Grow your small business with Microsoft 365

Updated 6/1/2023: The original article included promotional pricing valid during November and December 2022. This promotion has expired and associated detail has been removed.

There are between 350 and 400 million small and medium businesses (SMBs) worldwide.¹ They account for 90 percent of all businesses² and approximately 44 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP).³ SMBs are the cornerstone of every community and the lifeblood of the global economy.

While the past few years have been challenging for SMBs, there are also extensive signs of growth and opportunity in the space. SMBs have grown during the pandemic—in fact, more were created in 2021 than since 2005⁴—and not just by necessity. Many found it an opportunity to become their own boss, create new products and services, and build a future that works for them.

This huge opportunity is why I recently joined Microsoft to lead SMB marketing for Microsoft 365—an area I’ve been passionate about since watching my parents run their own small business from home. Whether it’s classic mom-and-pop corner stores or tech startups, Microsoft is building products to help SMBs grow customers and scale their business while under economic pressure.

Helping small businesses to do more with less

All around us, pressures in the economy are requiring companies of all sizes to continue to drive growth while managing costs. One way to achieve this is by centralizing your business technology with Microsoft 365—use Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Microsoft Teams to help meet your business goals and reduce costs without sacrificing productivity.

Providing small businesses with a complete solution for their business

Historically, SMBs have had to rely on several point solutions—none of which were an ideal fit for their unique needs. The demand for a tailored, integrated solution is real.

According to a recent Forrester study commissioned by Microsoft, nearly 65 percent of SMBs prefer to purchase software solutions as a package, in a “suite of solutions” that meets all their business needs.⁵

Microsoft 365 brings these solutions together into one integrated experience that delivers on the power of the cloud and makes it easier for employees to work from anywhere while reducing costs and administration overhead. Microsoft 365 is a cost-effective, secure cloud solution that includes the tools small businesses require to run their growing businesses, reach new customers, and collaborate with employees, partners, and customers from virtually anywhere.

Enabling SMBs to create documents, meet, call, chat, and connect

Microsoft 365 brings together the familiar Microsoft 365 apps—such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint—to help you create professional, branded documents, share them internally and with customers, and store them securely in the cloud.

SMBs have rapidly adapted to the new reality of remote work. Microsoft 365 makes this possible for employees to easily meet, collaborate, and communicate with their team and their customers wherever they are, all in one single place. Customers can use Teams to chat, host online meetings and video calls in real-time, as well as schedule and manage appointments, and get professional email capabilities from Outlook.

The last few years have seen an increase in cyberattacks targeted at SMBs. Microsoft 365 helps to safeguard devices and data from cyber threats with built-in security features such as access control and email protection. Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes additional advanced security features, all while keeping IT complexity to a minimum, so business owners can keep their companies protected even without a dedicated IT staff.

Customer success stories

We are inspired by the way many SMBs have leveraged the power of Microsoft 365 to service their existing customers, pitch new business, meet with employees, and do whatever it takes to keep their company running. For example:

• At Tony’s Chocolonely, the team found new ways to keep employees connected with virtual book clubs, themed weekly meetings like “flip-flop formal Friday,” and fitness classes—all running on Teams as a part of the Microsoft 365 solution.
• 1083, a sustainable jeans and sneakers manufacturer, leveraged Microsoft 365 and Teams to communicate and collaborate more effectively, internally and externally, while the platform’s embedded security features helped ensure that communications were highly secure.
• Rodel Financial Services realized the benefits of a unified, easily managed environment from Microsoft apps, services, device management, and information protection. It replaced a disjointed on-premises environment with Microsoft 365 Business Premium, helping South African businesses and their own bottom line to flourish.

From retailers to restaurants to professional services, SMBs can count on the integrated tools of Microsoft 365 to help grow their businesses easily and securely. Act now to save while setting up your business to thrive with Microsoft 365.

Looking ahead

At Microsoft, we’re committed to the success of small and medium businesses, and we’re pleased to deliver a complete set of business apps and tools that helps them launch and grow their business securely and with ease.

Explore our latest Microsoft 365 products and useful resources for SMBs:

• Microsoft Defender for Business—a comprehensive solution to run your business securely from anywhere.
• Microsoft Teams Essentials—an affordable, professional meeting solution designed to help small businesses communicate and collaborate in an easy, secure, and reliable way.
• Small Business help and learning—learn more about how to set up and use your Microsoft 365 subscription, find tips and templates to help you accomplish your business tasks, and get the most out of hybrid work.

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¹Small & medium-sized enterprises, National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights, The Danish Institute for Human Rights.

²Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Finance, World Bank.

³Annual Report of the Office of Economic Research, FY 2019, US Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy. January 2021.

⁴How the Small Business Sector Has Grown Throughout the Pandemic, Jeanette Mulvey, Neil Bradley. October 21, 2021.

⁵Meeting the Changing Software Technology Needs of SMBs, Forrester Consulting. September 2022.