The other day I realized that over the course of my work day I had used 16 computer programs or platforms to get through my to-do list. They include, in no particular order, the following:

Instagram
Slack
Squarespace
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Canva
MailChimp
Google Drive
Gmail
Asana
Facebook
Zoom
Quickbooks
Acuity
Dropbox
Later

And that’s not even all of the programs I use frequently.

There are additional Adobe programs, CRMs (customer relationship management), CMSs (content management system), social media channels, video editing software, audio recording software, and more.

So when people tell me that they’re intimidated by technology or that the suck at it, I realize it can be a tremendous barrier to creating an online business. If nothing else, it certainly feels crazy-overwhelming.

If you feel like your level of technical savvy is an obstacle, read on! Here are my tips and tools to make things just a little bit easier.

Keep it simple.

Don’t go crazy on all of the systems to start. If you’re new to some of these programs/platforms, don’t take them all on at once. Get really clear on what you NEED before you find yourself 15 hours into learning Photoshop just to spiff up your Instagram. My list of essentials that you need to address upfront includes:

Email program
Accounting software
One social media account (seriously, just start with one)
Online cloud storage
Word processor/spreadsheet program
Website
Email marketing platform
TIP: if you use Google Apps for Business you can do email, cloud storage, and word processor/spreadsheets in one!

(If just this list feels overwhelming, schedule a free, no-pressure call with me. I’ll give you some tips!)

Stick with a theme.

One of the reasons I’m passionate about getting your branding and marketing dialed in is that it makes decisions easier. If you’re finding yourself spending hours in Canva or WordSwag trying to design the most beautiful images for your social media feed or blog posts, chances are it’s because you’re shooting from the hip every time. Either work with a designer or just choose a few colors and fonts AND STICK WITH THEM. Are you bold and bright? Soft and neutral? Dramatic and moody? Fresh and modern? Creating visual consistency not only helps your customer recognize your work on their feed, but it keeps it simple for you.

Don’t reinvent the wheel

I know you’re a savvy do-it-yourselfer, and I know you want to look unique. But as you’re getting going, you do not need to reinvent the wheel. Many of these programs/platforms have killer templates, tutorials, and automations built in that you don’t need to start from scratch. For example, MailChimp has a whole slew of suggested templates for emails that include the kind of content you need to include based on what sort of email you’re writing. Canva has a ton of free templates to use that you can simply apply your colors to for a polished, on-brand look. These resources give you a place to start, which means you waste less time staring at a blinking cursor.

Pen & Paper First

One of the ways I like to get clear on what I need from a tech perspective is to look at what I’m doing on pen and paper first. What’s on all of those sticky notes? What are those piles of paper are on my desk? What’s written on my whiteboard? Granted, I like to keep some of my notes, tasks, and goals on paper, but those notes also inform me of what I could put into a system. For instance, if I have a big list of people I want to follow up with, I’ll put ‘em in a spreadsheet so they’re all in one place (and I’ll do that FIRST before I move to implementing a CRM). Or I might decide that my sticky notes filled with Instagram post ideas could actually be scheduled in advance to get them off my to-do list, so Later or Buffer might be a good next step. The point is to figure out which systems would be helpful to you instead of just thinking “don’t I need a ____? I don’t even know what it does, but I think I need to have one.” This is putting the cart way before the horse.

Tell yourself a new story

Lastly, you’ve gotta tell yourself a new story. If you’ve been saying “I’m so bad at computers” for years and years, repeating that thought won’t help you through this process. It’s time to choose a new thought. It may sound silly, but it’s powerful stuff. As you venture into updating websites, sending sales emails, keeping in touch with customers, etc., you’re going to need to be in the right state of mind. Perhaps your new thought could be: