My Computer Mechanic

6 ways to Look Bigger than You Really Are

Small businesses have always endured unique hurdles. Many small businesses begin in a spare bed room or the garage, and they’re based upon a tight budget. Some start as a side job, with the marketing, sales, and billing departments all being wrapped up into one person. But this doesn’t mean you have to look like a brand new start up. Technology can be your friend, and it doesn’t have to cost you a lot of money. Here are some easy ways to look bigger than you really are, from smallest to largest.

1. Get Your Own Domain

Nothing says “small” like a business email address that ends in gmail.com, msn.com, aol.com, et cetera. Creating your own domain name is easy; it’s quick, and it’s cheap. Many places can register a domain for under $15.00 for a year, and web and email hosting can be found for the price of a value meal. Take it a step further and get a website up for that domain!

2. Custom Business Cards

I love vistaprint.com for business cards. They offer templates, or you can upload your own style and logo. They’re inexpensive and reliable. I’ve used their services in the past and I was very pleased with the result. Get your email address on those business cards so you can show off your new personal domain name!

3. Get Rid of the Fax

The fax should be dead, and I don’t know why it isn’t. Start creating PDFs and email the documents to people. Give 1995 its fax back; we’re in the digital age. In addition to looking sharper, PDFs are secure and cannot be edited; you also allow the recipient to print out the PDF at their location, free of the smears and lines of fax machines. Want a cheap way to do it? Check out CutePDF, a free download that can convert any printable document into a PDF.

4. Get a Laser Printer

You don’t have to buy a $700 color laser printer (unless you can afford it), but at least get a black and white laser printer. You’ll save money with the toner, and your documents will look crisp. Inkjet printers print well, but when it comes time for a presentation or proposal, nothing beats a laser printer.

5. You Need a Better Phone System

Massive phone systems used to be for corporations and medium businesses that could afford $10,000 worth of equipment. These days, there are plenty of options for a small business to get a good phone system with an auto attendant and a bevy of functions. For a road warrior, you could answer your office phone while on the road, and make calls from a hotel room with that same office phone! Your clients will never know until you tell them you’re on the road. And no, you won’t need to invest in a lot of equipment or worry about overhead and depreciation.

6. Get a Small Business Server

There comes a time when collaboration is the make or break for a company. When your employees can keep track of each other, your company will flow. A small business server will be your file server for storage, your Exchange server for email and calendaring, and your back-up hub. It can run any applications you have (QuickBooks hosting, anyone?), and it can offer remote access when you’re on the road. I have heard from my own customers that their clients were impressed with their technology, and it was offered by a Microsoft Small Business Server solution. (For a further discussion of the value of using Microsoft Exchange, see my article, “"Improving Productivity with Technology: Staying Organized.”)