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Whether it's a crying baby, a barking dog or a brand new episode of Oprah, today's home-based business owners face countless distractions. Just ask Terese Westergreen, who has attended meetings for networking organization Women in a Home Office, and is owner of Wee Sign, an Alberta-based educational program that teaches parents infant sign language. Westergreen must keep tabs on three sales reps, eight remote instructors and dozens of students at 15 different locations while tending to two small children from the confines of a tiny home office.
While you can't always eliminate clamour, there are tools that can help homebound entrepreneurs, like Westergreen, be more productive. For example, Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2003 takes the confusion out of running a home office with its collection of easy-to-use programs, including Excel, Outlook, Business Contact Manager, PowerPoint, Publisher and Word. Together these programs let time-strapped small business owners create marketing materials, manage sales opportunities and better communicate with customers.
Since installing Office Small Business Edition in January 2005, Westergreen says the software has allowed her to take control of a burgeoning business that has taught nearly 2,000 Canadian families the benefits of infant sign language.
"Microsoft SBE 2003 helps me forecast sales growth and keep track of prospective accounts," she says. "As a small business owner, there's so much to do — my brain can only handle so much."
Keep your info organized and easy to find
Using Office Outlook with Business Contact Manager, Westergreen tracks important data, such as a client's current contact information, program history and age. The business reports component of Business Contact Manager allows her to print out customizable reports based on factors, such as course level, in order to create targeted marketing campaigns at a fraction of what it would cost to have it done professionally.
Flaunt professional-looking marketing materials
Promoting infant sign language takes more than word of mouth. Westergreen relies on Publisher to create and publish professional-looking brochures and newsletters in-house without having to learn how to use software created for professional designers.
"High-quality materials that promote your business that are easy to produce and easily updated is a critical factor for success," says Annette Marquis, a partner with Triad Consulting, a Michigan-based software training firm and co-author of Mastering Office 2003 for Business Professionals (Sybex, November, 2003).
Keep in touch with important contacts
While Outlook 2003's junk e-mail message control diverts unwanted messages to a special folder, Westergreen counts on Windows SharePoint technology to cut back on inbox glut. By posting her client roster and Outlook calendar on a collaborative website, Westergreen can better coordinate with travelling instructors while avoiding a flurry of e-mail correspondence.
There are also other software packages that address the challenges of running a home-based business:
- Visio 2003 helps budding entrepreneurs translate complex business ideas and processes into easy-to-digest technical diagrams. Plus, diagrams created in Visio 2003 enable users to communicate information in ways that text and numbers cannot.
- Microsoft Office Project 2003 enables business owners to quickly set up projects, assign resources, manage tasks and track project development schedules. In addition, the solution helps align employee activities with an organization's objectives.
- Entrepreneurs can share a PowerPoint presentation with employees — both present and remote — thanks to OneNote. By setting up a shared note-taking session, remote participants can call in for vocal participation and log on to join in.
- Web development tool FrontPage takes the place of a high-priced web designer with its impressive site-building capabilities. And new layout and graphics tools make it easier to design exactly the site you want.
No home office is complete, however, without your standard hardware setup, such as a fax machine, cordless telephone and, if you like to listen to music while you work, a pair of quality computer speakers — the perfect excuse for Westergreen to take a break from being productive and instead listen to online audio files of children's author Robert Munsch with her children.
Published January 2006
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Writer, Cindy Waxer
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