When I first started South Street & Co. I didn’t have the programs or processes in place to help me success because it’s as they say, “You don’t know what you don’t know!” I wish I had a resource list like this because it would have saved me time, effort, and money! Here are the programs we recommend and use on a daily basis… and trust me… they’re worth their weight in gold because they’re that good!

PS: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click through my referral link, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase. Thank you for supporting South Street & Co. Read my disclosure policy.

Hosting: WP Engine

If you have a WordPress website, you should be using WP Engine. I describe it as the Ferrari of WordPress hosting sites. We’ve seen a huge site speed increase and it comes with a FREE SSL Certificate. Click here to get started with WP Engine.

Grammar: Grammarly

This is a program I found in the very beginning of starting my company because it was essential that we had absolutely no spelling or grammatical errors on the website – enter Grammarly. We use the Premium version and it’s saved us many times because of its highlights and recommendations. If you’re a writer or blogger, this is an essential program for you. Click here to get started with Grammarly.

Invoicing: FreshBooks

In the beginning, I was creating spreadsheets and Word Docs for invoices and I HATED doing invoicing because it was so tedious. Then, I found Freshbooks from listening to a podcast and my company was forever changed. You can set up recurring invoices to go out, send reminder emails for past invoices and keep track of everything in one place. I HIGHLY recommend it. Click here to get started with FreshBooks.

Photos: DepositPhotos

We always want to make sure that the photos we’re using are able to be used for commercial use – and we use a lot of them! I found DepositPhotos from an offer on a website and I’ve stuck with it ever since! It has options for any size business and they also added video options too. Click here to get started with DepositPhotos.

Passwords: LastPass

This program was a lifesaver in itself because it enabled me to ditch the spreadsheets and pick up a program that was secure. It also has the ability to share passwords with people in and out of your organization while still keeping them secure. Click here to get started with LastPass.

Organization: Shift

I was Instagram targeted for this program and I remember thinking, “Why do I need one program for everything?” Then, I saved it on my Instagram account and went on. It popped back up and then I thought, “Wait, one program for EVERYTHING we’re doing!? Why didn’t I do this before!?” And here we are. I’ve been using it for 6 months or so and it’s amazing. I log into all of my programs (they have a ton) and I don’t have to worry about forgetting passwords or multiple Chrome tabs open (yes, that was me too!). Click here to get started with Shift.

Pinterest: Tailwind

I’ve recently been getting more into Pinterest and the strategy that goes along with it. I used to use another social scheduler, however, I was listening to a Podcast about Pinterest and Tailwind kept coming up… over and over. We’ve been using it for some time now and it’s amazing because it’s tailored to Pinterest itself. You can set up a schedule, repin things for the future and set up an auto-pin function. Click here to explore and enhance your Pinterest strategy! 

Email Marketing: ConvertKit

We recently moved to ConvertKit from another email marketing provider and I have to say, they make it VERY easy to add good-looking forms to your website. They have a plugin for WordPress also, which I love. I searched out a new option because I wanted everything to be under ‘one roof,’ and ConvertKit does just that while making sure that we can create forms and landing pages that are in line with our branding, which is a #Win for me! Click here to check it out for yourself.

Website Accessibility: accessiBe

Now, more than ever, it’s important to be inclusive towards all different needs that people have when browsing online, including those people with disabilities. We’ve recently partnered with accessiBe to bring accessibility to websites by adding their program to websites without coding needs. Not only does it actively scan the website for areas of improvement but it also helps the website to be easily navigational and it’s affordable for small businesses. Click here to learn more about the program and how it works.

Killer Custom Videos: Promo

This program was introduced to us recently, and I took it for a test drive. It’s geared towards helping people create better, more creative videos for their social media or ads channels. It’s a simple-to-use video software. We went in and created a short 18-second video with one of the videos they provided, added our text, logo and BOOM, in 15-minutes (after I learned how to use it) we were done! If you’re looking for exciting, relatable ways to get people to stop scrolling and LOOK at your content, Promo is it!

Instagram Analytics: Iconosquare

Iconosquare is what we use for all things Instagram analytics, engagement, hashtag research and competitive research. Yep, you read ALL of that right. We use it for our other company, Becoming A Local and it has helped us post only top-quality content leading to over 40K followers on two of the five accounts. To sign up for their free trial, click here. You’ll love their in-depth reporting and the fact that they email you each week with an update on your account.

Automation: Zapier

This is *by far* one of the programs that I use over and over again. It helps anyone set up automation easily – without any coding. Does it take a little time in the beginning? Yes. But is it worth it? Absolutely. This has set me and the company up for success and I highly recommend that you check it out if you want to save yourself a lot of time doing tasks you complete over and over on a regular basis.

New Programs: AppSumo

AppSumo is the best place to get deals on the programs you know about and that you don’t know about. We’ve been following them for years now and love the items they recommend. Some are for deals on programs we’ve never used, and this allows us to test it out, others are for programs that we use on a daily or monthly basis that give us a discount if we purchase it through their offer. All you need to do is sign up for their emails and you’re good to go!

How To Produce Great Videos On Your Own: Online Video Mastery

Is anything keeping you from harnessing the power of video marketing? If so, we hear ya – not knowing where to start is a common complaint. Imagine being able to create videos with your smartphone that people can’t wait to watch! Online Video Mastery™ includes what you need to master intro, sales, and training videos with just your smartphone for your website, social channels … you name it. AND our buddy at Online Video Mastery™ is offering $100 off on this course for friends of ours. Just use “southst100off” at checkout!

Graphic Design Program: Canva

By now, you’ve probably heard of Canva, and if not, here’s the graphic design program that you’ve been wishing for. This is something that we use for our social media, Reels, website and more. It’s easy to use, has a free and a paid version and is simple to use with their templates or a ‘blank canvas.’