Finding small business solutions

Outsourcing is often vital for small business trying to make the most of a limited budget and minimal staff resources. From small business advice to finance, a business requires many different types of resources from third parties. Finding the best small business solutions can save you time and money.

Make a list of what you need

The first step towards selecting the right solution for small business is having a clear idea of your requirements. Write down all the problem the business solution should fix, in detail. Add to it all the requirements that you would like it to have. For example, if you are looking at starting a business online and purchasing insurance, you may need insurance for small business that covers items such as online payment fraud instead of insurance for a brick and mortar shop.

Distinguish between must have and nice to have

With your list of requirements in front of you, decide what things are deal breakers and which ones would be really nice to have but you can do without. For example, are you looking for a CRM for small business? Decide if it being on a subscription model to spread out costs is a must have or just a nice thing. This will allow you to discard solutions that aren't suitable, or evaluate if some extra features are worth the extra effort. It's important to conduct this exercise before researching, because otherwise you will be more susceptible to salesmen telling you what you need.

Ask for recommendations

Your network is probably the best source of potential small business solutions. Most people are willing to recommend a product or provider if you can explain what you need in just a few sentences on an email, or even a Tweet or LinkedIn status update. You can often get a better deal if you come referred by a previous customer, for example in the case of meeting a bank representative to finance a business or getting small business advice for free from a professional accountant.

Make a shortlist and send them your requirements

Unless your requirements are very specific, you will probably find several solution providers that suit your needs. If that's the case, it's worth getting in touch with each of them, and asking how well they fit your requirements and what else can they bring to the table. This will help you assess their levels of customer service, their style and how they deal with a client with your budget and expectations.

Review your business solutions regularly

Once you have found the right business solution for your company don't forget to review it at regular intervals to see if it's still suitable.