By now, you know that technology is an integral part of marketing a small business. You know it’s essential to have a website, an up-to-date Google listing, top reviews on Yelp; you see how technology has broadened your business’s exposure, but have you figured out how it can also cut your costs and increase your profits? Here are some examples.

1. Energy technology lowers bills

Energy efficiency gets results. Bulbs certified by Energy Star (which enforces the strict guidelines set forth by the EPA) use 70-90% less energy than traditional light bulbs. Those energy reductions translate, quite simply, in to cash.

If your business switched to exclusive use of energy efficient bulbs, the savings would be impressive, so imagine if you utilized other “efficient” methods like toilets that reduce water waste and solar panels instead of electric heat.

2. Social media as free advertising

The key here is simply a willingness to change. The cost saving methods of advertising available via social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube and Pinterest are only cost saving if you’re willing to put aside your old ideas about what constitutes effective advertising.

Gone are the days of the campy local television commercial, the radio commercial, the newspaper ad. We live in a world of blogs, podcasts, and DIY-everything. So, if you really want your company’s word to meet ears: you have to create worthy content.

3. Tablets for all industries

Early on, it was exciting to see how tablets might change the way doctors interact with patients, granting them effortless access to medical records, treatment ideas, and even making perscription sharing and updating more efficient.

Now, it’s become apparent that if you’re a small business, and you aren’t maximizing the power of the tablet, you’re missing a big boat. No other device saves time (which is equivalent to saving money), almost eliminates paper waste (also money), and streamlines communication the way a tablet can.

4. Credit card processing

Speaking of tablets, the old way of taking payment using a credit card machine and a phone line, is not only costly and unreliable, it’s cumbersome. Thanks to mobile payment technology like Square, companies can easily accept payment on the go (no more costly and risky invoicing), and can save money by cutting back on processing fees.

5. Ordering online

Once, your company thought that a Costco membership and a big utility closet were the most effective way to minimize operational costs. But internet retailers have turned the tides, making it possible to purchase office essentials online at a fraction of the cost, using a fraction of the space.

Web vendors often offer membership services which promise real benefits: exclusive discounts, better prices, and special shipping, unlike the less obvious perks offered by a company like Sam’s Club where the costs are not dramatically reduced for buying in unnecessary bulk.