Guide to Run your business from a cell phone (no laptop needed)

Believe it or not there are many mobile web services that give you the power to run your business from your cell phone.

With the these mobile web services there's no reason to tell a customer they have to wait or tell a partner you haven't received a fax someone sent you or missed a voice mail because you weren't in the office.

With today's technology being able to run your business away from the office just as if you were in the office is easy. This means you can access your office email, faxes, files and more—wherever you are, no laptop needed.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get personalized business advice and ideas

Microconsulting is targeted, personalized advice and ideas, just for small businesses with questions about doing business online. You'll get answers to your questions with advice, ideas and/or options delivered via text message or Twitter.

I recommend: The Big Bright Bulb.com microconsulting for businesses of 1 to 5 people.

Check and compare product prices.

About to buy a new office printer at an electronics store and want to make sure you're really getting a bargain? Access the product search on your cell phone to search for lower online prices.

I recommend: Google Product Search for Mobile

Find and connect with local businesses

Dial 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411) from any phone State the location and business type Connect to the business for free Google's new 411 service is free, fast and easy to use. Give it a try now and see how simple it is to for free.

I recommend: Google 411

Copy documents, whiteboards and handwritten notes.

Take a picture of a document send the picture from your phone to qipit, you'll receive a link to the online digital copy of your document.

I recommend: Qipit to turn documents, notes and whiteboards into digital copies (PDFs) with your camera phone.

Get directions, avoid traffic, and find the nearest 'whatever'.

Never get lost again with Google Maps for mobile. This downloadable application puts local information, directions and maps in your pocket. Don't worry no GPS or data plan required.

I recommend: Google Maps

Monitor your expenses and spending trends.

Set budgets for each spending category then monitor your progress with real-time alerts on your mobile device. You can send short text messages for reporting transactions, or querying your balances.

I recommend: Buxfer  an automatic and secure aggregate of your bank and credit card accounts that is easy see what's costing you the most.

Print email attachments, data or web pages.

Send what you want to print to the virtual print server. The server stores a copy and sends a text message to your device with a reference ID that converts your data to a PDF. CloudPrint's online Find a Printer service can help you locate one nearby.

I recommend: CloudPrint a free mobile printing service for your cell phone.

Save time and save your messages.

Read your Voicemail, see your voicemail in text when you can't take the call or listen to the message.

I recommend: CallWave a Voicemail-To-Text that gives you total control over the way you receive, respond to, and save your mobile voicemail messages.

Edit your blog.

You can post photos and text from your camera phone straight to the web blog. You can even create one automatically when you send a photo or message from your mobile device.

I recommend: Blogger.com to post from anywhere!

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• find other ways to the recommended tools
• start off with one application to make sure it doesn't cause problems with other software
• check your phone to see if any mobile application are preinstalled