Virtual Office

Many people are earning a living while working from home or from their office location of choice (coffee shop, cabin, farm) or as they travel the world.  The computer and specifically the lap top computer is what has made this dream a reality.  As the economy continues to weaken, employers are accepting and looking for employees or independent contractors who have the discipline and the tools to work from a virtual office.

There are a number of low cost tools available online to help people work with all the ease of working in a high tech corporate office.  SKYPE is a phone system through your computer that is free between SKYPE users and offers low cost calling features to landlines and cell phones.  You can download it for free at the official website, http://www.skype.com. 

There are web conferencing tools like GoToMeeting (http://www.gotomeeting.com) and Virtual Office Web Prosperity (http://www.virtualoffice.webprosperity.com), which are web conferencing tools and more.  The web conferencing allows you to meet online rather than in a conference room. It’s an easy and cost-effective way to organize and attend online meetings.  Virtual Office Web Prosperity combines some of the features that Skype and GoToMeeting have allowing you to purchase one package that provides phone features, web conferencing with or without video feed, automate e-mail and newsletter features, maintain your calendar, e-mail and phone contacts similar to Outlook.  You can also monitor field sales team activities and more.

Constant Contact (http://www.constantcontact.com) is a website that offers a free trial for newletters (there is a maximum number of e-mail addresses for which you can use your free trial).  However, regular memberships are priced reasonably and provide a great way to market your goods or services to a large number of people with one quick e-mail.  Constant Contact has numerous templates that you can use to build your newsletters.

If you still need to fax, you can fax for free from your computer through http://www.faxzero.com.  There is a catch, you can only get two free faxes a day and you must use their cover sheet which does have advertising on it.

Believe it or not Facebook (http://www.facebook.com) has become a tool that many businesses are using.  It is totally free and allows you to post links, photos, text, and video clips.  This is a blog form of communication that has become extremely popular with all age groups due to how easy it is to use.  All of your posts will be available for your “friends” to view once they’ve accepted your invitation to be friends.

Regardless of where in the world you want to operate your business there are tools available to you, all you have to do is seek them out.  Some are free, some have minimal monthly or annual fees, but all offer you the freedom to work outside the confines of a traditional office environment.  All you have to do is google for what you need to help you do your business and there will be multiple options available to you.