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Tools & Platforms · The 7Ps

The MrKeating Toolkit

Practical tools. Clear purposes. Better business.

A practical toolkit for small business owners, organised around the seven Ps of the MrKeating Mix. These are the tools and platforms in my working toolkit, alongside a few I am exploring.

Good tools support good decisions. You do not need every subscription here: choose what solves a real problem in your business.

Links currently go directly to the providers. If affiliate links are added, they will be labelled: I may earn a commission if you purchase through them.

01 · Product

Product Development

Explore an idea before committing to the full build.

ChatGPT

Research questions, develop concepts and challenge assumptions. Important facts still need checking.

Explore ChatGPT

Replit

Build and test custom software prototypes. A working demo still needs testing before real customers depend on it.

Explore Replit

Lovable

Turn an idea into an interactive web app. Plan for integrations, security and maintenance beyond the prototype.

Explore Lovable

02 · Price

Business Strategy

Understand the numbers behind the decisions.

Google Workspace

Sheets for costing and pricing models; Docs, Drive, Gmail, Calendar and Meet for the wider business. A model is only as good as its assumptions.

Explore Google Workspace

Xero

Keep accounts, invoices and financial information organised. Use actual performance to challenge your forecasts.

Explore Xero

03 · Place

Websites & Sales Channels

Give customers somewhere to find you and buy.

WordPress

Build websites that can grow with a business. Hosting, updates and sensible plugin choices matter.

Explore WordPress

Etsy

A sales channel for suitable creative products. Allow for marketplace fees and competition.

Explore Etsy

Amazon

A marketplace for reaching customers, with fulfilment options. Margins need to account for fees, returns and stock.

Explore Amazon

Faire

A wholesale channel connecting brands and retailers. Wholesale pricing needs to work for both sides.

Explore Faire

04 · Promotion

SEO & Local Search

Help the right customers discover the business.

Google Search Console

Understand how a website appears in Google Search and investigate indexing issues. It is a diagnostic tool, not a ranking shortcut.

Explore Google Search Console

BrightLocal

A toolkit for local SEO reporting and citation work. Choose services around a specific need rather than directory volume.

Explore BrightLocal

Ahrefs

Research search opportunities, competitors and links. Treat estimates as directional rather than exact business forecasts.

Explore Ahrefs

Brevo

Email marketing and customer communication. Useful messages and a well-managed audience come first.

Explore Brevo

05 · People

CRM & Customer Relationships

Make it easier to keep track of people and follow through.

HubSpot

Organise contacts, enquiries and sales activity. Start with a simple process that the team will actually follow.

Explore HubSpot

Calendly

Let people book a suitable time without the email back-and-forth. Set availability around how you want to work.

Explore Calendly

06 · Process

Systems & AI

Reduce repeated work and keep projects moving.

Exploring

GitHub Copilot

An AI coding assistant to explore alongside Replit and ChatGPT. Generated code still needs review and testing.

Explore GitHub Copilot

07 · Physical Evidence

Branding & Content

Make the business look consistent wherever customers encounter it.

Canva

Create repeatable branded layouts and everyday marketing materials. Templates work best with clear brand guidelines.

Explore Canva

OpenArt

Explore visual concepts and AI imagery. Results can be inconsistent, so allow for iteration and credit costs.

Explore OpenArt

Affinity

Refine design work and produce artwork. Check vector construction and export quality before delivering final files.

Explore Affinity

Runway

Explore AI video and motion content. Simple concepts and careful editing help keep the result useful.

Explore Runway

A toolkit, not a shopping list.

ChatGPT, Google Workspace, Replit and Lovable can support several of the seven Ps. Brevo also connects promotion with customer relationships; Runway connects branding with promotion.

If you need help choosing the right combination or putting it to work, let’s talk about your business.

Need help putting it together?

A website, brand, customer system or workflow should make your business easier to run.

Let’s talk about your business