Cut Costs
If you're looking to cut your business overheads, the internet can help in lots of ways.
The ability to exchange large files and images online is a big advantage. It means that you can email a lot of things that you would once have posted, couriered or faxed - brochures, images, designs, documents, and so on. It costs you nothing, so you can make big savings straight away. Furthermore, you can reduce the size of your print runs for brochures and other literature if they're made available on the web.
You can use the internet and broadband to provide business information in a secure online environment. This makes it possible for staff to work effectively from home or when they're on the move. You're free to make more use of freelancers and contractors, reducing your overheads because you don't have to provide office space for everybody. The benefits are more than just financial: less travel means less pollution and promotes a better work / life balance.
Unnecessary travel can also be cut by hosting meetings online, using free software that's widely available. Online meetings provide an environment within which all parties can look at and amend the same document simultaneously. They can be supported by instant messaging, internet-based conference calling or video-conferencing. All these are cheaper than using the phone, and in some instances cost nothing. In fact, the savings you make by holding just one online meeting could pay for a year's broadband connection.