Monday, January 16, 2012 at 4:28am by Site Administrator
Used to be that a mascot for a business, be it a cartoon character, member of the animal kingdom, or human stand-in, existed only in two-dimensional form on signage and print advertising. These days, with more outlets for advertising than ever before, advertising mascots appear on Facebook pages, tweet on Twitter, and even star in their own sitcoms. Some mascots are so entertaining on their own, you might not know or care about the product they’re trying to sell. Here are 10 of today’s the most recognizable business mascots, mascots designed to brand a service as opposed to a product such as breakfast cereal or pancake syrup.
Most recently voiced with a Cockney London accent by actor Jake Wood, this charming and earnest reptile maintains his own blog, sharing updates and photos from his travels around the world.
The joke just doesn’t get old. Articulate quasi-metrosexual Neanderthals repeatedly find themselves the butt of GEICO’s "So easy, a caveman could do it…" tag line. (Honorary mascot mention: Kash aka the stack of cash with googly eyes identified as the money a person saves when using GEICO. Kash’s recurring music cue is also a hoot.)
The ad agency responsible for this mascot credits the ducks in the ponds of New York’s Central Park for demonstrating how much "AFLAC" sounds like a quack. That team of creative ducks received payment for their help in the form of several loaves of white bread. Gilbert Gottfried voiced the character for more than a decade, but he was fired in spring 2011 when he made jokes about the recent tsunami and earthquake that company officials deemed "lacking in humor."
Back in 2009, AOL tried its best to replace the Running Man with a variety of new branding images, including a goldfish, all of which seem to be gone now in 2012. That little yellow guy is still their best icon.
Created in 1959 by a New York ad agency, this fictional character, wearing the traditional dress of an arriero, or mule driver, is directly inspired by Colombia’s real-life coffee farmers. In addition to being the brand symbol for the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia, Juan Valdez is a national folk hero, representing the very real demographic of rural coffee farmers that help make Colombia the world’s third-largest producer of coffee.
Perhaps it’s not surprising given the nature of the Internet, crowd-sourcing, and out-of-date copyright laws, that Twitter paid the designer less than $6 for this now ubiquitous image of a blue bird. That’s just a couple bucks less than what the designer of the Nike swoosh received.
If fate is a hunter, than Allstate’s Mayhem is looking to mount your head on his wall. He is one of the most frightening and funny mascots in current advertising culture, and very much a product of our uncertain times.
In television commercial after television commercial, the incessantly bubbly and, well, kinda sexy Flo the Progressive Girl for all of her oddball quirkiness, somehow delivers a consistent message regarding credibility and customer service. And her 2.4 million fans on Facebook can’t all be stalkers, right?
Those of you born later than 1930 may have no idea who this freaky character is. The lightning bolt limbed Reddy was once the super-charged mascot of more than 200 electric power companies promoting electricity as a safe utility for homes and businesses.
There are no second acts in American lives. Unless your name is William Shatner, who has experienced at least four or five. In addition to starring in two different hit television shows after playing the iconic Captain Kirk in the original Star Trek series, Shatner has enjoyed a lucrative career as less of a spokesman and more of a mascot — albeit a very butch, post-modern, self-aware mascot — for a variety of companies, including DirectTV, Smith & Hassler Attorneys at Law, and perhaps most famously, Priceline.com.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at 4:27pm by Site Administrator
The struggle to attract and retain key customers is a constant one, but business owners and freelancers have lots of tools and resources to help them when marketing themselves and their businesses. Web-based solutions produce hassle-free services and efficient communication options, while networking events and online opportunities are perfect for making new contacts. This list is full of ideas to improve your branding techniques, e-mail etiquette, website design and other hacks to help you figure out ways to keep customers from flirting with the competition.
Where to Find Them
You’ll never beef up your client roster if you don’t know where to find new customers. Maintaining a presence on select sites and at certain events will increase your profile too.
Conventions: Get yourself an invite to conventions that market to your target audience. Everyone’s already in the mood to network anyway. Just don’t forget to bring your business cards.
Airports: If you travel on a week day, you’ll probably notice that a good percentage of your fellow passengers are business travelers. Strike up a conversation with someone about their business, and you may find yourself gaining access to a whole new demographic, region or industry.
Volunteer events: Whether you’ve got your eye on snagging the nonprofit as a future client or just want to meet people from a range of backgrounds while showing off your community efforts, volunteer events and fundraisers are a great way to meet customers.
LinkedIn: This popular social networking site connects professionals and alumni to forge profitable relationships.
Ryze: Ryze "helps you expand your business network."
Xing: Xing is a sleek social networking site that offers professional contact management, a business accelerator and other cool apps.
Facebook: Get on Facebook to market yourself to a particular demographic, keep track of customers and set up groups.
MeetUp: Members of this site organize get togethers based on interest and location.
Chamber of Commerce: Visit your chamber of commerce to gain access to their business mailing lists. You’ll have names and contact information for some of the leading professionals in your area.
Industry-related seminars: Even though you might think you wouldn’t be able to learn anything new from a seminar, attend anyway so that you can meet your target audience and offer them supplemental advice and services.
Guru: Guru is an online "marketplace" for freelancers. You might be able to find new customers willing to trade services or share mailing lists.
Elance: Elance is another freelancer-oriented site that connects business professionals and jump starts new partnerships.
Networking Tips
Once you’ve met your target audience, you’ve got a small window of opportunity to make an impression. Check out these networking tips that will make you and your business more attractive.
Business cards: Never leave home without your business cards. Visit this site to design some for free.
Pass out coupons: Attach a coupon to your business card to encourage future contact.
Stand out: This post from Freelance Switch gives freelancers plenty of quality ideas for standing out in a competitive field.
Host your own networking event: Under the guise of bringing together your friends and business associates, plan a happy hour to meet new customers for yourself.
Pass out free stuff: This tip works especially well if you’re hosting the event. Pass out promotional items that boast your logo as prizes or to put in goody bags.
Sponsor a contest: Sponsor a contest in your community that awards the winner a temporary gig designing one of your products or an invite at an industry-related convention. Write up a press release for the paper and advertise at schools, churches, community centers and more.
Engage others: Whether it’s by introducing yourself to the "loners" or starting up a group conversation, bring different groups together. You’ll be remembered as someone who’s inclusive and knows a lot of people (even if you really don’t.)
Make notes: Make plenty of notes to help you remember the people you meet. You can jot down a few key words on the back of someone’s business card which will give you something personal to say when you follow up.
Know your competition: If you don’t know your competition ahead of time, you may wind up handing out coupons or pitching a project to the wrong person.
Follow up: In the world of networking, the follow up is key. Send an e-mail, a coupon or a handwritten note.
Website Tricks
Make sure your website is user-friendly and attractive otherwise your future clients will leave you for someone sleeker and more organized.
Update your blog: Your business blog keeps customers in the know about upcoming projects and the daily grind at your office. Use this guide to ensure maximum blog usability.
Create a simple navigation system: Designing a clear, simple navigation system will help customers find out information about your company easily and quickly.
Write an "about" page: Don’t forget to publish a short bio about yourself and the history of the company. Your new customers will want to do a background check before they enlist your services, and it’s best if they hear the truth from you.
Link with CSS: The website NetMechanic.com encourages Web designers to set up their links with CSS. Follow the tutorial to find out how.
Make searching for information easy: Include a search box that allows visitors to search for information and archives on your site easily.
Give customers access to their own account information: Let your customers have secure, online access to their account information, including billing statements, deadlines, services requested and more.
Set up 24/7 support: A live chat software program will give customers online support anytime they need it.
Link your homepage to your logo: This tip isn’t just about website usability: any action you can take to promote your logo is a smart move.
Advertise security: If you want customers to buy products from your website, you need to convince them that your site is secure.
Encourage feedback: Set up a feedback form on your site to let your customers know you care what they think and are dedicated to making improvements.
Spoiling Them
There’s no better way to keep your clients loyal than to spoil them. From sending out a birthday surprise to sharing your contacts, check out this list of fresh ideas.
Celebrate their anniversary: When a customer has reached the one year mark of doing business with you, give them a break on their monthly invoice or attach a free service or coupons to their regular services.
Host free clinics and workshops: Educate your clients by offering them clinics and workshops that teach them how to perform simple tasks that you normally do for free anyway. Just don’t give away your major secrets!
Remember their birthday: Send a perky e-mail or have flowers delivered to a customer’s office on their birthday. Chances are, everyone else will be doing the same thing, and if you don’t, you’ll stand out: in a bad way.
Send a thank you gift when a customer renews a contract: Don’t act like a renewed contract is expected. Even if it’s coming from one of your most loyal customers, make it a big deal and take them out to a special lunch.
Allow them to pre-order new services: If you’re about to launch a new product that will undoubtedly sell out, give your loyal customers first dibs. Let them pre-order the item or hold on to a few to send as gifts.
Share your mailing list: You may not want to give out your top secret contacts, but sharing a few key e-mail addresses and phone numbers from your Rolodex will make them feel special. They may even return the favor.
Nominate them for awards: Nominate your top clients for community awards to show off their business talents and community spirit. They won’t be able to thank you enough for the personal gratification and free PR.
Provide plenty of perks: The next time someone sends you free tickets to the symphony or a heavily discounted reservation at a bed and breakfast, consider passing them on to your best customers.
Give them space: Your customers might feel too pressured or overwhelmed if you’re constantly throwing specials and reminders in their face.
Get personal: Blogger Eric J. Adams suggests cultivating a personal relationship with your customers in order to inspire loyalty. Keep it simple, though: Adams cautions, "don’t expect too much from your newfound intimacy; two minutes of chitchat will only go so far."
Gift giving Dos and Don’ts: Before you shower your customer with gifts during holiday time, read this post to anticipate appropriate gift ideas.
Make house calls: No, we don’t mean showing up to your customer’s house in the middle of the night with a contract that needs to be signed, but making occasional trips to their office to deliver confidential agreements will earn you brownie points.
Emphasize quality: Always pledge to do whatever it takes to deliver quality products and services to your client. They’ll move on to the competition if you start offering defective merchandise, hiring lazy employees or missing deadlines.
Being Attentive
Customers like to assume that they’re your number one priority. Even if you’re juggling a large client roster, make sure to check in on each customer every once in a while to give them the personal attention they expect.
Encourage partnerships: Put your clients in touch with each other and encourage them to make partnerships of their own. They’ll see you as a leader in your field and a "go to" person for meeting new people and starting up projects.
Hand out your cell phone number: This isn’t always a smart idea, so make sure you give out your cell phone number to very close customers only. They’ll feel honored to have gotten such a sacred number.
Send handwritten notes: Quick e-mails are okay, but if you really want to spoil your clients, send them a handwritten note as a follow up or to thank them for their business.
Send out holiday greetings: Whether it’s a well-designed e-mail at Thanksgiving or a funny card for St. Patrick’s Day, show your clients that you care all year round.
Follow up after a service call: After a customer receives a service from your company, make a phone call, send an e-mail or mail them a feedback form to find out if they’re satisfied with the results.
Give them plenty of notice: If you’re going to be out of town or unavailable, let your clients know way ahead of time. Give them alternative contact numbers in case they have an emergency when you’re gone, and make sure they’re well taken care of before you take a vacation.
Hire interns: If you can’t afford to hire a full-time employee to write thank you notes and monitor customer satisfaction, hire an intern to do the grunt work instead of failing to do it altogether.
Design effective e-mail campaigns: Periodically send out well-designed e-mail campaigns to touch base with your customers, update them on specials and introduce them to new hires.
Show them how current events affect their services: If the economy is bad, let your customers know how gas prices will affect your business or if you expect to cut back on certain goods and services. Giving your customers insight into how your business works will make them feel included.
Communicate during a project: Give your customers updates regarding their project, especially if you think you might need more time on a deadline. They’ll be more understanding if you talk to them ahead of time than if you wait until you’re already behind schedule.
Train employees to be customer service professionals: Even if you don’t have a separate customer service department, take the time to train your employees to work with your customers in a variety of crisis management situations and phone skills.
Don’t go into hiding when a problem erupts: If you’re approached with a client problem, don’t stop answering the phones. Tackle the issue head on and take responsibility when necessary.
Continue to make improvements: Asking for feedback isn’t any good if you don’t actually make improvements and listen to your customer’s complaints. Showing them results means showing them you care.
Prioritize: Use a smart Web-based system like Neptune to help you prioritize and keep track of how much time you spend on each customer.
Exclusive Specials
Give your customers exclusive access to specials and deals they wouldn’t receive with any other business.
Throw an annual party for your regulars: Everyone loves a party. Gather all your regular customers together and treat them to a special dinner. Better yet, invite them over to your home for a more intimate party.
Go above and beyond: If you’re in the print making business and find out that your loyal customer’s daughter needs a sign for her softball championship, see if you can offer a discounted price for the job, or even design one for free.
Give your customers VIP online access: When customers shop online, give them a special promo code or discount.
Sign on specials: Award new customers with "sign on specials" after they make their first purchase. Give them a free gift or a discounted price for the first few months.
Reward your best customers: Try out these ideas from Starbucks customer Ron Lieber, who suggests throwing members-only parties and offering free coffee.
Customized gifts: Don’t limit yourself to creating promotional products for your business only. With a program like Qoop, you can create stickers, posters, keychains, calendars and more for your customers, featuring their business logo or photos from company events and fundraisers.
Free upgrades: Whether or not it’s a special occasion, periodically reward special clients with free upgrades, like same day shipping or including bonus products.
Offer reduced cost shipping: Give your frequent customers a break when it comes to shipping prices. E-mail them a members only code to enter into the online shopping register at checkout.
Free samples: Free samples not only make your customers feel spoiled, they also promote a new product.
Hassle-Free Services
Making things easy for your customers will keep them coming back for more. From interactive calendars to quick and easy accounting software, these tools will make your business transactions run more smoothly.
MOO: MOO lets you design promotional items and print images that will come in handy when you want to advertise a new product or send a greeting card.
Harvest: This time tracking tool will help ensure that you don’t overcharge clients.
Escrow: If you sell products from your website, use this program to protect yourself and your clients from fraud.
Box: Keep all of your customers’ files safe by working with this Web-based file sharing system. You won’t have to worry about misplacing important documents or losing contracts anymore.
BillMyClients.com: This user-friendly bill pay system sends invoices through e-mail or the USPS quickly and securely.
FreshBooks: This popular online invoicing and time tracking system will help you manage your finances more accurately.
Spongecell Calendar: Create and share a Web-based calendar so that you customers have easy access to your schedule.
LogMeIn: Business owners can stay connected to their work and their customers by managing files, conducting online meetings and more with LogMeIn.
PunchyTime: This time tracker offers an easy, fun way to keep track of your employee’s time as they network with clients, work on projects and even do business after hours.
Breeze: Another way to keep in touch is to update your clients with e-mail campaigns designed with Breeze.
Dimewise: This economical, remote access financial solution will allow you to organize invoices and reports securely and accurately.
Backpack: Backpack helps you "organize your business and share information with your team," including anxious customers who want up-to-date info. on their latest projects.
Vstore: This free software gives business owners the tools they need to set up shop online. You can customize different designs to reflect your website’s theme and online store.
Veetro Management Reports: This smart software program helps business owners create reports with "real-time statistical reporting on all aspects of…business performance." Your customers will love being able to access organized, accurate information about their accounts and your company.
Google Alerts: Set up Google Alerts so that you’ll be notified whenever one of your customers is featured in a story online. You can send them the link or congratulate them on the new press.
Effective, Convenient Communication
Keep your customers engaged by promoting effective, convenient communication. This list features Web conferencing tools, project management software and more.
TokBox: Use this live video chat application to talk to your customers in real-time without having to drive to meetings.
HyperOffice: Share files and receive customer input on special projects when you work with HyperOffice.
activeCollab: This program helps you "eliminate stress" and "manage success." You’ll be able to involve your customers in whatever project you’re working on through customizable design options, website integration and more.
ShareItNow 4.9.02: Use ShareItNow to share items on your desktop with clients for easy project management and collaboration.
Zoho Web Conferencing: Instead of zooming all over town for different meetings, encourage your customers to use this simple Web conferencing solution.
Campfire: Campfire is an application that features Web-based group chats, fire sharing and image sharing, so that you can work with customers online anytime.
EyeOS: This open source tool goes beyond project management. Open up your operating system to customers and vendors, so that you can conduct meetings, design presentations and access all your files from any computer with an Internet connection.
Skype: This popular online voice messaging service is great for quick communiques with customers.
Meebo: Meebo combines your buddy lists from instant messaging services like AIM, Yahoo, Google Talk and others. You can log onto your account anywhere, not just your home computer.
Basecamp: This popular application organizes all kinds of information and communication histories within your company and client list. It’s password protected, ensuring a secure system.
Wikis: Set up a community portal for information sharing and open communication by creating wikis on your company website.
Userplane: This collection of online communication applications includes a Webchat services, Mediaplayer and more, allowing you to chat via text, voice or video.
Google Talk: This very simple instant communications solution is a popular Google app that has file transfer capabilities, Gmail notifications and more.
Communication tips for the technology age: Review this post titled "Is it Time to Consider New Ways to Communicate?" to come up with cutting edge communication techniques for savvy customers.
Don’t disappear on the weekends: If you’re the owner of a business, customers expect you to put in more time than your regular employees. Freelance Switch encourages you to "communicate promptly, even on the weekend."
Brush up on e-mail etiquette: E-mail is becoming the official way to communicate in professional circles, and even if you think you have perfect grammar and plenty of tech savvy, your e-mail etiquette could need a makeover. Check here for tips.
Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 3:39pm by Site Administrator
When you’re going it alone, it’s vitally important that you get support. The best way to do that in business is to join a professional network. Whether you’re a writer or an accountant, you’re sure to find help in these groups.
Business
If your freelance work relies on business, get connected in these networks.
AccountantsWorld: Freelance accountants can get great deals, news, and lots more from this organization.
Institute of Chartered Accountants: Accountants in England and Wales can enjoy this association’s professional development, referrals, and more.
AIPMM: International product marketers should join this network for education, connections, and more.
Technology
The technologically-inclined will fit in great with these networks.
AIGA: Join this professional association to get access to ideas, information, education, and so much more.
Mediabistro: Find jobs, education, news, and lots more on mediabistro.
Association for Computing Machinery: This association offers publications, career resources, and more for freelancers in the advanced computing profession.
IEEE: This leading technology association offers conferences, publications, education, career assistance and more to freelance technology professionals.
Professional Photographers of America: One of the largest professional photography associations, this group will help you find resources, education, and more.
General
These networks are open to just about any freelancer who will join them.
Freelancers.net: Find jobs and more on this UK-centric freelancing network.
LinkedIn: This professional networking site is great for freelancers in any field.
Freelancers Union: Get connected, take action, and even get insurance from this union.
Orkut: Connect with business contacts and more on this networking site.
Friday, January 11, 2008 at 6:21pm by Site Administrator
Even though Christmas season is over, everyone knows the gift giving never stops. From birthdays to Valentine’s day, it’s hard to come up with original ideas for those who already have everything. If you’re looking to impress your loved ones this year, take a look at this list of 25 of the most expensive gifts known to man, from the truly outrageous to the impossibly indulgent.
Bombardier Global Express XRS Executive Jet: $48 million: If you’re constantly booking last-minute plane trips to exotic locations, this may be the gift for you. Back in February, TeamSugar posted Jim Trippon’s annual list of the Most Expensive Valentine’s Day Gifts in the World. The Bombardier Executive Jet topped the list at $48 million, so that you and your honey can fly off into the sunset to celebrate in style.
First G.I. Joe: $200,000: G.I. Joes were meant to be tossed around and buried in the dirt by rough and tough little boys, but the buyer of this action figure will probably want to keep it locked up in a glass case. Setting a world record for the most expensive toy soldier, the buyer purchased the G.I. Joe in 2003 directly from the creator for $200,000.
3D Motion Simulator: $300,000: Forget Nintendo and Wii gaming systems: what your kids really want this year is a 3D Motion Simulator from FAO Schwartz. At $300,000, it’s included on the Forbes list of the Most Expensive Toys, and this ride "seats eight for CD-ROM-driven excitement, including space trips, roller coasters, slot car races… and more."
The Christian Hammer: $3.5 million: The most expensive Stradivari violin ever auctioned off, this gorgeous instrument is three hundred years old. No word on how well it still plays.
Ferrari Go-Cart: $50,000: If your kids are too young for a real Ferrari, ease them into the luxury auto market with a $50,000 Ferrari go-cart, also from FAO Schwartz. Your children will be the toughest, coolest kids on the block and will put all those Barbie-mobiles to shame.
Marks and Spencer Christmas Basket: $1,500: Christmas baskets are usually last-minute gifts thrown together for your kids’ schoolteacher or the hostess of your next holiday party and can consist of everything from gift certificates to baked goods to scented bath soaps. The British department store chain, Marks and Spencer, decided to up the reputation (and price) of traditional Christmas baskets by offering this gift of champagne, wine and gourmet goodies for a grand total of $1,500. According to The Most Expensive Journal, "the most expensive gift basket appears to have been a limited item" and is no longer offered.
Most Expensive Champagne: $17,625: What would a holiday or birthday celebration be without a little bubbly? If you’re feeling extra generous the next time you’re invited to a party, why not try to get your hands on this bottle, which was sold in 2005 at an auction for over $17,000.
Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head: $8,000 each: Luxury department store Neiman Marcus publishes its annual Christmas Book each year to tempt the world’s elite with outrageously expensive gifts and goodies. In 2004, a Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head collector’s set was offered for $8,000 per figure, which were covered in dazzling Swarovski crystals.
Bugatti Veyron: $1.7 million: In 2006, Neiman Marcus included this super charged car in its annual Christmas Book for the price of $1.7 million. According to Wikipedia, the Bugatti Veyron "is the most expensive and fastest accelerating street-legal production car in the world." In other words, it’s just perfect for the speed-obsessed millionaire on your list.
Boeing Business Jet: $35.2 million: In 2002, About.com reported that the Boeing Business Jet was "the most expensive item ever offered" up for sale in the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book. With its swank interior and unbeatable reputation, it’s no surprise that the big boys’ toy was a tantalizing item even in its unfinished form.
Neil Lane 15 Carat Diamond Earrings: $750,000: Jim Trippon isn’t just mad about Valentine’s Day: he’s also released his list for the Top Ten Most Expensive Christmas Gifts of 2007. Number two on the list is a pair of Neil Lane 15 carat diamond earrings, sold for a whopping three-quarters of a million dollars. Often considered one of Hollywood’s preferred jewelers-to-the-stars, Neil Lane has designed engagement rings for celebrities like Kate Walsh, Brooke Shields and Kate Hudson.
YSL Crocodile Uptown Bag: $26,995: Wealthy women love luxury purses, and the Yves Saint Laurent crocodile uptown bag is no exception. Customers who don’t mind buying real crocodile skin probably won’t mind the exorbitant price tag either: $26,995 at Neiman Marcus for the 10"H x 14 1/2"W x 6"D tote.
Baby Shiloh 3-Carat White Diamond Pacifier: $17,000: If you’re welcoming a new baby into the family, you’re probably loading up on diapers, bibs and cozy blankets to spoil him or her. If, however, your tastes are a little more extreme, er, expensive, the baby aisle at Target probably won’t cut it. Instead, consider treating your baby like a movie star, or at least like one of their offspring. Shop5thAvenue.com now offers the same 3-carat white diamond pacifier that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie received as a gift for baby Shiloh. Friends and family can personalize the pacifier by choosing different jewels like rubies, sapphires and emeralds and by adding the baby’s initials to the shiny bauble.
Vertu 7.2 Carat Pink and White Diamond Phone: $75,000: $75,000 for a cell phone? Well, it does work in more than 150 countries and features a 24-hour one-touch concierge service just waiting to indulge your every fantasy. According to NeimanMarcus.com, only 100 exist in the entire world, and each phone comes encrusted with 7.2 carat white and pink diamonds set in 18-carat. rose gold. Your jet-setting pre-teen just can’t wait to get her hands on one of these.
Triton 1000: $1.44 million: Perhaps the most bizarre gift featured in the 2007 Neiman Marcus Christmas Book is the Triton 1000 submarine, just in case your holiday plans include plunging into the ocean for research, top-secret military missions or, you know, sightseeing.
10 Acres in Paradise Valley: $2.3 million: Many people agree that land is the most precious possession, especially as humans continue to overpopulate even the most remote areas. If you’re looking for a peaceful getaway for your family, try bidding on "10 acres of secluded land among the mountains of Paradise Valley in Montana, up for grabs for $2.3 million" and included in the 2007 Christmas Book.
Diamond Studded Lipstick: $62,000: If you think all lipsticks are equal, you are highly mistaken. Spoil your wife or girlfriend this holiday with the lavish gift of $62,000 diamond studded lipstick, courtesy of beauty and cosmetics company Guerlain. Appropriately named KissKiss Gold and Diamonds, Luxist.com reports that "you’ll get a consultation with Guerlain’s artistic director Olivier Echaudemaison and a lipstick shade customized just for you that comes in an 18-karat gold lipstick tube encrusted with 199 conflict-free diamonds, plus rubies and emeralds."
His and Hers Double Portrait in Chocolate: $110,000: This gift is for the truly indulgent. If you long to see a portrait of you and your honey hanging in the hallway, why not have it created in chocolate? Artist Vik Muniz will create a "60" x 48" museum-quality photographic" portrait of any couple that purchases the gift, and all proceeds will be donated to his personal charity, Centro Especial Rio de Janeiro.
Diamond Barbie: Around $85,000: Many little girls find Barbie dolls wrapped up under the Christmas tree, but this extra special doll is a true collector’s item. Named the world’s most expensive Barbie, Diamond Barbie was co-designed by De Beers and "comes with a gown sporting 160 diamonds," as reported by CanUAffordIt.com.
Clive Christian No. 1: $2,350 per ounce: Perfume is a popular holiday gift, but if you want to set yourself and your sweetie apart from conventional gift-givers this season, splurge on a bottle of the world’s most expensive perfume. The blog, The Lifestyles of the Rich, reports that Clive Christian No. 1 is currently the most expensive perfume available, on sale for $2,350 per ounce. The high cost has not deterred buyers, however, as the perfume is sold out online at Nordstrom.com and SaksFifthAvenue.com
World’s Most Expensive Cat: Around $40,000: Cute and cuddly puppies and kittens may suddenly find themselves rescued from pet shops and animal shelters during the holidays, as pets are traditional Christmas presents. This Bengal cat won’t be discovered at the local pound, however, as it is generally regarded as the world’s most expensive cat. Purchased in 1999 for around $40,000, this exotic kitty probably won’t find herself topped with a bow underneath the Christmas tree.
Rothschild Faberge Egg: $18.5 million: Faberge eggs have been a tradition in aristocratic Russian families since the times of Alexander III, but none have received such a high bidding price as the Rothschild Faberge Egg when it was auctioned off at Christie’s this year. Originally "created in 1902 as an engagement gift for Baron Edouard de Rothschild," the pink Faberge egg was sold for $18.5 million to a Russian art collector.
Amour Amour Dog Collar: $1.8 million: Even if your pooch is one of the family, would you spend almost $2 million on a sparkly diamond dog collar to hang around its neck? The Love Dog Diamonds company believes that dogs deserve to lounge around in luxury just as much as their wealthy owners, and the Amour Amour 18-carat white gold dog collar will go perfectly with that fluffy pillow.
Ronde Island: $100 million: Don’t bother mixing with the common riff-raff during holiday resort season; instead, purchase your own island as a gift for your family so that you can enjoy a unique vacation in private luxury. The website Gifts.Infoniac.com advertises the Ronde Island in Grenada in the Caribbean, which, for $100 million, could be yours to enjoy.
World’s Most Expensive Diamond: $7.98 million: If you’re planning to pop the big question during the holidays, why not do it with the world’s most expensive diamond? In November 2007, the Moussaieff Jewellers of London purchased the blue diamond for nearly $8 million at a Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong. How could anyone turn down that kind of a proposal?
Wednesday, November 21, 2007 at 8:39pm by Site Administrator
Finding the right candiate for your job can be an uphill battle. With unqualified applicants, resume spam, and the housands of other jobs out there, it’s a miracle just to get a handful of winners to interview. You can usually increase your pool of potential candidates by posting your job on an online site like Monster or CareerBuilder, both of which are visited by thousands of employment seekers each day. But when posting on sites like these, you’re likely to run into high fees as well as unspecialized candidates. Instead of wasting time and money on those sites, check out these 50 sites that offer free, and often specialized, job postings for employers.
General
These sites have postings for nearly any job you can imagine.
JobAdsUSA: Get unlimited free job postings from JobAdsUSA with great features like resume alerts to let you know when you might have found the perfect match among hundreds of thousands of resumes.
JobFoxter: This free job database is one of the largest out there, so get your job listed and start finding applicants from anywhere in the world.
Free Agents Jobs: Get unlimited free posting on Free Agents Jobs as well as the ability to add your company logo and even keep tabs on interest in your postings.
Hire Fire: Don’t let the name fool you, this isn’t a site at all about firing. Employers can post jobs and get alerts when resumes matching certain criteria are posted.
Good Recruit: Make finding new employees easy with this site. You’ll get access to all resume and contact information for all potential candidates as well as the usual job posting abilities.
Job.Ad.Venture: Post your job listing on Job.Ad.Venture for free and get access to resumes from specialty sites focusing on programming, database professionals, healthcare, marketing, sales and more.
Job Spider: Post jobs for hundreds of types of positions on Job Spider. You can also browse a wide selection of resumes to see if there’s someone out there looking for a job like the one you’re offering.
Learn4Good: Search for employees worldwide with this job posting site and post up to 20 jobs a month absolutely free.
LuckyDogJobs: LuckyDogJobs is a free job posting site for everything from accounting to engineering, helping you find the people you need to keep your business up and running.
CareerOneStop: Gain access to resumes from job banks all over the country and post your own jobs on this Department of Labor website.
Jobvertise: Make the most of the largest free job and resume site by putting your job on Jobvertise. Employers can post jobs for free and gain access to almost half a million resumes of job seekers.
StaffingLinks: This free service can help you find the staff you need. Add your company’s website to the database and get started searching for your next employee.
PersonnelDesk: Set up an account on this site for free job posting and resume searching as well as links to numerous other job posting sites.
Job Island: Your business can use this site to post jobs, search resumes, and even set up a job RSS feed.
Jobs, Work, Careers.com: Your business can take advantage of not only job postings but an applicant tracking system, recruiting desktop and a corporate career site all free of charge.
CentralHR: Get access to job seekers wanting everything from creative positions to medical work on CentralHR. Create a profile and start posting jobs immediately, no strings attached.
Jobs 4 Jobs.com: Get your jobs posted on this and other major sites with no startup fees. You’ll also gain access to thousands of resumes.
JobsCity: JobsCity is a great network for posting jobs and finding employees. Simply submit your email and you’ll be able to set up a free account for posting jobs and browsing through resumes from all over the world.
TeleportJobs: Save your business money on posting jobs with free listings from TeleportJobs. You’ll have access to resumes from employees in every type of work from consulting to Web design.
Employment Inc: Use this site’s free job posting service to have thousands of potential employees reading your posting without spending a dime.
JobKabob: This sleek site makes it easy to post jobs and look through resumes all without taking out your credit card or leaving the office.
GadBall: Gain access to thousands of resumes and over 30,000 visitors every month with the free job posting and resume search services from GadBall.
Juju: If you want to post multiple jobs at once, then JuJu is probably your best bet. This job search engine specializes in bulk postings, making it faster than ever to get them up on the Internet for searching.
WorkGiant: While not entirely free, WorkGiant doesn’t require that employers pay any fee unless a qualified candidate is found, so there’s no risk if it doesn’t pan out out, and you’ll get access to a great service.
HelpWanted.com: Get your own URL for job postings on HelpWanted.com to direct potential employees right to your company.
CareerPark: CareerPark offers employers free job postings and resume searches among some of the big names in business like BlueCross, Random House, and Sylvania.
JobsGala: Sign up with JobsGala to get free 30-day job postings and resumes sent right to your account.
Tech Job Sites
If you’re in need of some tech-savvy help, give these sites a look.
Telecommuting Techies: Get a remotely located developer, programmer or consultant with this free posting forum so you can get the know-how you need without the extra overhead.
devBistro: Find developers galore on this job posting site. The site boasts over 280,000 visitors each month, giving you a great chance of finding the talent you need to get the job done.
HWG-Jobs: If you’re looking for someone to maintain, design, develop or program a website for you, then HWG-Jobs can be a great place to start looking. Simply send an email to the site moderators and it will be posted to the site free of charge.
AgaveBlue: Get all the IT help you need with free postings on this site. You’ll get access to resumes from freelancers and those looking for full time work.
Freelance and Work at Home
Expand your workforce without expanding your office by using these sites specializing in freelance and work at home jobs.
Telecommute Jobs.com: Need some extra help but don’t have room around the office for another employee? Find a telecommuter to add to your staff with free job postings on Telecommute Jobs.com.
GoFreelance: Need a freelancer for a specific project? Check out this freelance job posting site and list your job to get quotes from qualified applicants.
Freelance JobsPost: Finding a freelancer has never been easier with this site. Simply post what kind of work you need done and the details of your project, and you’ll get responses and competitive bids from freelancers.
Work at Home Jobs: Outsource your office work to an at-home employee with this site. It offers free postings for jobs as well as articles and links to help you learn more about telecommuting.
JobVita: Join this site to get up to 10 free job postings per month as well as access to unlimited resume searches. It’s designed especially for small businesses and work at home opportunities, so if that’s what you’re looking for, it can be a great free resource to take advantage of.
SimpleLance: Add your job to the postings on this freelancing forum and find the professionals you need for web development, programming, marketing and graphic design.
Classifieds
Take the traditional route into the 21st century with these online classified sites.
Today’s Classifieds: Employers can get free job postings on Today’s Classifieds, which specializes in telecommuting and programming jobs, but will accept other types of job postings as well.
Craigslist: Millions of users nation and world wide check this site daily, so get your job out there by posting it on Craigslist. Best of all, in most areas it won’t cost you a thing.
Freeified: This easy-to-use classifieds site makes it simple to post job openings for your company no matter what state you live in.
WebCosmo: Take advantage of the free classified ads offered by this site to post the open positions at your business.
PostMeUp: Post a free job ad in almost any American city using this new classifieds service.
USAGetJobs.com: Post jobs in a wide variety of fields with this simple classifieds site.
Specialty Sites
These sites cater to specific fields or job pools to help you find the employees you’re looking for.
BestJobsUSA: Those looking for some new HR recruits will find free postings for human resources jobs on this site. It also contains information for finding recruiting associations, trade shows, HR sites and numerous other resources.
The Job Box: If you’re searching for some help with entry-level positions for fresh college grads then Job Box can be a great place to put a free job listing. You’ll be among big name employers like FedEx, Home Depot and Farmers Insurance.
USAJobs Inc: This non-profit organization helps match employers with the right employees. Submit your job to gain access to their database of professionals, graduate students, and ex-military looking for employment.
GetJobs.com: Do you want to find student employees for internships or hourly work? Then GetJobs.com can help you, with free posting and resume searches through college and graduate applicants.
HirePatriots: Want to support your veterans? Try posting a job on this site to attract applicants with military expertise.
CEOTrak: Looking for some upper management or even an executive to add to your team? Try posting your opening on this site to dig up the best execs out there.
A Career in Sales.com: Find a new top salesperson with this site dedicated exclusively to matching up those in sales with available jobs. They have features that allow you to include graphics and even screen potential employees.
Monday, November 19, 2007 at 8:00pm by Site Administrator
Social Networking for Entrepreneurs
If you have a website where you publish regular fresh content (articles, videos, etc.), such as a blog for your business, social networking is a must. However, with hundreds of social networking/ social media sites out there, you have to pick the right ones for your niche. To that end, check out BootstrapMe’s social networking toolbox and Tropical SEO’s list of niche social sites that send traffic.
Never Too Old For Business Success?
Freya Bletsoe (Sykes?) at Small Business Branding asks what’s the right age to start a business. She offers some of the benefits and advantages of both young and old age groups.
But if you’re one of those over-30 entrepreneurs that always feels that time is ticking away for your business success, seeing “Top 20 Under 30 Entrepreneur” type lists probably don’t help. Don’t fret. Successful entrepreneurs are typically older – in their 50s and 60s. But even that might put some of you in a fret, worrying that you don’t have time to “make it”, depending on how old you are.
Well then check out this gallery of 8 entrepreneurs over 80, involved in several different markets. If this doesn’t ease your stress over an imaginary ticking “success” clock, probably nothing will.
Downloadable Shopping Maps
With Google’s current bids for wireless spectrum and indications that mobile marketing will be heating up in the next few years, consumers will have a lot of useful mobile applications to look forwards to. But until they’re commonplace, you have things like downloadable shopping maps [via Business Opportunities]. Currently they’re only for Sydney, Australia, but what do you want a bet more cities will follow suit?
Monday, November 19, 2007 at 4:43pm by Site Administrator
It isn’t any surprise that coworkers often find themselves attracted to one another. After all, you’re working in close proximity, seeing each other regularly, and usually dressed more attractively than you would be in a more casual situation. Yet work romances can create a troubling dilemma. Many businesses have strict rules about what is acceptable when pursuing a romance with a coworker, and for a good reason. Often, there is a fine line between what is harmless flirting and sexual harassment, and underestimating it can cost you your career. So if you want to ask out that cute girl from marketing, follow these tips to avoid landing yourself in hot water.
Ask her to lunch. Lunch is a relatively harmless request, as business associates often get together for lunch to discuss work related issues. If you’re nervous or want to be extra careful, invite along a few other coworkers.
Send her emails. Sometimes emails can be a low-pressure way to ask out the object of your affection at work, and she won’t feel like she has to give you an immediate response. Just be careful what you write–emails are often monitored, and any inappropriate emails will likely be saved for your dismissal interview.
Include other coworkers. If you’re afraid to risk it all and ask her out one-on-one, try inviting her out with a group of coworkers. You’ll still get to spend some time with her away from work, but there will be other people around to ease any potential awkwardness.
Only ask once. If you’ve asked her out and she said no, don’t press the issue. Repeated attempts at getting her to go out with you will make her uncomfortable and definitely cross the line to harassment.
Give non-threatening compliments. One way to show your interest in a female coworker is to pay her compliments. You just have to be careful about what you say, as there are many things that could be taken in the wrong way and could sound inappropriate. One way to do this is by giving a compliment accompanied by a question such as "That’s a nice University of Whatever scarf. Did you go to school there?" That way, she won’t feel pressured to respond to your compliment, and you’ll get to know a little more about her.
Walk with her to meetings or out of the building. Make the most of your travel time through the building to spend time with the woman you’re interested in asking out. It’s an easy way to approach her and it’s unlikely to make her feel uncomfortable because your walk has a terminal point.
Arrange outside of work outings. You won’t seem like a creep if you ask her to come along on company outings outside of work, and in fact, if she’s new you might even score some points with her for making her feel included in the group.
Keep your distance. While you might get away with getting touchy feely when approaching a woman at a bar, at work you should keep your distance. Don’t invade her personal space. Instead, express your interest through your face and body language.
Tell her jokes. Jokes can be a great way to get her to let down her guard and think of you as a person, not just her coworker. Just be careful to keep the jokes clean to avoid upsetting her or any other coworkers within earshot.
Bring her coffee. Provided she likes coffee, this will be seen as a sweet, non-aggressive gesture. If you’re lucky, you could turn a one time gesture into a daily coffee date.
Only approach those who are not your subordinates. It doesn’t matter how attractive your subordinates might be, they should be off limits if you want to avoid future trouble. Even if you spark a long-term relationship, if it goes sour you could become subject to complaints that you used your status as leverage.
Make excuses to stop by her desk. Walking by her desk every once in awhile or bringing some papers over to her can be a good way to break the ice and give you an opportunity to ask her out.
Keep it casual. If you do ask her to go out, make sure it’s something that isn’t too intimidating. Try asking her to get coffee or dinner before asking her out to come over to watch a movie.
Be her friend first. Before you take the leap to asking out a coworker, get to know her first. You may find out that while you thought she was cute, you two don’t really have much to talk about. Of course, if you do, you’ll have a much easier time asking out someone you’re already friendly with.
Send her a meeting invitation. Why not get cute about it and send her a meeting invitation through her email? You can keep things casual with a simple catch-up lunch meeting if you want to see how interested she is.
Ask for her help on a project. You can often approach a coworker you don’t know particularly well by asking for her help on a project. You’ll get her help and a chance to talk with her that you might not have otherwise had.
Take breaks together. Invite her along on your afternoon snack run or trip to the water cooler. If she says yes, who knows, she might say yes to dinner and movie.
Use work as a conversation starter. An easy way to break the ice with a coworker is to joke around or talk about work. You can share a laugh about how sweaty your boss was at the meeting or how awful the coffee is in the break room. You’ll be bonding, but in a way that’s appropriate for the office.
Leave her outs. If you want to ask out someone from work but you aren’t sure of her interest in you, make sure you leave her an out when you invite her on a date so that she doesn’t feel trapped or made uncomfortable by your request.
Get her opinion. If you work closely with the coworker you’re interested in, try asking her opinion on something you’re working on. It’ll let her know you value what she thinks and later on, you can ask her opinion on more personal matters as well.
Gauge her interest. Whether you ask around the office to see if she might be interested or just read her signals, don’t pursue a woman that doesn’t seem to be into you. While this is a good rule to follow in general, it’s especially true for the office.
Save her a seat. One way you can show interest in a woman at work without being too pushy about it is to save her a seat at your next meeting or conference. It’s a nice gesture and you’ll get to sit by her the whole time.
Ask her questions. You’re unlikely to face any lawsuits for trying to get to know a coworker better, unless of course you start quizzing her about her personal life or dress sizes, so take the opportunity to ask her questions and get to know what makes her tick. It will make it easier to ask her out later.
Maintain eye contact. This is a good approach to dealing with women at work, as it shows that you are interested in what they are saying. It also makes it clear that your eyes aren’t wandering to places that are inappropriate.
Just ask. Sometimes the best way to approach a woman at work is to just do it. That way, you’ll know right off the bat if she’s interested or not, and you won’t be tempted to say or do things that she might find harassing if she’s not interested.
Remember that none of these tips are foolproof–every person has their own comfort threshold and some might take offense at things of which others would think nothing. Stay smart, and who knows? Your office romance might blossom into something more.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at 11:35pm by Site Administrator
If you’re a busy entrepreneur, chances are you barely have time to brush your teeth, let alone brush up on all of the blogs, business news, and books out there. If you’re too busy to read, podcasts are a great alternative. Try listening to these podcasts for entrepreneurs while you’re on the go.
Startups
Hear about strategies for up and comers in these podcasts.
FlyingStartups: Get monthly updates of interviews with well known startup entrepreneurs on FlyingStartups.
Startup Nation Radio: The Sloan Brothers take you on their adventure of starting a dream business.
Loic Le Meur: This serial startup entrepreneur creates podcasts with interviews, news and more.
Andrew Allgaier: Andrew Allgaier’s on the brink of launching his business.
Cubicle Divas: Leesa Barnes shares secrets on how women can start a new business on a shoestring.
StartupBizCast: Steve Mullen’s Startup BizCast has loads of business advice and tips for startups.
Finance
Keep your mind on your money by checking out these podcasts that center on finance and investment.
