| As recent as ten years ago starting a business, any | | | | about them. Start reading or watching video tutorials |
| business, cost a lot of money. Cash outlay was | | | | online. |
| thousands of dollars and there was no way to get | | | | 4. Work in the Cloud. Google Apps are a suite of |
| around that. The barrier to entry into the world of | | | | applications that mimic Microsoft Office, and yet |
| small business was set high enough that not | | | | there is one major distinction. They are free. They |
| everyone could jump in. Times have changed. Now, | | | | are in the internet cloud and accessible from |
| with just a couple hundred dollars you can start your | | | | anywhere you can login. There is no need to take |
| own business online. | | | | files with you on memory stick or send files via email |
| Besides business rent and equipment, usually a | | | | - just login to your Google account and find them |
| business owner's biggest expense is marketing. | | | | from where ever you are. |
| Traditional marketing by mail or in person is expensive | | | | 5. Pay Per Click - Search engines, FaceBook, and |
| and has been largely replaced by online marketing | | | | other companies offer you a chance to pay for each |
| tactics. Online you can reach hundreds or thousands | | | | click on an ad you run with the company. When |
| of people quickly and without breaking the bank. Pay | | | | someone clicks your ad they are taken to your |
| for finding visitors to your website using Pay Per Click | | | | website or landing page that talks about your |
| (PPC) services, direct email marketing, banner ads, or | | | | product or service. Cost can be as little as 1 cent per |
| through commissions to affiliates marketing your | | | | click, or, if competition is high - a couple of dollars per |
| products for you. There are many ways to market | | | | click. Pay Per Click is an area of marketing every |
| online, nearly all of them better than traditional | | | | business should become educated about. |
| marketing practices. | | | | 6. Email Leads - Start collecting email addresses from |
| Ways to Save Cash as You Start Your Business | | | | visitors at your website from day one. Using or a |
| 1. Work at Home - Forget an office building for as | | | | similar service, start collecting visitors email addresses |
| long as you can. Online businesses, even the top | | | | with an opt-in form so you can email them in the |
| bloggers in the world like Darren Rowse, still work | | | | future with a permission-based email marketing |
| out of their home offices. Think about the delicious | | | | program. |
| tax deductions for working out of your home too. | | | | 7. Partnerships - find parallel businesses that offer |
| 2. Rent Equipment - If you live in or near a major city | | | | something you do not and work with them in |
| you can likely rent out computer equipment you need | | | | partnership to sell some of their products or services |
| for your business. Rented equipment is deductible on | | | | as they sell yours. Think about trading services |
| taxes and you are not responsible for it when it | | | | business to business to help you save money. Online |
| breaks on its own. You can have the latest made | | | | you can trade banners with another site so neither |
| electronics at a great rate without spending the | | | | of you have to spend cash outright. |
| entire amount outright as you would buying it in a | | | | Starting a business need not involve a lot of |
| store. | | | | expenses that traditional business owners spend for |
| 3. Learn the Basics about everything you have to do. | | | | granted. Spend time now to learn as many pieces of |
| Graphics, SEO, marketing, copyrighting, lead | | | | the puzzle as possible because it will save you a lot |
| generation and growing your business are all things | | | | of money long-term. There are things you can do |
| you should get up to speed on as fast as possible. If | | | | yourself, and things you have to outsource. Better if |
| you are not already competent with the basics of | | | | you do not have to outsource everything and can do |
| these topics it would pay you over time to do so. | | | | some on your own. Educating yourself now will save |
| Even if you are going to outsource work in these | | | | you considerable cash as your business matures. |
| areas you still need to be able to talk intelligently | | | | |