Small businesses are no longer confined to the office walls. They work on-the-go. They work on the road. They go where the work takes them. And, let’s face it: this agile approach is nothing new. Working habits were always changing, but recent years accelerated this beyond a trend into an era.
Within this brave new world of work, what matters isn’t where you get the job done, but how you get it done. The passion of small business owners is no longer limited by borders, with technological tectonic plates perpetually shifting in favour of flexible working.
From managing emails, to securely collaborating in cloud-based documents, from updating websites and making sales, to video conferencing, whatever it is: the tools are available to take your work anywhere. In doing so, it's all about staying connected to your business, team and customers while ensuring that wherever you go, you always look pro.
With so many connectivity solutions on the market though, knowing which are best for your business can be a bit of a head scratcher. In this guide, we provide insights and tips to make managing your business on–the-go easier than ever.
What do I need to run a business remotely?
Technology has levelled the land for business owners both small and big. This means that the barrier to entry for those looking to take their business passion online has never been lower. In fact, there are really only a few things you categorically need, to run a business from anywhere.
1. Email
First things first, you need an email account. This will be your main point of communication, to help you stay connected with clients, partners, prospects and more. A professional email address says a lot about you. Not only will you mean business, you’ll look the business too. Opt for a branded email address that matches your domain, so you can impress customers with an email solution that perfectly mirrors your brand.
2. Laptop
If you’re working remotely, a good quality laptop or tablet is a must. For digital nomads, it’s the perfect travel-business companion and a lifesaver for productivity. Ideally, your laptop should have a camera, so you can host or join virtual meetings and show the human being behind the brand. When running a business, a mobile phone alone probably won’t cut it.
3. Wifi
A lot of work can be done from anywhere in the world… all it takes is a wifi connection. Whether you’re on a train, at an airport or in a library, simply get connected and get started. The perks of being an anywhere worker means you can enjoy the best coffee spots, but check the wifi before you buy. And it’s always helpful to have a back-up option such as your phone’s personal hotspot or a portable wifi device.
4. Storage
When you’re not working in a physical office, it’s important that everything is safely stored in the cloud. Cloud-based storage solutions such as OneDrive give you easy access to everything you need, and are vital for sending and receiving important files on-the-go. Essentially, everything is within reach, since all of your important business information can be found in one place.
How can I stay productive and look pro on-the-go?
Just because you work from anywhere doesn't mean you have to be amateur in the way you work. From contacting customers to invoicing and chasing payments, everything can still be done in a professional manner. To stay professional and productive when running a business remotely, consider:
1. Routine
Working anytime shouldn’t mean working all the time. While remote work brings brilliant flexibility, you might start to reconsider your passion project if you’re working anti-social hours. It may be trial and error, but take some time to figure out when you’re most productive and try to stick to a routine. Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, setting regular working hours will help you avoid slipping into excessive overtime.
Travelling may shake up your routine a little, but it is the perfect opportunity to be productive. If you’re waiting several hours to catch a flight or taking a long train journey, it’s a great chance to get your head down. Take advantage of any idle time and approach delays as work time, but don’t forget to take these off your allocated hours!
2. Productivity
Business owners have found it easy to fulfil the demands of a work environment with a productivity suite such as Microsoft 365 from GoDaddy. An anywhere, anytime office, Microsoft 365 means you can collaborate, edit and access everything you need from anywhere in the world.
- Collaborate across teams and devices, with sharing / storage software, OneDrive and Sharepoint.
- Create professional content within tried and tested apps such as Word, Excel and Powerpoint.
- Connect over face-to-face video conferencing, screen sharing and more with Teams.
Encouraging you to work smarter, not harder, Microsoft 365 maximises efficiency across your business and helps improve your workflow on-the-go. For project management, you might love an old-fashioned notebook. But there are also plenty of free digital tools out there, to help you keep track of your tasks.
3. Communication
It doesn’t matter if you’re a business owner, a professional looking for new opportunities or someone with a passion project ready to take the first steps to building a brand, a branded email address tells the world you’re serious about what you do.
Like Christiana at Eats & Beats, an email address may be the first thing that others see, giving a great first impression and adding authenticity to communications. Her supper club in London relies on collaborations to combine good food and live music, so a professional email has become a bassline for the business:
“It was difficult to contact brands with a personal hotmail or gmail account. It just seemed unprofessional. We didn’t want to go into junk mail and felt a professional email would make us much more appealing.”
Not only does a professional email strengthen your brand, it helps you stay connected with all aspects of your business - by secure access and easy management - from anywhere in the world. If you’re not constantly checking your emails, you may want to consider a real-time chat app such as Microsoft Teams.
Your passion, anywhere
Remote working is an art. Whether you're full-time or hybrid remote working, it's never too late to make a handful of changes that could revolutionise your working experience.
Thanks to tools such as Microsoft 365, you can take your office anywhere. With the latest Office software, business grade email and more, GoDaddy is your one-stop shop to help you get more done online. Bundle all of your sales, marketing, and productivity tools - from your web hosting to your email marketing - under GoDaddy for centralised billing, support, and more.
At GoDaddy we’re all about empowering every idea, business, side hustle or nonprofit cause to claim their place online and look great at the same time. If you're ready to start your online journey, we’re standing by ready to help.
