1. Have a Plan! I think making a plan is the most important way to save money. When you are on a budget you would not go to a store without a list, running your business shouldn't be any different. There are a variety of resources available to small business owners to help create the most effective business plan.
- Find a Mentor. Locally, there is SCORE Vancouver which is a free resource for business support that will match you with a successful business owner.
- Take Advantage of Great Online Resources. The Small Business Association has an abundance of resources.
- Hire a Marketing Agency. For some great tips on how to find an agency that works for your needs check out THIS link.
- Turn off lights & equipment that you aren't using.
- Use a laptop, not only do they use 90% less energy but you can take your work on the road with you.
- Buy recycled ink cartridges and enjoy the same quality printing as the more expensive version.
4. Redecorate Your Office! This may surprise you, but giving your office a fresh look with a lighter color of paint will save you money in the long run because you will use fewer lights. Add motion sensors to your remodel and save even more on your light bill.
5. Hire a Freelancer! With modern technology there are possible freelancers for just about every position ranging from accounting to graphic design. Freelance workers bill by the hour so you don't wind up paying them for 40 hour work weeks when your business load is lighter. Save money on overhead by hiring a quality freelancer.
6. Barter! The days of trade are not behind us. Many people are willing to barter services, it is a great way to save on the bottom line as well as get your name out there in ways you might not have. Some of my best clients started out as a barter situation!
7. Membership Rewards! Maximize your rewards points by double-dipping on programs for many of your office and electronics purchases. You can get points from your credit card provider as well as stores like Best Buy and Office Max.
8. Clean Up Your Mailing List. The U.S. Postal Service will clean up your mailing list for free, correcting addresses, noting incomplete addresses and adding ZIP+4 numbers so you'll be eligible for bar-code discounts.
9. Take Advantage of FREE Advertising! In an age of multi-media marketing there are many ways to advertise your business at no cost to you:
- Start a blog. You can advertise, review your offerings and give free tips as often as you’d like without worrying about running up your budget.
- Use YouTube. YouTube is a great free way for you to get the word out about your business. Note: Video searches come up higher than text or images in search engines.
- Communicate on online forums and message boards. You’ll interact with potential clients and customers — for free.
- Use email. Similar to the newsletter, email marketing campaigns will let you interact with specific customers about new products that might interest them.
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