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Desktop alternatives to MegauploadIf you're thinking about starting a business from home, congratulations! It's a great challenge for the new year and could turn into a lucrative venture. You're brave too, starting out in difficult financial times, which is why we've decided to make things a bit easier by gathering together some of the best free, home-business oriented tools around.
First, make sure your clients know you exist. Unfortunately, free business card software is thin on the ground. Luckily it's easy to order them online cheaply and, in the meantime, you can download a trial version of a program like Business Card Designer Plus or Advanced Business Card Maker and experiment with possible designs and layouts.
Having a website is crucial. If you fancy building your own, take a look at a tool like MoreMotion Web Express. Bear in mind that you can also use a blog as a website; Wordpress is a great place to start. It's easier than making a website and, if you have little or no experience, the finished product is much more likely to look professional.
Now they know you're there, make sure your public can get in touch! Skype is the first stop - there's a professional version, but it's oriented towards multiple-employee situations. It's good to aim high, but you'll have to wait a while for that! If you've decided to use Outlook (and many don't) there are some great tools out there to keep your inbox spam-free and under control.
Once your name is out there and the emails and calls start pouring in, you'll need tight management to make sure everything's under control. For a start, don't even think about spending your hard-earned cash on Microsoft Office. OpenOffice will do a perfect job and is completely free, while Open Workbench will help you keep a close eye on your projects. Sooner or later, the money's sure to start pouring in. Make sure you're up to the accounting with a suitable program - GNUCash is sure to do a great job!
I am used to all sorts of accounting programs like Quickbooks, MYOB and Sage, but I can't get any handle on this GNU thing. It freaks me out. I tried it out as I wanted to find something cheap and easy for clients to raise invoices and keep control of their debtors. That's all they really need. Keeping bank and cash records can be adequately done on Excel - it's usually credit control they really need and lack. They need to send out invoices and statements and be on top of who has paid and who hasn't. But I gave up with GNU. I kept hitting brick walls and the Help is useless. So why you think it is suitable for new starts I don't know - I must be missing something. Quickbooks Simple Start is miles easier, and the invoice form is fully customisable. QBST has recently gone up from £40 to £80 ish. Quickbooks try to keep you locked in by saying they don't support versions after 4 years, but you don't need support after that time. But your licence expires every year and you have to phone up and renew it. It's free to renew but it is a chance for them to try to sell you the new version.
I am used to all sorts of accounting programs like Quickbooks, MYOB and Sage, but I can't get any handle on this GNU thing. It freaks me out. I tried it out as I wanted to find something cheap and easy for clients to raise invoices and keep control of their debtors. That's all they really need. Keeping bank and cash records can be adequately done on Excel - it's usually credit control they really need and lack. They need to send out invoices and statements and be on top of who has paid and who hasn't. But I gave up with GNU.