web domains and hosting
Dreamhost- We love Dreamhost so much that we use them ourselves! Affordable domains and hosting services, stellar support services and an easy-to-use interface. Bonus: Use code LUSHCREATIVE for 1 free domain registration or LUSHHOSTING for $10 off annual hosting.
Bluehost- Another great option for hosting that is both reliable and cheap is Bluehost. Bonus: They have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
email marketing
MailChimp- We’ve used many email marketing platforms and MailChimp is our absolute favorite. With their modern and easy to use interface and detailed analytics, they blow other email marketing platforms out of the water. Not to mention it’s FREE to send up to 12,000 emails a month to 2,000 email subscribers!
printing services
OvernightPrints- Affordable, quality printing. Great for postcards and business cards. They are always running a good sale, so be sure to sign-up for their emails.
PSPrint- Another great choice for affordable print jobs such as postcards, brochures and business cards.
StickerMule- High Quality vinyl stickers with quick turnaround and competitive prices.
stock photography
BigStock- High-quality, low-cost stock photography.
Adobe Stock Photos- High quality stock photos. A low-cost monthly membership allows you 10 images a month, with the option to purchase additional downloads and your download credits never expire!
color inspiration
ColourLovers- Browse community-created color palettes to spark your creativity.
DesignSeeds- A HUGE collection of color palettes derived from photography.
Pinterest- Do a quick search for color or photography and you’ll find a wealth of inspiration. You can also check-out our color inspiration board here.
fonts
Google Fonts- If you’re looking for great fonts for easy implementation on your website or blog, Google Fonts offers a wide selection.
Font Squirrel- A large selection of fonts that are 100% free for commercial use.
MyFonts- If you are looking for something a little more unique and you don’t mind paying for it, MyFonts offers some absolutely gorgeous fonts from some of the best designers in the industry.
tools
Google Analytics- We highly recommend Google Analytics for monitoring site traffic and visitor behavior. It’s easy to implement and if we designed your site, implementation is included.
Google Webmaster Tools- Helps maintain your site’s presence in Google search.
Adobe Creative Cloud- These are the tools we use to design everything we do. If you’re a do-it-yourselfer or feel adventurous, give Creative Cloud a shot.
PicMonkey- If you want to edit photos for your blog, website or social media posts without investing in professional software such as Photoshop, PicMonkey is a great online tool that free and easy to use.
Canva- Another easy to use DIY design tool perfect for putting together quick and pretty graphics for blog posts and social media.
wordpress tutorials
For those of you who are new to WordPress, we’ve created a series of tutorials to get you started!
How to Install a Plugin
How to Install Google Custom Search
How to Add a Favicon to Your Site
Ten Essential WordPress Plugins