Business Credit Cards

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. LinkedIn: This popular social networking site connects professionals and alumni to forge profitable relationships.
5. Ryze: Ryze "helps you expand your business network."
6. Xing: Xing is a sleek social networking site that offers professional contact management, a business accelerator and other cool apps.
7. Facebook: Get on Facebook to market yourself to a particular demographic, keep track of customers and set up groups.
8. MeetUp: Members of this site organize get togethers based on interest and location.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. Guru: Guru is an online "marketplace" for freelancers. You might be able to find new customers willing to trade services or share mailing lists.
12. 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.

13. Business cards: Never leave home without your business cards. Visit this site to design some for free.
14. Pass out coupons: Attach a coupon to your business card to encourage future contact.
15. Stand out: This post from Freelance Switch gives freelancers plenty of quality ideas for standing out in a competitive field.
16. 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.
17. 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.
18. 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.
19. 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.)
20. 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.
21. 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.
22. 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.

23. 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.
24. Create a simple navigation system: Designing a clear, simple navigation system will help customers find out information about your company easily and quickly.
25. 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.
26. Link with CSS: The website NetMechanic.com encourages Web designers to set up their links with CSS. Follow the tutorial to find out how.
27. Make searching for information easy: Include a search box that allows visitors to search for information and archives on your site easily.
28. 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.
29. Set up 24/7 support: A live chat software program will give customers online support anytime they need it.
30. 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.
31. Advertise security: If you want customers to buy products from your website, you need to convince them that your site is secure.
32. 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.

33. 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.
34. 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!
35. 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.
36. 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.
37. 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.
38. 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.
39. 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.
40. 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.
41. Give them space: Your customers might feel too pressured or overwhelmed if you’re constantly throwing specials and reminders in their face.
42. 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."
43. Gift giving Dos and Don’ts: Before you shower your customer with gifts during holiday time, read this post to anticipate appropriate gift ideas.
44. 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.
45. 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.

46. 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.
47. 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.
48. 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.
49. 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.
50. 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.
51. 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.
52. 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.
53. 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.
54. 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.
55. 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.
56. 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.
57. 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.
58. 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.
59. 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.

60. 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.
61. 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.
62. Give your customers VIP online access: When customers shop online, give them a special promo code or discount.
63. 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.
64. Reward your best customers: Try out these ideas from Starbucks customer Ron Lieber, who suggests throwing members-only parties and offering free coffee.
65. 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.
66. 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.
67. 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.
68. 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.

69. 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.
70. Harvest: This time tracking tool will help ensure that you don’t overcharge clients.
71. Escrow: If you sell products from your website, use this program to protect yourself and your clients from fraud.
72. 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.
73. BillMyClients.com: This user-friendly bill pay system sends invoices through e-mail or the USPS quickly and securely.
74. FreshBooks: This popular online invoicing and time tracking system will help you manage your finances more accurately.
75. Spongecell Calendar: Create and share a Web-based calendar so that you customers have easy access to your schedule.
76. LogMeIn: Business owners can stay connected to their work and their customers by managing files, conducting online meetings and more with LogMeIn.
77. 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.
78. Breeze: Another way to keep in touch is to update your clients with e-mail campaigns designed with Breeze.
79. Dimewise: This economical, remote access financial solution will allow you to organize invoices and reports securely and accurately.
80. Veetro Help Desk Software: Set up your own help desk to assist customers with technical problems.
81. 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.
82. 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.
83. 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.
84. 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.

85. TokBox: Use this live video chat application to talk to your customers in real-time without having to drive to meetings.
86. HyperOffice: Share files and receive customer input on special projects when you work with HyperOffice.
87. 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.
88. ShareItNow 4.9.02: Use ShareItNow to share items on your desktop with clients for easy project management and collaboration.
89. Zoho Web Conferencing: Instead of zooming all over town for different meetings, encourage your customers to use this simple Web conferencing solution.
90. 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.
91. 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.
92. Skype: This popular online voice messaging service is great for quick communiques with customers.
93. 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.
94. 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.
95. Wikis: Set up a community portal for information sharing and open communication by creating wikis on your company website.
96. Userplane: This collection of online communication applications includes a Webchat services, Mediaplayer and more, allowing you to chat via text, voice or video.
97. Google Talk: This very simple instant communications solution is a popular Google app that has file transfer capabilities, Gmail notifications and more.
98. 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.
99. 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."
100. 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.

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.

1. AccountantsWorld: Freelance accountants can get great deals, news, and lots more from this organization.
2. Association of Executive Search Consultants: If you’re an executive search freelancer, check out this association.
3. Direct Marketing Association: Stay relevant and successful with this association.
4. Association for Financial Professionals: If you’re a freelancer in treasury and cash management or corporate finance, this is the place for you.
5. United Professional Sales Association: With this network, you’ll get education, a great community, and more.
6. Institute of Chartered Accountants: Accountants in England and Wales can enjoy this association’s professional development, referrals, and more.
7. AIPMM: International product marketers should join this network for education, connections, and more.

Technology

The technologically-inclined will fit in great with these networks.

8. AIGA: Join this professional association to get access to ideas, information, education, and so much more.
9. Mediabistro: Find jobs, education, news, and lots more on mediabistro.
10. Association for Computing Machinery: This association offers publications, career resources, and more for freelancers in the advanced computing profession.
11. The Usability Professionals’ Association: Check out this network’s job bank, exhibits, and more.
12. Six Apart: Learn how to get more out of your Six Apart blogging platforms and more in this network.
13. leniche Digital Media: Find tutorials, jobs, and more with this freelance community.
14. Acoustical Society of America: This acoustics society represents professionals in engineering, robotics, music, psychology, and more.
15. National Association of Science Writers: Get help with contracts, query letters, and more with this association.
16. IEEE: This leading technology association offers conferences, publications, education, career assistance and more to freelance technology professionals.
17. Association of Information Technology Professionals: If you’re an IT professional, be sure to check out this group.
18. TalkFreelance: In this web development community, you can take advantage of their marketplace, get help, and more.
19. Graphic Artists Guild: Check out this guild to learn, get jobs, and more.
20. British Computer Society: British IT Professionals can join this organization for qualifications, development, and more.
21. Digital Media Association: Stay on top of issues, events, and much more with this community.

Arts

Whether you’re an artist of language or canvas, these groups are great for networking.

22. International Freelance Photographers Organization: Register with IFPO for credentials, education, and assignments.
23. The Association of Illustrators: Freelance illustrators should check out this organization for resources, news, and more.
24. Jewelry Design Professionals’ Network: Share ideas, interaction, and more with this network for professional jewelry designers.
25. Wedding and Portrait Photographers International: Here you’ll get access to programs, services and more aimed at wedding and portrait photographers.
26. Writers-Editors Network: Get resources, inspiration, work, and more from this network.
27. TEFL: Use this network of English language teaching professionals to find a job, guidance, and more.
28. The Illustrators’ Partnership of America: Join this partnership to get great resources and more.
29. Photo Marketing Association International: Look to PMAI for conventions, news, and much more.
30. Society of Professional Journalists: Get in this network’s directory, use their tools, and connect with others.
31. Freelance Business and Technology Writers Association: Stay on top of news, resources, and more with this association.
32. Freelance Artists Network: In this network, you’ll join the ranks of talented freelance artists in the fields of portraiture, fine arts, and more.
33. Editorial Freelancers Association: This network is full of resources, jobs, and more.
34. 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.

35. Freelancers.net: Find jobs and more on this UK-centric freelancing network.
36. LinkedIn: This professional networking site is great for freelancers in any field.
37. Freelancers Union: Get connected, take action, and even get insurance from this union.
38. Orkut: Connect with business contacts and more on this networking site.
39. Minority Professional Network: This network offers a connection for job seeking, promotion, and more.
40. Freelance Nation: Here you’ll find jobs, business management resources, and much more.
41. Freelance Community of Interest: Check out this freelancing community for court reporters.
42. IMDiversity: This professional network for minorities will help you get connected with opportunities.
43. Ecademy: On Ecademy, you’ll meet new contacts, get business support, and more.
44. FreelanceSwitch: Get advice, community support, and more from this network and blog.
45. Freelance Mom Network: Join this community of mothers and entrepreneurs for guidance and more.
46. Business Know-How: Network, find suppliers, and more in this small business network.
47. iHispano: Get tools for finding opportunities and more with this network.
48. Xing: Join this network to put the six degrees of separation theory into practice.
49. Ryze: Reconnect with friends and business acquaintances with this network.
50. Your local chamber of commerce: When you’re trying to establish yourself in your local area, perhaps the best network is the one in your own backyard.

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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."
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. 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.
16. 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.
17. 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."
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. 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
21. 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.
22. 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.
23. 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.
24. 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.
25. 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?

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Learn4Good: Search for employees worldwide with this job posting site and post up to 20 jobs a month absolutely free.
9. 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.
10. CareerOneStop: Gain access to resumes from job banks all over the country and post your own jobs on this Department of Labor website.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. Job Island: Your business can use this site to post jobs, search resumes, and even set up a job RSS feed.
15. 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.
16. 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.
17. 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.
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. Employment Inc: Use this site’s free job posting service to have thousands of potential employees reading your posting without spending a dime.
21. 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.
22. 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.
23. 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.
24. 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.
25. HelpWanted.com: Get your own URL for job postings on HelpWanted.com to direct potential employees right to your company.
26. CareerPark: CareerPark offers employers free job postings and resume searches among some of the big names in business like BlueCross, Random House, and Sylvania.
27. 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.

28. 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.
29. 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.
30. 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.
31. 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.

32. 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.
33. 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.
34. 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.
35. 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.
36. 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.
37. 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.

38. 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.
39. 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.
40. Freeified: This easy-to-use classifieds site makes it simple to post job openings for your company no matter what state you live in.
41. WebCosmo: Take advantage of the free classified ads offered by this site to post the open positions at your business.
42. PostMeUp: Post a free job ad in almost any American city using this new classifieds service.
43. 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.

44. 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.
45. 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.
46. 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.
47. 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.
48. HirePatriots: Want to support your veterans? Try posting a job on this site to attract applicants with military expertise.
49. 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.
50. 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.

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?

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. 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.
16. 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.
17. 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.
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. 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.
21. 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.
22. 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.
23. 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.
24. 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.
25. 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.

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.

1. FlyingStartups: Get monthly updates of interviews with well known startup entrepreneurs on FlyingStartups.
2. Startup Nation Radio: The Sloan Brothers take you on their adventure of starting a dream business.
3. Loic Le Meur: This serial startup entrepreneur creates podcasts with interviews, news and more.
4. Andrew Allgaier: Andrew Allgaier’s on the brink of launching his business.
5. Cubicle Divas: Leesa Barnes shares secrets on how women can start a new business on a shoestring.
6. 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.

7. Business With Cents: This podcast is all about starting a successful business without a lot of cash.
8. Best Accounting Practices: Listen to Best Accounting Practices for insight from CPA Jack Boyer.
9. Venture Voice: These podcasts offer infomation on venture capital, entrepreneurship, and other topics in business.
10. Entrepreneur Magazine Radio-Money/Jobs and Economy: This podcast covers news and interviews in money and economy.
11. Kiplinger Personal Finance: Entrepreneurs need to keep a close eye on their personal finances. Learn how to do that with Kiplinger’s podcast.
12. Entrepreneur and Investor Corner: This podcast is designed to help entrepreneurs get their feet wet in finance and investing.
13. Joseph Associates: This podcast from Joseph Associates covers the merger and acquisition marketplace.
14. QuickBooks Small Business Podcast: Get small business seminars in this podcast from QuickBooks.
15. TaxQuips: If you’ve got a small business tax question, tune in to TaxQuips.
16. Accounting Best Practices: Steve Bragg discusses a number of accounting topics in this podcast.

Inspiration

Use these podcasts to spark ideas and inspiration for your business.

17. 60 Second Ideas: Get inspiration from these quick idea podcasts.
18. Daily Thoughts for Business: These inspirational thoughts will brighten any entrepreneur’s day.
19. Teen Biz: On this podcast, you’ll find business ideas for teens and young adults.
20. Biz Op Radio: Chris Murch stays on top of business opportunities in this podcast.
21. HBR Ideacast: This ideacast from Harvard Business Review offers loads of management ideas and commentary.
22. Entrepreneur Cast: Learn how to take your inspiration beyond the concept with Entrepreneur Cast.
23. Tweak!: Tweak! teaches entrepreneurs to make small changes in their business.
24. Escape From Cubicle Nation: Pamela Slim’s podcast is all about getting out of the cubicle and into a life you can enjoy.
25. iinnovate: Learn about innovation and entrepreneurship with this podcast.
26. Killer Innovations: Phil McKinney shares his knowledge about creativity and innovation.

Productivity

Listen to these podcasts for strategies and help for staying on top of everything.

27. Gain Control of Your Day: Use these tools and techniques to stay on top of your productivity.
28. A Motivated Entrepreneur: Get motivated with this podcast.
29. Smarter By The Minute: Work smarter and live happier by checking out Smarter By The Minute.

Marketing

These podcasts provide loads of ideas for getting the word out about your business.

30. Aggressive Marketing & Entrepreneurship Podcast: Tune into Michael Cage’s podcast to learn about strategies and news for marketing your business.
31. The Cold Calling Podcast: Listen to the Cold Calling Podcast for tips, insight, and tricks on telephone prospecting and lead generation.
32. Guerilla Marketing: Find out what people want online and how to be an exceptional guerilla marketer with this podcast.
33. Recognized Expert Marketing: Listen in to this podcast to learn how becoming a recognized expert can help you with marketing.
34. Biz III: Listen to this small business podcast for loads of tech-savvy marketing tips.
35. Personal Brand Marketing: Check out Vikarm Rajan’s podcast for marketing tips you can use.
36. Duct Tape Marketing: John Jantsch’s Duct Tape Marketing podcast delivers loads of marketing tips and offers lots of big-name guests.
37. Marketing Edge: Check out Marketing Edge for insight on public relations, marketing, and more.
38. Marketing Voices: Listen to Marketing Voices for perspectives on social media marketing.

Business Building

Build your business with these podcasts.

39. Build a Private Practice: Learn how to build a private practice from therapists and experts who have been there before.
40. Struggling Entrepreneur: Find out what this entrepreneur has learned along the way.
    
41. Building a Home Business That Doesn’t Suck: Listen to this podcast to learn how to build a real home-based business.

Foreign

Check out these podcasts for business outside of the US.

42. Business Coach Podcast-Canadian Small Business: This business coach has lots of advice for Canadian entrepreneurs.
43. The China Business Show: Find out how business leaders do business in China.
44. I’m Boss TV: Get small business information from Australians here.
45. The Engaging Brand: Anna Farmery’s The Engaging Brand is all about a consultancy in the UK.
46. China Business Podcast: Find out about growth and opportunities in China by listening to this podcast.
47. Entrepreneur’s Journey: Check out Yaro Starak’s podcast to hear about the Australian’s journey as an entrepreneur.
48. Small Biz Pod: Check out this podcast for UK entrepreneurs.
49. InsidePR Podcast: This weekly Canadian podcast is all about public relations.

Interviews

In these podcasts, you’ll hear interviews with lots of successful entrepreneurs.

50. Jenerous: Listen to the stories of entrepreneurs and marketers on Jenerous.
51. Leader Network: On The Leader Network, you’ll listen to interviews on known and unknown leaders.
52. Like Nobody’s Business: Lalita Amos’ podcast includes interviews and challenges to traditional business thinking.
53. Startup Studio: With Startup Studio, you’ll enjoy interviews of entrepreneurs and learn how they did it.
54. Biz Link Radio: On Biz Link Radio, you’ll get weekly interviews with entrepreneurs and executives.
55. Entrepreneur Exclusive: Listen to exclusive interviews with entrepreneurs.
56. Small Business Netcast: The panelists on this podcast discuss creating, developing, and managing small businesses.
57. Round One: Listen to interviews of prominent entrepreneurs on Round One.
58. Beermat Business Radio Show: Mike Southon, "Beermat Entrepreneur," interviews successful entrepreneurs, CEOs, and leaders.
59. Meet The CEO: Listen to interviews of big-name CEOs on this podcast.
60. DSM Buzz: This podcast interviews successful entrepreneurs and encourages consumers to buy local.
61. Small Business Podcast: Listen to the Small Business Podcast for interviews with loads of business experts, entrepreneurs, and more.

Leadership

Learn how to be a good manager and leader using these podcasts.

62. Change Maker Minute: Get motivational messages for leaders from this podcast.
63. The Good Manager Podcasts: Learn how to be a good manager in these podcasts.
64. Fireside Chat with Lisa Haneberg: Learn about business management with these podcasts from Lisa Haneberg.
65. Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders: Check out these lectures from Stanford for thoughts from entrepreneurial leaders.
66. Small Biz Survival: Becky McCray’s podcasts focus on business leadership and management advice.
67. Manager Tools: Use Manager Tools to become a more effective manager and leader.

Technology

Get the latest in entrepreneurial tech news with these podcasts.

68. eBiz Show: Learn about successful ebusinesses on this podcast.
69. eCommerce RSS Radio Show: Listen in to this show for information about tracking topics online.
70. The Podcast Brothers: Check out the Podcast Brothers for weekly infomation on the business side of audio and video new media.
71. Managing The Gray: C.C. Chapman’s podcast discusses how entrepreneurs can use social media to their advantage.
72. Internet Business Mastery: Listen to Sterling and Jay’s podcast for information on the art of internet marketing and online business.
73. Calcanis: This CEO of Mahalo.com always has lots of special guests on his podcasts.
74. The SBS Show: Manage your IT operations better by listening to the SBS Show.
75. JoomlaJabber: Kathy and Tom discuss the Joomla open source content management service on this podcast.
76. Podcasting for Business: This podcast will help you develop and create a podcast for your entrepreneurial venture.
77. Midwest Business: Hear about business technology news that affects the midwest on this podcast.
78. The Podcast Sisters: The Podcast Sisters is focused on small business and using the Internet to your advantage.
79. CIO Podcast: Stay on top of the IT industry and learn how you can benefit from events.

Sales

For budding businesses, it’s all about focusing on sales. These podcasts do just that.

80. Sales Roundup: Learn how to hire the right salespeople, keep communication with clients open, and more on Sales Roundup.
81. Product Sourcing Podcast: Find out how you can find products to sell on this podcast.
82. Copy That Sells Podcast: Learn how to write better copy with this podcast.

News

Get business news and commentary from these podcasts.

83. New York Times: Stay on top of the latest news from all over the world with podcasts from The New York Times.
84. On The Record: Listen to reporters from mainstream media discuss the future of the industry as well as marketing and business.
85. Daily Review: Get an up to the minute briefing on daily news stories with this podcast.

General

For content that’s applicable to nearly every entrepreneur, check out these podcasts.

86. Entrepreneur.com: Subscribe to Entrepreneur.com’s podcasts, and you’ll get access to loads of different topics for entrepreneurs.
87. Mind Your Own Business Podcast: Listen to Mind Your Own Business for "the antidote to business advice."
88. I’m There For You Baby: This "entrepreneur’s guide to the galaxy" covers a number of different topics for entrepreneurs.
89. Business Week: On Business Week, you’ll hear about popular weekly features from Business Week magazine.
90. SBA Podcast: Get access to loads of resources and help from the Small Business Administration with these podcasts.
91. Small Business Radio: This podcast discusses recruiting, marketing, and more.
92. Business Humor Podcast: See the humor in entrepreneurship with this podcast of Hesh Reinfeld’s columns.
93. Microbusiness News Briefs: Dawn Rivers Baker covers everything of interest to microbusinesses and their entrepreneurs.
94. The Trend Junkie: This junkie is addicted to both trends and entrepreneurship.
95. Learn Small Business: Learn how to operate a solopreneur venture through this podcast.

Other

For even more thought-provoking content, listen to these podcasts.

96. Entrepreneur Mum: This mom runs a business and a family.
97. GopherHaul Lawn Care Podcast: Listen to this show to learn how you can create and maintain a successful lawn care business.
98. Ask the Guru: Check in with real estate guru Larry King on this podcast.
99. MBA Working Girl: Learn about both business school theory and real-world business practices from MBA Working Girl.
100. Business Intelligence Network Solution Spotlights: Get business industry insights from experts in this podcast.

With a shift towards free content online, no doubt many entrepreneurs are wondering how they can bootstrap their business if they are not going to draw any sales revenue. It’s a scary thought.

I don’t profess to have a solid answer, but I do have some ideas. Here are a few ways that you can still monetize your startup, even while offering free content or services.

1. Advertising. TV and radio were always based on free content supported by advertising. At least until Cable/ pay per view and satellite radio came along. If you are offering only free content, consider monetizing your website with relevant ads - preferably those sold direct, on a CPM (Cost per Mille, e.g., 1000) basis of pageviews.
2. Freemium. The freemium pricing model seem to be popular with web applications providers. General access is free, but the features that make the application efficient for the target end users cost a few dollars per month. One non-web app that has scored millions of users worldwide with this model is Skype, the desktop VoIP software.
3. Subscriptions/ pay per view. Build a subscription site where premium content is only accessible by members. This does require that you have initial free content to draw potential subscribers, and for you to build your authority online, in your niche. If you’re successful, the numbers are worthwhile. For example, several marketing sites charge $197-299/year, and offer very high quality content that is essential to some professionals. While building up your membership list, you might supplement with advertising.
4. Freedom to pay. This is what Radiohead did: pay what you like. Stupid or brilliant? You decide. I was unable to find the “buy” link on their official site and ended up downloading someone else’s low quality copy. Very low quality. But I’m a Radiohead fan and would have paid anyway. And of course, if I’m in a city where they’re going to plan, I’m even more likely to go see these guys. This monetization model is very similar to “shareware” for software.
5. Buyout. if you have enough capital to build your brand/ presence online, and gain substantial eyeballs in the form of free content subscribers, selling to the highest bidder is a great option. For bootstrappers, this has to be preceded by one of the other forms above, else you’re not likely to have enough capital on hand to reach this stage.

With the exception of maybe freemium and freedom to pay, none of these are all that new. Which monetization model you choose (or a combo) depends on what it is you’re giving away - knowledge or services. Products, on the other hand, are hard to monetize with any of these models.

Popular bands such as Radiohead are now offering free (or pay-what-you-can) music online. Because of this, it’s been speculated that record labels are amongst the businesses facing extinction, along with newspaper publishers and possibly even desktop software producers.

The Internet has of course gone a long way in being a platform for delivery of such content. And with software that runs in a browser, what need will there be for paying for desktop software? Text and other media content also gets distributed from torrent sites, mostly illegally, in violation of copyright laws. So, whatever type of content you produce, you might be wondering whether you can go on charging for it.

Now, only the most immature of people believe that content producers as individuals (programmers, musicians, artists, writers, etc.) should not get compensated for their productivity. But when it comes to reality, not all content consumers behave this way. It’s easier to feel like you deserve to take free content from some big bad company that traditionally made millions/ billions - whether or not they’re now suffering financial losses.

So what do you do if you’re a startup without a financial history? Before I answer that, let’s look at some of the pros and cons of offering free content online, from the viewpoint of the producer.

Pros:

1. Makes your target market happy, thanks to the freebies.
2. Gets them talking, passing on the word - the makings of being viral content.
3. Viral content can generate massive amounts of web traffic.
4. Brings you to the attention of people that might not otherwise know you.

Cons:

1. Brings you to the attention of people that’ll take your free content and never buy anything.
2. The extra web traffic could boost your site hosting bill, and if you have no sales to show for it, you are not going to last long if you’re bootstrapping.
3. Those who sample your free content might henceforth expect free content, all the time, and when it’s not free, might violate copyright and distribute it themselves (after they’ve purchased a single copy).
4. Free content might alienate those without Internet access (about 3/4 of the world’s population), causing them to stop buying your “offline” product.

These may not be the only pros and cons, though they’re the ones that have been most prominent in my mind, as a retired programmer, an amateur composer, and a hopeful future filmmaker. The existence of free content on the Internet potentially impacts my livelihood.

Now, despite being a long-time Star Trek fan (but not a Trekkie), I don’t believe we’re going towards any sort of “free” model globally, for everything. At least not anytime soon. It’s far too complicated to get into that financial model across the world, even with about twelve years of the Internet’s (public) existence behind us. It simply goes against a thousand years or more of human thinking, with many unanswered questions to boot.

That means that for a quite a long time ahead of us, there will be people who will expect to pay for content, and even desire to pay for it. So back to my question: how do you deal with the current atmosphere of free content online, especially if you’re up against content producers who might be doing it for free?

This is a question I hope to explore here in the future.

Writing does not come naturally to most people, but the activity in the blogosphere might suggest otherwise. Unfortunately, regular fresh content is crucial for building up a website, especially for businesses - whether you selling products or services online. Many entrepreneurs have selected blogging as their delivery vehicle for content, both for the informal style of writing needed, as well as because blogs enjoy special “relevance” status in many top search engines.

If you’re in this boat and don’t know how to get started, here are my suggestions:

1. Get started. Launch your business website, if it’s appropriate to do so. This is the general online face of your business and encompasses all online activity that represents your company.

2. Add a blog. Your business blog, if you have one, will be a less formal connection to your website visitors. Add a blog to a subdirectory, not a subdomain. So use mysite.com/blog instead of blog.mysite.com. You can call the subdirectory anything, but I suggest “blog”, “journal”, “notes” or something of that sort.
3. Determine readershp. Whether you do the blogging or hire a professional, be sure to offer a consistent schedule. That’s more important than blogging daily. But be sure to consider who your audience is. Will your blog readers be other bloggers in your niche, potential customers, your (future) competitors, casual visitors, etc. Who should they be depends on your objective for your blog.
4. Use reportage. If you don’t yet have an editorial calendar and are not sure what to write about, or don’t have time for indepth content, start by reporting on happenings in your niche.
5. Add your voice. Gradually add your own commentary to your reportage. Base what you say on your knowledg of the niche. However, be careful not to be insulting or nitpicking. The average blogger can get away with this, but you cannot - not if you’re representing your business. The other thing you can’t do is talk “at” readers. If you’re going to sell, be indirect.
6. Expand your coverage. As you gain confidence in your writing voice, expand your posts. Add original information, share your experiences in your industry, write more of what you know. Just remember who your audience is; this will determine how you write about a topic.
7. Build your authority. Always deep-link to relevant posts you’ve already written on your site, as well to authority sites/ content elsewhere. This helps build your authority in search engines.
8. Show your authority. As you gain even more confidence in writing - as well as website authority in search engines - create original content such as e-books, screencasts, video, audio, indepth articles and reports. Teach what you know. Show your authority.
9. Promote your content. There are a number of ways to promote your best content online, but one of the most effective ways is through social media sites. These including bookmarking and voting sites, as well as Stumbleupon. Keep in mind, though, that social media site members do not like to be promoted to. Some topics are difficult to promote through SMM (Social Media Marketing).
10. Advertise your site. If social media promotion is not appropriate for your  niche, consider advertising, possibly through PPC (Pay Per Click) advertising campaigns or some other form of advertising. Don’t look at the campaign cost on a per visitor, or you’ll lose money. If you need 1,000 visitors to make 5 sales, divided the advertising cost by 5, not 1000. If you can’t justify the cost of advertising, rethink your blogging plan. Consider hiring a blogging consultant for some advice.

If your business has nothing to do with selling expert content, then that’s not something you want to add to your website or blog. If you have the urge to monetize a website, do it on a separate domain. Your business should not be perceived as trying to make money both through your regular products or services offerings and through advertising - unless of course you give your products, such as software, away free.