10 Resources for running an Online Business

When you are brand new to the world of online business, most likely you may be confused on where to start. You need so many things and there is so much you need to do. However, software and particular online services are some of the things you really can’t go without. Here are 10 resources you can’t do without:

1. LibreOffice. No matter what kind of online business you are into, you will hardly be able to make it without an office package. If you already have a license for Microsoft Office, this is fine but if you don’t, paying for it now is probably the last thing on your mind. Actually, you don’t have to because you can get the free open source office package called LibreOffice and use it for most of your tasks.
2. WordPress. If you are in online business, you can’t go without a site. WordPress is a great choice to power your site because it is free, feature-rich, reliable, and popular. Alternatively, you can get another CMS/shopping cart, like Joomla or Drupal, if they appeal more to you than WordPress.
3. Google Docs. Online collaboration is much easier with Google Docs. You can use it for sharing documents online with your clients and employees.
4. Google Apps. Google Apps is another cool solution from Google and it can be the platform for your email server. It offers free and paid accounts, so when your business grows, you can upgrade your account to include more capacity.
5. Fresh Books. If you have clients, and hopefully you will, you will need to invoice them. Paypal offers invoices but only for your Paypal payments. Since you will be most likely accepting payments via other channels as well, you need a more complete solution, such as Fresh Books. It also has a free and a paid version.
6. A Firefox SEO plugin. Your online business will never do well, if you don’t have decent traffic from search engines. A good solution for SEO research is the SEO plugin in the link. With it, you can also research your competitors.
7. Cofoundr. Business is about networking and one of the best places to establish contacts with other startups, investors, and people to hire, is Cofoundr – a social network aimed at startups.
8. Entrepreneur.com. Timely and accurate information is a valuable asset and you can get it, if you read regularly a good blog about online business. There are thousands of online business blogs but Entrepreneur.com stands out from the crowd. There you will find a lot of useful advice and ideas how to develop your business.
9. Guru. When your business grows, you will need to hire people. Guru.com is a site where you can find pros to outsource work to. There you can find designers, developers, writers, assistants, accountants, and other qualified help.
10. LegalZoom.com. If you already have a lawyer, you can skip this resource. Otherwise, visit the site because it is an online legal service that can assist you from the registration of your company to your daily legal needs. The service isn’t free but the rates are reasonable.

These 10 resources are a good starting point. As your business grows, you will need more and more services but for now, when you are still in the beginning, the services on the list are enough to get you off the ground. Check them and start using them!