trade tools

As discussed in ask yourself the key questions - no one is perfectly suited for having their own business - we all have weaknesses to overcome. The best - most successful - small business owners acknowledge these weaknesses and find ways to mitigate them. They may use products, services or employees to do this.

I have a terrible memory and a tendancy to multi-task which would normally be a strength but is disastereous when combined with the bad memory. It means that things slip through the cracks - such as the bath I was running one time while I was cooking in the kitchen and talking on the phone - the flood was a real wake-up call!!! Therefore I learned that I needed to figure out a way to make sure that I remembered all the things on my plate. For me this means having a PDA that syncs to my laptop's calendar & tasks and allows me to set up a lot of reminders for things as diverse as paying the paperboy, birthdays, client meetings and doctor's appointments. Without it - I am lost!!

This is just one example (as anyone who knows me knows!) - but the point is that I am an AVID believer in supplementing your skills and experiences with resources that cover the areas you are weaker in. That being said I do have a big caveat: you do not have to (and shouldn't) spend a fortune on tons of items and services when starting up your business. It is important to control your spending during the start-up phase of the business.

For example, my current business model means that I work longer term projects and jobs - as such I do not currently need a 1-800 number or an answering service. However, if my business model changed so that I was taking more short-term projects and the volume of calls, faxes and online meetings were to increase then I would definately pay the monthly fee required for a service to handle all of these things.

So we have included links for great products and services which can support your small business. The range in types of services and products included is reflective of the wide range of small businesses out there and the items that they may require. For simplicty we have split up our links into two sites: those that are selling or freely providing useful products/services (shown below) and informational sites ( key links ).

computers and technology

It is harder and harder these days to run a successful small business without using new technologies. In fact owners who utilize technology properly can save alot of money and time. They can stay in touch, respond to clients requests in a timely manner and work off-site with ease. Computers, PDAs and cell phones can be invaluable for such tasks.

Okay - here is where I really reveal my true geek nature to those few who haven't figured it out for themselves. I love new technologies and gadgets - I love that they can allow us to do things we otherwise could not do - how they can make our lives easier and make our work faster. But they only work if you pick the right technology for the task and for your level of expertise - otherwise they can be very expensive paperweights.

Cell Phones & PDAs: As I mentioned above - I am completely reliant on my cell phone/PDA. I have a Blackberry Curve 8330 which I highly recommend if you need to receive e-mails on the go. It is expensive if you want to buy it outright - but you can generally get it fairly cheap when you sign a 1-3 year contract with the service provider. The thing that I love about the Blackberry is that it is a cell phone, mobile e-mail/internet device and PDA all in one. It allows you to sync your calendar, task and contacts between your computer and your Blackberry - so all this information is available to you on the go.

Computers: Apple : About a year ago I made the switch - I was so frustrated with PCs that I switched to a MAC.

I started with a used MAC Powerbook which was several years old (not wanting to splash out on a new laptop in case I didn't acclimatize well to the MAC). The other reason I choose to get a used MAC was for the software. New MACs come equiped with alot of great software but I wanted one which had Microsoft office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook/Entourage) and Adobe Acrobat installed - so I did not have to purchase separate licenses.

I discovered what so many people before me had figured out - MACs are easier to use then PCs and much more stable. I would recommend a MAC to anyone - with a few caveats. While MACs are easy to use - it can be a big adjustment for non-techies who are used to working with PCs - it is a bit of a culture shock. Also - if you have programs that only work on Windows then changing to a MAC becomes a little more complicated. In that case you need to use tools such as Bootcamp (part of MACs newest operating system Leopard) or separate programs such as VMmare fusion or Parallels Desktop. These tools allow you to run both the MAC OS and Windows on a MAC computer.

I use VMmare fusion on my MAC in order to run Windows XP - I do this so that I can run Windows programs as required for client work and so that I can use my favourite Excel add-in program. Unfortunately this program (Excel Add-ins Productivity Suite) does not have a version which works with the MAC version of Excel. As an accountant I use Excel ALOT and rely heavily on this suite of tools to simplify and speed up my spreadsheet work - so I needed to be able to install this on my MAC laptop.

One of the key misconceptions about MAC computers is that MAC files are incompatible with Windows programs and visa versa. In fact media such as CDs, DVDs, USB jump drives can be used to transfer files between the two platforms. Further, as long as you have MAC versions of the software needed to access the files - then opening the files should be no problem. I frequently switch between MAC and PC platforms with Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Photoshop and Adobe files.

There are many great resources for helping you to make the switch from Windows to MAC and right now you can save up to $100 on a New Mac and Printer!

If you are not ready to make the switch to MAC but are looking to purchase a new laptop or desktop computer there are many resources around the net to help you make an educated decision. I like to look at a mix of technical sources such as PCWorld and consumer reports such as BizRate.

My personal experience with laptops has been varied. My Dell laptop died almost immediately (motherboard fried) - took forever to be fixed under warranty - died shortly afterward again - first the motherboard, then the hard drive and motherboard. I was still paying for it two years after it died the final - and I do mean final - time. The Dell customer service was less than helpful and overall my experience was terrible. I would definately NOT recommend Dell to anyone.

My experience with Toshiba was much better - I used Toshiba for years at work and had few problems other then those inherent to the Windows operating systems.

I have much less experience with Sony laptops - but that experience has been fairly good - they were stable computers but the price point was high.

Recently, a new player has made huge strides in the computer market - ASUS - they have been producing two types of laptops ("normal" laptops and ultra-lite/flash laptops). My dad has purchased two of these in the last year and his experiences have been good.

Laptop Stands: Another of my favourite things to use in my home office and at clients is a good laptop stand - I have two types. The one I use at clients is one with a fixed height which also boasts a cordless keyboard and four USB ports. I love it but wish that the height was adjustable and the stand could be run on batteries.

The other type is just a metal stand - I use it (and the first stand) not only to adjust the viewing angle of the laptop and fix my posture but also to allow my computer to vent better. This is very important for my older MAC powerbook which heats up alot and before I got the stand it had significant overheating issues.

Computer Support: Using traditional computer repair people can cost more then just buying a new computer!! That is why services that provide diagnosis, advice, instructions and remote help can be so valuable.

AskPCExperts: All of us have computers. These machines do develop many insane problems without any warning. Freezes, lazy bootups, hard drive crashes, virus hell, windows errors, slow internet and so on. To overcome all such crazy PC problems at the time YOU choose, without lugging your machine anywhere, simply visit the planet of ASKPCEXPERTS- very patient, skilled and helpful specialists with no hint of jargons. Day or night, from home or office, now ENJOY instant Remote PC Tech Support at ASKPCEXPERTS at very discounted prices! Users can go the Email/Chat/Phone way to end all those PC horror stories.

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franchises

Check out our links and indepth information about franchises here.

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kit businesses

Check out our links and indepth information about kit businesses here.

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marketing

E-mail marketing has got a bad rap - everyone thinks that it is all spam. The truth is that one of the most effective marketing tools is sending information to your existing clients. They already know (and hopefully love) your products and are receptive to your marketing. Also by allowing them to opt into receiving the e-mails (by offering alerts, rss feeds or newsletters) you are only sending the information to people who want to hear from you. Setting up rss feeds can be easy with a good website hosting service like SiteBuildIt!. You can also do newsletters and alerts on some website hosting packages (including SiteBuildIt!) but if you are looking for a service to help you better format and automate the process you should check out:

Another great marketing tool is creating great promotional items through services like:

or designing your own and purchasing them through your own Cafepress shop

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office

Green your Home or Office with Solar Products available exclusively at Real Goods:

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productivity tools

There are tons of tools out there which can help you run your business more efficiently and effectively. These tools range from free to $100 per month - so it is very important to spend the time insuring that the tools are appropriate for your needs and that the cost is reasonable for your budget. No matter how good a service is or how reasonable a price is - if it is not what you need or if you do not have the budget for this then it is not for you.


Customer/Vendor Database Services: A good customer list is key to a great business. As is a great vendor list. That is why it is so important to keep track of information about customers and vendors. Some people find that address books (computer or manual) or Excel/Word lists of their clients are sufficient for their purposes. Other people need a more high tech approach in order to allow them to organize, sort and filter their lists. This type of service is appropriate for small businesses that rely on a high volume of contacts such as sales businesses.

CardScan : Turn your business cards into digital contacts. Find out which CardScan business card reader is right for you!

Also worth mentioning is the TrackVia powerful, simple database which gives you the power of a database with the ease of a spreadsheet and features: * No software to download/install * Get up and running in minutes * Easy spreadsheet import/export * Easy search, sort, filter * Instantly integrate with your website * Live phone and email support * Use form maker to easily create web forms * Send targeted email marketing campaigns * Publish real-time reports to your website * Upload images into your database * Mail merge documents and print labels * Edit multiple records at once

Phone and Fax Answering Services: As I mentioned above I have not needed to use these services yet in my own business but I have provided these services. One of my first jobs in an office was working for a office support business. We provided answering services (phone and fax), rented out our offices and provided administrative support for small businesses that could not afford full-time help in this area. These services were used extensively by: local lawyers, accountants, real estate agents, home inspectors and many other small service businesses. It is a great way to provide a professional front for your small business without supporting full-time employees.

Ring Central : Get your own Toll Free or Local Number with voicemail for as low as $9.99 per month.

MyFax Faxing Simplified, Anytime, Anywhere! Get a MyFax Number

There are also programs that allow you to make/receive phone calls and faxes online with your computer - they range in cost from free downloads to $250 for a one-time purchase. These programs require a bit more technical savy and time to research, install and use these programs.


Web conferencing: the alternative to extensive travelling for small businesses. Previously web conferencing was used just for business meetings with participants from around the globe - they were the next generation of phone conferencing and did not add alot of functionality. Now web conferencing is an amazing tool that allows the users to show Powerpoint presentations, videos, graphics, charts, spreadsheets and anything else you can display on a computer. They also allow you to use desktop mirroring technology to let all users see what is on your computer screen. This new technology allows software salespeople, trainers or support people to walk their clients through software in detail.

iLinc : iLinc provides Web and audio conferencing solutions that are secure, reliable, and incredibly easy to use.

WebEx : MeetMeNow - share and present online with anyone, anywhere.

Central Desktop : Organize team projects, share files and meet online with Central Desktop. It makes team collaboration easy.

Another similar but different service is offered by SugarSync - it includes: * Automatic online backup * Multi computer sync (PC, Mac) * Remote access from your phone or the Web * Easy file sharing

There are some programs that you can get instead of using services - they range in cost from free downloads to thousands of dollars. These programs require more technical knowledge and time then the services detailed above but in the end can save you money if you are comfortable using them and don't need some the high level tools offered by the services above. Also check out the newest features in iChat for all the MAC users out there - they have some great new features under Leopard). Features such as: turning any video chat into an event with video backdrops, photo booth effects, photo slideshows, keynote presentations, even movies on your Mac — you can share it all using iChat; showing any file on your system that works with Quick Look; with screen sharing, you and your collegues can observe and control a single desktop with iChat, making it a cinch to collaborate with a colleague, browse the web with a friend, or pick plane seats with your spouse. Share your own desktop or your buddy’s — you both have control at all times. And iChat automatically initiates an audio chat when you start a screen sharing session, so you can talk things through while you’re at it; saving your audio and video chats for posterity with iChat recording. Before recording starts, iChat notifies your buddies and asks for their permission to record. When you’re done chatting, iChat stores your audio chats as AAC files and video chats as MPEG-4 files so you can play them in iTunes or QuickTime. Share them with colleagues, friends, and family or sync them to your iPod and play on the go; using the AAC-LD audio codec to deliver the clearest possible sound during audio chats. A wideband codec that samples a full range of vocal frequencies, AAC-LD sounds great with any voice.

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tools for businesses which provide services

Check out our links and indepth information about services to help you sell your services and find service jobs here.

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tools for selling products from home

Check out our links and indepth information about services available to help you sell products (your products or others) here.

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training

Check out our page on great free courses available to everyone from leading educational institutions (high school and university) to learn everything you need to know about running a small business here.

If you prefer to learn the old fashion way - check out the books contained in the Personal MBA or other great business books availble at Amazon.com

Or through Financial Times Press:

Or subscribe to a great magazine or newspaper that covers your area of interest:

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websites

Check out our links and indepth information about starting a website here.

Also check out these resources to help you monetize your website:

or in the UK:

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ALSO check out:

key links: Check out these informative sites for researching everything about small businesses.

Diebel Consulting: our corporate site which is all about the consulting services we provide through Diebel Consulting.

our NEW Cafepress store: Show off your pride as a small business owner with these great products!!

And check out our hand-picked small business resource recommendations through our aStore on Amazon.com:

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