If your 2021 was anything like ours, you might be ready for a fresh start in 2022. In the midst of the craziness, our team has strongly valued and leaned on a few key programs and resources to power through the last few months – most of which are free! 

We compiled a list of our favorite resources and tools we recommend to clients frequently. For those of you who are Marketing Managers, Small Business Owners, Real Estate Agents, or anyone else with a never-ending task list these resources are for you! 

Best marketing resources in 2022 -

1. Moo

Perfect for printing your marketing materials. Moo.com has everything from business cards, stationary, notecards, menus, stickers, face masks, and more. They are a company that prides themselves on high-quality products at affordable pricing. Trust us – they’re telling the truth! Another thing we love aside from the quality, price, and range of products they provide is how user friendly the website is. What more could you ask for? 

2. Dropbox

Chances are you’re probably already using dropbox if you have a large marketing team or database of design files. It’s a great place to store your business files without monopolizing room on your computer. We love that in dropbox you have the ability to share a link externally (to your clients, team members, mailman, whoever!) This has been a gamechanger in allowing our team to access files simultaneously while working remotely. Get started with dropbox.com - Hello virtual filing cabinet! 

3. HootSuite

If by now you’re managing a number of social media accounts for a company or team we recommend using HootSuite.com to schedule your posts ahead of time. We manage our LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook from one spot and plan social media content weeks in advance. (Marketing Managers, you can thank us later!)

4. Preview App

Speaking of social media management… if your team manages an Instagram account, download the ‘Preview’ app. Great for planning out a grid aesthetic prior to scheduling that actually matches your brand. Also, if you’re looking for great stock images to incorporate within your custom designs, check out the next resource. 

5. Unsplash

Easily a favorite resource for our graphic design team. Thousands of free high-quality stock images that aren’t “gimmicky”. New images are constantly being uploaded by creatives all over the world. If you need stock images for your website, marketing collateral, digital design, etc. we highly recommend giving Unsplash.com a visit! 

6. Bitly

Bitly.com is a custom URL shortener. Meaning it’s an easy way to shorten links you include on social media posts (and elsewhere) and also track the open rate for the links. Definitely recommend this one if you’re a Marketing Manager or Social Media Coordinator. Utilizing this easy tool is a great way to re-evaluate your content strategy and adjust what isn’t performing well. 

Bottom Line:

Our CEO, Account Managers, Assistants, and Graphic Designers all use some variation of the tools above to streamline our workflow and increase productivity for our team at Draft Creative. We hope they will do the same for you!

Pstt… one last thing to keep in mind - if your brand has some major inconsistencies and isn’t refined, using the tools above may not be as helpful. Make sure you’re starting with a sold brand foundation before you focus on marketing your business. Wondering if you have a strong brand, or if I needs a little work? Check out our article “Should I Rebrand my Company?”

If you have any questions about the resources above, we would be happy to help. Feel free to shoot us an email, website message, or slide into our social media DM’s! 

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