Work smarter, not harder has been my mantra for many years. When I find things (book, website, class, software) that help me do that, I like to pass them along to you.
With that in mind, here are two websites to products I’ve been using recently that I love. The first one I’ve used for years, but recently bought the upgrade. The second is my solution to the time-consuming social marketing dilemma. I’d encourage you to check out both sites!
Work Smarter, Not Harder
Many years ago, I bought a CD of the earliest version of LifeJournal software for my computer. It is password protected, it sits on your computer privately (NOT an online journal), and has many features a journaler loves. I’ve loaded that CD onto half a dozen computers over the years because I wanted and needed a place to “dump” things that no one else would read. And unlike handwritten journals, it has an easy “tagging” system so that you can find what you’re looking for later. For example, after writing a daily entry, I might realize it would make a good blog post, or I tag spots where I thought of a good plot twist idea, or anything else I might want to remember. The new version has many additional features, including the ability to make templates (which I use a lot for frequent issues, morning and evening check-ins, writer’s block issues, etc.) and the option to buy additional modules for specific parts of your life (writers, emotional balance, creativity, and many more). At LifeJournal you can find a free trial version. If you buy it, I’d recommend spending the extra $10.00 and getting a CD as well as a download so that you’ll always have it and can load it onto all the computers you have now and will buy in the future. (And no, I’m not an affiliate of either of these recommendations. I just use them and love the products.)
SocialOomph is the answer I found to how long the social networking was taking me (Facebook, blogging, Twitter, etc.). I couldn’t keep up with it all. It was hard enough remembering all the passwords to three websites, three blogs, and three FB accounts. Now I only need to remember one: to SocialOomph, the answer to my griping about this. It’s a one-stop place to do your social marketing, and the services it supplies are phenomenal. The first week, just using the free version which is very good, I saved about five hours! And I got MORE social networking accomplished. It literally keeps track of everything for you, gives you a place to schedule your tweets and blogs (you set the schedule and SocialOomph does the rest.) Several times I was gone to a conference or busy with a family matter, but I still had posts going out three times a day to my FB and Twitter pages. I wasn’t even online during those times, but by being able to schedule everything in one spot, I generated a lot more traffic to my sites in so much less time. While you are using the free service, you will be given a one-week free trial to their professional service. This is where they hooked me. I have only begun to tap the abilities of this service. [I took on a two-day job for someone in order to pay for a year’s worth of this service because it helps me accomplish so much more in so little time.] Check it out.
When you’re making out your Christmas list this year, you might want to put these products near the top!