One of the hardest parts of starting a new business is finding the money for all the equipment you’ll need. This is especially true when it comes to the technology you need for your business, as some of these things can often be quite expensive. If you aren’t careful, you could end up spending more on technology than you can afford and make it hard for your business to thrive in the early stages. With that in mind, here are 4 tips you can use to save money on new business technology.
Decide What You Really Need
The first thing you’ll want to do is decide what it is you actually need. While there are many software and hardware tools that can help your business, you don’t necessarily need some of them right away. For example, if you’re just starting out, you likely don’t have a large social media following yet. Therefore, you don’t need software to help you manage your different social media channels, as it is a small enough operation for you to handle manually at the moment.
Technology is there to make processes simpler and easier. Think about which tasks you’ll need to perform for your business and which ones take the longest. This is where you’ll want to start your technology search. You can then add more tech pieces as your business starts to grow.
Make Use of Free Trials
A good thing to do during this time is to make use of free trials. A lot of software companies will offer free trials on their products. Making use of these can help you in two ways. First, you can keep hopping from free trial to free trial, using similar products for free rather than paying for one software. This process can be tedious, but if your budget is particularly tight, it’s doable.
The other way free trials help is by allowing you to explore which software options are the best fit for you. Rather than just buying one and hoping it works best, you can see for yourself without having to spend any money. You can then be sure you are investing in the right tool, rather than wasting money on the wrong one.
Buy Things Used
Our third tip is to buy the technology used whenever you can. In many cases, other businesses or individuals will sell technology equipment they no longer need at a discount. By getting the equipment used, you can save your business a significant amount of money.
There are a few places you can search for used technology equipment. First, there are websites dedicated to this exact marketplace, allowing users to post their used equipment and buyers to browse through available inventory. For example, you can use a machinery marketplace where you can find everything from a used CNC machine to used lathes and routers.
The other option to find used technology is through social media. Sites like Facebook and Craigslist have pages dedicated to selling things in your local area. Your options may be limited in these forums, but the prices can often be better. It doesn’t hurt to check them out before making a buying decision.
Whenever you are going to buy something used, be sure it is in good condition. Buy it from a reputable seller or check over the equipment thoroughly before completing the transaction. While many sellers are getting rid of perfectly working equipment, it’s still a good idea to check anything over before buying it.
Rent What You Need
Finally, if you won’t be using the piece of technology a lot, you should consider renting it instead of buying it. For example, if you need to use a 3D printer for a few things, it makes more sense to rent one out for a few days rather than buying one to keep. The same goes for any type of tool you may need for your business. If you don’t need it often, and there is a way to rent it, this is a great way to reduce costs for your business.
Explore All Your Options
There are plenty of ways to save money on technology equipment for your business. The key is to explore the options available to you before you make any decisions. With a little searching, you may find that you can purchase the item used online, someone is throwing it out near you, or you can rent it for a much smaller cost. Hopefully, this guide was able to save you a little money on your startup costs and you’ll be able to turn those savings into strong profits.
