Mid-summer is an excellent time to ramp-up marketing. This new list delivers tech tools to market & grow, without breaking the bank. If you missed my May tech list, definitely look at Top Tech Tools to Save You Time & Money Now
Add Video (no acting required)
Everyone wants to liven up their websites with video. But high quality video’s are a challenge. They require you being excellent in front of a camera and quality lighting, videography and video editing. All for a 2 minute clip! But there are other video options. Sparkol offers two types of low cost and easy animation software Tawe and VideoScribe .
- Tawe converts any still image into a video. Use Tawe to create action with a diagram, graph or photo. You can add voiceover too. Think of animating and describing your print marketing pieces or photos of an important event. It’s a simplified form of video production.
- VideoScribe is easy and affordable Whiteboard Animation software. What a great way to create lively and compelling content, without the expense & anxiety of live video. Remember the HighTower clip describing brokers as butchers? While we may not like the message, it’s a great example of the power of whiteboard animation. I tried VideoScribe and it’s super user friendly. If you have the time and inclination, you can truly do this yourself. If you don’t, skip to the next resource.
Get Marketing Help
- fiverr is a crowdsourcing marketplace of professionals who will do any kind of project for you. On fiverr you can find graphic designers, digital marketers, web-designers, video experts, whiteboard animators, ghost-writers, print & book designers and more. You do not need to hire a marketing firm for single projects. My marketing friends will say “be careful”, there is great value in a comprehensive professional marketing plan. I agree, fiverr is best for specific projects, or if the cost of a full marketing plan is stopping you in your tracks.
I want to Publish a Book or E-Book
- CreateSpace, owned by Amazon, is a dominant self-publishing platform. They will publish print and/or e-book formats and put them for sale on Amazon. Depending on how much you want to DIY, they’ll publish your completed work or provide many services in the publishing process. Having published with traditional publishers and self-publishers, I recommend you buy help. Self publishing is far more work than traditional publishing. However, self-publishers can create works to serve their goals and keep 100% of the rights (which is not true with traditional publishers). You have much more freedom and control with self-publishing.
I Need a New Brand: Logo, Business Card, etc…
In addition to the general marketplace of fiverr, there are websites that focus specifically on graphic design.
- 99designs A crowdsourcing service that allows you to access designers from all over the world. I know several who’ve bought logos this way. You receive designs from multiple designers, quickly. If you don’t like the initial designs, you stop and get your money back. There is very little risk and high reward for graphics crowdsourcing.
- LogoBids like 99designs, LogoBids allows you to create a contest with a huge marketplace of designers bidding to be chosen as your preferred design.
I want a Great Website without a Huge Price Tag
- SquareSpace website builder. The BKC website was custom designed, but many do not want that hassle or cost. Others hire a “turn-key” web-service, which tends to deliver cookie-cutter results. If you want to look different without the cost of custom, try the website builder SquareSpace. They’re highly recommended by my custom web design team. It’s also the most visually stunning web-builder, I’ve ever seen. New technology has revolutionized web-building. Hire a tech-savvy intern and get a fantastic looking website. Your website is your storefront.
For more hot tech tools take a look at Top Tech Tools to Save You Time & Money Now
