Don’t let office supplies kill your small business budget
At the start of every new business venture, every penny counts. But new office managers and excited marketing managers can often blow a major part of their startup budget on unexpected things, including office supplies and branded promotional items. While seeing your company name on a thousand new pens and new pads can be thrilling, the reality is that branding can change quickly in the early years of any company, and employees will undoubtedly spend more time on the phone than out in the field, where those promotional supplies really matter.
And then there’s the other business supplies: pens, notebooks, post-it notes, and even those big-ticket items like printers and employee computers. If your startup is a company of one, these things are pretty easy to manage. But if you’ve grown fast or started a new firm, having those little things on hand make a big difference in your group’s outlook. Nobody wants to be forced to share a pencil during a big company meeting.
Here’s some easy ways to keep office supply costs down:
Negotiate: or at least shop around. Printers and promotional suppliers are typically open to talking about quotes, estimates, and helping you out if you tell them you’re new to and looking to build a partnership. Take the time to get to know the computer equipment you want to buy, the way that suppliers source their materials, and what they can provide to you in additional services. Resist the urge to run out to the local corporate printing shop that’s right on the corner - unless they can give you the best value around.
Shop online with coupons: There’s a lot of competition going on online: big suppliers such as Staples, Office Depot, and OfficeMax now compete online with new outfits that are actively looking for customers. This means that shopping with a coupon code websites can give hurried office managers some quick discounts - sometimes over 50% off the listed price. Don’t forget to create an account when you place your order, and watch out for the emails that come into your inbox. Those emails usually include some great coupons and sales.
Keep your employees in mind: Ask your employees how they work best. While most people are more comfortable with PC’s, any graphic designer on your team would probably prefer a Macintosh computer, and developer’s preferences vary. While it’s important to manage expectations early on, you don’t want to end up with a laptop that no one can use, even if you got it at a discount. Check and see if your team would be comfortable using Google Tools instead of expensive office software, or simply retrain them with the new alternatives.
When in doubt, remember the three R’s: reuse, reduce, recycle! Manage the company’s printer costs by encouraging your employees to review content without printing it. Keep scratch paper on hand for employees to use as well. All those reduced costs can add up to big savings at the end of year, which is good news for everyone on the team.
What are your office supply savings tips?
