Technology on a bootstrap budget
Technology has been a key enabler of home business. Practically each month
sees the launch of a new product that has been designed to help home
businesses connect with customers, partners, suppliers and the global market
that exists beyond their front door.
Invest some time in keeping finding out about these new applications, as many
can be bought on a budget, will generate revenue and can help increase your
productivity.
Connecting with clients and colleagues
Being part of a team working from a number of home offices has the upside of
behaving like a fully-staffed regular office, without the downside of office
politics, distractions and spiralling property costs. Keep in touch with
projects and deadlines with an online project management tool like Basecamp (www.basecamphq.com).
With it, you can keep track of messages, tasks, files and deadlines, and
offer restricted access to your clients so they can see how the project’s
running too. It’s an elegant, user-friendly web application that you can
access from anywhere.
If necessary, brainstorm face-to-face by using Skype’s video call feature (www.skype.com).
All you need is Skype and a webcam. While, US technology company, Citrix
Online (www.citrixonline.com) is
making inroads into the UK with their suite of virtual office products like
GoToMeeting, that allows you to present, demonstrate and meet with
colleagues and clients from across the globe.
Connecting with customers
Citrix also offers products to enable you to pitch to thousands of existing
and potential customers.
For e-tailers selling on third party sites, start your own shop with the new
small business package from Venda (www.venda.com),
which provides you with a window to the world and a full ecommerce solution
on a per month basis. Technology doesn't stop when it comes to posting out
all the sales you've made. Royal Mail is investing in online services for
small businesses, including e-mail system, MailShots Online (www.mailshotsonline.com)
and the nicely named SmartStamp.
All these applications are free or reasonably priced and they will save you
time and make you money.
After all this activity of selling, communicating and project managing, you'll
be wanting a bit of light relief. What better technology app to turn to than
Twitter (www.twitter.com). Catch up with friends and post your own thoughts
from the day in less than 140 characters. Twitter is low maintenance yet an
invaluable business tool.
Emma Jones is the founder of online home business company Enterprise Nation
(www.enterprisenation.com)
and author of Spare Room Start Up – how to start a business from home.
