The Role of Effective Web Tools in the Success of a Small Business

Operating a small business requires caution, yet a daring response to challenge. Success results from a range of factors that include: thorough business planning, concrete management practices and an innovative marketing approach. Many other factors depend on skills and knowledge that may be acquired through experience and education, or in some cases seeking after professional expertise.

Many small business owners and entrepreneurs take an economical approach to running

their business, and with today’s extravaganza of web tools, the small business is able to operate at a minimal cost. Business web tools vary from planning, to management, to marketing, to accounting, to human resources, and other business areas. Here are some cost effective web tools that small businesses may benefit from:

Ontario Small Business Network 

Web business networks are now available to allow small businesses the opportunity to collaborate and share information using many different tools. This helps promote products and services. One web business network that is open strictly for Ontario small businesses is Ontario Small Business Network at www.yoursmallbiz.net. The platform provides the small business with a free one-page web profile along with the ability to publish multimedia that will increase visibility for the business no matter what stage it’s in. Small businesses can also publish blogs, forums, join small business groups, and get the privilege of being members of a network that ranks high on Google and other search engines. Membership is at no cost for small businesses located in Ontario.

Moms Rally

Mom entrepreneurs are always on the look out for tools to assist them as they operate their businesses from home. Moms Rally @ www.momsrally.com, is a platform that was created for moms and is loaded with tools that can help every business mom. It has an auction page where a business can sell their products. It has a links page where businesses can link to their websites, and it will allow the business mom to collaborate with other moms to either do business together or promote products and services. Moms that operate a small business can register and become members of a growing network of moms at no cost.

Google Apps For Business

Google Apps include dozens of critical security features specifically designed to keep the small business data safe, secure, and under control. Google Apps for Business will provide the small business with mail accounts, a calendar, a task manager, Intranet, and many more business required tools. Security settings for Apps for Business include: who can share each feature and how to share it. All are reliable web tools making data accessible anywhere, anytime. (www.google.com/enterprise/apps/business/benefits.html)

Skype

Organizing a web meeting can easily replace the need to travel across the city, country, and in some cases the world. With the cost of one or two business trips, a web conferencing solution can pay for itself. Free web conferencing for a group of people can be done using the Skype tool at www.skype.com.  A small business can register and use the tool to invite a group of people from different parts of the country, or even the world, into one conversation all at no cost to the company.

There are plenty of other business web tools available free or at very low cost for the small business. Running a business effectively in todays society strongly depends on technology, and its all available for the small business with the press of a button.

Is your business making use of the available web tools yet?

  

Youngest Microsoft Certified Professional

News taken from Business Insider:

The youngest Microsoft Certified Professional is Arfa Karim Randhawa from Pakistan who, as of yesterday, is on life support after she had a massive heart attack. At age 9 she became the youngest MCP. In 2006 she was part of keynote presentation in Microsoft's Tech-Ed Developers conference in Barcelona, Spain. She was even invited to Redmond, Washington by Bill Gates himself.

Meet her at Business Insider News

Android/iphone App for Ontario Small Business Network

Android and iphone App has been created for Ontario Small Business Network. Finding a small business in Ontario, Canada on your phone has become very easy now with OSBN App. Download OSBN App and enjoy the conveniency of searching for a small business in Ontario, by City and/or by Category, at anytime and at any location. All you need is a WiFi connection to the internet.

Another creation of e-presence Consultants Inc.

Are you looking for new business? Make sure you have the right e-mail address.

Believe it or not, the e-mail address on your business card tells a lot about your business. Most people that are knowledgeable of the internet will immediately get rid of a business card that does not end with the company's domain name (ex: name@yourcompany.com or .ca or .biz, ...).

It costs less than $3.00 per month to pay for a domain name and a business e-mail box service that gives you at least one business e-mail box. Your e-mail address is like your first appearance in a business meeting or with a new client.. you either give the right or wrong impression then!

A business e-mail address will increase your business credibility because it make you look bigger than just a new starting small business; or maybe an already established small business that is not growing. Instead, it defines your business identity to others when they see it.

If you would like more information on affordable web presence for your business, visit http://www.e-presenceconsultants.com

Please let me hear your thoughts about the above issue.