It used to be that in order to have a thriving larger business you had to have numerous employees, a large office building, and many other expensive amenities that helped you run your business. Today, however, with the convenience of the internet you can do a lot more on your own than the average business was capable of even ten years ago.
Virtual offices have been gaining momentum recently due to entrepreneurs increased ability to get things moving with far less capital and red tape than in the past. If you’re looking to grow your business with a virtual office here are four websites that can help take things to the next level.
1. Skype
It’s long been the favorite of students traveling abroad to talk to the their loved ones back home, but Skype is more than just a convenient way to chat across the continents. It’s a free service that allows you to use your home or office computer like a telephone or a videophone. As long as you have a webcam and the other party has Skype available as well, you can have video conferencing for free.
This is especially helpful for a small business that may not have the resources just yet for full video conferencing. Better yet you can use your virtual office space with Skype to create the impression of a prestigious business atmosphere for your clients.
2. Elance
Elance is an excellent resource that any small business owner should become well acquainted with if they intend to outsource any type work. One of the best aspects of the site is that the fee is included in the quotes that you post, and you can post as many jobs as you need for free. You can also take the time to review all potential freelancers credentials and accomplishments in one place.
3. FreshBooks
Not ready for an accountant but need a place to keep all of your company’s finances organized and in one place? FreshBooks is an online accounting program that does exactly that. All of your invoicing and other finance needs are accessible from any computer or mobile device, and you can either try the free version or sign up for the month-to-month service for a ton of other great features.
4. ODesk
ODesk is another website for outsourcing jobs and finding the perfect freelancer for your needs. You can easily find the best freelancer for the job, hire them, track their progress, and pay them for their work all right on the site. With freelancers as well as a virtual office you can do almost anything that a larger, more established business or firm can do right from your own computer.
Thanks to the internet and the growth of virtual offices, small businesses are booming more than ever. If you’ve been wondering what the next step is to grow your business why not check out these resources we’ve listed as well as consider a virtual office to help take your business from a great start to a thriving success.
[…] when you need it. You’ll save a fortune on rent and utilities and you can save even more money by hiring freelancers to do some of the work instead of full time […]