Six FREE Business Tools That Belong in Your Business Toolkit

When it comes to managing your business expenses keeping your overhead low is essential. And when it comes to keeping your overhead low, what’s better than having valuable FREE tools at your disposal?

Today I want to share 6 great (FREE) tools you can use to make your business more efficient and effect starting right now.

1. Vistaprint – Get 250 full-color business cards FREE. Business cards are not just something you use at networking events, they are a marketing tool for your business. Whether you have an online business, or a brick-and-mortar business, you need to have a business card that represents you well.

Vistaprint offers template business cards that you can use in lieu of spending lots of cash on fancy business cards. All you have to pay for is shipping, processing, and any product upgrades that you make to the business cards. If you choose wisely, you can get your 250 business cares for less than $20.

2. QuickBooks Online –Yep, you read that right! QuickBooks has a free online version of their very popular software that allows you to create invoices, pay bills, track expenses and more.

Keeping your financial house in order with respect to your business is very important. It will make tax time a breeze, and it will allow you to easily determine the ROI of your marketing efforts.

Tracking the numbers in your business will help you create better strategies and achieve better results. If you don’t properly manage your accounting, today you’ve got no excuse, QuickBooks online can you started for free.

3. Skype – Skype provides free web calling, free video calling, and free conference calling to other Skype users. I use Skype in my business regularly. If you conduct consultations, coaching sessions, or have a virtual team you need to meet with on the cheap, Skype is the way to go. Plus, Skype is compatible with many add-on applications that make it easy to record calls, record video, call land lines, and more.

4. Mailchimp – Mailchimp is an email marketing provider that offers service totally free for lists below 2,000 subscribers. Rumor has it that email marketing is dead. Good thing it’s just a rumor. 😉

Email marketing is a fantastic way to build trust and grow relationships with potential clients. And having a good email marketing provider is essential to building a strong email list.

If you ever plan sell anything to prospects you acquire online, you need an email marketing service in place.  Mailchimp makes that easy to do even if you’re on a zero dollar budget.

5. Go-Pro-Screencast – Screencast-O-Matic is an online screen recorder that provides one-click recording from your browser on Windows, Mac, or Linux with no install for FREE for up to 15 minutes! Do you ever watch those how-to tutorials and wish you could do the same to provide added value to your clients?

Well guess what? You can. Screencast-O-Matic will make you look so very professional with its high-quality screen recording capabilities. It even has a direct upload to YouTube feature, so you can publish your videos online with one simple click.

6. Freebinar – A Free (hence the name) Webinar platform that enables you to compete with the big boys and conduct webinars that allow for data collection, screen-sharing, and survey follow-up…all for a whopping $0!!  Webinars are very, very effective tools for generating leads online.  When you host an real –time event, whether it’s virtual or in real life, there is a sense of urgency that is added to being a part of the experience. And, it’s this sense of urgency that makes them effective tools for converting prospects as you educate them.

If webinars have been out of reach for you due to budgetary limitations, let FREEdom ring with Freebinar!

So there you have it. Here are six FREE tools you can start using this minute to grow and manage your business. And believe it or not, this list only scratches the surface, the number of free tools available on the web is mind-boggling, but this is a great place to start.

If you use free tools to grow and manage your business, feel “free” to let us know about them in the comments below. Because who doesn’t love free (and valuable)?!

Marlee Ward (@MarlDBLe) provides business and marketing training to entrepreneurs who are tired of solving the same “old problems” the same old ways (using cookie-cutter systems, tactics, & tips). An attorney turned entrepreneur, Marlee has made it her mission to help others use their God-given gifts for good and for profit – just as she has. If you’re ready to find out what happens when faith, business, and fun intersect, be sure to sign up for her free weekly e-mail business training that you can get by clicking here or sign up to attend one of her free spark sessions by clicking here.