Google Makes Business Easy With Free Tools
There are tons of ways to improve or add efficiency to your business without paying a whole lot. The Internet offers many free (or extremely inexpensive) ways to cut costs or add services you don’t already utilize.
Some of the most beneficial tools come from Google.
Google Voice - This is definitely a useful tool for anyone. Released over the summer, Google Voice is still in its early stages, but it offers free and local phone numbers. As long as you have a cell phone or other landline to use for forwarding, you’ve got the ability to set up a completely separate phone number to use for business purposes. Ideal for those just starting out and freelancers, GV gives you the option of having a phone number that you feel comfortable sharing online, with the ability to forward it directly to your cell. An added bonus is the ability to transcribe voicemails so you can read them before you check them. For Gmail users, it will feel quite familiar as the layout is nearly identical… plus, you can easily incorporate your Google Address book, get emails when you miss calls or receive messages, and send SMS messages with GV.
Google Checkout – There is no better time than now to expand your storefront. If you’re in the 
business of tangible goods, why not offer the op tion to buy online? Google Checkout gives you the ability to receive payment online for very little cost (2.9%+$.30 of eac h transaction under $3,000). Offering products online is also a great way to bring in customers outside of your local ar ea and a relatively low cost way of selling.
Google Webmaster Central – This is everything that can help bring traffic to your website and keep you and your visitors organized. Webmaster Central can be an easy fix for a simple website that needs a little more interactivity and traffic. Among the features found in GWC, AdWords is one of the most valuable. An inexpensive pay-per-click campaign that utilizes your site’s best keywords is an immediate and well-targeted way to increase traffic. You can integrate a Google Calender into your site; a great solution for someone that isn’t comfortable editing the webpage directly, with a Google Calender you can easily log in to add and edit events that will let your visitors know what’s going on at and around your business. Incorporate an interactive Google Map to help customers find your location. The possibilities are endless.
Google Apps – Tired of using an inprofessional yahoo.com email address? Are you and your employees constantly getting off track with each other? Google Apps for business is a great start to better internal organization. Gmail for business allows you to use your domain name in your email address and gives you the power of Gmail (in my opinion, the best email client on the planet). Use Calenders, Docs, and Sites to stay together within your organization… Agendas, Scheduling, Spreadsheets, Secure Code-free Sites are all features found in Apps. And at a reasonable $50/user/year… Apps is a great value.
With all of this help from Google, I feel like a nice “Thank You” card might be in order. However, Google isn’t the only company with a laundry list of great apps and features to help businesses grow. Another free tool to help build your business is the wide world of social media. As mentioned in previous entries, social sites are a direct route to your target market. The hard part is finding and creating a message that will really reach and stick with them.
What are some free and inexpensive tools you use to better business?
Comments
No comments yet, be the first to add one!