Small business owners face big challenges everyday. One of the tougher issues is balancing the need for technology with available cash. There’s seldom enough cash for the technology I need or want but it’s hard to be more productive without more technology. What to do?

Here are three tools that can help you win new customers and none of them cost a lot of money. In fact, most of them are free, excluding the cost of your Internet connection.

First, think about having a free personal hard drive on the Internet that is not only huge but comes with free software that mimics Microsoft’s Word, Excel and PowerPoint programs. That’s Google Docs.

Google Docs can be used for word processing, creating spreadsheets or producing great presentations. Better yet, you can share your files with anyone (everyone) with an Internet connection and, if you want, give them editing rights. No more email attachments going back-and-forth and wasted time trying to figure out which is the latest file. If you work with people outside your office or just like the idea of good software being free, then Google Docs is a must-have tool. Did I mention it’s free?

Another great free tool is social media. I know, what’s social media? Well, it’s Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook and a hundred other strange-sounding online communities. Just like the real world there’s a lot of nonsense on these sites, but there’s also a lot of really good people. I’ve gotten new ideas, computer support, made new friends and gained new clients from these online communities. If you think social media is just for kids, your wrong. Again, it’s like the real world, you talk to the people you want to talk to and avoid those you don’t.

The third one will cost you. Skype is an online phone service that allows you to call anyone in the U.S., conduct conference calls, and even video calls for, are you ready, $30.00 a year. There are some minor restrictions and they have plans that cost more. But, being able to conduct video calls for $30.00 a year is tremendous value and having video conferencing capabilities really lets small business owners project a much larger image.

Want proof? I used these tools to connect with a company in Chicago that led to a $1.5 billion company in New York and ended up doing business with both of them.

You don’t have to be a technical wiz-kid to use these tools. I use them all the time; you can too. If you have any questions or want to learn more, call me at 803-810-3180.

Steve

Imagine how much better off we'd all be if we listened to Stephen Covey when he said, "Seek first to understand and then to be understood." Here's what I mean.