Author: Ian Betteridge
Date: 12/01/2009
As a startup, you need to keep costs to a minimum. So consider using free software tools.
One of the best things you can do when starting a business is keep costs to an absolute minimum. In the first few months, you’re likely to have very little in the way of income as invoices and payments slowly make their way to your bank account, so it’s vital that you don’t spend any more than you absolutely must.
One good way to do this is to use free online tools to help run and manage your business. You can also use software which, while not free permanently, offers free trial versions to tide you over until the money starts to come in. Here’s our pick of the free tools that any new business will find useful.
BT Tradespace
Want an innovative way to meet potential customers or make new contacts? Sign up to BT Tradespace and you’ll have a user-friendly site that allows you to promote yourself to individuals searching for a local business, product or service.
It’s like having an instant shop window. As well as displaying your company’s contact details, BT Tradespace offers much more and it’s free to join.
A pop-up map will help customers find you and you can display photos of your products and services.
Setting up your BT Tradespace is simple, and once you’re live, you can add blogs, support for selling with PayPal, and much more.
OpenOffice.org
If you’re employing people, you may need to equip them with computers and software – and in some cases, the cost of simple office software could exceed that of the hardware you’re running it on.
For a free alternative, take a look at OpenOffice.org. This is a full office suite with word processing, spreadsheet and presentation packages that’s completely free. It’s available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux, and can read and write Microsoft Office-compatible files.
BT Business Builder
Most entrepreneurs don’t go into business because of their love of paperwork or a desire to battle red tape. Let’s face it, no one relishes the idea of spending hours on admin; it’s just a fact of business life. This is where BT Business Builder Lite comes in. Whether it’s bookkeeping, payroll, health and safety or sales and marketing, the free administration applications of Business Builder Lite can save you valuable man hours. You’ll also receive free legal e-alerts to keep you up to date with changes in the law, including what you need to do in order to comply.
BT Workspace Lite
If you need a centrally located, secure online tool that allows you to manage a project efficiently and easily, BT Workspace Lite could be the solution. It gives you a secure online area where you can store documents and share information with colleagues – and it’s all backed up. You can have an unlimited number of users, making it ideal for larger businesses with remote workers. A shared calendar allows you to book appointments that people can view while instant messaging shows you who’s online so you can talk to them there and then. There’s no software to download either.
BT Smart Messaging
Now more than ever, you’ll want to make sure your phone messages reach you straight away. After all, no one can afford to lose custom because of a tardy response. With BT Smart Messaging you can access your messages by calling 1571 from your BT fixed line, BT mobile or broadband voice line. It’s a free service that connects all your phone lines to one phone message mailbox. Sign up today and you need never miss a message from a customer or colleague ever again.
Tomorrow, we'll look at how you can tell if your business idea is a good one.