Not my house — it’s missing about two dozen random toys on the floor and some dust bunnies.
For the past few weeks, while many businesses are finding themselves going virtual quickly, I have heard from a lot of friends and former colleagues who are looking for tools and resources that are reliable, affordable and easy-to-work-with.
I’m glad to be able to round all of my favorite work-at-home resources into one page and will be adding as I think of more.
Video Conferencing
This allows video conferences on your desktop as well as via mobile app. You can record these meetings for those who missed them. There’s also a chat room for people to add questions and useful links. I use this for coaching and consulting clients, as well as masterminds.
I also like that you can use Zoom on your Smartphone easily, as well as with a call-in number for those without smart phones.
Check their plans— as of March 2020, there have been a few price reductions and lifted restrictions on the capability to account for more folks working virtually.
I’ve also written a separate blog post with instructional videos on how to set up your meeting / podcast interview using Zoom!
Communications
Keep in touch with your team and categorize conversations by topic. You can also have private Direct Messages between one or more team members. There are add-on capabilities, like Google Drive, so you can quickly share digital files.
There are also apps for your smartphones.
Sharing Files & Documents
I use these services to send and receive files from my clients. I tend to favor Google Drive since I mainly use Google Docs and Sheets for much of my business. Both offer a limited amount of free storage, and I find Google tends to be a bit more generous and better priced.
Another way to quickly transfer files is by using WeTransfer, however it’s not a storage system.
Appointment Scheduler
When you move your business at home, it’s important to try to maintain separation between work time and times when you need to shut-off. I like having a scheduler so I can set up a schedule that works for me and easily give people the link to schedule a time for a coaching or consulting call when I know I’ll be free and in the right headspace to think about work.
I use Acuity Scheduler. There is a free plan, but I love the customization of the paid version, as well as the easy integration with my Google Calendar and PayPal. I’ve been able to use this to schedule virtual workshops, classes, and my coaching program, as well as podcast strategy sessions I have with podcasters to help them plan their shows.
Camera | Microphone | Lights
If you find yourself holding more virtual meetings or even turning in-person events into paid seminars or classes, you may want to invest in some professional looking and sounding equipment. Here is what I use for my basic set-up.
Camera: Logitech C920
Microphone: Samson Q2U
Lighting: Neewer Ring Light
You may also want to purchase any extra stands, mounts or wires and cables you may need. If you need any help sounding good on a microphone, check out this post about getting the best sound for your podcast.
Miscellaneous
I also wanted to throw in one more site that has helped me get a lot of great programs at a low price called AppSumo. They offer Lifetime Licenses on tons of tools, software and programs for small businesses.
Some of my favorite deals I’ve gotten were lifetime access to a social media scheduler, a huge library of stock images (like the photo above? It’s from them!), and a course creator platform! All of these were $49 deals, and they've all been SO worth the money!
What are some of your favorite work-at-home tools? Comment below!
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