SmallBizResource Blog -- Software

Free Apps Can Get the Job Done

Posted by Naomi Grossman Wednesday, Nov 7, 2007, 10:20 AM ET

The one place the small business owner can save serious money is in software. There are loads of web-based apps that are free or low-cost and while they might not be exactly what your small business needs, most are good enough.

Entrepreneur Bruce Judson offers 8 steps to running a business on free apps and his advice is sensible -- like identifying what you need and then searching for low cost or free versions and automating as much as possible.

But step number 6 is well worth repeating: "If a particular service meets 60 percent of your needs today it is what you should use. It's good enough. As Web-based services are constantly enhancing their offerings, within a few months it will likely meet 80 percent of your needs, or even include valuable features that you had not imagined."

He continues that, yes, in a "60 percent world some potential customers will get away. But the appropriate question to ask is: How much revenue can I add to our business by filling in the gaps in a 60 percent solution? The answer is likely to be very small."

Furthermore, he notes, that businesses that invest in finding and implementing the "perfect" infrastructure, rather than "good enough, rarely achieve profitability."

Among the free or low cost apps he recommends: Mozy, Weebly, Wufoo, Weber and Typepad Pro.

Or find them on on your own. Judson has a search site for free Web-based apps or check out these recommendations for free Web apps.

Which free or low-cost Web-based app is helping you run your small business? Let us know.

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