September 2020 Summaries

Here's a neutral and interesting summary of the text: Microsoft Teams channels can benefit from having a Wiki page for storing meeting notes or project information, but using OneNote tabs may offer more features, organization options, and flexibility, especially when used outside of Teams. OneNote allows users to create notebooks, sections, and subpages, making it easier to organize and reference information. Additionally, OneNote offers features like drawing, dictation, task lists, tagging, version history, and integration with other apps through Zapier, which can enhance productivity and collaboration. However, deleting a OneNote tab in Teams permanently removes the associated Wiki page, whereas using another service or tool may offer more flexibility and options for storing team information.

Microsoft Teams is a comprehensive collaboration platform that offers various features beyond traditional video conferencing, including built-in meeting notes, persistent chat with rich formatting, and blurred backgrounds. Microsoft Teams also provides real-time captions, a feature not offered by Zoom, and integrates well with other Microsoft 365 tools. Additionally, the free version of Microsoft Teams has no time limits for video meetings, making it an attractive option for businesses already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem.

Want to learn more about how Slack and Zapier are bringing the power of automation to your favorite communication platform? Join us on October 7-8 at Frontiers, Slack's biggest streaming event, where our very own Ryan Powell will present on using Zapier and Slack together. Register today! If you've ever missed an important email that just got buried in your inbox, you can use Slack instead of asking for slack. Slack is a platform for team communication that offers instant searchability, team chat, audio calls, virtual facetime, private channels, direct messages, file sharing, and automation features like Slackbot. You can automate your team chat with Zapier's integrations, such as sending Slack messages whenever Google Sheets rows are updated. With its user-friendly interface, Slack makes it easy to stay in touch with your team and do more together.

The tech industry often has a traditional career path in mind, but many people's journey into tech is more human and varied. Origin stories range from playing with Neopets to fixing TI-83 calculators, showcasing the diverse paths that led individuals to develop careers in tech. Some, like Kay-Kay Clapp, developed a "waste not, want not" attitude from their upbringing, while others, such as Katie Redderson-Lear, relied on troubleshooting skills learned through using Linux. Many people's entry into tech began with basic programming or web development skills gained from editing social media sites like MySpace and Xanga, or even just messing around with settings. These stories highlight the importance of curiosity and finding something that interests you, rather than following a traditional career path.

A LinkedIn Lead Gen Form is a marketing tool that allows businesses to capture B2B leads with minimal friction, making it easy for prospects to engage with their content or demo by clicking on a pre-filled form in their feed. However, setting up the campaign incorrectly can lead to poor ROI. To build a high-performing campaign, one must carefully set up the audience, ad format, placement, budget, and schedule, while also creating eye-catching and relevant ads that capture users' attention. Once launched, automation is key to making the most of LinkedIn leads, as manual data export can be time-consuming and costly. By implementing best practices and leveraging integrations with marketing automation platforms like HubSpot or Mailchimp, businesses can maximize their spend and achieve a positive ROAS.

Woodpecker.co is a drip email app designed for B2B companies to contact prospective clients directly, sending personalized sales emails and follow-ups automatically from their mailbox. The app helps grow predictable revenue by nurturing inbound leads and detecting replies, allowing users to stop further follow-ups when responses are received. Woodpecker.co also offers shared prospect databases, testing features, and transparent metrics like open and click-through rates to ensure effective drip emails. Users can automate their workflows with Zapier integrations, such as connecting Google Sheets or Pipedrive, and block future follow-up messages when Calendly meetings are set up.

The BlackTies, a Sydney magician group, was struggling with manual tasks such as managing leads and updating spreadsheets, which took away from their creativity. They discovered Zapier, an automation tool that simplified the process of connecting apps and automating workflows. With Zapier, they were able to automate tasks such as transferring information from email to Trello cards, creating deals in Pipedrive, and generating Trello cards with event details. This automation significantly reduced their back-end management time by 95 percent, allowing them to focus on their creative work and scale their business successfully.

Demio is a simple tool that makes hosting webinars easy, allowing users to host live Q&A sessions, workshops, online trainings, and more from their browser. With features such as scheduling, customization, analytics, and sharing materials, Demio helps ensure a smooth experience for both the host and attendees. The app also provides a checklist before the event starts and automates workflows with Zapier integrations, making it an ideal option for hosting webinars in 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on small businesses, with many pivoting to online or growing their online presence to survive. According to Zapier's analysis of its platform, the top 25+ fastest-growing apps are primarily those that enable businesses to automate tasks, build and manage websites, connect with customers, collaborate, and create interactive experiences online. These apps include Zoom for virtual meetings, Squarespace for website building, Netlify and Webflow for easy website creation, Discord for team chat, WPForms for contact forms, and ClickUp for productivity platforms.

When your team is working from a shared inbox, things can get messy, fast. Emails can often end up in the wrong inbox, sent to the wrong person, or worse—lost in the shuffle. Front is a collaborative tool that allows you to create shared inboxes where email, social media messages, SMS, and other communications all live in one place. In Front, you can create rules to automatically sort new messages and route them to the right person, assign messages to individuals, use canned responses, collaborate on emails, and share drafts with teammates. Built-in integrations with popular apps like Salesforce keep critical information at your fingertips, streamlining your communications and automating tasks with Zapier's Front integrations.

The author, who has been creating spreadsheets for fun, argues that everyone should start making spreadsheets for enjoyment, not just work. By doing so, individuals can reclaim control over their spreadsheets, unlock new skills, and discover new options within constraints. Making something for fun allows for a clearer vision of the end goal and enjoyment, even when things go sideways. It also reveals new possibilities and provides a sense of accomplishment. The author shares examples of how they applied new skills learned from making spreadsheets for fun to their work, including using Google Sheets' find/replace features to fix errors in a previous spreadsheet. By taking breaks to create something for fun, individuals can return to their work with newfound knowledge and confidence, adding value without anyone knowing where it came from.

As a freelancer, it's essential to streamline your work, specialize in your field of expertise, review your client list, proactively network, update your website and share social proof, set goals for the new year, review your rates, set aside money for retirement and short-term savings, and prepare for tax time. To achieve these objectives, freelancers should focus on building a strong portfolio, creating a professional online presence, and continuously improving their skills to offer more value to clients. By implementing these strategies, freelancers can increase their chances of success and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Sendinblue is a marketing platform that combines email, SMS, and chat tools into one platform, allowing small businesses to reach new customers without a huge budget or team. It offers professional-looking templates, drag-and-drop editor, A/B testing, real-time reports, and automation capabilities through integrations with Zapier. The platform also manages customer relationships in one place, eliminating the need for separate CRM tools. With Sendinblue, small businesses can market their products or services effectively without breaking the bank.

At Zapier, they prioritize serendipitous interactions among remote teams by using a Slack app called Donut to randomly pair coworkers and schedule video calls, fostering spontaneous cross-pollination of ideas and connections between departments. These random conversations can lead to solutions to problems, connect people who might otherwise never talk, and make the company feel less hierarchical, helping leaders stay connected with their team members. By building systems that encourage social interaction, companies can benefit from a stronger sense of community and belonging among remote workers.

Miro is an online whiteboard app that allows for asynchronous, real-time collaboration, making it easy to diagram processes and brainstorm ideas without the need for physical whiteboards or in-person meetings. With pre-built templates and digital markers, users can start a sprint planning session, map their customer journey, and more in just a few clicks, and easily share boards with others for collaborative work. Built-in cursor tracking allows team members to see what each other has contributed, while embedded chats and comments facilitate direct feedback and approvals. Miro also integrates with other apps, such as Zapier, allowing users to automate workflows and reference external files within the board. Overall, Miro is a digital whiteboard built for remote collaboration that saves sticky notes but keeps ideas flowing.

Vicki Saunders, a serial entrepreneur, founded SheEO, a global community of women building a $1 billion perpetual fund to support women entrepreneurs on the World's To-Do List. The organization provides funding and support to businesses led by women, with a focus on creating new models, mindsets, and solutions that benefit humanity. SheEO uses specialized software and automation tools, including Zapier, to streamline its operations and connect its diverse community of Activators, Ventures, and supporters. By leveraging technology and building relationships, SheEO aims to empower women entrepreneurs and create a more equitable venture ecosystem.

This article discusses the benefits of delegation, a process where tasks are assigned to others, allowing individuals to focus on their strengths and build a more sustainable process for themselves, their teams, and businesses. It emphasizes that delegation is not just about outsourcing, but also about delegating within teams, partnering with other businesses, and using automation software to streamline repetitive tasks. The article provides guidance on how to delegate effectively, including reviewing task lists, thinking small, creating documented processes, and assessing team members' skills before assigning tasks. By delegating non-work tasks, individuals can also reduce their personal stress and increase productivity in their work lives.

Accessibility features on computers were designed with specific needs in mind but ultimately benefit everyone by improving usability, clarity, and functionality for all users. These features include zooming capabilities to enhance vision, reducing contrast and transparency for improved readability, allowing users to type instead of talk to their computer or virtual assistants, and text-to-speech capabilities for writing. By enabling these features, users can improve their computing experience, whether they have specific needs due to disability or simply prefer a more intuitive interface.

The author of the text recently quit their job due to feeling unproductive for 75% of their time, which equates to 3,000 wasted hours over two years. The author attributes this to a complex system of time tracking and task management that made it difficult to accurately measure productivity. They learned that such systems can be counterproductive if not implemented correctly, leading to unnecessary complexity and micromanaging. To address these issues, the author suggests defining boundaries for task management tools, trusting employees to excel in their roles, and implementing asynchronous strategies to reduce meeting time. The text also touches on the importance of creating an environment where productivity becomes natural, emphasizing that responsibility is collective in corporate life.

Zendesk is a support platform designed to bring serenity to the world of customer service, offering features such as ticketing systems, agent workspaces, smart settings, and workflows that help teams stay productive. The platform's core ticketing system collects customer requests from various channels, while its guide knowledge-base app houses product documentation, reducing the need for manual support. Zendesk also offers live chat, social messaging, and voice channel features to enhance customer connections. Additionally, it integrates with Zapier for automation of forms and surveys, making it easier to manage customer support and meet growing needs.

Editing your own work is a challenging task due to the limitations of human perception, particularly when it comes to catching typos and other errors. This is because our brains process information differently than computers, making it harder for us to detect mistakes in our own writing. However, using text-to-speech software can help overcome this challenge by providing an objective auditory feedback that highlights potential issues with the written content. By leveraging tools such as Dictater, Balabolka, eSpeak, Natural Reader, and Microsoft Office's built-in Speak function, writers can gain a fresh perspective on their work and make much-needed corrections more efficiently.

You can't have more than one top priority, and deciding to prioritize one thing means deciding not to prioritize something else. This leads to getting nothing done if we try to do everything. To avoid this, it's essential to be intentional about prioritization by being explicit about which projects aren't a priority. The Zapier Learning and Development team has implemented a weekly list of deprioritized projects, where everyone outlines what they didn't get to work on in the past week and what they will focus on next week. This approach forces teams to think critically about their priorities and commit to making progress on one project at a time. By doing so, teams can achieve clarity and balance, as seen in the examples of Michael Shen and Steph Donily, who have made deprioritization a part of their weekly updates, helping them set a good example for work-life balance. Ultimately, prioritizing one project means deprioritizing something else, but being intentional about this process can help teams make the most of their time.

Typeform is an easy-to-use form creation platform that allows users to create engaging forms with a drag-and-drop editor, adding multimedia content and logic flows to direct respondents to different questions or content based on previous answers. The platform's UX displays questions one at a time, making forms easier to complete, and provides tools for analyzing form results, including spreadsheet-style lists and basic analysis. Typeform also integrates with Zapier, allowing users to automate workflows and connect their forms to other apps, such as Google Sheets and Mailchimp, without requiring any complicated code.

Mary Albright's origin story begins with her being banned from Chicago libraries for excessive time spent on Neopets and Tumblr in her childhood. This early exposure to coding and automation through Neopets led her to develop a strong foundation in asking the right questions, which she carries over into her current role as Senior Content Engineer at Wpromote. Her experience in modeling also taught her about data management and the importance of automating tasks, skills she later applied to her work with Zapier and Google Apps script coding. Mary's path into technology was unique, but her story highlights the value of exploring one's interests and passions, even if they may seem unrelated to a career in tech.

Google Drive is a cloud storage service that allows users to upload and store files, including photos and videos, in folders and share those folders with others. While it can be used for photo storage, its primary function is not photography-specific and everything uploaded counts against the user's Google storage limits. In contrast, Google Photos is a photo and video syncing and backup service that allows users to sync their photos from their phone or computer, view them in a timeline organized by date, sort them into albums, search for specific images, and perform basic photo editing. While both services can be used for photography, they serve different purposes and have distinct features. Google Photos offers free storage for compressed files, allowing users to upload and store large collections of photos without counting against their Google storage limits. The service also integrates with other Google apps, such as Gmail and Slack, through Zapier automation, making it easy to automate tasks and workflows.

Constant Contact is an email marketing platform designed to simplify the task of staying in touch with customers, even for beginners. The app offers a smart email editor, pre-made templates, and expert guidance to create great-looking campaigns that stand out on every device. It also helps users get better results from their emails by identifying and grouping contacts based on different criteria, allowing for targeted and personalized messages. Additionally, Constant Contact provides tools such as website building, logo design, Google Ads management, and social media integration, making it a one-stop-shop for all marketing needs. The platform can be automated with Zapier integrations, providing users with workflows to connect apps and automate tasks without coding.

Iavarone Bros., a 93-year-old gourmet Italian market chain, transformed its business model in response to the COVID-19 crisis by leveraging automation powered by Zapier to create an online ordering system that allowed customers to shop from home and enabled the company to thrive despite financial challenges. To scale their operations, Iavarone Bros. utilized a JotForm embedded on their website, which automatically sorted orders into Google Drive folders and consolidated them on a customized Google Sheet, streamlining the process of fulfilling customer orders. With this automated system in place, the company was able to grow its customer base and add organizational efficiencies, ultimately succeeding despite the crisis.

There is an app called TickTick that takes task management to the next level by automating some of the manual work involved, allowing users to focus on completing tasks rather than managing their lists. The app offers features such as adding tasks from emails, voice commands, and reminders, as well as a built-in Pomodoro timer to help stay focused. It also includes organizational features like folders and lists, and allows users to prioritize tasks in different ways. Additionally, the app has calendar views and collaboration features that enable users to work with others on their task list, making it easier to manage tasks without spending too much time organizing them.

Remote teams can feel disrupted when their primary team chat app or video conferencing tool goes down, but having a backup plan in place can minimize the impact. Having a virtual gathering place, such as a second team chat app, Discord server, or document, can provide an alternative location for team members to coordinate and communicate during an outage. Additionally, using alternative channels like email, phone numbers, or informal networks can help reach everyone and keep people informed. Having a backup tool for meetings, such as a video conferencing app, can also ensure that important discussions continue uninterrupted. In some cases, taking the opportunity to focus on work without interruptions can be a viable solution.

Preparing for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the first weeks in December requires a strategic approach to maximize profits and minimize stress. By planning deals and promotions, anticipating best sellers, optimizing online store design, preparing content ahead of time, and automating tasks, eCommerce sellers can better prepare for the holiday rush. This allows them to find the golden middle ground between profiting, being competitive, and satisfying shoppers, while also avoiding common pitfalls such as missed profits due to "Out of Stock" messages or poor site design. By taking a proactive approach, sellers can stay ahead of the competition and ensure a successful holiday season.

As the world navigates the challenges of remote work and school closures, leaders are faced with a unique opportunity to support working parents who are shouldering a second full-time job. To do so, they must be flexible about meetings, avoid frustration, and not assume all decisions require in-person meetings. By embracing asynchronous work and respecting unpredictable schedules, leaders can create a sense of community and foster a culture that values work-life balance. This includes offering support to parents who may need help with childcare or simply a listening ear, as well as encouraging non-parents to ask about their needs and offer assistance when possible.

The author of the text is experimenting with blocking team chat apps like Slack for focused work, finding that it helps them concentrate on longer-term projects by minimizing distractions. They use software to block access to Slack and other distracting apps, such as Twitter and Google Calendar, to achieve this goal. By doing so, they aim to build a habit of deep work and reduce procrastination. The experiment shows that blocking Slack can be liberating, allowing the author to focus more effectively and complete tasks in less time. However, it also highlights the importance of planning ahead to avoid unexpected distractions during the focused work period.

Landing pages are a powerful marketing tool that can help launch new products or services, generate leads, and automate tasks. By integrating with popular apps like Mailchimp, Unbounce, Google Forms, and HubSpot, Zapier's automatic workflows (Zaps) can capture new leads, add visitors to email lists, and build excitement for new offerings. With pre-made Zap templates, users can customize workflows to send personalized messages, follow up with leads, and track the performance of their landing page. By automating tasks such as sending emails, adding contacts to email lists, and updating CRM systems, landing pages can be optimized to maximize lead generation and conversion rates. Additionally, Zapier's integration with thousands of apps enables users to create secure, automated systems for their business-critical workflows.

Databox is a business app integration platform that aggregates data from various popular business apps, allowing users to create custom dashboards and track key performance metrics in real-time. With over 70 built-in integrations, users can easily pull in data from accounting software, customer relationship management tools, and more. The Dashboard Designer enables non-technical users to create visualizations and customize their dashboard without coding knowledge. Databox also calculates metrics such as conversion rates and ROI, and allows users to set goals and track progress in real-time, freeing them up to focus on business goals rather than manual data analysis.

Google search is a crucial client acquisition channel for small businesses, but it can feel overwhelming due to the numerous SEO tools available. Small businesses should focus on using free or low-cost tools to optimize their content and website structure, such as Google's Keyword Planner and Trends, and Bing's Webmaster tools. Professional-grade free and cheap tools like Link-Assistant.com, Small SEO Tools, and Yoast can also be effective in optimizing for multiple search engines and tracking rankings. Additionally, small businesses should aim to boost their SERP presence with rich snippets, such as Google sitelinks, knowledge panels, and FAQ results, by following best practices and using schema markup. By completing these steps, small businesses can improve their SEO game and increase their visibility in search engine results pages.

Nearly two-thirds of knowledge workers currently use automation software at work, with nearly a fifth intending to use it in the future. Automation is being used by these professionals to improve their productivity, organization, and overall job performance. The most common reasons for using automation include completing tasks faster, focusing on important work, and reducing errors. Knowledge workers who use automation report significant benefits such as saving time, reducing errors, and improving their overall job satisfaction. However, some individuals are not using automation software due to lack of knowledge about its applications or concerns about the impact on their role. The survey highlights the growing importance of automation in the workplace and its potential to enhance productivity and job performance.

Design Pickle is an unlimited design service that offers beautifully crafted designs without the need to hire a full-time in-house designer, allowing businesses to outsource their design needs for a flat monthly fee.` `The platform provides a streamlined way to request new designs and communicate revisions with designers, offering features such as tracking requests directly from the app and duplicating past requests.` `Design Pickle integrates with Zapier, enabling users to automate workflows and connect apps without complicated code, making it a great option for businesses that frequently need design work but can't justify hiring full-time staff.