Advances in technology open new doors of possibility for running a business at home. A budding entrepreneur dreaming of opening a fashionable clothing store that once had to purchase or lease a brick and mortar space now can utilize a room in their home to create a thriving business.
How To Utilize Technology for an In-Home Business
No longer do you have to lease and redecorate a retail space, sign up for utilities, and purchase shelving, display fixtures, and operational equipment. Get your online retail business started with a small desk, laptop, cell phone, and inventory, and then sign up with a Voice over Internet Protocol system.
You can operate your business wherever you are utilizing VoIP services like Ooma PBX. A hosted PBX service is cloud-based and gives you many advantages in running your business from your computer or phone whether you are in your home office or while traveling.
- Mobility. You don't have to stay at your desk all day to run your business. Even when traveling to source new products, you will stay connected through your phone and computer.
- Cost-Effective. Cloud-based services are less expensive than landline services. There are no equipment or installation fees nor are there maintenance and upgrades to deal with. The PBX provider will take care of that for you with automatic upgrades. You will also save money on the calling rates, even internationally. You also don't need a high-end piece of technology. You can just trade in Macbook Air for a cheaper laptop with less storage space.
- Works With CRM Software. Being able to help your customers is key to your success. Hosted PBX works with your customer service software making it more efficient for you to assist your customers wherever you are.
Marketing Through Social Media
Every business needs marketing to get brand recognition and to grow a customer base. Utilizing social media is a marketing tool that can be used and updated from your home office or while traveling using your phone or computer. This is an easy and convenient way to connect and engage with your customers. For example, presenting live online videos of a sweater sale on Facebook is a way to talk to your customers, answer their questions, and show your product. All without having a storefront.
Utilizing technological advances and being creative with their usage can create fun and useful tools for entrepreneurs wanting to run, operate, and market a business without a large financial commitment. It gets you started at low risk, grows your customer base, and gives you the freedom to run your business from home and on the road.