Trying to save your small business some money? I’ve already touched on 14 ways for small businesses to save. If you’re looking for immediate practices you can put into play for cost savings, enjoy:

Ways for Small Businesses to Save Money: Part 1 – Getting Started

Ways for Small Businesses to Save Money: Part 2 – Keep Going

And Now On To It

Okay, with that recap complete, let’s take a deep dive into focusing on web apps that can save you money. This is one of my favorite topics.

Many small business owners simply aren’t aware of all the online applications and products that exist today. These products provide some real opportunities for small businesses to save money on an ongoing basis. But there are also an incredible number of apps that can help a business to make money.

But first, let’s just back up and make sure you understand that the cloud following you around isn’t a black one.

Your Silver Lining: The Cloud

If you have a small business and you say ‘What’s the Cloud?’, then you better nod and say okay when I say blah blah browser-based software web app something something. If you don’t, you need to call me. We need to talk. Seriously.

The cloud is how you access and share your content from anywhere. I’m sure you know that the internet is actually nothing more than a series of tubes. Those tubes connect to a cloud, and in that cloud, mankind holds an amazing treasure — all the known information in the shiny, cyber universe-matrix.

Now, some companies want to charge you lots of money for outdated ways to interface and manage your content, data, and business.

Other companies want to set you off and running through a field of daffodils by providing you with free apps, or lower-cost apps, that offer a pretty incredible ROI. Don’t worry. They’ll still make money off of you, if they’re smart.

To complete your transformation into tech wizard, I’m going to take you on a little tour of cloud-based savings.

A love story, told in two parts. Act 1: Google. Act 2: Everything else.

How Google Empowers Small Business

Man. I don’t know why some people think that Google is ‘bad’. I just have to shake my head at them. Google has done more to empower small business than anything in the history of humanity. Google is probably the most innovative and creative company ever. Yet, people get so used to the phenomena around them they begin to take it for granted.

For at least 10 years now — arguably the portion of the internet timeline that’s mattered most — Google has provided the most efficient ways for small businesses ANYWHERE to get found. 60 Minutes is STILL doing color spots on this like it’s some new angle to the Google legend.

Google has always been on the side of small business. Here’s a list of ways in which Google products help small business.

Search

Allow me, if you don’t mind, to remind you what the internet was like before Google.

You couldn’t find anything. The end. Just stare at the period on the end of this sentence. That’s what it was like.

Now, unless you really mess something up, anyone can find your business. Pretty quickly. This is good.

AdWords

AdWords lets anyone advertise their business. This was the second great Google innovation. You no longer needed a big budget to get the word out.

Google AdWords allows for small-budget micro-advertising. Although it’s not as effective as it once way (in my opinion), it’s still one of the most important and popular ways that a small business can go about marketing themselves in an affordable manner.

Gmail

Next to search, Gmail might be Google’s greatest technological achievement.

Gmail redefined the email experience and it still puts other email platforms to shame. Gmail is still the one single app that many people find to be the most useful in organizing their business.

Here’s how to switch to using Gmail for business, which lets you use your own domain name for emails. Here’s a handy calculator to figure out how much you might save using Google Apps instead of Microsoft Exchange 2007.

Google Docs

Why would you pay good money to purchase and install Microsoft versions of products that Google now offers for free? They’re more stable, less issues between platforms, better security, and you can access them anywhere with just a browser window. (Google Gears will let you save and work on docs locally.)

Google Apps

Let me ask you a little question:

Who do you think has more valuable proprietary data — your company or Genentech? How about your garage-based business vs. Motorola? You vs. Salesforce? The Washington, District of Columbia Government?

They all use Google Apps.

The idea that you can’t trust web-based apps for security is outdated. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t backup your data to local locations. Go back, revisit tip 14, reread, rinse, return, repeat. Then think about what happens if your computer blows up. Or, your laptop gets stolen. Then watch the following video. And, as you do, let it continue to dawn on you that if enterprise businesses are using Google Apps to save money and achieve better security for both documents and email, your small business can do the same.

There are so many ways Google Docs can help a small business that it boggles the mind.

Still Not Convinced?

Okay, fine. I’m beginning to feel like a commercial here, but I fear I must press on.

I already mentioned Google Voice on Saturday.

Google Analytics

The most powerful (free) way to track what’s happening with your web traffic and learn about your website’s audience.

Google Wave

Part documentation tool, part discussion room, Google Wave is great for small team collaborations and discussions that allows things to happen in real-time.

Google Small Business Toolkit/Network

Get help with listings, updates, and insights. Find ways to make deliveries more efficient, and analyze and optimize your website. Stay up to date and discuss public policies and issues that affect your business. Connect with colleaques and run your business more efficiently.

Google Base

Make sure Google knows what products you have available.

Google Local Business Center

Google Business Solutions

An entire suite of ways to market, enhance, and track your online business success.

Despite All This …

Despite all they do to empower business, Google gets dinged by privacy advocates. With good right. If Google is going to live up to their motto of ‘Don’t Be Evil,’ they need to be able to take the heat of having their feet put to the flames with questions and criticism.

I bring this up, because many business feel their data is safer on their computer rather than ‘somewhere our there on the internet.’

For those that have privacy concerns about Google’s access to information, you do have a fair point. In response, I’ll say this: first of all, there’s always a keeper of information, history proves that. At least the current keeper has a primarily democratic and grassroots approach. Secondly, while their recent response to a cyber attack in China was the result of being provoked, their reaction put principles ahead of financial implications. Something we need more of in business.

My point? Don’t let your business suffer because you’re either too scared to enter modernity or you fear big brother. Big brother doesn’t care about you. If all you’re doing is working hard, you’ve got nothing to worry about. If you really want to save money for your small business, make sure you’re taking advantage of Google’s offerings. Plus, having your data protected by Google is probably safer than letting it just sit on an old disk drive.

That said, the only sure bet in life is that I’ll have more web apps to help your small business save money.

But, for now, I’m Googled out.