5 Essential Tools to Free Up Your Time and Take on More Clients
This blog post is for all the service providers, coaches, and client-facing business owners who are booked out but not necessarily in a good way.
As a service provider, your time is your most valuable asset. But if you feel like you’ve hit a ceiling in your business—a.k.a. you can’t take any more clients without burning out—you need a different approach.
So…what’s a savvy, purpose-driven business owner like you to do? It’s time to streamline your client management and marketing efforts with the right systems and tools.
In this post, I’ll walk you through five essential tools every service provider needs to stay organized, communicate effectively, and create more capacity in their business. That way, you can continue growing your income and making the impact you want…without working 24/7.
#1: A Project Management Tool (Keep Every Task and Deadline in Check)
If your business tasks are scattered across sticky notes, email threads, and random Google Docs, it’s no wonder things feel overwhelming. Without a system in place, tasks slip through the cracks, deadlines sneak up on you, and things start to feel more urgent than they really are.
That’s why you need a good Project Management tool to keep all your client work organized in one place. You can free up mental space and focus on what you started your business to do—serve clients in a way you love.
The best project management tool depends on how you like to work. Are you a creative thinker who needs flexibility and customization? Or do you prefer a simple and straightforward workspace?
The key is to choose a system you’ll actually use—one that makes your workflow feel simple and intuitive, not more complex.
My Project Management Pick: Notion
I use Notion for everything—project management, client library and lead gen tracking, team time management, the team directory, all my content planning…I could go on forever.
(Here’s a friendly reminder to grab my Notion Business Hub template!)
Notion is a great project management tool because there are no limitations around what you can build. It can be as simple or as robust as you need. Plus, it’s fantastic for collaborating with others.
Honorable Mention: Asana
Asana is my honorable mention pick for anyone who prefers a more structured, task-based approach. With built-in task lists, deadlines, and automations, it’s perfect for keeping both solo business owners and growing teams on track.
#2: A CRM Tool (Automate Your Client Onboarding)
As a service provider, booking new clients is the ultimate goal. But if you’re manually sending contracts, invoices, and follow-up emails every time you book a new client, you’re wasting too much time on admin work.
A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool automates and organizes your entire client workflow—from the first inquiry to final payment. That means you can spend less time writing emails and more time delivering a stellar client experience. (Which equals more testimonials, referrals, and repeat clients!)
(Learn more about CRM tools in this blog post.)
The right CRM depends on the type of business you run.
For service providers and creatives, 17Hats, Honeybook, and Dubsado are all popular options. But there are also industry-specific CRMs for other client-facing business owners like therapists and health practitioners.
Make sure to do your research and find a tool that works best for your industry and needs.
My CRM Pick: 17hats
17hats saves me so much time, it’s almost ridiculous.
I use it to manage my client contracts, invoices, and questionnaires. It’s super robust, user-friendly, and in comparison to some of its competitors (like Honeybook or Dubsado), it does more but in an easier way.
Honorable Mention: Dex
Dex is a relationship-focused CRM tool that helps you build and maintain client relationships by keeping track of interactions, follow-ups, and key details. It integrates with your calendars and contact list so you can consolidate your network in one place.
If networking is the primary way you sign new clients, I recommend checking it out!
#3: A Scheduling Tool (No More Back-and-Forth Emails)
If you’ve been in business for a while, you know how frustrating it is to spend time preparing for a discovery call only to get ghosted on Zoom.
If you’re still manually scheduling calls, navigating time zones, or dealing with last-minute cancellations, you’re wasting valuable time that could be spent serving clients.
A scheduling tool eliminates those headaches by allowing clients to book appointments based on your availability. Plus, many scheduling tools send automatic meeting reminders, decreasing the likelihood of getting ghosted.
My Scheduler Pick: Acuity
I’ve been using Acuity for many years and don’t plan on changing that any time soon! It integrates seamlessly with Google Calendar, Zapier, and even payment processors like Stripe and PayPal.
I even use Zapier to connect Acuity with 17hats and Notion, so every time someone schedules a discovery call with me, their information is automatically downloaded to my CRM tools.
Honorable Mention: Calendly
For anyone looking for a free option, start with Calendly. You can’t create multiple meeting types on the free plan, but there is a paid option with similar bells and whistles as Acuity.
#4: An Email Service Provider (The Business Insurance You Can’t Afford to Ignore)
One of the biggest mistakes service providers make when it comes to connecting with potential clients is waiting too long to grow their email list.
If you have a small social media following, you might not think of email as an essential marketing tool, but consider this:
Unlike social media, where only a small percentage of your followers see your posts, emails have an average open rate of 20-30%—meaning more people actually see your content. Plus, unlike social media, you own your email list.
Automated email sequences are also a great way to nurture leads, build trust, and convert subscribers into paying clients—without constantly creating new content.
My Email Pick: Kit (Formerly ConvertKit)
I love Kit because it’s incredibly user-friendly and affordable for small business owners who want to grow. You don’t have to be a tech expert to set up the opt-in forms, landing pages, and automations (though we can do that for you!), and the tools are simple yet effective.
Honorable Mention: Mailerlite
If you’re completely new to email marketing and aren’t ready to invest in a paid tool, Mailerlite is the best free option. It’s not as pretty or robust as Kit, but it’s incredibly functional and fairly easy to use.
#5: Content Creation Tools (Spend Less Time on Content)
If you want to book more clients, posting content is a necessary piece of the marketing puzzle.
Between brainstorming ideas, designing graphics, editing videos, and scheduling posts, content creation eats up hours—time you could be spending on more client work.
With the right content creation tools, you can streamline the entire process while still producing high-quality, valuable content.
My Top Pick: Canva
At this point, I think every business owner and their mom knows how to use Canva…and for good reason!
If you don’t know about Canva (no judgment, of course), it’s where I create everything visual for my business: social media graphics, presentations, pretty PDFs, and even podcast covers for the BizMagic Podcast.
Creating branded templates inside Canva is an easy and effective way to create new content much faster.
Honorable Mentions:
There are a billion tools out there to make creating content easier. Here are a few of my favorites:
Video editing tools like CapCut and Descript
AI tools like Jasper AI and Chat GPT
Podcast production tools like Buzzsprout
Scheduling tools like Later
Bonus Tool: Have Fun With AI
Whether you love it or hate it, AI is here to stay. And here’s the good news: It can help you accomplish many of the things we went over today much faster.
Whether you need help generating content ideas, organizing your task list, or drafting an email, AI tools like Claude and Chat GPT can save you hours each week.
Need some ideas about how to best use AI for your business?
Check out this podcast episode I recorded with my friend, Tena Moore, a web designer and AI content strategist. Tena breaks down how to use ChatGPT as a partner to brainstorm ideas, craft social media posts, and create content—all while staying true to your unique voice.
Remember, feeling maxed out in your business doesn’t mean you’re done growing.
By implementing the right tools, you can streamline your workflow, eliminate unnecessary admin work, and create more space to serve clients—without adding extra hours to your day.
If all this tech talk feels exciting but a little overwhelming, I’m here to help. Let’s work together to choose the right tools for your business and set them up so they work exactly as they should.
