There are many marketing tools available to us at our fingertips. It’s hard to know which tools are truly worth investing the time and money into. It’s also hard to know which free tools are worth using. What we have done for you is compiled a list of five of our favourite tools that marketers use.

Canva

Not all of us marketers have graphic design skills. Some of us do have graphic design skills but don’t have the time that is required to create the high-quality assets that we need. In 2012 Canva was created and is a graphic design website that is extremely user-friendly. It’s most famous for its drag-and-drop format and has been helping make marketing materials easier to create since being introduced to the world.

You can create various assets such as postcards, social media graphics, posters, business cards, media kits, presentations and more. Also, you are able to print high-quality versions of your creations. You can access Canva on both your desktop and mobile and is free to use.

Canva does provide various templates, graphics, and photographs to use plus you can upload your own images. There can be some costs related to the use of specific photos and graphics and there is a paid version that you can upgrade to if required.

Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a platform that allows you to manage all of your social media accounts. This company is Vancouver based and started in 2008. Hootsuite can be used from your desktop or via a mobile app and offers various functions.

The features are always evolving but currently, you can schedule social media posts, monitor your social media accounts, track analytics, manage ads and more. The networks that work with Hootsuite are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and YouTube.

There are various plans that you can activate and these plans have a free trial followed by a cost. There is also a free account that you can set up but there are limitations.If you set up the free account and fall in love with Hootsuite and all of its wonderful functions, you can then upgrade to a different account.

MailChimp

Using a good program to send out digital newsletters is important. There are many different programs available and if you are just diving into the world of newsletters, we recommend you start with MailChimp. Campaigns are extremely easy to create and the navigation of this program is very intuitive.

With MailChimp you can create emails, landing pages, Facebook and Instagram ads, postcards and more. You can connect your account to Eventbrite, Square, Salesforce plus others. There’s also automation and optimization, which you can implement.

Growing your email list and sending out quality newsletters is made very easy with MailChimp. Since being founded in 2001, this company has grown from being a paid service to adding a freemium option.

Grammarly

In marketing, powerful copy that has proper spelling and grammar is extremely important. Programs like Word have a spelling checker and sometimes it is okay to ask a family member, friend or coworkers to review your work. However, Grammarly is a tool that can help you do just that. Released in 2009, this phenomenally accurate software checks against more than 250 grammar rules.

We love that there is a browser extension which will check your spelling and grammar directly online when writing copy.

Grammarly is free but you can upgrade to paid packages which offer more features.

HARO

Help a Reporter Out, a.k.a. HARO was created to connect journalists and writers for articles and news stories. The way it works is that you sign up as a source and then you will begin to receive emails with requests for expert sources (information that you might know). If there is a request that you can help with, you can reply and share your knowledge with the journalists. This helps build a relationship with them and provides you with a potential opportunity to contribute to publications. This will help you become a thought leader in your industry and gain you free publicity.

HARO began in 2008 as a Facebook Group and has since evolved into a stand-alone website. It’s free to use, with plan upgrades available, and it can be a really fun and addicting service to use.

Never Hurts to Have More Resources

Whether you are just starting on your marketing journey or if you are a seasoned veteran, it never hurts to have a few free tools up your sleeve. By understanding your marketing goals, you will know which tools to use for free and which ones you feel are worth paying for. It’s also beneficial to work with a marketing company who can help you reach your goals. If you want to learn more about how Custom Fit Online can elevate your brand and take you to the next level, please connect with us for a consultation.

Filed in // Marketing, Productivity