Affordable Tools Every Crafter Needs to Run Their Business Smoothly

When I first started Ellie Frances Designs, I thought the hardest part would be creating my products. I had my Glowforge, my Cricut, and plenty of ideas. What I did not expect was how much time I would spend on everything else — marketing, payments, customer communication, and trying to keep track of orders.

Like many crafters, I started with a notebook and then moved to spreadsheets. But when orders picked up, especially around the holidays, it became chaos. Orders came from Facebook Messenger, Etsy, and word of mouth. Some customers wanted completely custom designs. Others had deadlines that could not be missed. I was drowning in sticky notes and spreadsheets, constantly worrying that I would forget something.

That is where the right tools made all the difference. Over time, I found a handful of affordable tools that helped me run my business smoothly. And out of my own struggle to stay organized came 6DollarCRM, which is now a staple in my daily workflow.

Here are the tools I use and recommend to every crafter or maker trying to run their business without the stress.

Affinity Designer – Designing My Projects

As a maker, I spend a lot of time designing projects before they ever go into production. Affinity Designer on the iPad has been one of my favorite tools for this. It lets me sketch, refine, and finalize designs with precision, whether I am working on a new ornament, notebook cover, or custom piece. Having a professional design tool I can take anywhere makes the creative process so much smoother.

Canva – Marketing Without Needing to Be a Designer

When it comes to marketing my business, Canva is my go-to. I use it to create Facebook posts, Instagram graphics, and flyers. It gives me templates that look polished and professional, and I can customize them in just minutes. Canva has saved me countless hours and helped me promote my business without hiring a designer.

Square – Getting Paid Without Stress

When I sold my drafts and notebooks, Square became essential. Their little card reader that plugs into your phone meant I could take payments on the spot. No more “I don’t have cash” moments costing me sales. Square also made online payments simple, and it gave my business a more professional feel without a big upfront cost.

6DollarCRM – Finally Keeping Orders and Customers Organized

This was the tool I could not find anywhere, so we built it. Out of my own chaos trying to track orders came 6DollarCRM.

I needed a way to see exactly where every order was in the process. With 6DollarCRM, I created stages that matched how I work (order received, design created, design approved, made, and shipped). Moving a customer through the workflow is as simple as dragging and dropping them to the next stage.

The task feature is just as powerful. I can create general tasks for batch work (like cutting ornament blanks) and customer-specific tasks (like designing a custom name). Everything stays in one place, and nothing slips through the cracks. Best of all, it is affordable and built for small business owners like me who do not have time for complicated systems.

FreshBooks – The Money Side

The financial side of business used to stress me out. FreshBooks helped take that weight off my shoulders. It tracks expenses, simplifies invoicing, and makes tax season far less painful. Having my money organized gives me peace of mind so I can focus on creating.

Bringing It All Together

Running a craft business is about more than making beautiful things. It is about managing the details that keep your business moving forward. With the right tools, you can stay organized, look professional, and spend more time doing what you love.

For me, these tools (Affinity Designer, Canva, Square, FreshBooks, and especially 6DollarCRM) make it possible to run my business smoothly without breaking the budget.

If you are a crafter or maker looking to bring more clarity to your workflow, this toolkit is a great place to start. And if order management is your biggest challenge, 6DollarCRM will be the piece that changes everything.