DIT (do it together)
- January 15th, 2008
One of my favorite sites right now is Basecamp.
I love it because I can be super strategic in plotting out how to maximize my business(es) but also invite other partner companies I work with to get inside my planning and collaborate with me! This is so powerful! And the fact that it’s web based (online) makes it accessible from anywhere.
What does it do? Good question.
It allows me to create different projects with to do lists attached. Then I can add dates on calendars (called milestones) and link my tasks to the dates which automatically syncs with my iCal. But, none of that is new. The power comes when I invite others to play with me!
We can brainstorm together (on things called whiteboards), chat it up in custom chat rooms that I invite exactly who I want in to what conversation … I can have one for virtual assistants, one for vendors, one for partners … even one for Fast Trackers (stay tuned!). I can also upload documents and files for me and others to work on. I can even track how long it takes for people I work with (including me) to get stuff done. It’s awesome.
The absolute best part though is now I can keep my comprehensive point-by-point workflow (which I’ll be giving free to my Fast Track Founders) constantly updated to make sure me and my friends never miss a detail, resulting in a total airtight program. It’s the complete organizational system for getting things done right the first time.
If you’re thinking about trying it, I’d recommend playing with the free version … or better yet sign up for the basic plan and type in the the code (“FREEUP”) and you get it for like $2 for the first month which is amazing and you can cancel anytime. It’s a sweet company too … they get it (i.e., how to give customers what they want without the hassles … I wish more companies would figure that out).
Try it and tell me what you think!
Keep it simple.
-Dane
January 15th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Basecamp is great, and is part of the reason we’re able to support so many customers at BIG Folio.
Personally, I think Highrise (another product from 37signals) might be a better choice for a photographer.
Have you tried it?
January 15th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Highrise is cool but I am using ShootQ and am pretty impressed with the event photographer customization and integration to my site. What do you like about Highrise?
January 15th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
I love 37 Signals, have been using the Ta Da lists since Becker mentioned it on his blog a few months back. I also just started using the online calendar feature combined with the online to do list for the studio i am managing. Linked it on the Bookmark Bar on all three Macs and the Laptop and the photographer can add stuff to the list/calendar from any computer and the calendar also then syncs to my iCal.
January 16th, 2008 at 6:38 am
I’ve been using Highrise for a little while now It works pretty good with keeping info about clients together and accessible (Free or little $). I might go with ShootQ as soon as registration is open again(The lead thing looks awesome).
In Highrise I bcc:Highrise when ever I email a client and forward their emails to the Highrise box when I receive them.
This is great for my wife and I to keep contact info and leave notes about conversations we had with clients, so we are both on the same page and organized(I hate sticky notes, I need to get my wife away for they, she was addicted)
January 16th, 2008 at 6:45 am
I love all of 37signals products, but Highrise has been my favorite for a number of reasons. I wrote to them when I first tried it and they posted about my experience on their blog: http://37signals.blogs.com/products/2007/06/photographer-da.html
Highrise helps us keep up to date on all of our client activity. Tags and Tasks are my favorite. It is so simple to use and does just what we need it to.
Emailing tasks & threads to highrise based on a clients email is awesome. I can keep my inbox clean and have the threads linked right to the client.
I have heard of ShootQ but have not seen it in action. For now Highrise and Quickbooks is our bag baby… :-)
Happy New Year Dane! See you in March.
David Burke
January 16th, 2008 at 8:23 am
I 2nd what Fed and David said. I like ShootQ and the integration with sites is nice.
But, with Highrise, its nice to just forward an email from my site and it becomes a contact. There are a lot of great features that help me keep on task with my photography (which is only part-time).
We’re working on integration between our sites and both ShootQ and Highrise.
January 16th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
you guys are great … although you convinced me to fork it out over at 37signals … i think i own their whole suite now … lol. amazing stuff.
January 16th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
I know how you feel. We use Basecamp at BF, I use Highrise for my photography, and my wife and I use Backpack for our personal stuff/calendar.
I’ve found myself wanting certain features in other apps (I wish the calendar was shared across all apps). But they’re still great.
January 17th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Ha Ha! I know how ya feel too. Their software is just so dang useful!! I use Highrise and Backpack. I have the free Basecamp version, but have not used it much. Backpack works great because I have a ‘master page’ set up that I clone for each job I have come in. It saves me from recreating my lists for every job and we can just click away to get it done.
Keepin it simple in Pittsburgh. :)