Some small business owners may consider “technology” to be a taboo word. Something they can only dream of understanding. The truth is, unless you are in-the-know from the start, chances are you feel as if you won’t catch up. With that being said, the benefits of using cheap technology can help you tenfold, and frankly you would be completely obsolete without it. The websites and services that are free and actually simple to use are a godsend to those who would rather run than configure a code for a website, or pay monthly for services they can do themselves.

ISPRINGFREE.COM is a website that offers the free conversion of your Power Point presentation into a reduced file web code so that the video can be shared on your website or social profiles. In laymen’s terms, that power point presentation you worked so hard on can now be uploaded without a web pagemaster. You are your own pagemaster! It seems simple, but a free service like this can only make your small business run a little more smoothly.

HOOTSUITE or TWEETDECK are two websites that allow you to update all of your social media simultaneously. Have a great week coming up or need some advice? It is tiresome to update to Twitter, FaceBook and LinkedIn with all of the same information. These tools allow you to skip about ten steps and voila!, you are updated and everyone else is aware of your information. Also, as a side note, all of those social media outlets previously mentioned are a phenomenal way to advertise freely and keep your clients and bosses aware of everyday business.

OPENOFFICE is a FREE alternative to MS Office. Not everyone has to pay those enormous fees that come with having a fancy suite attached to every document. Yes, 95% of businesses in the U.S. use MS Office but it’s not always smart to run with the pack. OpenOffice is an amazing alternative, especially for being completely free.

GOOGLE CALENDER and GMAIL synced together can be a small business owner’s solution to a MS Office nightmare. Outlook would be the more expensive alternative, but Google has made its services, which are free of course, on par with a program like Outlook that has been the Commercial Email Giant for years. Everything is synced, including contacts, and if you happen to have an Android-powered phone, well that is just a bonus! It is your own little personal assistant in your pocket and on the web.

This last free service/tool is going to be a little unexpected, but in the long run can do nothing but add emphasis and prestige to a small business. Yep, I’m talking about YOUTUBE. YouTube is an amazing tool with the ability to reach and keep an audience. Video Blogs and well as tutorials for anything that can attribute to your business can be seen by millions, therefore giving you a visual edge over your competition. Also, you can have a decent profile and people can subscribe, giving you “friends” and “followers” all in one. But, now, they can see you!

All of these tools and services are an amazing, free way to keep your business from falling into the Stone Age. Stay up-to-date and show your bosses and clients that you will use any means necessary to get the word out about your project. And, as always in this economy, free is just amazing. Don’t feel bad if you weren’t aware of some terms like “video blogging” until now. Neither was I. But, it does sound fun, right? So, go forth and make friends, and followers, and subscribers and get the word out. It can only help your small business and, therefore, your wallet.