Having your head in the clouds used to be an insult (unless you were John Lennon).

Now, smart businesses rely on cloud services to keep tools up to date with the latest technology, share documents with remote employees, and increase data security.

You don’t need to build your business its own server in your garage or hire an entire IT team to handle your data. There are now shared productivity tools available that make moving your business on the cloud safe and easy.

Collaborate from anywhere with the productivity tools you already love, and establish your business on Domain.com.

Keep your technology up to date

Imagine running a business with dial-up internet, floppy disks, and a CB radio. All three of your customers would still complain about your response time. When your business uses the latest technology, you become better equipped to compete with other business and satisfy your customers. It also helps your team become more productive.

Cloud-based applications automatically update on your computer, rather than waiting for you to download them again, or upload new programs from a CD. With tools like Microsoft Office 365, your team can work like the largest companies, which also helps to legitimize your business. It’s hard to imagine that an online business owner traveling to the library to update products can fulfill an order in a timely fashion. Faster tools mean you can stay on time with client meetings, customer scheduling, and product fulfilment.

Upload to the cloud to share documents around the world

As the internet changes the way customers buy from a business, it also changes the way we work. Rather than requiring face-to-face interaction for successful collaboration, tools like video meetings and online document storage mean that your remote team members can work like they’re in the office. It’s time to get your documents and projects online.

Careful organization is important. Instead of throwing all of your files into one giant folder, create a system that lets you retrieve a document without digging for it. Create folders for each department within your business, like sales or customer service, and establish best practices for naming documents. You don’t want six documents named “Important – Marketing Budget.” Then, choose your cloud-based tool and start uploading.

Make your business and customers safer online

Let’s say you like to control all of your data yourself; you like to point to that server in your garage and say, “all of my customer data is safe and sound, right there.” What if your system fails? Especially if all of your data is stored on a single computer, not a homemade server like in Silicon Valley, your data is at risk. Do you have a second computer tied into the first to serve as a backup? Or a second server in a second garage?

Cloud-based services are safer because they create backups for the backups, meaning your data can’t get copied over or destroyed by one physical accident. These cloud sharing tools also have security teams focused on protecting your data. Even if hackers target your business, they’re no longer just guessing your password (it better not be password1234), but rather facing a giant security team that’s ready to fight back.

Getting to the cloud is easier than it seems

You’re ready to get your business on the cloud, but what does that really mean? It’s as simple as choosing a tool, syncing it to your domain name, and choosing which files to upload. These tools are simple and easy to set up, with no coding or messing with data servers.

For a small business, cost is just as important as ease of use. Cloud-based tools also scale with your business, which means you can start using them at a lower price, then add tools or services as the needs of your business increase. Start with a professional email address paired with your domain, and work up to video meetings, online bookkeeping, or private social networking tools.  

A business in the cloud is safer and more reliable

Keeping your business and customer data safe, or accessing shared documents anywhere, is no longer just for dreamers. Moving your small business into the cloud means your team can keep their tools up to date with the latest technology, share documents even with remote employees, and increase the security of your data. Use a shared productivity tool like Microsoft Office 365 to help make your business safer and more efficient.

Collaborate from anywhere with the productivity tools you already love, and establish your business on Domain.com.