us Basecamp also has a great contact database program that is simple and very user-friendly. It’s called HighriseHQ.
I use Highrise as a “light” CRM (Client Relationship Management) tool, because it goes beyond just storing information about each contact. You can tie everyone with the same company all together. You can assign a “Case”, “Deal”, and “Tags” to people. So it has all of the basic elements of a sales funnel processing system. But it doesn’t go all the way to the level of a full blown CRM system and that’s actually OK. You don’t want every person you meet and put in your database to be in a complex CRM system right from the start. So since Highrise is simple and very easy to navigate and set up, it works beautifully for the early stages of creating a contact and then doing the early stages of contact management.
I have all of my personal contacts in Highrise now (I gave up Outlook completely) and they are now online where I can get to them from any computer. I can also put SOME of those contacts into “tags” or categories, which operates as the beginning stage of a lead management process. As people move further down the sales funnel and truly become clients, I then move them to a more robust CRM system that I talk about next called LANDSLIDE.
Highrise is beautifully designed to work as a great contact and “light” CRM. They have a 30 day free trial and you can find this product at:
Service #4 – Landslide CRM
After I have a contact in Highrise migrate to an actual client, I then move their contact information into Landslide – a powerful CRM system.
If you have tried CRM systems that are complex to set up and seem like they would take up a full time job just to maintain, then you will love Landslide. It was created to be a Sales and Workflow Process Management system. In other words, every conceivable “touchpoint” or event that needs to happen in each stage of the client’s cycle from brand new client all the way through to upgrading them or cross selling them to other products or services can all be laid out in a visible timeline-based dashboard. You can load documents, scripts, and other needed items for each stage the client enters so that the process becomes completely repeatable and predictable.
Landslide is also a monthly subscription product and is very affordable, especially for small businesses that don’t need an expensive, corporate style system. The Landslide CRM system has been an incredible addition to our process and we know that if we follow every item laid out in our customized timeline that we created for clients, we will create an amazing experience for them and will never lose track of what has and still needs to be done with each client. There is a case manager assigned to each Landslide customer so that you get help designing your personalized process and making sure that it is doing what you want it to do for you and your team.
You can find Landslide at this website:
Service #5 – Google Calendar
After dumping Outlook and Exchange Server, I needed to find an online solution for calendars and I couldn’t believe how well Google set up theirs. It has all of the features of Outlook, and since it is online and virtual you can share calendars and post them using HTML embed code right into a website that you choose. A company can easily share calendars with each other and make everything completely private and secure.
Of course there is a way to sync your calendar with your mobile device using Google Sync, and it works wonderfully. I have multiple calendars set up for things like outside appointments where I have to travel somewhere, my family activities, the band I play in, time blocks for personal activities, etc. and they are all color coded differently. These color blocks show up in my mobile device as well and it makes it very easy at a glance to see where different categories of events are scheduled.
The best part of Google Calendar – it’s free! If you have a Gmail account the link for it is at the top of the Inbox view or you can find it here:
http://www.google.com/calendar
Service #6 – Evernote
Similar to Microsoft OneNote, but again a VIRTUAL product, Evernote is absolutely critical to making sure that you capture ideas, screen shots, and notes in an easy to navigate space that is available from any computer or mobile device. And of course there is a great iPhone application and for other mobile phones as well.
The basic premise of Evernote is simple – it is an information storage program. However, because of the way Evernote is laid out and configured, it becomes a powerful tool that saves time and increases efficiency. Just about anything can be stored in each “note” in Evernote. For example, while you are listening to a webinar online you can be saving each screen shot of the slides from the presentation while typing in notes and also embedding all kinds of tags, documents, and other items into the “note” so that it becomes a virtual 3 ring binder full of information. You can also create “notebooks” with categories of notes within them.
My favorite part of Evernote, just like all of the products and services I have reviewed here, is the fact that you can access all of your “notes” from any computer or mobile device anywhere in the world. That is a huge advantage.
I used Microsoft OneNote for awhile and although it offered the ability to “share” notebooks it never worked correctly and the person on the other end had to also install OneNote and go through a ton of hassle also. Having Evernote based online is great, AND you have an offline version resident on your computer so that you can make updates and then just sync those once you have an internet connection. They have a free version that is more than enough for most users, and a premium version for those that want that level of service. Check it out at:
Service #7 – Less Accounting
Accounting and Bookkeeping has been my proverbial Achilles Heel since I launched my first business. I am absolutely horrible at this area, and I have paid dearly to have accountants put together my taxes since everything is usually such a huge mess. I was so busy working in my business that I just piled up receipts and records all in one place and didn’t organize them as I went along. I HATE paperwork! So I was incredibly happy when I found a completely virtual accounting program called Less Accounting. You even scan or take a PICTURE of your receipts and store those electronically also! Wow!
The basic layout of Less Accounting looks similar to the 37 signals products, so it wouldn’t surprise me if some of the same team helped design each interface. It is again a simple and user-friendly platform that obviously was designed for people like me that hate paperwork and love using virtual products.
You can check out their service here:
Conclusion – Why Virtual?
I fought tooth and nail to stay with Outlook because it was just what I was used to. We all fight change, even when we don’t believe that we do! But once I made the switch to go all VIRTUAL and have none of my productivity services stored on my own hard drive, it opened up a world of freedom and peace that I have never known. I do not have to worry about configuring some “program” if my hard drive fails or I need to replace my computer. All of the essential pieces of information I need for my business – Contact Data, E-mails, Calendars, To Do lists, Project Management, Sales Funnel Management, CRM, Notes, and even Financial Data is ALL stored online and is accessible in real time at all times. This makes life simpler and certainly has decreased my stress levels dramatically. I know that I can access everything I need all from any place, at anytime. This then CAUSES me to keep it all there as well! So there is a loop cycle that gets started and you get addicted to it. You want more of the same simplicity and you know that when you actually use the services the way they were intended, they provide more freedom and time with the same amount of effort.
I would love to see your comments or questions below. I especially appreciate hearing from those that have other suggestions besides these and might completely disagree with me on some or all of this article. RESPECTFUL discussion and debate please! Shoot me a comment and let us all know your thoughts. Thanks for reading!
About Allen Sanders
1password is equivalent to roboform for mac users