You don’t need 14 subscriptions to market your business well.

You need:

• A place to design
  
  
• A place to write
  
  
• A way to schedule
  
  
• A way to measure
  
  
• A way to automate
  
  
• A way to capture ideas
  
  

That’s it.

Here are the free tools we love and actually use, even at the agency level. Yes, we have paid tools too (and I’ll tell you which ones are worth the $$), but a lot of these have AMAZING free versions.

Canva (Pretty Templates for Non-Designers)

If you’re brand new, start here.

You do not need:

• Photoshop
  
  
• A full-time designer
  
  
• Custom graphics for everything
  
  

You need templates.

For beginners, Canva removes the blank-page paralysis.
Pick a layout.
Swap colors.
Change the words.
Done.

We do love our Pro subscription because it saves brand kits and has SO many more options, but you absolutely do not need Pro to get started.

Pro tip: If you’re a 501(c)3 nonprofit, you can get a pro subscription for free.

ChatGPT (The Free Plan Is Plenty)

When you’re burnt out, you don’t need a new strategy.
You need momentum. Personally, ChatGPT has helped me with that.

Use ChatGPT to:

• Brainstorm hooks
  
  
• Outline captions
  
  
• Repurpose blogs into posts
  
  
• Get unstuck
  
  

The free plan is more than enough for idea generation. In fact, while we have a paid version for our agency, I primarily use the free version on my personal account. 

If you’re looking for new ideas because you’re feeling blocked, head over to Chatty. If you’re not sure where to start, tell it what you want to accomplish, and have it ask you 5-10 questions to help you get started. Works every time!

ManyChat (So You Don’t Have to Live Online)

If there’s one tool that saves us the most time, it’s ManyChat.

It sends links automatically.
It delivers freebies instantly.
It keeps you from having to respond to “LINK” 47 times.

Yes, some people find the automation annoying, but it:

• Increases engagement
  
  
• Gets resources to people faster
  
  
• Protects your time
  
  

And honestly, audience members use it even if they’re annoyed by it. 

If you don’t want to be “on” social 24/7, this is your friend.

Google Analytics (For the Data Lovers)

If you love data, this is where you look. Connect Google Analytics to your website to learn more about your audience and their habits.

You don’t have to guess what’s working. Instead, you can check:

• Where your traffic is coming from
  
  
• Which social platform actually converts
  
  
• What content drives clicks
  
  

You don’t need to analyze everything.

Start with traffic sources, especially your social media ones. The information will help you make better decisions about how to make content.

Native Facebook & Instagram Scheduling (Again, Don’t Live Online)

Do we use a paid scheduler at the agency level? Yes.

Do you need one? No.

In-app scheduling works beautifully.

Yes, some people say third-party schedulers hurt reach. The people in charge of the social media platforms say it doesn’t. 

But ultimately, consistency > perfection.

If a scheduler helps you show up regularly without sacrificing your in-person life, it’s always worth it in my book.

Your Notes App (The Most Underrated Tool)

This might be the scrappiest one on the list.

But it’s my favorite one.

Capture ideas when they happen.
Write messy thoughts.
Start captions mid-grocery-store.

The best part? When you sit down to create your content, you’re not starting from zero.

The Bigger Point

You don’t need:

• 12 subscriptions
  
  
• A complicated funnel
  
  
• Fancy dashboards
  
  
• A color-coded tech stack
  
  

You need tools you’ll actually use. (Disclaimer: If you use all of the above and it’s working for you, keep going!)

Simple systems win.

The business owners who grow are not the ones with the most tools; they’re the ones who use the tools consistently.

So here’s your gentle reminder for the week:

Stop overcomplicating it.
Stop overcomplicating your business.
Stop overcomplicating your marketing.
Stop overcomplicating your social media.