Free Online Business Resources
No Cost Tools Every Small Business Owner Should Know About
Apr 24, 2009
Operating a small business can be very costly. There are many items that small businesses' require, but owners many not always have the funding for these purchases. A good business strategy is to keep overhead low, and one way to do so is to find free resources to meet company needs. There are many free business offers available to entrepreneurs if owners ask the right questions and know where to look. Here are a few free business tools every business owner should know about:
Free Website and Domain
In today’s technologically advanced society, every business should have a website. Possessing a website validates a company and can be the source of new customers. Most website hosting companies charge a monthly fee for web hosting plus an annual fee for the domain name. Microsoft Small Business offers owners a free website with an office live domain name. Account holders can upgrade to a customized domain name for about $15 a year with the first year free. This free website also comes with up to 100 free business email accounts.
Free Business Cards
A business owner is nothing without business cards. Business cards are the simplest and easiest way to market a business; however, some business card printers have high fees. Vista Print offers free business cards with over 40 templates to choose from. If the purchaser does not like Vista Print's free templates, an upgrade to premium business cards is only $19.99. The company also offers other free business products including car magnets, pens, stamps, and websites.
Free Email Marketing
Now that the business owner has obtained a free website, domain, email account(s), and business cards, reaching potential customers to tell them about their great product or service is the next step. Email marketing has become a widely used and affordable method of business promotion.
Two companies that are currently offering free trial access to their email marketing tools are iContact and Constant Contact. iContact offers a free 15 day trial and Constant Contact offers a free 60 day trial. With this tool, owners can send professional newsletters, promotional postcards, coupons, and flyers to their customers’ email accounts. Once the free trial ends, they can upgrade to membership with monthly rates beginning around $10.
Many companies have free and trial offers for business owners so don’t just settle with the ones that are listed here. From software to services, companies want to earn entrepreneurs' business by giving away products and services. Be resourceful and search for other opportunities to save money and build a better business.
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