Posted by
Tamara Wilson in
Business on
June 24, 2010 |
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When you operate an online business, you need help. We are not talking about physical help, but business tools you can use to streamline your business. When we talk about products, we usually mean money, but you don’t have to spend top dollar to get what you need.
Software enables us to do what we do without always being there or spending time that we don’t have. Sometimes we don’t think about software needs because a good portion of it is probably already loaded onto our computers when we buy them. All of those tools are useful:
- Microsoft Office – If this isn’t included there is a great open source (free) counterpart called OpenOffice that works just as well.
- Adobe Acrobat reader
- Microsoft accessories (Windows Live, net meeting software)
This is only the tip of the iceberg. Online businesses need other software products to take the place of actual people in the office (if you have a traditional business model). Some new business owners don’t know what they need, so here is an abbreviated run down:
- Project management software
- Autoresponder program
- File backup system
- Shopping cart program
- Affiliate program software
- Security software
For most of your software needs, there are free and paid versions. Investigate both thoroughly before making any decisions about what you want to use.
Project Management Software
- One option that works well for businesses that use freelancers as staff is Basecamp. You can test it out for a 30-day free trial and then choose a plan that works for you.
- A free program that allows you to share documents is Google Docs. All you need is a Google account to get started. You can share spreadsheets, word processing documents, etc.
Autoresponder Program
- Autoresponders allow you to send emails and newsletters to more than one person at a time. It saves time for you when you need to get information out fast to all of your customers. Aweber is a great autoresponder program that allows for testing multiple facets of your list from the look of your opt-in box, tracking clicks on your links, segmenting your lists and more.
Shopping Cart Program
- You’ll need this so customers can pay for their products. There are several to choose from and some even allow you to pay on a monthly basis for their services. This works better for many business budgets.
File Backup System
- Backing up your business data is crucial. Computer hard drives crash…all the time. You can back up data yourself with CDs or invest in an online storage system for free or pennies a day. Mozy is my backup tool of choice.
Affiliate Program Software
- Affiliate programs are a way to promote your products when you have grown a little and are ready for the next step. Using software helps you to manage your affiliates, pay them on time and keep everything in order. You’ll find many shopping carts include affiliate program software to help you stay in touch with and provide for your affiliates. 1ShoppingCart is a great example.
We won’t go through all of the ones listed above, but you get the picture. A wise suggestion is to try the free versions of the software that also has a paid component. If you like it, upgrade. If not, keep shopping. You don’t necessarily need the package with all the bells and whistles if the one with only bells will do.
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