Who doesn’t love a good duo? Peanut butter and jelly, Batman and Robin, tax season and shopping sprees—they kinda make the word a little bit better, don’t they? In fact, two great things teaming up to make a greater thing is probably what your small business needs right about now. So, let’s get into it! Here are 3 must-have creative duos to make your small business look so much more professional.
Munbyn Thermal Printer + Labels
Making handcrafted or homemade goods is fantastic because 9 times out of 10, they’re made with a lot more love, care, and concern than something that was mass manufactured. However, the downside of this is that they also look a lot less professional compared to their high quality counterparts.
Now this doesn’t mean your products aren’t also high quality and worth every penny, but from a marketing standpoint, people are almost always going to go with the good they think look the best—even if a clean, polished look is all they really have going for them.
Well guess what? You can craft nice labels and stuff, too! All you need is a thermal printer and labels. With this duo, you can craft all kinds of neat branding for your business. Colorful stickers, fancy item tags, and shipping labels in just a few minutes and a fraction of the cost.
Suggested Duo: MUNBYN Thermal Printer, $180 and Direct Thermal Self-Adhesive Labels, $12.
Canva + Pexels
One thing all businesses, big and small, need is solid branding. Color palettes, logos, brand fonts—all of these things make up a memorable brand identity. And truth be told, unless a professional is hired, most businesses struggle with developing a brand identity they really like and want to stick with.
While it’s still a good idea to invest in a professional (if you can afford it) or at least do some research on how to properly develop a brand identity, there are many resources available to help you get some practice in just for the sake of developing key skills and abilities for your small business.
My personal favorite duo for branding? Canva Pro and the stock image website, Pexels. Together, they help you come up with incredible graphics and promotional materials for social media—no in-house photographer or photoshop necessary.
Suggested Duo: Canva Pro, $13 + Pexels, Free
Squarespace + Calendly
Being a professional means knowing when a regular way of doing things is no longer cutting it. In the age of social media, it’s totally normal for potential clients to text you or send you a DM. However, how professional is that? If you want the honest answer: It’s not professional at all.
When running a small business that requires you to take sensitive information and schedule appointments, DMs and comments under Instagram posts aren’t exactly professional or safe. This is your cue to invest in a company email with Google Workspace or go with a scheduling platform.
My personal favorite duo is Squarespace and Calendly. Squarespace helps you piece together a clean, easy to build and navigate website in just a few clicks. And then when you’re done, you can add Calendly to your contact page and take appointments for your services in real time. Cool, right?
Suggested Duo: Squarespace, $16/month + Calendly, $8/monthly
