For businesses, it’s no longer a question of if you move to the cloud but when and how much, said Michael Clark, VP of Corporate Accounts at Microsoft, during last week’s Virtual Roadmap Event. If your business has yet to move to the cloud, you should know migration doesn’t have to be a big “to-do” and it doesn’t have to be “all or nothing.” Here’s how your business can move to the cloud at its own pace and in its own style.

The cloud crux

By 2015, the cloud is projected to be a $95 billion industry. Helping to drive this growth are SMBs, 6 million of whom bought their first cloud service last year. Despite its growth, there remains a great deal of mystery surrounding the cloud. In fact, 51 percent of Americans believe the weather affects cloud computing. So if you’re feeling simultaneously confused and pressured by all this cloud stuff, rest assured, you’re not alone.

“It’s not a cloud ultimatum,” said Clark. There’s no mandate that states all businesses must be 100% in the cloud by 2015, or else—or else, what? According to Nathan McBride in a recent HBR blog post, “The first thing is to dispatch with the idea that you are going to ‘move’ all of your current resources into the cloud,” a sentiment seconded by Microsoft’s Alan Maddison: “For many [businesses], the most effective approach is to first transition a simple solution like messaging.” The key is to start small and move one step at time.

Explore without committing

The beauty of cloud solutions is that they’re scalable and pay-as-you-go. For example, if your business chooses to start with email, scalability allows you to adjust IT requirements up or down as needed. This means licenses and capabilities can be added or removed depending on your business needs. And because cloud-based services are pay-as-you-go, your business won’t have to pay up front fees and won’t be held to any long-term agreements. This ensures your transition to the cloud will be incremental (if that’s what best serves your business).

“You will ultimately save money by migrating to the cloud, lots of money in fact, but it takes time to get there,” said McBride. For most businesses, the move to the cloud is an opportunity to replace outdated systems with new systems that are lighter, faster, and less expensive, but it’s a process that needn’t disrupt business, and it can happen over time.

Demystify by doing

The good thing about the cloud is that you can learn as you go along and only sign up for what you need. Remember, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming, expensive, or disruptive. The cloud is something that can be gradually folded into your day-to-day business and eventually tempered with overall IT operations. The easiest way to demystify the cloud is to try it—so start small. Why not email?