The line between what is the office and what is not the office seems to get more and more blurry these days. There are so many ways you can do business on the go, you may even find you don’t need an office anymore. After all, who wants to stay cooped up inside all day?
Need to share a spreadsheet while you’re on that video conference? No problem!
Today’s solopreneur can conduct meetings from just about anywhere. So, how do you take care of business on the go like a champion? Mobile applications and cloud-based services make it all possible. Not sure how this applies to you? Read on.
Video Chat for Self-Employment
Sure, you could probably email that client, but email makes it really easy to miss out on the nuances of a conversation. You could also give them a call, but nothing beats face-to-face interaction for developing and maintaining that all-important rapport.
There are plenty of video chat options available that will work cross-platform style, so if you’re out and about on your Android tablet and your client is at home on the iMac, you can still make it work flawlessly. *Try Qik, Skype, or Tango.
Mobile Meetings: How Does Document Sharing Work?
Need to share a spreadsheet while you’re on that video conference? No problem! Document sharing services abound. All you have to do is upload your documents and share them with whomever needs to see them. That way, you and your clients can be on the same page, literally, from anywhere in the world. *Try DropBox or Hightail.
The New PDF
Fax machines: why in the world are we still using these archaic things anyway? Everyone and their grandmother has email, which is faster and doesn’t use paper. Of course, there’s the issue of actually getting a hard copy converted into a format that can be speedily tele-ported over to the recipient, but did you know you can use your phone’s camera to convert documents into PDF files with Camscanner?
All-in-One Meeting Solutions for the Self-Employed
Let’s say you need to do all of the above, all at the same time. Well, you’ll be glad to know that there are video-conferencing solutions that specialize in just that. These mobile meeting powerhouses will allow you to have a multi-party video conference and give a Powerpoint presentation to everyone, simultaneously.
Fuze even makes it possible to collaborate on HD content, such as graphics and film in real-time. Plus, cross-platform compatibility means just about anyone with a smartphone or tablet can get in on the action. *Try Fuze Meeting HD, Cisco WebEx Meetings, Adobe Connect Mobile.
As you can see, taking advantage of cloud-based services and mobile apps can make your life during self-employment a lot easier. What’s more, most of the applications and services mentioned in this article offer free versions or limited time trials. Some of the pro-level features are only available for paid subscribers, but you’ll have a chance to get your feet wet before diving in.
Also, once you find a solution that fits your needs, take it on a practice run before using it for a make-it or break-it conference. You don’t want to troubleshoot while your potential investors twiddle their thumbs and browse Facebook.
Of course, we’ve only touched on a few of the multitude of solutions that are available. What services do you find indispensable, and how do you get the most bang for your mobile meeting buck? Why not offer us a guest post today?
