Got an idea for a business or a side hustle? You're not alone. Almost half a million UK start-ups launched in the first six months of 2023, according to the latest data from Companies House.
In many ways, it has never been easier to get a new venture up and running. Registering your business, building a website, creating a presence on social media, building a customer base and keeping accounts - all these things can be done from your kitchen table and they don't need to cost the earth.
The best foundation for any new enterprise is a set of business tools for marketing, organisation, communication and collaboration that will support your business as it grows.
Essential online tools for start-ups
Google Workspace offers a suite of tools that can help you turn your business dream into reality. What's great is that many of these tools will already be familiar. Gmail, Google Docs, Calendar - these are all free tools that millions of us use every day.
Google Workspace is a complete business toolkit that gives you everything you need to get anything done, all in one place. At its heart is a professional email service providing a branded name@yourbusiness address. And it's all backed up by 24/7 support.
So how can you get the most out of Google Workspace to give your new business the very best start?
Keep it in the family. By using all the tools that Google Workspace has to offer - rather than mixing and matching different systems and apps - you can save yourself valuable time and money. Google tools are familiar and intuitive, everything is in one place and it all works together, so there's no steep learning curve and more time to focus on your business.
Look professional. A name@yourcompany email gives you instant credibility, it inspires trust and creates brand recognition. You can set up group mailing lists, such as sales@yourcompany, as well as professional email addresses for everyone who works in your business. And it all comes with Gmail's familiar functionality and a 99.9% success rate at blocking spam.
Safeguard your assets. Storing information securely, sharing folders and files and managing access is key for any business. Google Vault and Admin Console will keep your information safe; Google Drive makes it easy to access files (in all formats), share them with colleagues and control who has access to them. It's all backed up by Google security and runs on the cleanest global cloud.
Get organised and be more productive. If you want to get more done, then you need to be on top of your schedule. Google Workspace offers shareable calendars that integrate with Gmail, Drive, Contacts, Sites and Meet.
Stay connected. Remote working has become the norm. You can keep in touch with teammates, customers and partners, no matter where you are, using Google Chat and Google's video conferencing tool Meet. Fully integrated with Google Workspace, you can join secure video and voice meetings via a Calendar event or email invite.
Make collaboration easy. Working together is easy when you and your team can contribute to a document, presentation or spreadsheet in real-time, without having to be in the same room. There's no need to keep on top of multiple versions and everything is automatically backed up to the cloud.
Create a good impression. Doing sales presentations when you are starting out can be daunting. Google Slides makes it easy, allowing you to create professional presentations that multiple people can work on at the same time. You can see changes as they're made and every change is automatically saved so everyone always has the latest version.
Save money. Google Workspace starts from just £5 a month (which includes an @yourcompany email) and it can easily scale up or down depending on the needs of your business. Getting all the tools you need in one place also saves money on subscriptions to different apps.
Of course, every business is different. But whether you're running a side hustle, launching a start-up or growing an established business, there's a Google Workspace package designed for your needs. There's a lot to explore so it's well worth taking advantage of the 14-day free trial to see how Google Workspace could benefit your business.
Copyright 2023. Featured post made possible by Google Workspace.