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Success on a Shoestring - Tech Essentials for Small Business |
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As a small business owner, your computer can be your greatest ally! With limited budgets for computers and software, most small business owners wonder: Do I have what I need? Am I doing things as easily and cost-effectively as possible? How do I find out? Here are some “must-haves”, as well as some “nice-to-haves” - and the good news is that you probably already own everything you need! As you might have guessed, the first “must-have” is email. You should use an email system that stores your emails on your own computer. In these systems, you access your email through Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Mail, or another program loaded directly on your computer. If you use a web-based system such as Hotmail or Gmail, keep in mind that their storage capacity is limited, and you’ll need to download emails onto your computer to back them up. Also, online email addresses may limit your credibility as a business. The next essential item is a database of contacts. Your list of contacts is the lifeblood of your business – if you aren’t keeping in touch with your clients, you’re missing huge opportunities. Microsoft Outlook® is part of the Microsoft Office® suite, and its built-in contact database allows you to easily enter, sort, and retrieve contact information. Don’t be intimidated by the thought of typing in all those names, either – you can buy a business card scanner that will enter information directly into Outlook (or other contact management programs), for under $150. The last vital piece is a scheduling system. Although a paper scheduler may seem like a simple solution, using Outlook’s built-in calendar is ultimately a better solution: you can set reminders for appointments, easily enter details about your meetings, and, if you’re on the road, synchronize with a handheld calendar so that you’re always current. Best of all, you can back up your data, so that you never have to dread the loss of your paper scheduler! The first “nice-to-have” item is on the verge of becoming a “must-have”: a website for your business. Although a website isn’t an absolute requirement, it provides your business with credibility and the advantage of being “open for business” 24/7. The next “nice-to-have” may make you shudder, but how about learning to do a mail merge? If you remember the pain of trying to figure out mail merge in earlier years, forget it. Microsoft Word® 2003 and 2007 both include easy-to-follow wizards that walk you through the process. And imagine how much your clients will appreciate getting a personalized message from you (even if you’ve sent the same “personalized” message to a thousand others)! You can even perform mail merges on email messages, so that each recipient sees a single message, addressed to them alone. The last “nice-to-have”: an e-zine, or email newsletter. Sending out a regular e-newsletter keeps you top-of-mind with your clients, and gives you the opportunity to build credibility and goodwill by offering them valuable information for free. You can create email merges using Microsoft Office®, or use an online service that will take care of the process for you. If you already own Microsoft Office®, using the systems and techniques described in this article won’t cost you a penny – and can provide huge returns. You can even create and edit a website using Microsoft Office®, though that may not be the right solution for you. Watch next month’s newsletter for an article on what your website really needs – and how to get it! By: Diane Henders, Bright Ideas Personalized Learning Inc. For more information or computer training services, please call Bright Ideas Personalized Learning at (403) 692-2255. |
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