Save Time with TextExpander – A Case Study

Today we would like to share a case study of Paul Minors, productivity blogger & consultant who describes how TextExpander save time, streamline and systemise his business.

Q: What challenges made you search for this kind of software?

Paul M: Every business day, or when I was on vacation, messages from media workers flooded into my inbox like a tsunami.

I could have just ignored it, but that would be really rude. Sure, most of the emails I got were common questions, but many were thoughtful. It was clear that the person writing to me was doing so because they thought their pitch would be relevant to me, based on my interests and previous coverage.

But also, the folks will follow up, and follow up some more, and email you to see if you’re definitely, absolutely, 100 percent not interested.

So I was looking for a text expanding solution that maps abbreviations to longer phrases or even paragraphs, and allows me to quickly reply to emails by creating email templates.

Q: How did get to know about TextExpander?

Paul M: Using Google. I’ve searched for best text expansion solution and found the product. I’ve read a couple of reviews (including TheSweetBits) and decided to give it a try.

Q: Please, describe how you are using TextExpander?

Paul M: I save a tonne of time when it comes to replying to emails by creating canned responses in TextExpander. I can send detailed replies to each and every one by using the snippets.

The really cool thing is that TextExpander doesn’t just spit out text, it can also expand keystrokes like the tab key.

This means I can type a snippet into the subject line of an email which expands to fill the subject, then tabs to the body to write the main message.

I must say TextExpander rescued me from inbox hell:)

And here’s my another favourite uses of TextExpander – task templates. For example, when planning a new blog post, I create a task in Asana and want to add list of subtasks to the parent task so that I don’t miss any critical steps. By typing a quick snippet, I can spit out a long list of subtask without having to memorise anything or duplicate any other tasks.

Additionally, TextExpander helps with correcting common typos. For instance, when typing fast, I often type “hasnt'” instead of “hasn’t.” So I’ve set up a snippet to automatically correct this mistake. It’s little things like this that really add up to huge time savings.

Q: Can you give an example of how TextExpander has directly improved your workflow?

Paul M: Absolutely. One of the most significant improvements is in handling client communications. Before using TextExpander, I spent hours drafting individual responses to client inquiries. Now, I have a library of snippets that cover common questions and requests. For instance, when a client asks about pricing, I simply type a snippet abbreviation, and TextExpander fills in the detailed response, including links to more information and next steps.

What’s more, it has the ability to share snippets with my team. This ensures that everyone is on the same page and can respond consistently and efficiently. We use shared snippets for everything from common email responses to project management templates.

This not only saves me time but also ensures that our responses are thorough and professional. Clients have noticed and appreciated the quick turnaround and consistent communication.

Q: If you could pick one thing, what would you most like to see improved or added to TextExpander?

Paul M: TextExpander is available for Windows, Mac, Chrome, and now in beta for iOS & Android. While it’s great to see it expanding to more platforms, I’m looking forward to the full version being available on iPadOS to take full advantage of this tool on my mobile device. Additionally, it would be fantastic if TextExpander could integrate more deeply with other productivity tools like Slack and Trello.

Thanks Paul for taking the time to share his story and how TextExpander has improved his productivity. If you’re interested in TextExpander, read our review on this great text expansion software now.