As a small business owner, even a one-man show, you know there are many expenses that come up over the course of a month. While there is nothing wrong with “spending money to make money,” you don’t want to throw cash out the window. Instead, you should keep a close watch on every dollar you spend.

Regardless of your company size or industry, there is nothing more important than communicating with prospects and clients. If you don’t do so with success, you shouldn’t expect to reach the top of your industry.

There will be times when you need to spend a lot of money to communicate with clients. On the same token, there are things you can do to save. Here are three ideas to consider:

1. Only travel when necessary. Do you truly need to hop on a plane to meet with a client or prospect in person? If the answer is yes, don’t shy away from doing so. This is all part of doing business. However, if you can accomplish the same thing on the phone or via email, you might as well take advantage. This can save you quite a bit of money.

2. Examine your phone plan. Are you spending too much on your office phone system? How about your mobile device? Even if you are comfortable with your current expense, don’t hesitate to shop around. For example, Verizon Small Business is one of the best solutions around. Not only is the company reliable, but the Verizon pricing structure is among the best in the business.

3. Use online technology. Email is a great place to start, but don’t stop there. For example, an instant messaging program, such as Brosix, makes it easy to communicate with others in real time. Best yet, you have access to features, such as voice and video chat, that make the platform even more powerful.

Effective and efficient communication is essential to your long term success as a business owner. With the right approach, you can communicate at a high level without wasting any money.