If you happen to’re operating your small business on a decent price range, here’s a large listing of free enterprise sources and instruments for entrepreneurs!
Leaving the safety of a steady-paying job to launch a brand new enterprise could be a scary endeavor. Even in the event you’ve deliberate and saved six months of dwelling bills, it usually takes months to generate revenue from your small business.
And guess what?
Even in the event you don’t have cash coming in, your small business nonetheless incurs bills to run easily. However don’t despair; there are tons of free instruments, sources, guides, and printables, so that you don’t should break the financial institution.
Here’s a large listing of free sources for small enterprise homeowners so you possibly can concentrate on enterprise development and making a living as a substitute of spending it.
1. Free Web sites and Platforms
Because you gained’t have a brick-and-mortar location, the center of your home-based enterprise is your web site. Having a website permits folks to window store your providers and merchandise; it helps them discover you on-line and conveys precious data. Personally, I feel it’s in your greatest curiosity to personal your web site (buy your area identify and internet hosting), however in the event you can’t afford an internet site proper off the bat, I recommend utilizing a free choice till you possibly can afford to change to a extra sturdy platform.
A number of issues to notice about free platforms. Normally, you’re restricted to a small variety of internet pages, you’ll have restricted bandwidth and storage, and sometimes, you’ll have a sub-domain. If you happen to can spare $2.95 a month, I extremely advocate establishing your individual web site with WordPress. Not solely is it inexpensive, nevertheless it’s additionally very simple to arrange and use, and it offers you a professional-looking web site that you simply personal. Here’s a free step-by-step information to get you began.
Listed below are the free choices for establishing your organization’s web site:
You’d suppose, as a lot as I’m on-line, that I’d rely closely on on-line productiveness instruments, however I don’t. As you’ll see beneath, I like to make use of real-world instruments to assist me keep organized. However in the event you desire on-line time administration instruments, right here’s a terrific listing to maintain you on observe.
- Cozi – Easy household organizer
- ClickBook affords free on-line appointment scheduling
- Doodle – A scheduling software that may sync your whole calendars collectively – Free for 14 days
- Evernote – Digital to-do listing
- Google Calendar – On-line calendar
- SavvyCal – One scheduling instrument
- Todoist – Activity supervisor
- Zapier – An automation instrument
3. Free Printables
I’m old-fashioned with regards to planning and organizing. For all of my private and enterprise actions, I take advantage of a bodily planner, calendar, pocket book, and tons of printables. From grocery and day by day to-dos to packing lists, chore charts, and enterprise targets. If you happen to’re searching for free printables to prepare your small business and life, this listing has you lined.
Once I first began my enterprise, I used a spreadsheet for all of my revenue and bills. Not solely was the method manually intensive, nevertheless it additionally made tax time a nightmare. Save your self the frustration and use knowledgeable platform. The sources listed beneath supply free invoicing, budgeting, planning, bookkeeping, and accounting options.
5. Free Enterprise Templates
Whenever you’re operating a enterprise, you’ll end up looking for all sorts of types and templates that you simply don’t even know you want till a specific state of affairs arises. When the time comes, listed below are some nice sources to have bookmarked.
- LivePlan – Enterprise plans, proposal templates, startup checklists, and extra
- Ryan Robinson – Free freelance proposal template
- SCORE – Enterprise planning, monetary, advertising, and administration templates
- The Work at House Girl – Free marketing strategy template
6. Free Content material and Challenge Administration Methods
Whenever you’re a service supplier (digital assistant, freelance author, graphic designer, and many others.), you’re going to have a number of tasks and shoppers to handle. One of the best ways to remain on high of all the things is by utilizing a content material or undertaking administration system to maintain you organized.
- Airtable – Free spreadsheet and information desk administration instrument
- Asana – Challenge administration platform
- Basecamp – Challenge administration instrument – Free 30-day trial
- FreedCamp – Free undertaking administration platform
- Trello – On-line collaboration and administration instrument
- Wrike – Activity and undertaking administration platform
It’s been stated that it is best to spend at the very least 20-25% of your time advertising your small business. With a whole lot of the way to market your small business, it is best to have the ability to discover a components that works for you. Listed below are just a few free platforms and sources value testing.
- Clearstream – Free SMS advertising (25 messages monthly)
- Fixed Contact – Free 60-day e-mail e-newsletter trial (no bank card required)
- ConvertKit – Free e-mail advertising, as much as 10,000 subscribers
- Craigslist – Free internet advertising
- Fb – Free social media advertising platform
- EZ Texting – Free 30-day trial
- HubSpot – Free e-mail signature
- Instagram – Free photo-sharing media platform
- LinkedIn – Skilled social networking web site
- Loom – Video advertising platform
- OneSignal – Ship out push notifications to 10,000 subscribers at no cost
- Pinterest – A visible advertising platform
- Submit Planner – Social media scheduling instrument, 7-day free trial
- SocialBee – Social media scheduling instrument, free 14-day trial
- Survey Monkey – Permits you to collect suggestions, gather information, and analyze survey outcomes
- TikTok – Video social media platform
- Webpushr – Free push notifications to 10,000 subscribers
- YouTube – Video advertising platform
For extra budget-friendly advertising concepts, take a look at these articles:
You could have already got Microsoft Workplace in your laptop, however in the event you don’t, the yearly subscription might be expensive. Listed below are another choices that work nice, they usually’re free.
It’s humorous while you work in an workplace setting; you don’t even take into consideration all of the completely different strategies you employ day by day to speak with others – the know-how and methods are already in place. Nonetheless, while you run your individual enterprise, you’ll shortly be taught that you simply want a complete host of instruments. Fortunately, there are many free and dependable choices.
- FaxZERO – Fax paperwork at no cost, as much as three pages, two instances per day
- FreeConferenceCall.com – Convention and video calls, as much as 1,000 folks, at no cost
- Google Chat – Speak to different folks over the web at no cost
- Google Meet – Free video convention calls
- IFTTT – A free instrument to get your whole apps and gadgets speaking successfully with one another
- Sign – Messaging app
- Telegram – A free desktop and cellular messaging app
- TextNow – Free textual content and name app
- WhatsApp – Free non-public messaging and calling instrument
- WebEx – Free video conferencing for as much as three folks
- Zoom – Video and internet conferencing service (free for as much as 100 people)
As an entrepreneur, you’ll tackle many roles. Fairly ceaselessly, that position is a graphic designer. However no worries, you don’t want any particular coaching to create professional-looking photographs, displays, and advertising supplies; these instruments are each free and straightforward to make use of.
11. Free On-line Programs, Workshops, and Steerage
As an entrepreneur, it’s worthwhile to keep present on greatest enterprise practices, know-how and innovation, advertising methods, and different enterprise subjects. Issues change so shortly that in the event you don’t keep on high of trade traits and new know-how, you’ll be left behind. That’s why investing in your self-development is so essential.
Listed below are some locations to search out free enterprise guides, mentors, advisors, webinars, and recommendation from trade specialists.
12. Free Sources and Instruments for Bloggers
If you happen to run a weblog, there’s little doubt that you simply’ll want some specialised instruments to make your running a blog efforts simpler.
Listed below are some that I take advantage of and advocate:
Free Small Enterprise Sources Wrapup
Whether or not you’re new to entrepreneurship or a longtime enterprise proprietor who desires to put money into your small enterprise development, this listing of free enterprise sources has one thing for everyone.
One final word about enterprise freebies. There’ll come some extent the place your time turns into extra precious than saving a couple of dollars. So, as you develop, put money into the right instruments that may finally prevent money and time, as freebies usually have limitations.
Good luck together with your new enterprise!
Do you have got free enterprise sources and instruments you can’t dwell with out? Drop us a word beneath; we’d love to listen to what you’re utilizing.
Initially printed November 25, 2009. Content material up to date March 2025.
