Hongkiat https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/author/com/ Tech and Design Tips Wed, 31 May 2023 08:02:38 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.0.5 https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/cropped-hkdc-avatar-32x32.png Hongkiat.com, Author at Hongkiat https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/author/com/ 32 32 Free Photo Effect Photoshop Brushes https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/photoshop-brush-photo-effect/ Wed, 31 May 2023 10:01:29 +0000 https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/?p=66655 Photoshop brushes can be a powerful tool for enhancing your photos and making them stand out. By using photo effect brushes, you can add depth, texture, and mood to your images with just a few clicks. The good news is that there are plenty of free options available, making it easy to experiment with different…

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Photoshop brushes can be a powerful tool for enhancing your photos and making them stand out. By using photo effect brushes, you can add depth, texture, and mood to your images with just a few clicks. The good news is that there are plenty of free options available, making it easy to experiment with different effects without breaking the bank.

Bokeh Photoshop Brushes
Bokeh Photoshop Brushes

Bokeh is one of the best types of backgrounds for any kind of design, so it’s a good idea to add these cool bokeh effect brushes to your collection.

Download brush.

Cool Splatter Photoshop Brushes
Cool Splatter Free Brush Set

A set of six high-quality paint splatter brushes that are cool and free for both commercial and non-commercial use.

Download brush.

30 So What Photoshop Brushes
30 So What

A set of 30 special Photoshop brushes created for designing magazines and other print materials.

Download brush.

Seamless Bokeh Textures Photoshop Brushes
Seamless Bokeh Textures

Do you want a quick and easy way to add bokeh to your images? Download these high-resolution seamless bokeh textures that are free to use.

Download brush.

Ballon Photoshop Brushes
Ballon

Create a collection of beautiful hand-drawn balloons with this simple and free brush.

Download brush.

Extreme Lashes Photoshop Brushes
Extreme Lashes

Ideal for magazine artists and fashion graphic designers, these 8 extreme faux lash brushes are perfect (including a set of 8 flipped brushes for easy use on both eyes).

Download brush.

Hair Photoshop Brushes
Hair

Special brushes are available for different types of hair, including bangs, braids, wavy, straight, curly, and ponytails. These brushes are compatible with both Photoshop and GIMP.

Download brush.

Bokeh Photoshop Brushes
Bokeh

Here are ten high-quality free bokeh brushes for Photoshop. However, please ensure that you read the terms of use before using these brushes.

Download brush.

Eye-Lashes Photoshop Brushes
Eye-Lashes PS-CS Brush Set

A lifesaver for graphic designers who work in fashion and human art, these eyelash brushes were created for Photoshop CS.

Download brush.

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30+ Symbols Related Photoshop Brushes to Download https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/photoshop-brush-symbols/ Tue, 30 May 2023 10:01:52 +0000 https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/?p=66657 Discover over 30 free symbols-related Photoshop brushes for enhancing your design work.

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Symbols are an essential element in design; using them effectively can significantly enhance your work. Whether you’re creating a logo, icon, or illustration, symbol brushes in Photoshop can help you achieve a professional and polished look. In this post, we’ve rounded up 30+ of the best free symbol Photoshop brushes that you can download and use in your next

Bokeh Photoshop Brushes
150 Cracked Photoshop Brushes

Here are some brushes made from cracks in trees, paint, and soil. This brush pack can be used for creating cuts and scabs.

Download brush.

Cool Splatter Photoshop Brushes
Tribal Animals Tattoo Photoshop Brushes

These are ten free tribal animal tattoo brushes. Each brush features a unique animal representing a distinct design.

Download brush.

30 So What Photoshop Brushes
Sketchy Doodle Photoshop Brushes

Create a fun conversation with these free sketchy doodle brushes. The four brushes in this pack are skillfully designed and are always royalty-free.

Download brush.

Seamless Bokeh Textures Photoshop Brushes
Religious Cross Photoshop Brushes

This is a set of unique brushes that includes 6 high-resolution cross brushes that you will surely find useful.

Download brush.

Ballon Photoshop Brushes
Halloween Pumpkin Photoshop Brushes

Ideal for Halloween-inspired designs, these 20 high-resolution brushes are free for everyone to use.

Download brush.

Extreme Lashes Photoshop Brushes
Thanksgiving Vintage Turkey Photoshop Brushes

Here are 20 vintage Thanksgiving turkey Photoshop brushes that are perfect for creating Thanksgiving-inspired designs.

Download brush.

Hair Photoshop Brushes
Floral Photoshop Brushes

A set of beautiful symbolic floral brushes is available for free use, both commercially and non-commercially.

Download brush.

Bokeh Photoshop Brushes
Halloween Symbols Photoshop Brushes

Special Halloween lettering and symbol brushes are included in this set. The set includes symbols such as a witch’s hat, Jack-o-lantern, ghost, and owl.

Download brush.

Eye-Lashes Photoshop Brushes
Halloween Pack Photoshop Brushes

Cute yet creepy Halloween symbol brushes available for both personal and commercial use, free of charge.

Download brush.

Bokeh Photoshop Brushes
Memes Range Faces Photoshop Brushes

A vast collection of 68 brushes showcasing a diverse range of symbols from various subjects.

Download brush.

Cool Splatter Photoshop Brushes
Cute Arrows Photoshop Brushes

For anyone who loves to create internet memes, here is a treasure chest of 50 range face brushes that are free to use.

Download brush.

31 So What Photoshop Brushes
Trails Photoshop Brushes

This set of 16 cute arrow brushes is ideal for creating Valentine’s Day artwork, wedding invitations, or card designs.

Download brush.

Seamless Bokeh Textures Photoshop Brushes
Random Shapes Photoshop Brushes

A wide variety of trail brushes are available, including single, texture, stripes, and sprays. You can adjust their settings to achieve fascinating outcomes. Additionally, it is important to give credit to the author.

Download brush.

Ballon Photoshop Brushes
Texts Photoshop Brushes

10 random patterns and shapes brushes that are easily customizable for any project.

Download brush.

Extreme Lashes Photoshop Brushes
Emoji Photoshop Brushes

Beautiful hand-written text brushes are available with words such as “I love you,” “Bye!”, “With love,” and “Hello,” among others.

Download brush.

Hair Photoshop Brushes
Crown Photoshop Brushes

Cute hand-drawn emoji brush set. Available for both commercial and non-commercial use.

Download brush.

Bokeh Photoshop Brushes
Tentacles Photoshop Brushes

Who doesn’t like a crown? And if you have a set of 10 different types of high-quality crown brushes in your collection, it will make your designs even better.

Download brush.

Eye-Lashes Photoshop Brushes
Diamond Scatter Photoshop Brushes

There are four brushes in this set of horrifying, yet high-quality swirls and tentacles brushes. Feel free to download and use them in your projects.

Download brush.

Bokeh Photoshop Brushes
DBD Photoshop Brushes

This set of brushes contains two brushes, both of which feature scattered diamonds or jewels. One brush is a solid color, while the other utilizes Color Dynamics to create a range of hues.

Download brush.

Cool Splatter Photoshop Brushes
Arcane Circles II Photoshop Brushes

A freeware brush pack containing various types of circles that are highly versatile for any design work.

Download brush.

32 So What Photoshop Brushes
Vintage Lace Ornaments Photoshop Brushes

This is a collection of different arcane and magical circles and symbols, perfect for fantasy and science fiction illustrations!.

Download brush.

Seamless Bokeh Textures Photoshop Brushes
Fashioned Hearts Photoshop Brushes

Here is another set of lace brushes for this collection. These 6 hi-res lace ornament brushes have a vintage touch. However, they are only available for personal projects.

Download brush.

Ballon Photoshop Brushes
Smudged Vines Photoshop Brushes

Creative Photoshop brush set featuring heart shapes fashioned from various elements.

Download brush.

Extreme Lashes Photoshop Brushes
Nero’s smudgy magic Photoshop Brushes

The Smudged Vines bundle comes with ten brushes and is designed to work with Photoshop 7, but it should also work with Photoshop CS4 and newer versions.

Download brush.

Hair Photoshop Brushes
4 Buttons Photoshop Brushes

Here is a useful set of smudge brushes that can help you create eye-catching designs.

Download brush.

Bokeh Photoshop Brushes
DBD DitsyClouds Photoshop Brushes

This set of simple button brushes is useful and can be quite handy in multiple designs.

Download brush.

Eye-Lashes Photoshop Brushes
Tag Photoshop Brushes

The All-New Ditsy Clouds pack contains nine uniquely ditsy brushes, including various clouds and rain. These brushes are high-resolution, measuring 2500×2500.

Download brush.

Bokeh Photoshop Brushes
Bows Photoshop Brushes

This is a set of eight tag brush files. Four of the tag brush files have strings attached, while the other four are natural. This is an excellent pack of label and tag brushes!.

Download brush.

Cool Splatter Photoshop Brushes
Chain Photoshop Brushes

Using a bow brush and a round brush can be quite useful in creating formal designs.

Download brush.

33 So What Photoshop Brushes
Cool Photoshop Brushes

Usually, chain brushes are not very common. That’s why this particular set is among the few available and can certainly be used in a variety of designs.

Download brush.

Seamless Bokeh Textures Photoshop Brushes
Spring Flower Ornament Photoshop Brushes

This bundle offers a vast collection of impressive brushes that are suitable for any design needs.

Download brush.

Ballon Photoshop Brushes
5 Checkered Photoshop Brushes

There are no errors in the given sentence. It is grammatically correct and does not require any rewriting.

Download brush.

Extreme Lashes Photoshop Brushes
Line Photoshop Brushes

This set of checkered brushes can be used for a variety of designs and is equally useful for both graphic and web design.

Download brush.

Hair Photoshop Brushes
My Sweet Diary Photoshop Brushes

An interesting and elegant set of simple solid and dotted lines.

Download brush.

Bokeh Photoshop Brushes
Scribbles 4 Musical Notes Photoshop Brushes

The pack contains 70 adorable brushes for creating lines, random scribbles and drawings, animals, and a plethora of hearts!.

Download brush.

Eye-Lashes Photoshop Brushes
Rock Star Photoshop Brushes

This is an amazing collection of 20 hand-drawn musical note scribble brushes created in Photoshop 6.0. They will work flawlessly with all newer versions.

Download brush.

Bokeh Photoshop Brushes
Syringe Photoshop Brushes

The set of rockstar brushes contains eight different brushes, and they were designed using Adobe Photoshop CS3.

Download brush.

Cool Splatter Photoshop Brushes
Ischarm Pen Photoshop Brushes

This set of brushes is available in various variations and sizes to cater to different design requirements.

Download brush.

34 So What Photoshop Brushes
Pen Brushes

This set of seven pen brushes by Chantal Timmer is immaculate and perfect for use in any literary or academic design.

Download brush.

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Must-Have Travel Apps for Exploring Singapore https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/travel-apps-singapore/ Fri, 26 May 2023 10:01:50 +0000 https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/?p=65397 Explore Singapore with ease! Discover top travel apps for a seamless journey in the Lion City.

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Singapore is a multicultural country with many opportunities for work and tourism. If you’re planning a trip to Singapore soon, something that’ll help you explore the country at best is travel apps.

We’ve listed the best travel apps to help you on your visit to Singapore. From shopping, dining, navigation, and communication, you’ll find a lot of interesting apps. So, go on and give a look at the list below.

travel apps for Singapore
Image: Gardens by the Bay, Singapore (Wikipedia
WhatsApp
WhatsApp

Chat and communication.

WhatsApp is highly popular among Singaporeans for personal and professional communication.

iOS Android

Telegram
Telegram

Chat and communication.

The Telegram app is also widely used in Singapore, thanks to its nature of anonymity and secure messaging.

iOS Android

Grab
Grab

Ride-hailing and food delivery service.

Grab is headquartered in Singapore, and its super app – the Grab app – is the most popular ride-hailing and food delivery app among the locals.

iOS Android

Gojek
Gojek

Ride-hailing service.

Singaporeans would also commonly use Gojek, mostly as an alternative to Grab, when it comes to ride-hailing.

iOS Android

TADA
TADA

Ride-hailing service.

Tada is yet another ride-hailing service in Singapore that offers fixed fares and no surge pricing that can be a useful alternative to other ride-hailing apps.

iOS Android

Google Maps
Google Maps

Maps, directions, and navigation.

Google Maps helps travelers navigate the city’s public transportation system, find local attractions, and discover nearby restaurants and cafes.

iOS Android

Waze
Waze

Maps, directions, and navigation.

Waze is a popular GPS navigation app that offers real-time traffic updates and road alerts, widely used by motorists in Singapore.

iOS Android

Foodpanda
Foodpanda

Food delivery.

The Foodpanda app is an alternative to Grab regarding food delivery in Singapore. You can grab a quick meal (with special daily meals) or shop for groceries.

iOS Android

Deliveroo
Deliveroo

Food delivery.

And then there’s also Deliveroo, in case you are looking for more choices and options for food and local cuisines on delivery.

iOS Android

Eatigo
Eatigo

Restaurant information and reservation.

Eatigo is a restaurant reservation app that offers discounts at selected eateries in Singapore; it can be a useful tool for travelers looking to save money and discover new dining experiences in the city.

iOS Android

Chope
Chope

Restaurant information and reservation.

Chope is a restaurant booking app that allows users to reserve tables at popular eateries in Singapore can be a helpful tool for travelers looking to secure a spot at their desired restaurant and avoid long wait times.

iOS Android

Burpple
Burpple

Restaurant information and reservation.

Burpple offers curated guides and recommendations for dining in Singapore.

iOS Android

Visit Singapore
Visit Singapore Travel Guide

Travel guide.

The Visit Singapore Travel Guide is a versatile app that provides useful information and insider tips for travelers visiting Singapore, including recommendations on attractions, events, and dining options.

iOS Android

MyICA Mobile
MyICA Mobile

Immigration and checkpoints related.

The MyICA Mobile app allows travelers to check their visa status, apply for visas, and access other useful information related to immigration and customs while visiting or traveling through Singapore.

iOS Android

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Best Customer Relationship Management Tools (2023) https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/best-crm-tools/ Wed, 24 May 2023 10:01:15 +0000 https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/?p=67123 Explore the top CRM tools of 2023 to boost sales, streamline operations, and enhance customer relationships.

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crm tools
Exploring CRM tools can be daunting.

They are crucial in modern businesses for managing customer relations and boosting sales. But which are right for you? Discover the top CRM tools in this guide, designed to help businesses of all sizes find their ideal CRM solution.

 

CRM Tools, in a Nutshell

 

FAQ About CRM Tools

1. Who Uses Them?

CRM tools are used by a wide range of businesses and professionals who need to manage relationships with customers or clients.

This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Sales Teams: Sales professionals use CRM tools to track leads, manage sales pipelines, and monitor customer interactions. This helps them to follow up effectively, close deals, and meet their sales targets.

  • Marketing Teams: Marketers use CRM tools to understand customer behavior, segment customers for targeted marketing campaigns, and track the effectiveness of their marketing efforts.

  • Customer Service Teams: Customer service representatives use CRM tools to manage customer inquiries, complaints, and requests. They can track the history of a customer’s interactions with the company, which helps them provide personalized and efficient service.

  • Small Business Owners: Small business owners often wear many hats, including sales, marketing, and customer service. A CRM tool can help them manage all these roles more effectively by providing a centralized system for managing customer relationships.

  • Freelancers and Consultants: Freelancers and consultants often need to manage relationships with multiple clients. A CRM tool can help them keep track of their interactions with each client, manage their time and tasks, and ensure they provide a consistent level of service.

  • Non-Profit Organizations: Non-profits can use CRM tools to manage relationships with donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries. This can help them to maintain engagement, track donations, and manage events and campaigns.

2. What Information Does a CRM Tool Track?

A CRM tool is essentially a database for all information related to your customers. Here are some of the key types of information that a CRM tool typically tracks.

  • Contact Information: This includes basic details like a customer’s name, email address, phone number, and physical address. It may also include their social media profiles or other ways to contact them.

  • Interaction History: Every time a customer interacts with your business, whether it’s a sales call, an email exchange, a customer service inquiry, or a social media interaction, it can be logged in the CRM. This gives you a complete history of your relationship with each customer.

  • Purchase History: A CRM tool can track what products or services each customer has bought, when they bought them, and how much they spent. This can help you understand their preferences and predict future buying behavior.

  • Customer Preferences: If a customer has expressed preferences for certain types of products, communication methods, or anything else, these can be noted in the CRM.

  • Customer Feedback: Any feedback a customer provides, whether it’s positive or negative, can be recorded in the CRM. This can help you improve your products or services and address any issues that customers are experiencing.

  • Sales Pipeline: For potential customers, a CRM can track where they are in the sales process, from initial contact to final sale. This helps sales teams manage their pipeline and prioritize their efforts.

  • Tasks and Reminders: CRM tools often include task management features, so you can set reminders for follow-up calls, emails, or other tasks related to each customer.

By tracking all this information in one place, a CRM tool gives you a comprehensive view of each customer’s relationship with your business. This can help you make more informed decisions, personalize your interactions, and ultimately build stronger relationships with your customers.

3. Can It Help Improve Customer Service?

In short, yes. A CRM tool can enhance the quality of customer service in several ways:

  • Centralized Information: CRM tools provide a centralized platform where all customer information is stored. This means that any member of the customer service team can access a customer’s interaction history, purchase history, preferences, and feedback. This allows them to provide personalized service and resolve issues more efficiently.

  • Ticket Management: Many CRM tools include features for managing customer service tickets. This means that when a customer has a problem or question, it can be logged as a ticket in the CRM. The ticket can then be assigned to a team member, tracked, and updated until the issue is resolved.

  • Automated Responses: CRM tools can automate certain aspects of customer service. For example, they can send automatic responses to common inquiries, or automatic follow-up emails after a service interaction. This can help ensure that customers receive timely responses.

  • Service Analytics: CRM tools can provide analytics on customer service performance, such as response times, resolution times, and customer satisfaction scores. This can help identify areas for improvement and measure the impact of changes to your service processes.

  • Integration with Other Channels: CRM tools can integrate with other customer service channels, such as social media, live chat, and phone systems. This means that all customer interactions, regardless of channel, can be tracked and managed in the CRM.

By leveraging these features, businesses can provide more efficient, personalized, and responsive customer service. This not only helps to resolve customer issues quickly, but also builds trust and loyalty, which can lead to increased customer retention and satisfaction.

4. Can It Also Help with Sales?

A CRM tool can be a powerful asset for sales teams in several ways:

  • Lead Management: CRM tools can help track and manage leads. They can store information about potential customers, track where they are in the sales pipeline, and remind salespeople to follow up at the right times. This helps ensure that no potential sales opportunities are missed.

  • Sales Forecasting: Many CRM tools include features for sales forecasting. They can analyze historical sales data and other information to predict future sales trends. This can help sales teams set realistic targets and plan their strategies effectively.

  • Customer Insights: By storing detailed information about each customer’s interactions and purchases, a CRM tool can provide valuable insights into customer behavior. This can help salespeople understand their customers’ needs and preferences, allowing them to tailor their sales approach accordingly.

  • Task Management: CRM tools often include task management features, which can help salespeople stay organized and manage their time effectively. They can set reminders for follow-up calls, meetings, and other tasks, ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks.

  • Collaboration: CRM tools can also facilitate collaboration among sales team members. They provide a shared platform where everyone can see the status of different leads and customers, share notes, and coordinate their efforts. This can be especially helpful for larger sales teams or for businesses with multiple locations.

  • Performance Tracking: CRM tools can track the performance of individual salespeople, as well as the sales team as a whole. This can help identify areas for improvement, reward high performers, and ensure that the team is meeting its sales targets.

5. What are The Typical Features of CRM Tools?

Here are some key features of a CRM tool.

  • Contact Management: This is a core feature of any CRM tool. It allows businesses to store and manage all customer information in one place, including contact details, interaction history, and personal preferences.

  • Task Management: CRM tools often include task management features, allowing users to assign tasks, set reminders, and track progress. This can help ensure that important tasks, like following up with a customer, are not forgotten.

  • Sales Pipeline Management: This feature allows sales teams to track the status of various leads or deals as they move through the sales process, from initial contact to final sale.

  • Email Tracking: CRM tools can integrate with email systems to track all customer-related emails. This allows users to see when emails are sent, opened, and replied to, and can help ensure timely follow-up.

  • Reporting and Analytics: CRM tools can generate reports and provide analytics on various aspects of customer relationships, such as sales trends, customer behavior, and customer service performance. This can provide valuable insights and help inform decision-making.

  • Integration Capabilities: Many CRM tools can integrate with other business tools, such as email platforms, social media networks, and accounting software. This allows businesses to streamline their processes and manage all aspects of their customer relationships in one place.

  • Mobile Access: Many CRM tools offer mobile apps or mobile-friendly interfaces, allowing users to access customer information and manage tasks from anywhere.

  • Customer Support: CRM tools often include features for managing customer support tickets, tracking customer issues, and ensuring timely resolution.

  • Marketing Automation: Some CRM tools include features for automating marketing tasks, such as sending targeted emails, tracking marketing campaigns, and segmenting customers for marketing purposes.

These are just a few examples of the features that a CRM tool might offer. The specific features can vary from one tool to another, and businesses can often customize the tool to meet their specific needs.

6. Is It Only for Large Businesses?

While it’s true that CRM tools are often associated with larger businesses, they can be incredibly beneficial for small businesses as well. Here’s why:

  • Organization: Small businesses often have limited resources, and staying organized can be a challenge. A CRM tool can help keep all customer information and interactions in one place, making it easier to manage.

  • Efficiency: CRM tools can automate certain tasks, such as sending follow-up emails or reminders for tasks. This can save time and allow small business owners to focus on other aspects of their business.

  • Customer Service: Even small businesses need to provide excellent customer service to compete. CRM tools can help manage customer service inquiries and ensure that every customer issue is addressed.

  • Sales and Marketing: CRM tools can help small businesses manage their sales process and target their marketing efforts more effectively. This can help them grow their customer base and increase sales.

  • Scalability: As a small business grows, its customer base and the complexity of its operations can grow as well. A CRM tool can scale with the business, providing more advanced features and capabilities as needed.

  • Affordability: There are many CRM tools on the market that are affordable for small businesses. Some even offer free or low-cost plans with basic features.

In essence, a CRM tool can provide a small business with the capabilities of a larger business, helping it to compete effectively, serve its customers well, and grow its operations.

7. Can a CRM Tool Help with Marketing?

A CRM tool can be a game-changer for marketing efforts. Here’s why:

  • Understanding Your Customers: CRM tools help you gather and analyze data about your customers. This means you can understand their behaviors, preferences, and needs better. It’s like having a cheat sheet for what your customers want!

  • Personalized Marketing: With the insights you gain from a CRM, you can tailor your marketing messages to individual customers. It’s like having a personal conversation with each customer, which can make them feel special and more engaged with your brand.

  • Efficient Communication: CRM tools can automate certain communications like emails or social media posts. This means you can reach out to your customers at the right time with the right message, without having to do everything manually.

  • Tracking Campaign Success: CRM tools can track the success of your marketing campaigns. You can see which strategies are working and which aren’t, helping you make smarter decisions for future campaigns.

  • Improved Customer Service: By having all customer information and interactions in one place, a CRM tool can help you provide better service to your customers. Happy customers are more likely to become repeat customers and spread the word about your business.

So, in a nutshell, a CRM tool can be your secret weapon for marketing. It can help you understand your customers better, communicate with them more effectively, and ultimately, grow your business.

8. How Does It Help with Team Collaboration?

A CRM tool is like the ultimate team player in your business. Here’s how it helps with team collaboration:

  • Shared Customer Information: Imagine having a magic book that everyone on your team could look at, which contains all the information about your customers. That’s what a CRM tool does. It keeps all customer data in one place, accessible to everyone. This means no more hunting for information or asking colleagues for details – it’s all there in the CRM.

  • Clear Communication: With a CRM tool, everyone on the team can see the communication history with a customer. So, if you’re talking to a customer, you can see what they discussed with your colleague last week. This helps the team stay on the same page and provide consistent service.

  • Task Management: Many CRM tools have features that let you assign tasks to team members, set reminders, and track progress. It’s like a shared to-do list that helps everyone stay organized and know what they should be working on.

  • Collaborative Selling: In sales, teamwork makes the dream work. With a CRM, sales reps can work together on deals, share insights, and strategize effectively. It’s like having a shared playbook for winning customers.

  • Reporting and Insights: CRM tools can generate reports that give insights into customer behavior, sales performance, and more. These insights can be shared with the team, helping everyone understand the big picture and make better decisions.

A CRM tool is like the glue that holds a team together. It keeps everyone informed, organized, and focused on the goal – providing great service to customers and growing the business.

9. Is It Difficult to Implement a CRM Tool?

Implementing a CRM tool can seem like a big task, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Here’s a simple way to think about it:

  • Choosing the Right Tool: This is like shopping for a new gadget. You need to find a CRM tool that fits your business needs and budget. There are many options out there, from simple, user-friendly tools for small businesses to powerful, feature-rich ones for large corporations. Take your time to research and pick the one that’s right for you.

  • Setting Up: Once you’ve picked your tool, it’s time to set it up. This is like setting up a new smartphone. You’ll need to input some information, customize settings, and maybe install some apps or integrations. Most CRM providers offer guides or customer support to help with this process.

  • Training Your Team: This is an important step. It’s like teaching your family how to use a new TV remote. Everyone who will use the CRM tool needs to understand how it works and what they can do with it. This might involve some training sessions or tutorials.

  • Importing Data: Now it’s time to fill your CRM with data. This might be customer contact information, sales history, or other relevant data. It’s like transferring your contacts and photos to a new phone. Many CRM tools make this process easy with import features.

  • Regular Maintenance: Once your CRM is up and running, you’ll need to keep it updated and clean. This is like keeping your phone updated and deleting old, unnecessary files. Regularly check your CRM data for accuracy, update any outdated information, and clean out any duplicates or irrelevant data.

So, while implementing a CRM tool does require some time and effort, it’s not necessarily difficult. It’s a step-by-step process, and there are plenty of resources and support available to help you along the way. And the benefits you’ll get from having a well-implemented CRM tool can far outweigh the initial effort.

 
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5 Best Parental Control Apps for Mac https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/mac-parental-control-apps/ https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/mac-parental-control-apps/#comments Fri, 19 May 2023 13:01:31 +0000 https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/?p=15139 Discover top 5 Mac parental control apps for child safety online. Manage screen time, filter content, and monitor activities effectively.

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As parents, it’s natural to want to ensure that our children are safe and protected when using technology. With the increasing prevalence of digital devices, it’s becoming more challenging to monitor and control our children’s online activities.

Fortunately, there are parental control apps available that can help parents regulate their children’s screen time, filter inappropriate content, and monitor their online behavior. In this post, we will discuss five of the best parental control apps specifically designed for Mac users.

Whether you’re a concerned parent or a school administrator, these apps can help you keep your children safe while using their Mac devices.

5 Parental Controls Tips for macOS

5 Parental Controls Tips for macOS

Have you ever felt worried leaving the Mac with your children? With access to the Internet – the... Read more

Qustodio

Qustodio

Qustodio is a parental control app designed to ensure children’s safety while using their Mac devices. It offers various features, including screen time management, web filtering, social media monitoring, and location tracking.

Parents can set time limits for device usage, block access to inappropriate content, and monitor their children’s online activities through a detailed dashboard. The app’s web filtering feature allows parents to block adult websites, gambling, and violent or extremist content, protecting children from online dangers

In addition, the real-time dashboard displays usage reports and alerts parents when their children access blocked content or engage in unsafe online behavior, helping them address potential issues proactively.

In summary, Qustodio is a user-friendly and customizable parental control app that helps parents manage their children’s screen time, filter inappropriate content, and monitor their online activities. Its range of features ensures children’s safety and security while using Mac devices, providing parents with peace of mind.

Qustodio is available for: Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Android, iPhone/iPad, and Kindle.

Price:
  • $54.95/year for 5 devices
  • $96.95/year for 10 devices
  • $137.95/year for 15 devices

Norton Family

Norton Family

Norton Family offers features such as setting time limits for device usage, web filtering, and social media monitoring. This helps parents manage their children’s screen time, block access to inappropriate content, and track their children’s online activities.

Web filtering allows parents to block harmful content, while social media monitoring helps identify potential cyberbullying incidents and protect children’s online privacy. Detailed reports on browsing history, search queries, and app usage enable parents to identify risks and address issues proactively.

This parental control app is user-friendly and powerful for parents to keep their children safe online. Its features help manage screen time, filter inappropriate content, and monitor social media activity, making it an excellent choice for Mac users.

Norton Family is available for: Windows, Android, iOS and Mac.

Price:
  • $49.99/year

Famisafe

Famisafe

Famisafe aimed at helping parents manage their children’s online activities. Its key features include screen time management, which allows parents to set limits on device usage, promoting a healthy balance between online and offline activities.

The app also offers web filtering to block inappropriate content, app monitoring to regulate app usage, and real-time location tracking to ensure children’s safety. App monitoring allows parents to view and limit the usage of potentially harmful or inappropriate apps on their child’s device.

Check out our in-depth review on FamiSafe.

Famisafe is available for: Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, Kindle and Chromebook.

Price:
  • Monthly Plan – $10.99/month
  • Annual Plan – $60.99/year
  • Quarterly Plan – $20.99/quarter

Net Nanny

Net Nanny

Net Nanny offers advanced web filtering, allowing parents to block access to inappropriate content such as adult websites, gambling, and violent material. It also provides screen time management, helping children maintain a healthy balance between online and offline activities by setting usage limits on their devices.

The app also includes features for monitoring and controlling children’s social media activity on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Parents can keep an eye on their children’s posts, comments, and messages, receiving alerts for potentially harmful behavior.

Additionally, Net Nanny offers real-time location tracking, enabling parents to track their children’s whereabouts and receive notifications when they enter or leave designated areas.

In conclusion, Net Nanny is a comprehensive solution for parents looking to keep their children safe online. With features such as web filtering, screen time management, social media monitoring, and location tracking, it is a great choice for Mac users/parents.

Net Nanny is available for: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Kindle.

Price:
  • $39.99/year for 1 device
  • $54.99/year for 5 devices
  • $89.99/year for 20 devices

Kaspersky Safe Kids

Kaspersky Safe Kids

Last but not least, we have Kaspersky Safe Kids. This parental control app’s main goal is to ensure that children have a safe and secure online experience by providing parents with tools to control and limit their access to inappropriate content, manage screen time, and track their location.

The app offers various features such as content filtering, which blocks access to adult websites, social media monitoring, which allows parents to keep an eye on their children’s social media activities, and app usage control, which lets parents set time limits for specific apps.

Additionally, Kaspersky Safe Kids provides parents with real-time alerts and reports on their child’s online activities, helping them stay informed and address any potential issues.

Kaspersky Safe Kids is compatible with multiple devices, including Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, making it easy for parents to protect their children across various platforms.

Kaspersky Safe Kids is available for: Windows, Mac, iOS and Android.

Price:
  • $ 22.99/year

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Must-Have Travel Apps for Exploring Malaysia https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/travel-apps-malaysia/ Fri, 19 May 2023 10:01:23 +0000 https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/?p=65394 Explore Malaysia with ease using top travel apps for navigation, communication, food delivery, and more!

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Malaysia is an amazing travel destination for tourists of all ages. If you have an upcoming trip to Malaysia, there are some apps that you might want to add to your checklist.

Take a look at the following list of essential apps to make your trip worthwhile in Malaysia, and do let us know about your experience in the comment section below.

travel apps for Malaysia
Image: Skyline of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Wikipedia
WeChat
Wechat

Chat and communication.

WeChat is popular amongst Malaysian. It is also used for mobile payments and as a platform to book travel accommodations.

iOS Android

WhatsApp
WhatsApp

Chat and communication.

WhatsApp is the most popular chat app used by locals. It is also widely used for transportation arrangements and communication with local businesses.

iOS Android

Grab
Grab

Ride-hailing and food delivery service.

Grab is a popular ride-hailing and food delivery app widely used in Malaysia, offering a convenient way to get around and order food while traveling.

iOS Android

Airasia Ride
Airasia Ride

Ride-hailing service.

And just in case you aren’t able to book a rider through Grab, AirAsia Ride is a good alternative to explore.

iOS Android

Waze
Waze

Maps, directions, and navigation.

The Waze app is a useful navigation app when traveling in Malaysia, providing real-time traffic information and alternative routes to avoid traffic jams.

iOS Android

Google Maps
Google Maps

Maps, directions, and navigation.

Google Maps is also pretty popular amongst Malaysians. It provides accurate navigation, real-time traffic updates, and even information on nearby attractions, restaurants, and other points of interest.

iOS Android

Foodpanda
Foodpanda

Food delivery.

Foodpanda is yet another convenient food delivery app to use while traveling in Malaysia.

iOS Android

Shopee Food
Shopee Food

Food delivery.

No luck with Grab or Foodpanda? Shopee Food is the third alternative you can try. It hosts a variety of restaurants and eateries around Malaysia.

iOS Android

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Busting Web Design Myths: The Top 7 Misconceptions Clients Hold https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/misconceptions-website-design-client/ https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/misconceptions-website-design-client/#comments Fri, 19 May 2023 07:01:06 +0000 https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/?p=20729 Busting web design myths: Navigate through common client misconceptions and enhance your design process.

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As a beginner web designer, you may be an idealist and visionary, but eventually, you will encounter clients who can turn you into a cynic. You will learn that clients often have a clear idea of what they want, but they may not fully understand certain aspects of web design. Are you ready to handle these challenges?

Here are seven common misconceptions that clients have about web design, which can be frustrating or even deadly for your project. We also provide tips on how to counter and prevent these issues from arising during your client-freelancer relationship. If you have any stories or advice to share, please leave them in the comments section.

How to Work Better with Clients

How to Work Better with Clients

Working with clients all day long may sometimes lead to stress in a freelance schedule. Long working hours,... Read more

1. They Believe They Own You

There are clients who believe that they own you once you enter into a contract with them. Beware of these clients! They will constantly email you, demanding revisions and new design features. If you don’t respond immediately, they will become angry and start threatening you.

The problem arises when you don’t properly explain your work schedule to your client. If you don’t mention that you don’t work on weekends, for example, they may assume that you do. This is particularly true if you work as a freelancer, which many people see as the opposite of a fixed 9-to-5 job.

It’s a matter of technicality: if you didn’t say it, it doesn’t apply.

working under pressure
How to Counter This

To avoid this issue, it is important to clearly communicate your working hours and schedule to your clients. This will prevent them from expecting updates or responses during times when you are not working, such as on a Saturday night.

If necessary, consider having a separate phone for work that can be turned off outside of working hours. Clients may try to contact you with new ideas or requests at any time, but it is important to prioritize your own work-life balance.

Additionally, avoid checking or responding to work emails outside of working hours, as there will always be more to address when you return to work.

2. Their Website Will Immediately Go Viral

To some extent, a web designer is responsible for optimizing the website’s markup and ensuring it loads quickly because search engines consider load speed when ranking websites. However, it’s not an exact science to make a site design go "viral".

This buzzword has been around for a while, and some services promote it as a feature. But if a client expects you to drive thousands of visitors to their site, don’t say yes if you can’t deliver. It’s better to explain to them that going viral is a different service and refer them to someone who can help.

How to Counter This

This is a common situation, especially with business owners who don’t know much about the internet. Use it as an opportunity to educate them instead of getting frustrated with their expectations.

3. They Know What People Want

The animated logo, marquee, loads of pop-ups, auto-play music, and many other travesties that were considered cool 20 years ago would make today’s web designer wet their pants in fear. However, for some reason, clients are still asking for these things because they believe "this is what people want." Take a deep breath.

web designer
How to Counter This

When speaking with a client, it is important to convey your expertise and respect for their input. However, if you believe that their suggestions compromise the principles of good design, it is your responsibility as a web designer to respectfully decline

A simple response such as "I will consider your suggestion, but based on user preferences, this alternative may be more effective. Trust me, I have extensive experience in this field and want to ensure your success" can be highly effective.

For additional guidance on navigating these situations, consider reading "Convincing The Client – How To Win A Design Argument."

4. Space Is Bad and It Should Always Be Filled with Something

Everyone needs breathing space, even websites. Having empty space does not mean the website has been rushed or not well-thought-out. In fact, it takes serious consideration to ensure that these "empty" spaces complement the entire website.

Client: “Hey, this website looks like something I can come up with in just five minutes.”

Designer: “It’s called Minimalism. Whitespace.”

Client: “Well, there is too much space here. Can you put some kittens here?”

Designer:

How to Counter This

There is a reason why cluttered, glittery, and blinking website designs from the 90s have died out. Tastes, needs, and requirements change with time, and generation gaps exist even online

There will always be a transition period in the world of design, whether we like it or not. Currently, whitespace and minimalism are the "in" things (who knows what will happen in a couple of years), and it’s important that your client understands that visitors associate website design with how up-to-date their company is with the latest trends.

5. Mobile App Design and Mobile/Responsive Site Design Are the Same

There is a significant difference between having an app for your website and having a mobile or responsive website. A mobile app or application is something that you can download from marketplaces like Google Play or the App Store and install on your mobile devices. These applications are compact and serve specific purposes, without the newsletter sign-up forms, headers, footers, fancy images, and the like.

On the other hand, a mobile website refers to a copy of a website saved under a different directory or subdomain (e.g., m.youtube.com). Meanwhile, a responsive website is built to "respond" and change to accommodate the different screen sizes on which you view the site.

It is important to note that these are not all the same. A designer who can build a website may not necessarily know how to build an app, and vice versa. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the differences and choose the right option for your business needs.

responsive-web-design
How to Counter This

Be wary of clients who believe that designing an app is the same as designing a website, and that this is all you are paid to do. This is especially important if you are unable to do both. It is crucial to clarify this to them with clear examples.

One way to do this is by showing them an actual responsive website, a mobile website, and an app that all belong to the same company or brand. This will give them a clear understanding of what each one is and what they require for their specific purpose.

It is important to be patient when dealing with this issue as it may take some time to get through to them.

6. Since You Designed Their Website, You Are Forever Responsible for Any Redesign

Have you heard of animal imprinting? It’s when an animal that is born sees people nearby (or anything moving) and follows it devotedly around thereafter, thinking that they are its parents.

Well, in design, some clients have this tendency to depend on you for redesigns and everything else after a project is done. It starts out as something small, like a font change or a background color change. Then, because you did not invoice them for the changes, they expect every other change request thereafter to fall under the after-sales service.

Their requests keep coming, in batches, nonstop, until you need to wave your white flag.

How to Counter This

If you don’t currently use a contract for your freelance work, it’s a good idea to start using one. And if you do already use one, make sure to clearly explain the "grace period" clause to your clients before beginning any work. Personally, I give my clients 48 hours to send revision requests, and another 24 hours after that for minor changes.

For larger projects, it’s important to provide a longer "testing" period for clients to review the design. The goal is to let them know that they have a pre-determined period of time to request changes for free. After that time period, they will be on their own or may be charged for change requests.

In summary, using a contract and clearly explaining the grace period clause can help ensure that both you and your clients are on the same page regarding revisions and changes.

7. They Think They Can Cancel a Project Anytime and You Will Receive Nothing

This is another reason why you should work with a contract. Clients are human, and some of them are very fickle-minded. They may tell you they want the project done, when you can start, and then disappear for weeks.

Only to come back and tell you they have changed their mind and don’t want to continue with the project. And voila, they are gone from the face of the earth.

responsive-web-design
How to Counter This

Yes, it is frustrating, but unless you ask for a deposit upfront, don’t expect to be paid for whatever work you have already put into the project. Although it would be easier to ask for an initial commencement deposit if you have a reputation that precedes you, it is common practice nowadays to ask for a starting fee before starting any work.

In many cases, it prevents the client from bailing on you halfway since they have committed financially to the client-freelancer relationship. You can also charge them a predetermined cancellation fee if the project is of a very large scale. This will reduce the losses from the man-hours you have spent on a project that ended up getting canceled because of no fault of yours.

Conclusion

Despite all the suggestions listed above to counter the seven misconceptions or problems clients may have about web design, sometimes it doesn’t help to be as blunt. You might need to resort to hinting or dropping things casually into normal conversations. Don’t expect your clients to know most of these things, but you want to avoid insulting them if they don’t.

For the more important things, keep a black-and-white copy of the communication: emails, Skype conversations, text messages, so you have evidence that you have informed them beforehand of what is involved.

Also, never sign a contract without fully explaining things to a new client. Contracts are supposed to protect your rights and your client’s. At the end of the day, it is a money-for-service exchange, and both sides should walk away from the transaction happy with what transpired over the completion of the project. And who knows, they might keep coming back to you with more projects.

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Planet Free VPN: Free VPN With No Bandwidth & Traffic Limit (Review) https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/planet-vpn-review/ Wed, 17 May 2023 10:01:36 +0000 https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/?p=67020 Explore Planet VPN's secure, user-friendly service with unlimited speed and traffic. Free and premium options available.

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A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a crucial tool for ensuring online privacy and security. It functions as a secret tunnel that conceals your internet activities from prying eyes, such as hackers, advertisers, and even your internet service provider. This is particularly important when using public Wi-Fi networks, where your data is more vulnerable to theft.

In essence, a VPN is like a curtain that shields your online activities, providing you with a safe, private, and anonymous browsing experience. In today’s digital world, using a VPN has become an essential component of internet usage to protect your personal information and maintain privacy.

In the vast landscape of VPN tools available today, we find a mix of free, paid, and hybrid options, each offering a variety of features. In this article, we’d like to introduce to yet another VPN provider – Planet Free VPN.

Planet Free VPN website

As the demand for secure and private internet connections grows, so does the need for reliable and easy-to-use VPN services. Planet VPN aims to provide users with a simple yet effective solution for maintaining their online privacy and security.

Features

Let’s discuss some of its features that (we believe) stand out.

Offers both free (with no limit) and paid options

Planet VPN caters to users looking for free and paid options.

With the free version, there are no traffic or speed limits. You can download and use the app without even registering. With the premium version, users can access an extensive network of VPN servers that span over 60 countries across five continents.

selection of servers

To provide you with an understanding of the options available in both the free and premium versions, here is a list of VPN servers to which you can connect.

Free:

France Germany Netherlands USA United Kingdom

Premium:

Albania Argentina Australia Austria Bahrain
Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Brazil Bulgaria
Canada Chile Colombia Costa Rica Croatia
Cyprus Czechia Denmark Egypt Estonia
Finland France Georgia Germany Greece
Hong Kong Hungary Indonesia Ireland Israel
Italy Japan Kazakhstan Latvia Lithuania
Malaysia Mexico Netherlands Norway Peru
Philippines Poland Portugal Korea Moldova
Romania Russia Saudi Arabia Serbia Singapore
Slovakia Republic of South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland
Thailand Turkey Ukraine United Arab Emirates Great Britain
USA Vietnam
IP-changing/rotating

IP address switching in a VPN refers to the ability to change your IP address while connected to a specific VPN server in a particular country. This feature enhances your anonymity by preventing you from being associated with a single IP address, even when connected to a VPN server.

Note: The ablilty to change IP addresses is exclusively available for premium users.
Planet Free VPN ip change
Great OS Compatibility and a Wide Range of Extensions

Planet Free VPN provides applications for different devices like desktop computers with Windows, Mac, or Linux operating systems, and mobile phones with Android or iOS. Additionally, it has browser extensions for Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Opera, and Yandex.

It can also be configured to work directly with your router, or with OpenVPN in Windows.

extension and addons

User Experience

Planet Free VPN offers a user-friendly and straightforward interface. Upon launching the application, users can see their current IP address when not connected to a VPN, along with a prominent “Connect” button.

planet free vpn UI

By clicking this button, users are provided with information on the country and IP address they are connected to, as well as a disconnect button for those who wish to stop using the VPN service. The options for selecting alternative VPN servers is conveniently located at the bottom of the application’s interface.

Privacy and Security

Planet Free VPN comes with a no-log policy, allowing your online activities to remain private and secure.

In simple terms, a VPN with a no-log policy does not store any records of your online activities, such as the websites you visit, the files you download, or the messages you send.

This means that even if a third party, such as a government agency or a hacker, were to request information about your online activities from the VPN provider, there would be no data to share.

A no-log policy is crucial for maintaining your privacy and anonymity online, as it prevents any potential tracking or monitoring of your internet usage. By choosing a VPN with a strict no-log policy, you can have peace of mind knowing that your online activities will remain secure and confidential.

Pricing

Let’s discuss the cost of this VPN tool. You can download and use it for free, but with limited server options. However, if you choose the paid version, you’ll have access to all available servers and the ability to change your IP address.

The monthly cost of Planet Free VPN is $9.99. However, if you choose a 3-year plan, the price is reduced to $1.99 per month.

Visit Planet Free VPN

Planet Free VPN is a user-friendly VPN tool that offers basic features for those looking to maintain anonymity while browsing the internet. After using it for a few weeks, here are some pros and cons of the app, in our opinion:

Pros:

  • Easy to use and straightforward
  • Fast connection speed
  • Offers a free version
  • Supports IP rotation
  • No limit for free mode

Cons:

  • Lacks advanced features such as ad-blocking and multi-hopping.

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30 Free Paint and Watercolor Photoshop Brushes https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/photoshop-brush-paint-watercolor/ Tue, 16 May 2023 10:01:28 +0000 https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/?p=66656 Unlock your creativity with 30 free Photoshop brushes for realistic watercolor effects. Perfect for digital artwork and design.

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If you’re a fan of watercolor or painted textures in your digital artwork, then paint and watercolor-style brushes in Photoshop are a must-have. These brushes can help you achieve a variety of looks, from realistically painted strokes to abstract splatters.

In this blog post, we’ve gathered a list of 30 free paint and watercolor-style Photoshop brushes that you can download and use in your designs.

Cactuses Plants Photoshop Brushes
70 Cactuses Plants Brushes

Create colorful cacti and succulents with these plant brushes. The brushes have a hand-drawn watercolor effect.

Download brush.

Watercolor Tropical Photoshop Brushes
Watercolor Tropical Brushes

Tropical animals, birds, fish, and plants are depicted with a watercolor effect in this set of 6 brushes, which are available for personal use only.

Download brush.

Brush Of The Photoshop Brushes
Brush Of The Wild

Create crazy and wild creatures with this set of four amazing Photoshop brushes. You can use them for both commercial and non-commercial purposes.

Download brush.

Watercolor Splatters Photoshop Brushes
Watercolor Brushes

A vast collection of 93 watercolor effect brushes is available for free for personal and commercial use. The brushes are appropriately spaced to provide a consistent texture.

Download brush.

Kaos 2.0 Photoshop Brushes
Splatter Photoshop Brushes

This set includes seven splatter-type Photoshop brushes that can be used in almost any kind of design.

Download brush.

Watercolor and Ink Photoshop Brushes
Kaos 2.0

These are 15 high-resolution (3000×3000) splatter brushes created in Photoshop CS6.

Download brush.

WG Watercolor Photoshop Brushes
Watercolor and Ink

Here is a pack of 8 high-quality free brushes created using either watercolor paints or Indian ink on card. Please let me know if you need any further assistance.

Download brush.

Watercolor Splatters Photoshop Brushes
WG Watercolor

This pack contains 20 high-resolution brushes (approximately 2000×2000 pixels) that are perfect for use on paper textures.

Download brush.

Abstract Photoshop Brushes
Watercolor Splatters

A set of 32 high-quality splatter brushes has been created using watercolor paint on cold press paper. These brushes are compatible with Photoshop 7 or any newer version.

Download brush.

Strings And Bubbles Photoshop Brushes
Abstract

This is a set of abstract brushes with geometric shapes that are ideal for creating logos and corporate designs.

Download brush.

Paint Trails Photoshop Brushes
Strings And Bubbles Brushes

A set of 12 string and bubble brushes. These brushes have a high resolution, which may result in a slower download time.

Download brush.

Abstract 5 Photoshop Brushes
Paint Trails

7 high-quality Photoshop brushes are available to create smudges, grungy effects, and paint trails. These brushes are compatible with Photoshop versions 7 and above.

Download brush.

SP Watercolor Photoshop Brushes
Abstract 5

A set of five Photoshop brushes based on abstract designs is suitable for creating backgrounds.

Download brush.

Artistic Photoshop Brushes
SP Watercolor

A fantastic set of 10 hand-painted watercolor brushes is available. These brushes are perfect for creating captivating backgrounds or embellishing your artwork.

Download brush.

36 Photoshop Brushes
Artistic

Abstract artistic brushes for Photoshop and GIMP are available, which include globs of paint, ink drops, watercolor droplets, brushstrokes, acrylic brushstrokes, and various other artistic media shapes.

Download brush.

Brick Wall Photoshop Brushes
Brushes

If you want to create a picture using only PS brushes, this set of 36 brushes can provide you with all the variety you need. It includes standard round brushes, smudge brushes, strokes, lines, clouds, and more.

Download brush.

Watercolor Photoshop Brushes
Brick Wall

As long as you have these high-quality brick brushes in your collection, you will never have to draw a wall brick by brick again. The brushes are compatible with CS3 and can be used to create wall backgrounds, textures, and more.

Download brush.

Painted Strokes Photoshop Brushes
Watercolor

Watercolor brushes are useful for various projects, particularly those involving paper textures. You can download and use 25 high-quality watercolor Photoshop brush presets for free.

Download brush.

Water Color Photoshop Brushes
Painted Strokes

Give your designs an awesome paint stroke effect with these 13 high-resolution Photoshop brushes. With these brushes, you can easily create grunge, textured, and brush stroke backgrounds.

Download brush.

Spray Paint Photoshop Brushes
WaterColor Brushes

Designed by John Schill, this watercolor brush set is beautiful. You can use all seven brushes for both commercial and non-commercial projects.

Download brush.

Paint markers Photoshop Brushes
Spray Paint

A cool set of 10 brushes is available for your grungy, hooligan-inspired designs. These brushes can be used to create walls, funky backgrounds, or wallpapers with paint dripping down.

Download brush.

Watercolor Splatters Photoshop Brushes
Paint markers brush set

These cool brushes have been created using actual paint markers. You can use them for any design project for free.

Download brush.

Watercolor Extremum Photoshop Brushes
Watercolor Splatters

Here is a set of 32 brushes that can work with Photoshop CS2 to version 7. Watercolor splatters have great applications in funky designs and print marketing materials.

Download brush.

Hi-Res Splatter Photoshop Brushes
Watercolor Extremum

A vast collection of 41 high-resolution watercolor effect brushes that are compatible with CS7 and above.

Download brush.

Insane Watercolor Photoshop Brushes
Hi-Res Splatter PS Brush Set

Here are 17 free high-resolution Photoshop paint splatter brushes that can be used for almost any kind of design.

Download brush.

28 Ink and Watercolor Photoshop Brushes
Insane Watercolor Brush Set

As the name suggests, these are some of the most insanely creative watercolor brushes. The set includes various watercolor paint splashes.

Download brush.

Acrylic brushes set Photoshop Brushes
28 Ink and Watercolor Brushes

A set of 28 ink and watercolor brushes has been created using Pelikan Watercolors, table salt, and Higgins India ink, among other materials. The author allows free use of the brushes but requires credit to be given.

Download brush.

Sponge Prints and swirls Photoshop Brushes
Acrylic brushes set

This is a set of 14 high-resolution paint effect brushes that were created using acrylic paint. They are free to use for both commercial and non-commercial projects.

Download brush.

Abstract Photoshop Brushes
Sponge Prints and swirls Set

Create stunning backgrounds and textures using 16 sponge paints and swirl brushes.

Download brush.

Andantonius' Pencil Photoshop Brushes
Abstract Brushset XIII

13 awesome abstract brushes, including swirls and light lines, are available. These brushes are perfect for techno and surreal designs.

Download brush.

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Top 10 CRM Software to Boost Your Business Growth https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/best-crm-software-grow-business/ Mon, 15 May 2023 10:01:06 +0000 https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/?p=60270 Explore the top 10 CRM tools crucial for business growth. Boost sales, customer relationships, and efficiency today.

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For every business and organization, it is integral to be able to manage contacts and data effectively. One of the best ways to do this is through a reliable CRM software or customer relationship management system that enables you to keep track (and manage) information you’ve collected from your customers.

Therefore, to help you choose the best CRM software for your business, I’ve research and compiled this list of top 10 CRM software in the market so far.

Pipedrive vs HubSpot: Which CRM is Better?

Pipedrive vs HubSpot: Which CRM is Better?

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is essential for most businesses, big or small, to manage your leads and... Read more

Key Takeaways

Salesforce CRM Top-notch CRM software that serves as your organization’s command center, ensuring data security and offering features like lead tracking and customer support.
Monday.com Offers a single platform to manage all your marketing activities, allowing for customization according to your specific needs and goals.
Hubspot CRM Marketing automation tool that helps identify prospects and nurture them into leads, offering built-in marketing tools that track the performance of your marketing campaigns over time.
Pipedrive Provides sales teams with the necessary tools and insights to close more deals, offering a visual pipeline that helps users understand where each deal stands.
Act! Powerful CRM and marketing automation tool ideal for small and medium-sized companies, offering features like personalized marketing campaigns and a centralized place for all customer data.
Zendesk Sell CRM Automates key sales processes, allowing salespeople to focus more on selling and less on logging.
Freshsales Complete cloud-based sales solution offering powerful tools for managing leads, opportunities, and contacts.
Oracle CRM Known for its user-friendly interface, integrated tools, and affordability.
Zoho CRM Cloud-based, multichannel customer relationship management platform that optimizes business operations.
SugarCRM Mature CRM solution offering powerful customer management capabilities such as sales force automation and marketing campaign tracking.

1. Salesforce CRM

Salesforce CRM

Salesforce is a top-notch customer relationship management software that helps businesses with their sales and marketing strategy. The most effective way to use Salesforce is by looking at it as your organization’s command center.

When working with any cloud-based CRM software, putting data security first is always a good idea. Salesforce encrypts sensitive information and restricts access so you can be assured that your crucial data is safe. It can also improve monitoring of access permissions for added peace of mind.

Easily to use, affordable and flexible, Salesforce is a great solution for startups and established businesses alike. The company’s flagship solution, Sales Cloud, includes applications such as lead tracking, opportunity management, customer support, and case management.

Pricing:

Salesforce offers different subscription packages, namely the following:

  • Essentials: US$25/user/month,
  • Professional: US$75/user/month,
  • Enterprise: US$150/user/month, and
  • Unlimited: US$300.

Learn more about Salesforce CRM

2. Monday.com

Monday.com CRM

Monday CRM gives you some of the best features to manage all your marketing activities through a single platform. You can save much of your time by automating the sales process and stay updated on the activities of your potential clients and team members.

With Monday, you can customize the settings according to your specific requirements and goals, like editing deal stages or managing multiple pipelines simultaneously. You can also have a centralized client communication and gain insights into your activities through an intuitive dashboard.

It also lets you gather up your leads from just about any source, manage the pre and post-sales process, and keep an organized record of all your accounts in one place.

Pricing:

You can have a basic free package that works for up to 2 team members.

For more advanced features, there are:

  • Basic: US$10/seat/month,
  • Standard: $14 per seat/month, and
  • Pro: US$24/seat/month.

You can also get the Enterprise package tailor-made for your particular needs.

Learn more about Monday.com

3. Hubspot CRM

Hubspot CRM

Hubspot CRM is a marketing automation tool that helps you identify prospects and nurture them into leads. You can create customized landing pages, segment your leads into lists, send drip email campaigns, schedule follow-up emails, and more. If you use Hubspot CRM in tandem with other marketing tools from Hubspot (like Sales), then it becomes an even more powerful resource for growing your business.

A particularly useful feature of the tool is its social media tracking capabilities; if your business focuses on promoting content across various social platforms, then Hubspot CRM’s ability to track conversations about your company will come in handy.

Hubspot CRM comes with built-in marketing tools that allow you to track how well your marketing campaigns are doing over time. It includes customizable email templates, lead capture forms, contact management, email tracking, prospect tracking, meeting scheduler, live chat, marketing analytics, and more.

Pricing:

The subscription packages for Hubspot CRM are:

  • Starter: US$45/month
  • Professional: US$800/month
  • Enterprise: US$3,200/month

Learn more about Hubspot CRM

4. Pipedrive

Pipedrive CRM

Pipedrive is a CRM software that helps sales teams to close more deals by providing them with the necessary tools and insights. It has a visual pipeline that helps users to see where each deal is at and what needs to be done next.

Pipedrive also offers a range of features such as email integration, activity tracking, and report generation. These features help sales teams to stay organized and efficient and ultimately close more deals.

Pipedrive’s ability to synchronize with mobile devices is one of its standout features. With a simple yet elegant design, it makes it easy for users to navigate through different customer profiles, including their order histories and invoices.

Being a cloud-based platform, it can be accessed across multiple devices and provides all your team members with the up-to-date information they need in their work. It also ensures your data security by encrypting all customer information before it’s sent over a public network.

Pricing:

Pipedrive’s pricing packages include:

  • Essential: US$9.90/user/month, and
  • Advanced: US$ 19.90/user/month

They are billed annually.

Learn more about Pipedrive

5. Act!

Act! CRM

A powerful CRM and marketing automation tool, Act! is ideal for small and medium-sized companies to manage leads, boost sales, and keep a healthy relationship with their clientele.

You can use Act! to create personalized marketing campaigns, captivating landing pages, and automated workflows and receive real-time insights about what’s working and who to follow up.

For managing customer relations, the tool offers features like an overview of customer history and all customer data in a centralized place that you access anytime through offline or mobile access and find anything with powerful search.

Pricing:

Act! offers different pricing tiers depending on which platform you want to use.

  • Act! Premium for desktop for US$37.50/user/month
  • Act! Premium Cloud for US$30/user/month.

There is also a 14-day free trial (for Act! Cloud), so you can try out the service before committing to a payment plan.

Learn more about Act!

6. Zendesk Sell

Zendesk Sell

The Zendesk Sell CRM lets you automate key sales processes, so salespeople can spend more time selling and logging less. It automatically generates personalized reports, closes deals faster, monitors activity in real-time, and identifies crucial opportunities on a single dashboard.

It is equipped with a built-in email marketing tool and leads scoring to help your business better understand its customers. With its customizable workflows, companies can streamline how they handle various tasks and record every action taken – all in one place.

Zendesk Sell is built on top of Zendesk’s customer service platform and leverages its knowledge base and email integration capabilities. Some of its most important features include lead management, customizable workflow, integration with other Zendesk products, robust reporting capabilities, and an easy-to-use interface.

It allows users to easily capture and track leads from various sources, including web forms, emails, and phone calls. Lead scoring and grading features help users prioritize leads and focus their sales efforts.

Pricing:
  • Suite Team: US$49,
  • Suite Growth: US$79, and
  • Suite Professional: US$99.

Learn more about Zendesk Sell

7. Freshsales

Freshsales CRM

Freshsales is a complete cloud-based sales solution that gives you powerful tools for managing leads, opportunities, and contacts, in addition to automating many of your day-to-day business processes. With an intuitive interface, it gives you real-time dashboard analytics that shows you how well your team is performing so you can stay ahead of customer needs.

The software helps you follow up more effectively with prospects by tracking email responses and assigning tasks based on lead activity. It also integrates seamlessly with over 150 apps.

It is designed to give users a complete view of their customers, including contact information, interaction history, and sales pipeline. Freshsales also offers features such as lead scoring, email integration, a built-in phone, sales lead tracking, sales management, event tracking, and customizable reports.

Pricing:

Free plan is available offering basic features. Paid plans include:

  • Growth Plan: US$15/user/month,
  • Pro: US$39/user per month, and
  • Enterprise: US$69/user/month.

Learn more about Freshsales

8. Oracle Sales

Oracle Sales

Oracle CRM has a well-earned reputation as one of the best CRM software systems available in the market. It’s very user-friendly, contains all kinds of integrated tools, and is affordable for even small businesses.

It includes mobile apps and other convenient features that let you manage your customers at any time or place. It’s a complete software suite that empowers users to drive sales, manage expenses, and improve operations with mobile apps.

It also has some useful features like a social media monitor, business relationship management for partners, BI applications, price management, self-service and billing, customer data integration, and so on.

Oracle CRM comes with a wealth of integrations so you can reach your customers wherever they are. Use it as a standalone CRM or integrate it with HubSpot and Salesforce Service Cloud for even more functionality.

Pricing:

The different pricing tiers of Oracle CRM include:

  • Professional Edition: US$65/user/month,
  • Standard Edition: US$100/user/month,
  • Enterprise Edition: US$200/user/month, and
  • Premium Edition: US$300/user/month.

Learn more about Oracle Sales

9. Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM is a cloud-based, multichannel customer relationship management platform that allows you to optimize your business operations by keeping customers informed and aligned with your organization’s strategies.

Rather than investing in multiple applications for different needs, Zoho CRM offers an end-to-end solution that covers all aspects of customer engagement and interaction: from marketing campaigns and lead management to email, social media channels, content management, and support.

Some of its top features include unlimited storage space and data, smart task automation; real-time reporting with analytics; multiple integrations with other business applications via Zoho partners, as well as mobile apps for Android and iOS devices. Plus, it also includes native APIs for extending its capabilities.

Pricing:

Zoho CRM subscription packages range from:

  • Standard: USD$10.30/user/month, to
  • Ultimate: USD$33.47/user/month.

Learn more about Zoho CRM

10. SugarCRM

SugarCRM

SugarCRM is a mature, well-rounded CRM solution that has been around for over a decade. It offers powerful customer management capabilities such as sales force automation and marketing campaign tracking right out of the box making it easy to perform all of your day-to-day customer relations tasks in one place.

SugarCRM’s intuitive interface is designed to be easy to use, even for first-time CRM users. All of the features you need are easily accessible from the main navigation menu, and helpful tooltips guide you through each task as you work.

It is a powerful CRM solution with plenty of features and customization options to fit the needs of your business. Some of its standout features include automatic lead capture, flexible reporting and dashboards, role-based security, and mobile apps for Android and iOS devices. Plus, SugarCRM integrates with over 100 third-party applications via its App Center marketplace.

Pricing:

SugarCRM’s subscription packages are segmented according to your requirements from the tool, i.e.

  • Market: USD$1,000/month,
  • Sell: USD$49/user/month, and
  • Serve: USD$80/user/month.

Learn more about SugarCRM

Bonus #1. Salesmate

Salesmate CRM

Salesmate is a sales and marketing automation platform that helps businesses bring leads, close deals, and manage customer relationships from within their own website. With Salesmate, you can communicate with your contacts and get notified as they take action – all without leaving your website.

Simply plug Salesmate into your website and start generating leads within minutes. Their highly customizable lead forms will get more buyers to contact you with just a single click. Generate new business by getting your message in front of thousands of potential clients who are looking for solutions just like yours.

It offers a range of features to help businesses streamline their sales processes, including contact management, lead management, opportunity management, and pipeline management. It also provides tools for tracking customer interactions and managing customer data. Salesmate is available in both a cloud-based and on-premises deployment option.

Pricing:
  • Starter: USD$12/user/month
  • Growth: USD$24/user/month,
  • Boost: USD$40/user/month, and
  • Enterprise: Custom (Connect with team).

Learn more about Salesmate

Bonus #2. SAP CRM

SAP CRM

SAP is a customer relationship management program that helps you keep tabs on your contacts allowing you to create a database of all your contacts, track customer interactions, and organize your sales efforts.

This complete CRM software solution offers powerful features and integrates seamlessly with other business programs like ERP. The tool works equally well for big and small companies that need help in managing sales processes or keeping their records organized.

Being a cloud-based tool, you can view your data by simply logging in from anywhere at any time. Some of its main features include customer management, lead management, service scheduling, campaign management, and reporting functionality.

Pricing:

There are no set pricing packages for SAP. You can get a detailed quotation of the price according to your specific requirements.

Learn more about SAP CRM

Bonus #3. EngageBay CRM

EngageBay CRM offers you an all-in-one platform for managing your marketing, sales, and customer support activities. It allows you to save unlimited number of contacts and customer details as well as information on sales and deals.

There are many automation options for users in EngageBay including, sales automation, marketing automation, email sequence, and forms and landing page automation. Plus, it offers live chat software and a help desk tool to have efficient customer interactions.

Other things included in the platform are milestone tracking, appointments calendar, email template builder, social posting and scheduling, and web analytics to name a few.

EngageBay All-in-One CRM (Review)

EngageBay All-in-One CRM (Review)

EngageBay is one of the leading names in automation software, especially popular amongst small businesses. It offers a... Read more

Pricing:
  • Free: US$0 (500 contacts)
  • Starter: US$11.99/month
  • Professional: US$39.99/month
  • Enterprise: US$79.99/month

Learn more about EngageBay CRM

Questions to Consider

  1. Which CRM software best aligns with your business’s specific needs and goals?
  2. How can the automation features of these CRM software streamline your business processes?
  3. How can the social media tracking capabilities of some of these CRM software enhance your marketing strategies?

The post Top 10 CRM Software to Boost Your Business Growth appeared first on Hongkiat.

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Must-Have Travel Apps for Exploring Vietnam https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/travel-apps-vietnam/ Fri, 12 May 2023 10:01:51 +0000 https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/?p=65391 Traveling to Vietnam? Equip yourself with must-have apps for a seamless journey.

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Vietnam attracts more than 3 million visitors in the year 2022, and it’s only going to get more this year. If you are one of them, then pay heed. To make your trip as uneventful as possible, install some useful Vietnam-related travel apps.

The following list includes apps for navigation, communication, and other utilities. So go through the list to see which ones you might find handy on your trip to Vietnam.

travel apps for Vietnam
Image: Golden Bridge of Danang, Vietnam (Wikipedia
WhatsApp
WhatsApp

Chat and communication.

WhatsApp is a widely utilized mobile application across several countries in the Asian continent, including Vietnam.

iOS Android

Zalo
Zalo

Chat and communication.

Zalo, a messaging app similar to Whatsapp, is widely used in Vietnam, boasting more than 30 million users, which accounts for nearly half of the country’s population. It offers users group chat, video call, and voice call functions.

iOS Android

Grab
Grab

Ride-hailing and food delivery service.

Grab is a popular ride-hailing app in Vietnam that offers various services, including car, motorbike, and taxi rides, as well as food delivery and cashless payment options.

iOS Android

Gojek
Gojek

Ride-hailing service.

After its debut in Vietnam in 2018 with its ride-hailing service Go-Viet, Gojek has launched its car-hailing service, GoCar, in the country.

iOS Android

Be
Be

Ride-hailing service.

Be is a multi-service app platform that offers ride-hailing, food delivery, and parcel delivery services in Vietnam.

iOS Android

Google Maps
Google Maps

Maps, directions, and navigation.

Google Maps is a helpful tool when traveling in Vietnam, providing detailed maps, directions, and real-time traffic information.

iOS Android

Baemin
Baemin

Food delivery.

Baemin is a popular food delivery app in Vietnam that offers a wide range of restaurant options and convenient delivery services.

iOS Android

The post Must-Have Travel Apps for Exploring Vietnam appeared first on Hongkiat.

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40+ Free Nature-inspired Photoshop Brushes https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/photoshop-brush-nature-inspired/ Tue, 09 May 2023 10:01:26 +0000 https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/?p=66647 Transform your designs with our handpicked collection of 40+ free nature-inspired Photoshop brushes. Create stunning natural effects in your work.

The post 40+ Free Nature-inspired Photoshop Brushes appeared first on Hongkiat.

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Nature-inspired style brushes in Photoshop can help add a touch of the outdoors to your digital artwork. Whether you want to add leaves, flowers, or other natural elements to your designs, these brushes can be a great tool.

In this blog post, we’ve compiled a list of 40+ free nature-inspired style Photoshop brushes that you can download and use to bring your artwork to life. With various brush types available, from watercolor to realistic foliage, these brushes are easy to use and can help you achieve stunning nature-inspired designs.

Water Waves Photoshop Brushes
Water Waves Photoshop Brushes 2

Drawing water waves from scratch can be a daunting task. However, you can save time and achieve a cool effect by using these water wave brushes.

Download brush.

Snow Photoshop Brushes
Snow Photoshop Brushes 2

This is a set of 15 high-quality snow effect brushes with a size of 2500+ px. They are a great substitute for creating a snow effect manually and are ideal for flyers, banners, cards, and art.

Download brush.

Magic Spells Moon Photoshop Brushes
Magic Speels Moon

This is an amazing set of 21 Photoshop brushes featuring surreal elements such as the moon, fairies, angel wings, and feathers, among others.

Download brush.

Plant Photoshop Brushes
Plant Brushes

Beautifully drawn line brushes (set of 11 free brushes). These brushes feature leaves, flowers, and branches, making them perfect for creating invitations or wedding cards.

Download brush.

Sketchy Cartography Photoshop Brushes
Sketchy Cartography Brushes

Create an ancient map or illustration for a storybook using these cartography brushes that provide a beautiful hand-sketched appearance. The set comprises map lines, ancient languages, and geographical features such as mountains and trees, among others.

Download brush.

Owls Photoshop Brushes
Owls Brushes

Wow your clients with these amazing and mysterious owl feather brushes. They can be used to create bookmarks or surreal designs.

Download brush.

Stardust PS Photoshop Brushes
Stardust PS Brushes

A set of seven stardust brushes can be used to create a busy background, a starry sky, or even your own galaxy.

Download brush.

The Magical Snowflakes Photoshop Brushes
The Magical Snowflakes

Your Christmas, New Year, or winter season designs always have something to do with snowflakes. And what better way to create magical snowflakes than with this set of 15 Photoshop brushes?.

Download brush.

Nature Silhouettes Trees & Grass Photoshop Brushes
Nature Silhouettes Trees & Grass

Spring and summer designs are never complete without trees and grass. Use this set of high-quality tree and grass silhouette brushes that are completely customizable.

Download brush.

Lightning Photoshop Brushes
Lightning

50 high-quality lightning strike and lightning bolt brushes for creating thunderstorm effects in the sky. These brushes can be customized with any color and incorporated into your designs with ease.

Download brush.

Rain Photoshop Brushes
Rain

High-quality raindrop and raining effect brushes. These are free to use and are ideal for weather websites or apps, or wherever they are suitable.

Download brush.

Aurora Photoshop Brushes
Aurora

A set of 10 cool brushes for Photoshop CS1 to CS5 created by ShiftyJ is available. These abstract brushes are inspired by the Aurora lights, but with a modern twist.

Download brush.

Feathers and Birds Photoshop Brushes
Feathers and Birds

Most commonly used among nature-inspired designs, these 12 brushes represent feathers and birds.

Download brush.

Flower Photoshop Brushes
Flower

A beautiful set of flower brushes featuring a variety of different flowers. Customize them and incorporate them into your designs, but please remember to credit the creator.

Download brush.

Night Sky Photoshop Brushes
Night Sky

A set of three large brushes featuring night sky elements such as space dust, stars, and moon scenes. These brushes can be used to create eye-catching flyers, brochures, wallpapers, and even Twitter backgrounds.

Download brush.

Photoshop Fireworks Photoshop Brushes
Photoshop Fireworks

These 12 Photoshop fireworks brushes, designed by WebDesignerLab, are best suited for New Year celebration-themed design projects.

Download brush.

Crystal Shapes Photoshop Brushes
Crystal Shapes

Abstract crystal-shaped Photoshop brushes were designed using Photoshop CS3 (and should work for any version above). They can be utilized in various designs.

Download brush.

Attractors Effect Photoshop Brushes
Attractors Effect

A vast collection of more than 50 brushes featuring light effects or attractor effects. Each of these brushes is larger than 900 pixels.

Download brush.

Cute Flowers Photoshop Brushes
Cute Flowers

The set includes five high-resolution Photoshop brushes that depict flowers of various designs.

Download brush.

Smoke Photoshop Brushes
Smoke

These are high-resolution Photoshop brushes of smoke. All of these brushes are free to use for both commercial and non-commercial projects.

Download brush.

Handmade Halos Photoshop Brushes
Handmade Halos

Here are eight hand-drawn Photoshop brushes featuring various halo or circular designs. These brushes are perfect for creating wedding or invitation cards, or as a unique design element.

Download brush.

Summer Photoshop Brushes
Summer Brushes

A set of premium summer brushes is available, which includes summer elements such as butterflies, swirls, trees, and other floral elements.

Download brush.

Rose Petals Photoshop Brushes
Rose Petals

These rose petal brushes are free and of high quality. They were created using Photoshop CS3 by Ann Frost.

Download brush.

Gladius Photoshop Brushes
Gladius

A set of edgy techno brushes featuring abstract shapes. The author has stepped out of their comfort zone to create a new and unique set of brushes.

Download brush.

50 High-Res Star Photoshop Brushes
50 High-Res Star

Here is another set of six high-resolution star brushes that can be downloaded and used for free.

Download brush.

Smokey Fire Photoshop Brushes
Smokey Fire Brushes

With this set of smoky fire Photoshop brushes, you will receive a large pack of 50 brushes that are all compatible with Photoshop 7 and newer versions.

Download brush.

Fibers #1 Photoshop Brushes
Fibers #1

This list includes another set of brushes by Titi Montaya, which consists of 5 high-definition (1000×1000) brushes with a fiber effect.

Download brush.

Electrifying Lightning and Strikes Photoshop Brushes
Electrifying Lightning Brush Strikes

Do you want to add electrifying lightning effects to your artwork? You must try this set of high-quality lightning brushes and patterns.

Download brush.

Frosty Edges Photoshop Brushes
Frosty Edges Brush

Add a lovely frosty effect to your winter or Christmas artwork with these frosty edge brushes, which are completely free to download.

Download brush.

Ultimate Space Photoshop Brushes
Ultimate Space Brush Pack – Part 1

A comprehensive set of space and planet brushes is available. The set includes 154 high-resolution space elements such as falling stars, planets, nebulae, and galaxies, among others.

Download brush.

Tree Borders Photoshop Brushes
Tree Borders Brushes

Here are some amazing tree border brushes that can help you achieve realistic plant/tree effects. (No changes needed).

Download brush.

PatrioticPack Part 1 Photoshop Brushes
PatrioticPack Part 1

Awesome Photoshop brushes to create a 4th of July or similar celebration effect are available in this pack. It includes 10 detailed firework explosion brushes.

Download brush.

Jellyfish Photoshop Brushes
Jellyfish Brushes

Sea life is always difficult to draw, but with these jellyfish brushes, it becomes a piece of cake.

Download brush.

Butterfly Wings Photoshop Brushes
Butterfly Wings Brush Set

Create beautiful butterfly wings with this fascinating set. Though they are made on CS2, you can also obtain PS7 brushes.

Download brush.

Palm Trees Photoshop Brushes
Palm Trees Brushes for PS

Create beautiful palm trees with this set of 10 high-quality Photoshop brushes.

Download brush.

8 Fantasy Butterfly Brushes Photoshop Brushes
8 fantasy butterfly brushes

Take a look at these eight stunning fantasy butterfly brushes to enhance your paintings.

Download brush.

Butterflies with Flowers Photoshop Brushes
Butterflies with Flowers

Give your designs a spring, summer, or floral look with this set of butterfly and flower brushes.

Download brush.

Demolished Cracks Photoshop Brushes
Demolished Cracks

Here are 12 brushes for cracked surfaces that are compatible with Photoshop 7 and newer versions. These brushes can be used to draw cracked walls or any other surface.

Download brush.

Moon Photoshop Brushes
Moon brushes for PS7 v.2

Here is another set of moon brushes to add to the list. This collection includes 45 brushes of varying sizes for Photoshop 7 and above, including large, medium, and small options.

Download brush.

Rainy Photoshop Brushes
Rainy

Create a surreal rain effect using these high-quality rain brushes.

Download brush.

Spider Webs Photoshop Brushes
Spider Webs

Ideal for giving your designs a Halloween or other scary or old effect, these 15 spider web brushes are the best way to save time and effort.

Download brush.

The post 40+ Free Nature-inspired Photoshop Brushes appeared first on Hongkiat.

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Why Create MVP Website with WordPress? https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/mvp-website-wordpress/ Mon, 08 May 2023 10:01:49 +0000 https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/?p=66883 What MVP is, why it is beneficial for your future business, and why it’s better to use WordPress when creating an MVP website.

The post Why Create MVP Website with WordPress? appeared first on Hongkiat.

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When it comes to creating a new product or service, there are many different strategies and guidelines out there. You can find advice on how to run your business, organize the process, deal with accounting, and so on. But what is really important to know when starting something new is – whether the game is worth the candle.

And that’s where MVP (Minimum Viable Product) comes into play.

create MVP website

In this article, I’ll explain what MVP is, why it is beneficial for your future business and why it’s better to use WordPress when creating an MVP website.

So, let’s get the ball rolling!

What is MVP?

Simply saying, an MVP is a basic version of the product you want to launch.

Sounds easy, yeah?

However, you should not confuse the basicversion, which includes the main features of your product but without all the bells and whistles, with the rawversion, which lacks crucial functionality and cannot be used by your target audience.

To get a better idea of this concept, let’s take a look at the definition of the minimum viable product given by Eric Ries, an author of “Lean Startup” and a true MVP evangelist:

“The minimum viable product is that version of a new product which allows a team to collect the maximum amount of validated learning about customers with the least effort.”

So, making an MVP is probably the best way to test your business idea.

Reasons to Create an MVP for Your Business

In this section, let’s dive deeper and discover the advantages of an MVP website for your future business.

MVP benefits
1. Validation of Idea & Business Assumptions

Often when starting a new business, entrepreneurs get to work with a lot of enthusiasm and believe that their product will be the next market giant. Creating something new is indeed inspiring and engaging, but it’s also true that starting a business is not always all about rainbows and unicorns.

To be honest, it’s never so (unless you sell puppies).

The sad reality is that 35% of startups fail because there’s no demand for such a product or service.

Creating an MVP allows you to escape such a bleak future and find out the answers to the following questions:

  • Is there a market need for my product or service?
  • How big is it?

Moreover, besides validating your idea (i.e., understanding that there’s a demand for your product or service), MVP can show you whether your business has a monetization potential.

Knowing that users are ready to pay for your future products or services is crucial in the early stages because if you know that they won’t, you should ask yourself:

“Why I’m spending time and money on a business that will not be profitable?”

So, unless you are building a nonprofit organization (thanks for doing that), you should think twice about whether to proceed if your MVP shows low demand for your services and small monetization potential.

2. Customer Feedback

Creating an MVP allows you to get priceless feedback from early adopters. You can find out how end-users interact with your product and gain valuable insights, like:

  • What is lacking?
  • What is redundant?
  • What is difficult?, and
  • What do users like?

Simply saying, customer feedback gives you the right direction and a better understanding of what to do next.

However, it’s important to keep a cool head when planning a product development based on your customers’ feedback. Often, users ask for some small, unnecessary or complicated, time-consuming features that provide little to no benefits.

So you don’t have to rush and try to satisfy every customer request. Instead, you should listen to them, analyze what they say, and do what’s best for the product and most users.

To better understand what I’m saying, check out the A.C.A.F. Customer Feeback Loopcreated by Hubspot.

customer feedback loop
3. Faster Time-to-market

The next advantage of creating MVP is having a faster TMT (Time-to-market) for your product. Simply put, TMT is the time frame from developing your product to the moment it’s released to first users.

Here are the two main benefits of faster time-to-market:

  • First-mover advantage. If you are the first on the market, you can build strong brand recognition and occupy the most significant market share.
  • Revenue. It’s simple, the sooner you start, the sooner you can earn some money and reinvest them in your business.

Also, if you plan to play big and want to raise funding in the future, already having a “working” product definitely adds a few points to your investment attractiveness.

4. Cost-efficiency

Starting a new business is always accompanied by expenses, and the worst thing is that you cannot be sure everything will work out. But here again, MVP comes in handy and helps you to do the following:

  • Save money on development. A good MVP should have only crucial functionality, and you don’t have to spend money on “nice to have” but not essential features at the beginning;
  • Stop early. As mentioned before, not every business will be successful, and sometimes it’s better to stop and start a new one. The sooner you understand that your product has no market need, the more you

So, summing up all the benefits of creating MVP in one sentence:

MVP allows you to “test the waters” in the shortest possible period with the minimum required budget.

Now let’s jump into the next section, where I explain why WordPress is a great tool for creating MVP websites.

Why build MVP websites with WordPress?

Basically, you have two options for creating an MVP website:

  • Starting from scratch, or
  • Use existing tools, like WordPress

Everything depends on the complexity of your project, budget and time limits. Below, I’ll explain why WordPress may be a good starting point.

1. Variety of Plugins & Themes

The first great thing about WordPress is that there are tons of various plugins for probably any use case. To be precise, at the time of writing, the WordPress repository includes more than 60,000 free plugins.

It means that you don’t have to spend time coding all of the features for your MVP since there’s a high probability that you can find a ready-made plugin with the necessary functionality.

Also, the great news about WordPress is that all plugins are open-source, so even if you don’t find a plugin that fully suits your requirements, you can always customize it to match your needs.

On top of that, there are thousands of free and premium WordPress themes for every taste and style. It doesn’t matter what niche you choose – I’m pretty sure you can find a theme that can be used for that.

For example, let’s imagine that you want to create a niche booking or rental website. To create an MVP, you can simply use a WordPress plugin such as HivePress and combine it with the RentalHive theme.

Alternatively, you can check out this list of other popular booking WordPress themes and go with the option you like the most.

3. WordPress is Easy to Use

Currently, WordPress is the most popular Content Management System (CMS) in the world (more than 43% of all websites are built with WordPress).

wordpress use

One of the main reasons for its popularity is pretty straightforward: WordPress is easy to use.

It’s such a simple CMS that even a rookie can work with WordPress hassle-free. There are three factors that make it a piece of cake:

  • Installation. Most hosting providers offer 1-click WordPress installation, so you don’t have to read any docs on how to do that;
  • Intuitive interface. WordPress dashboard is really intuitive, so you won’t get lost there for sure;
  • Community. There are millions of people out there who use WordPress and share their You can easily find WP-related forums, subreddits and groups where people help each other.

Have I already convinced you to use WordPress for your next MVP website? If not yet, check out the next WordPress advantage.

3. It’s Cheap

Finally, building an MVP website using WordPress is cheap. The CMS itself is free to use, but you’ll have to pay for premium themes and plugins (which have more features). On average, starting a WordPress website with premium themes and plugins will cost you about $150 – $300, which is a tiny amount for testing your idea.

Also, if you want to customize something on your website or add extra features and you need to hire a freelancer, you’ll be happy to know that developers specializing in WordPress are often cheaper.

So, using WordPress allows you to create an MVP website quickly, easily and without an enormous budget.

Tips on Running an MVP Website

I’d also like to share a few tips on how to get the most out of your MVP website. So, to increase your chances for success, you need to:

  • Identify core features. Your MVP website should include the main features of your future product to ensure that early adopters will be able to use it.
  • Keep it simple. As mentioned before, keep your website simple but at the same time “viable”.
  • Work with existing tools. Avoid creating everything from scratch and try using existing tools and resources to save time (e.g., open-source libraries, APIs, frameworks, etc).
  • Collect data. The main reason for creating MVP is to collect the necessary data and user feedback, so use the proper tools to measure The more – the better.

Following these tips, you can properly test your idea and make data-driven decisions.

Wrapping Up

That’s it! I hope this article was helpful to you and that now you have a better understanding of what MVP is and why it’s better to create your future MVP website using WordPress.

Also, always keep in mind that an MVP website is just a starting point to collect data that can help you develop and improve your future product. So your entrepreneurship journey only begins.

Disclaimer: This article is contributed by HivePress.

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Must-Have Travel Apps for Exploring Thailand https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/travel-apps-thailand/ Fri, 05 May 2023 10:01:18 +0000 https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/?p=65392 Are you planning a trip to Thailand? Here are some travel apps to download that will enhance your experience.

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Traveling to Thailand? Well, to enhance your experience and the beauty and magnificence of the country, you’ll need some good travel apps.

In this post, we are featuring the best travel apps to help you explore Thailand. Take a look at the list, and if you have your own recommendations, we’ll be glad to hear about them in the comments section below.

travel apps for Thailand
Image: Wat Arun Ratchawararam in Bangkok, Thailand (Wikipedia
Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger

Chat and commuication.

Facebook Messenger is one of the most popular chat and messaging apps amongst the locals. Anyone with a Facebook account can use it to video/ voice call or chat with friends.

iOS Android

LINE
LINE

Chat and communication.

Line is the most popular messaging app amongst the Thais. You can make voice calls and video calls and send and receive text, video, or audio messages.

iOS Android

Grab
Grab

Ride-hailing and food delivery service.

The Grab app is great when it comes to Thailand. It provides a safe, convenient, and affordable way to navigate the country’s bustling cities and popular tourist destinations.

iOS Android

Bolt
Bolt

Ride-hailing service.

Bolt is an alternative to Grab for getting around, with features such as fare estimates, real-time driver tracking, and in-app payments.

iOS Android

InDrive
InDriver

Ride-hailing service.

inDriver provides a different ride experience where riders and drivers can mutually bargain on the ride’s fare.

iOS Android

Google Maps
Google Maps

Maps, directions, and navigation.

One of the best maps and navigation apps, Google Maps is a great app for travelers to Thailand. Being free and easy, it is ideal for tourists.

iOS Android

Wongnai
Wongnai

Restaurant information and reservation.

Wongnai app provides travelers a way to discover and explore local restaurants, attractions, and activities, as well as to make reservations and read reviews from other users.

iOS Android

Foodpanda
Foodpanda

Food delivery.

If you are lazy to hit the streets of Bangkok or other cities for good, Foodpanda can be a great alternative to get the food right to your door.

iOS Android

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18 Free Grunge-style Photoshop Brushes https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/photoshop-brush-grunge/ Tue, 02 May 2023 10:01:24 +0000 https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/?p=66644 Download our collection of 18 free grunge-style Photoshop brushes to enhance your designs with stunning distressed and vintage effects.

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If you want to add some grit and texture to your digital artwork, grunge-style brushes in Photoshop can be a great tool. With various options available, these brushes can help you achieve an edgy and distressed look that’s perfect for vintage or rugged designs

In this blog post, we’ve gathered a list of 18 free grunge-style Photoshop brushes that you can download and use to enhance your creative projects. Whether you’re a seasoned graphic designer or just starting, these brushes are easy to use and can help take your work to the next level.

Grunge 2 Photoshop Brushes
Grunge 2

High-quality and free grunge brushes can help you add extra texture or give a dirty look to any type of design.

Download brush.

Street Grunge Photoshop Brushes
Street Grunge

A set of simple yet high-quality street grunge brushes is available to give a gravel, street, or ripped effect to your artwork.

Download brush.

HighTech Reloaded Photoshop Brushes
HighTech Reloaded

This is a set of 12 high-resolution Photoshop brushes that are compatible with Photoshop version 7 and above.

Download brush.

Paint Lines Photoshop Brushes
Paint Lines

Highly aesthetic paint line brushes (a set of 24 brushes) are very suitable for creating grungy backgrounds.

Download brush.

New Grunge Photoshop Brushes
New Grunge

If you are looking to create a creative textured background, try using this fresh set of grunge brushes by Titi Montoya.

Download brush.

Watercolour and Ink Photoshop Brushes
Watercolour and Ink

A set of Photoshop brushes is available for free to create an ink and watercolor effect. These brushes were made using watercolor paints or Indian ink on cardstock.

Download brush.

Grit and Grunge Photoshop Brushes
Grit and Grunge

Download this pack of high-quality grunge Photoshop brushes. They are also available for both commercial and non-commercial use for free.

Download brush.

Grunge-Splatterish Photoshop Brushes
Grunge Paint

A set of six high-resolution brushes is available to create a grungy paint effect. Although the creator does not require credits, any favors would be appreciated.

Download brush.

42 Subtle Photoshop Brushes
42 Subtle Brushes

If you’re looking for a grungy yet subtle background, this pack is perfect for you. It includes 42 textured brushes that are suitable for use in Photoshop CS.

Download brush.

Grunge Photoshop Brushes
Grunge

Here is another set of brushes by Titi Montoya. These Photoshop brushes are high-resolution and have a rich, grungy texture.

Download brush.

Urban Retro Photoshop Brushes
Urban Retro Brushes/ Save Ai Edition

A set of 12 brushes includes grungy shapes, clouds, and an additional 5 optical flares. These brushes are free to use in any type of project.

Download brush.

Zelink's Cataclysm Photoshop Brushes
Zelink’s Cataclysm Brushset

Based on the stars in the heavens, this set is designed to cause violent destruction when used with other sets.

Download brush.

Crack Photoshop Brushes
Crack Brushes I

There are 17 high-quality brushes created in Photoshop 7, with over 1000 options. Before using these brushes, please read the terms of use and any additional instructions.

Download brush.

Echolalie-Stock Photoshop Brushes
Echolalie-stock 32

The package contains 15 different brushes made from various wall textures. You will find brushes with cracks, scratches, and dirt.

Download brush.

Floral Photoshop Brushes
Floral brushes

8 large floral brushes for use in headers and wallpapers, and 7 100×100 floral brushes for use in icons.

Download brush.

Holes Photoshop Brushes
Holes Holes Holes

These brushes have a higher resolution, making them suitable for high-resolution projects as well.

Download brush.

Smudge Photoshop Brushes
Smudge Brushes

Smudge brushes that can be used in almost any kind of design are available for free download without the need to credit the creator.

Download brush.

Industrial Photoshop Brushes
Industrial Brushes

An array of high-quality Photoshop CS3 brushes featuring various elements of industry, such as chimneys, metallic structures, and engines, are all available for free use.

Download brush.

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