| Set Up Office / Work Area | | | | most cases, it is simply a matter of logging in to your |
| You have to consider where you will run your | | | | web site control panel and adding a new email |
| business. In the beginning, you may want to start the | | | | account, and then retrieving the settings to access |
| business from home, unless your business requires a | | | | that email. They will help you set it over the phone |
| physical office location for customers to enter. | | | | for free. |
| If you do need a physical office to meet with | | | | Set Up A Network |
| customers but it does not have to be in your own | | | | If you have a physical office location with multiple |
| building, you can consider virtual office arrangements | | | | computers, you will need to consider setting up a |
| through such companies as DaVinci Virtual. They | | | | physical network. |
| provide you with the ability to use their conference | | | | To connect multiple computers together and to the |
| rooms for meetings, and with a "leased office" for | | | | Internet, you can use a wireless router. The router |
| the days you need it. There are tons of virtual office | | | | connects to the Internet, and then a network cable |
| companies around the U.S., and many offer a mailing | | | | from each of the computers connects to the routers. |
| service where you can use their address for a | | | | This allows the computers to all share the same |
| professional company image. Some also provide a | | | | Internet connection, and access other servers that |
| receptionist to greet your clients and/or answer your | | | | you may choose to make available.he company that |
| calls. | | | | installs your high speed Internet can usually help you |
| If you must have your own separate space due to | | | | set up the router if you ask in advance. |
| the nature of your business, consider leasing space | | | | Organize Your Electronic Files |
| first. Leasing is better for new companies because it | | | | If your business is like most, during the course of |
| gives you flexibility to change more easily in the | | | | business, your company will create a lot of electronic |
| future if you need more space that it has, or if you | | | | files. |
| do not have the revenue long-term to stay in | | | | It is important that you develop a system for |
| business. | | | | organizing your electronic files so that you can find |
| Set Up Virtual Phone System | | | | them easily. One approach is to utilize a master folder |
| You will also need a phone system. The best option | | | | that then contains various sub-folders of data. |
| to consider is using a virtual phone system such as | | | | There are various ways you can organize your files, |
| Ring Central which will provide callers with a greeting | | | | but the point is to have a system for knowing where |
| such as this "Thank you for calling [Company A]. If | | | | the key files are being stored so you can find them |
| you know your party's extension, you may dial it at | | | | when you need them, and so you move them to |
| any time. For sales, press 1..." | | | | other computers when needed. |
| These virtual phone systems then ring you at | | | | Backup Your Data On A Regularly Scheduled Basis |
| whatever number you desire. This can be your home | | | | Small business owners often overlook the importance |
| number, cell phone, or any number. When you | | | | of backing up the files on each computer in the |
| receive an incoming call from the virtual phone | | | | company. |
| system, you are provided with a prompt to confirm | | | | Let's do a little test. Stop right now, and pretend that |
| whether or not you want to accept the call. This also | | | | your computer has just crashed (yes, the one you |
| lets you know how to answer the call. For example, | | | | may be using to read this eBook right now or the |
| if you are working at home, and get a call from the | | | | one you printed it from). |
| virtual phone system, you know to answer the call, | | | | What would happen to your business if you totally |
| "Hello this is [name], how can I help you?" (or | | | | lost every single piece of data that is contained on |
| whatever your company greeting may be). | | | | that computer? The answer could be disastrous to |
| What is even better about virtual phone systems is | | | | your business. Imagine the valuable data you would |
| that all of your voice mails go into your virtual | | | | lose. |
| mailbox that you can access by phone or | | | | To mitigate this problem, you should perform periodic |
| electronically. This keeps your customers from ever | | | | backups of all key files for all computers in your |
| being dumped into the voice mail system of your | | | | company. You can do this in multiple ways. For |
| home, of your cell phone, etc. Truly amazing. You can | | | | example, you can perform a weekly backup to a |
| buy plans for as low as $5.00 per month. Check it | | | | backup device of the complete system, such as |
| out. There are various virtual phone system providers | | | | Sunday afternoon at 3:00pm (when you are likely not |
| on the market, and insider is using a virtual phone | | | | using the computer). You can backup your critical |
| system such as Ring Central is just one of them. | | | | data to one or more DVDs on a periodic basis. The |
| That is who we use for Innoventum. | | | | key point is to backup your data frequently enough |
| Other than a virtual phone system, how you handle | | | | so that if you lost an entire computer due to a |
| your landline or cell phone options is totally up to you. | | | | failure, theft, or natural disaster, you could recover |
| If you want to make telephone calls for free over | | | | with a minimal amount of loss. |
| the internet, consider a voice-over-IP provider such | | | | The easiest approach to follow is to purchase a |
| as Skype. | | | | backup device and to use the software that comes |
| Set Up A Company Web Site | | | | with it to automatically back up your computer on a |
| Before you set up a web site, you will need to have | | | | schedule. You should also consider backing up to |
| a domain for your company. You can purchase | | | | portable media such as DVD periodically, and then |
| domains from various internet registrars. Some | | | | take those DVDs to a separate physical location in |
| examples include GoDaddy and Network Solutions. | | | | case the office location suffers from a total loss due |
| Many web hosting companies include a free domain | | | | to theft or natural disaster. |
| with a web site hosting package. | | | | Use MultiMedia Conferencing |
| There are various companies that provide FREE and | | | | You can use telephone and multi-media conferencing |
| inexpensive web site hosting, such as Microsoft, | | | | to cut down on travel. Free telephone conferencing is |
| 1and1, and GoDaddy. These providers have templates | | | | available from providers such as FreeConference. If |
| you can choose from to easily customer your web | | | | you need multi-media, such as phone and computer |
| page without needing to hire a computer | | | | sharing, use WebEx, Microsoft LiveMeeting, |
| programmer. | | | | GoToMeeting, or Glance.NET. |
| If you want a more customized web site beyond the | | | | Some of these allow one-way sharing of computer |
| templates that your web host offers, you can | | | | screens, while others allow two-way sharing. All of |
| purchase web site templates from sources such as | | | | them offer a free trial, so you can try them out |
| Dream Templates and Template Monster. They have | | | | first.a |
| hundreds of web site styles you can choose from, | | | | Ring Central which will provide callers with a greeting |
| and then you can download them and customize | | | | such as this "Thank you for calling [Company A]. If |
| them for your company. Be fore-warned, though. It | | | | you know your party's extension, you may dial it at |
| will require some web programming skills to customize | | | | any time. For sales, press 1..." |
| these templates (or a lot of time for you to learn | | | | These virtual phone systems then ring you at |
| how to do it if you do not have such skills). | | | | whatever number you desire. This can be your home |
| If you want a dedicated server, use a company such | | | | number, cell phone, or any number. |
| as Server Intellect. | | | | When you receive an incoming call from the virtual |
| Set Up Email and Personal Information Management | | | | phone system, you are provided with a prompt to |
| Once you have your web site operating, you also | | | | confirm whether or not you want to accept the call. |
| need to set up an email account on your new | | | | This also lets you know how to answer the call. For |
| company domain. Do not skip this step. Many small | | | | example, if you are working at home, and get a call |
| businesses still use a yahoo, gmail, or other email | | | | from the virtual phone system, you know to answer |
| addresses on their business cards and for operating | | | | the call, "Hello this is [name], how can I help you?" (or |
| the business. This sends the message that you are a | | | | whatever your company greeting may be). |
| small company that is not very savvy (which may | | | | If you want to make telephone calls for free over |
| not be the case, but that is how you will be | | | | the internet, consider a voice-over-IP provider such |
| perceived). | | | | as Skype. |
| Your web host can help you set this up really fast. In | | | | |