Click Fraud Exists, Click Fraud Exists, Click Fraud Exists. What I tell you three times is true.

Fighting Fraud In The Dark

 

by Mikhail Ledvich, Friday, April 21, 2006
RECENTLY, GOOGLE'S STAND ON CLICK fraud went from "it does not exist" to "we have settled a class-action lawsuit for $90 million," to "Believe us, as computer scientists, we have the ability to detect the invalid clicks before they reach advertisers," (as the company's CEO was quoted in a recent Bloomberg article.)

 

Unfortunately for advertisers and publishers, Google has tried to minimize the click fraud problem instead of solving it.

 

How can advertisers trust Google's CEO if the company flip-flopped its position from "there is no fraud" to giving back $90 million to advertisers? In that same Bloomberg piece, Google's CEO downplayed fraud's reach, while others estimate the problem to be 20 or 30 percent of all paid clicks. But think about this: if Google settled with fraud-affected advertisers for $90 million, that number was probably lower than whatever litigation may have uncovered within Google's network.

 

Yahoo, which has been more stoic in its defense of its own pay-per-click system, has maintained the party line when it comes to filtering fraudulent clicks. Also named as a defendant in the same lawsuit as Google, Yahoo refused to settle, claiming it sufficiently protects its advertisers from fraud.

 

However, a Harvard researcher just penned a report which details how Yahoo's Pay Per Click (PPC) affiliate network is being gamed by unscrupulous affiliates who use spyware and adware to commit click fraud. Andrew Beckman, President of SearchAdnetwork, confirms that various companies have approached him to syndicate his Yahoo Search Feed, pitching the fact that "they get a better revenue share due to the large click volume they can produce." He now worries that "Yahoo could not be monitoring all of these actions, and the repercussions are starting to take shape." Previously Yahoo had suspended guilty affiliates' accounts, and, with this research out in the open, hopefully Yahoo will terminate these accounts as well.

 

While all advertising networks should devote a greater effort to eliminating fraud, the problem exists at a level deep enough to make it difficult to combat the problem. None of the major advertising networks release any kind of information that can help advertisers. There is zero transparency and accountability in regard to the performance of their affiliate networks. In short, advertisers simply do not know where their ads are being shown. Many don't care so long as the ROI is good, but those worried about brand image wouldn't want their ads to appear on pages with questionable content, and even fewer advertisers want to be associated with adware, spyware and pop-ups.

 

It's surprising that advertisers have not banded together to demand more information from the networks.

 

Imagine if the networks provided a full disclosure statistics page? It might take the shape of an advertising 'dashboard' that details the exact amount of clicks the advertiser received--say 100, of which 20 were questionable. The dashboard would let the advertiser know it was only being charged for 80 clicks. This would show a good-faith effort on behalf of the network in combating the click fraud problem. This isn't to say the networks aren't trying to crush fraud now, but without admitting the problem, it will be hard for them to announce that they have found a solution.

 

If Yahoo and Google continue to keep their most profitable customers in the dark, they'll risk losing ads from the affiliate networks and high-paying clients will only advertise on search, where there is less incentive for fraud. That would significantly impact Google, Yahoo and the other major advertising network platforms.

 

Advertisers are not the only ones harmed by click fraud; publishers lose out as well. As advertisers begin to scale back their Google and Yahoo campaigns from affiliate networks, publishers who rely on Google's AdSense and Yahoo's upcoming YPN network to monetize their traffic will see a drop in well targeted, high paying ads. Fewer ads lead to lower per-click prices and less-relevantly targeted ads. And, just as advertisers lose money, publishers find themselves no longer able to command premium prices for their inventory. Unlike advertisers who can pull, edit and otherwise control their ads individually, publishers suffer as a whole; a collective punishment of sorts.

 

As long as there remains a financial incentive for people to commit fraud, the click fraud problem will not fully disappear. But, full disclosure by adverting networks can alleviate advertiser and publisher angst as well as allow others to help Yahoo and Google combat the quickly escalating fraud problem. How much data should the advertising networks provide without disclosing trade secrets, their "secret sauce"? That's an important question, but these secrets may soon lead to not having much performance data to hide.

 

By giving advertisers more data, advertisers will be more than happy to help networks stamp out fraud. But right now, everyone is operating in the dark.

 

Mikhail Ledvich is Chief Strategy Officer, Click Facts.
 
Search Insider for Friday, April 21, 2006: http://publications.mediapost.com/
 
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Advanced Analytics Web Warehouse Suite Saves Time, Trouble

Fireclick Introduces Advanced Web Analytics Warehouse Suite; Enhances Functionality and Offers Bid Management and E-Mail Marketing Solutions

 

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 20, 2006--Fireclick, Inc., a leading provider of Web analytics solutions and subsidiary of Digital River, Inc. (NASDAQ:DRIV), today announced enhancements to its data warehouse suite. The newly updated suite and hosted application service - now called the Fireclick(R) Advanced Warehouse Suite - caters to online businesses that are interested in learning more about the buying behaviors and preferences of their customers. It offers online merchants more advanced reporting capabilities, more built-in, time-saving features for analyzing customer segments as well as more details about the site purchase paths and navigation patterns that are generating the greatest sales conversions.

 

The Fireclick Advanced Warehouse Suite also is designed to work with key Digital River marketing technologies. These technologies include Digital River's e-mail marketing solution from BlueHornet Networks, Inc. and its KeywordMax(R) paid search bid management tool from Direct Response Technologies, Inc.

 

"With the recent release of our Fireclick Advanced Warehouse Suite, we have added advanced features and functionality to our core Web analytics engine, as well as expanded the offering to include complementary e-mail marketing and paid search bid management solutions," said Dave Alampi, Digital River's vice president of marketing. "As part of the Digital River family of companies, Fireclick can deliver what we believe is the most robust Web analytics suite available through a single provider."

 

Fireclick's Advanced Warehouse Suite, which works with paid search engines, e-mail providers, affiliate programs and more, is designed to provide online merchants a convenient and consolidated view of activity across their e-marketing channels and investments. Some of the suite's new features include:

 

-- Improved path reporting that displays the top site-flows and navigation patterns that are producing or preventing the most sales conversions. With these added site details, online merchants can effectively fine-tune site paths to create optimal browsing and purchasing experiences;

 

-- Saved queries and segments that enable merchants to easily retrieve and quickly access their most frequently used reports; and

 

-- More advanced segmentation capabilities that make organic search, internal search terms, site link tracking, and first time versus repeat purchaser dimensions even more user friendly.

 

"By taking this important step to bring together some of our key technologies, we've significantly enhanced Fireclick's Web analytics offering, creating a highly competitive, high-end e-marketing service," said Alampi. "Strategic marketing services remain part of our core competency and continue to serve as an important market differentiator for Digital River. Moving forward, we intend to make further enhancements to our e-marketing portal for the online marketing executive."

 

About Fireclick, Inc.

 

Fireclick, a wholly owned subsidiary of Digital River, Inc., provides a comprehensive Web analytics solution that offers online businesses real-time, actionable information about their customers. The sophisticated data delivered by the application service can be used to improve operating results, create a better user experience, and increase site traffic, revenues and profits. For more information, visit www.fireclick.com.

 

About Digital River, Inc.

 

Digital River, Inc., a global leader in e-commerce outsourcing, builds and manages online businesses for more than 40,000 software publishers, manufacturers, distributors and online retailers. Its multi-channel e-commerce solution, which supports both direct and indirect sales, is designed to help companies of all sizes maximize online revenues as well as reduce the costs and risks of running an e-commerce operation. The company's comprehensive platform offers site development and hosting, order management, fraud prevention, export controls, tax management, physical and digital product fulfillment, multi-lingual customer service, advanced reporting and strategic marketing services.

 

Founded in 1994, Digital River is headquartered in Minneapolis with offices in major U.S. cities as well as Cologne, Germany; London, England; Shannon, Ireland; Luxembourg, Luxembourg; Taipei, Taiwan; and Tokyo, Japan. For more details about Digital River, visit the corporate Web site at www.digitalriver.com or call 952-253-1234.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

In addition to the historical information contained herein, this press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the Company's ability to further develop, enhance, market and sell its advanced Web analytics and e-marketing tools, as well as statements containing the words, "believes," "intends," "expects," and similar words. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: the Company's limited operating history and variability of operating results; competition in the electronic commerce and Web analytics markets; the ability of the Company to successfully offer the market comprehensive suites of e-commerce, e-marketing and analytics services and the market acceptance of such offerings, and other risk factors referenced in Digital River's public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Digital River is a registered trademark of Digital River, Inc. Fireclick is a registered trademark of Fireclick, Inc. KeywordMax is a registered trademark of Direct Response Technologies, Inc. All other company and product names are trademarks, registrations or copyrights of their respective owners.

 

Contacts
Digital River, Inc., Minneapolis
Media Contact:
Gerri Dyrek, 952-253-8396
publicrelations@digitalriver.com
or
Investor Relations Contact:
Bob Kleiber, 952-540-3024
investorrelations@digitalriver.comAt A Glance

 

Digital River, Inc.
Source: via Business Wire
Updated  04/05/2005  by company 
Headquarters: Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Website: http://www.digitalriver.com
CEO: Joel Ronning
Employees: 720
Ticker: DRIV  (NASDAQ) 

SAS To Get SAP To Support And Secure Search

SAS and Google to Deliver Expanded Search Capabilities for Business Intelligence; New Technology from SAS and Google Will Enable Organizations to Improve Search Results by Providing Relevant Context around Everyday Business Queries

 

CARY, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 19, 2006--SAS, the leader in business intelligence, today announced new technology with Google that will allow joint clients to perform contextually relevant searches through the popular Google search interface to surface information, analysis and reports from SAS(R) business intelligence (BI) software beginning this summer. The combination of the Google Search Appliance with the SAS(R) Enterprise Intelligence Platform will give users more information than what ordinary keyword searches would return from an initial query, enabling them to think and act more strategically on their business intelligence knowledge.

 

Google OneBox for Enterprise uses the same technology that provides information on stock tickers or weather information on Google.com. In the same way that SAS has expanded access to BI information by creating targeted user interfaces for its software that match the skill levels of individual users, SAS and Google will provide joint customers who activate the OneBox for Enterprise feature of the new Google Search Appliance - announced by Google today - with a familiar, secure way to search for real-time information delivered by SAS BI software.

 

Google OneBox for Enterprise combined with SAS enterprise business intelligence delivers relevant search results for business users in the same way it does for any visitor to the Google website looking for information about local news, weather or restaurants. For example, when a SAS customer types a phrase such as "fourth quarter 2005 sales" into a Google-powered intranet search engine, it will return a snapshot of relevant information including reports, data, and analysis along with links to other results that could consist of the top selling products, top salespersons or top 10 customers for that time period. In this way, the powerful combination of Google search technology and the SAS Enterprise Intelligence Platform now understands more than just what the user means and returns more than what they expect, making it easier and more accurate to make effective management decisions. All search results are filtered through existing enterprise security protocols, delivering intelligence tailored to each user's individual access rights.

 

"Google is excited to work with SAS to deliver business intelligence information and help employees spot trends right from their Google search box," said Dave Girouard, Vice President and General Manager of Google Enterprise. "We're aiming to make enterprise search as comprehensive and useful as web search and our partnership with SAS is a big step forward in that direction."

 

"SAS is committed to delivering the best business intelligence in the industry by enabling organizations to get access to relevant information when they need it," said Keith Collins, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of SAS. "The combination of SAS' business intelligence and Google's search expertise allows customers to quickly access and understand critical information by exposing associated data, analysis and reports to even more business users, broadening the value and impact of business intelligence and helping companies improve their own enterprise BI strategies."

 

This is the first of many technology initiatives that SAS and Google will spearhead to help organizations eliminate information silos by sharing relevant knowledge across business units. For more information, please visit www.sas.com/google.

 

About SAS
SAS is the leader in business intelligence software and services. Customers at 40,000 sites use SAS software to manage and gain insights from vast amounts of data, resulting in faster, more accurate business decisions, more profitable relationships with customers and suppliers, compliance with governmental regulations, research breakthroughs and better products. Only SAS offers leading data integration, intelligence storage, advanced analytics and traditional business intelligence applications within a comprehensive enterprise intelligence platform. Since 1976, SAS has been giving customers around the world The Power to Know(R).

 

SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. (R) indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies.

 

Contacts
SAS
Bob Chase, 919-531-4327; bob.chase@sas.com

 

SAS
Source: via Business Wire
Updated  04/10/2006  by company 
Headquarters: Cary, NC
Website: http://www.sas.com
CEO: Dr. James(Jim) Goodnight
Employees: 10,000
Organization: Private
Revenues: $1.68 billion (2005)

First Demographic Research on New Bankruptcy Law Debtors

 

Institute for Financial Literacy Releases First Demographic Research on New Bankruptcy Law Debtors

The Institute for Financial Literacy announced today its release of a white paper entitled First Demographic Analysis of Post-BAPCPA Debtors. This is the most comprehensive demographic analysis of consumers considering bankruptcy since the law changed last October. The Institute for Financial Literacy reports that of over 5,000 individuals who volunteered to participate, 44.6% reported annual incomes below $20,000 a year. Other statistics include 8.9% of respondents who reported being 65 and over, while 30.9% indicated that the cause of their financial distress was due to “illness or injury”.

Portland, ME  - April 17, 2006 -- The Institute for Financial Literacy announced today its release of a white paper entitled First Demographic Analysis of Post-BAPCPA Debtors. This is the most comprehensive demographic analysis of consumers considering bankruptcy since the law changed last October. The Institute for Financial Literacy reports that of over 5,000 individuals who volunteered to participate, 44.6% reported annual incomes below $20,000 a year. Other statistics include 8.9% of respondents who reported being 65 and over, while 30.9% indicated that the cause of their financial distress was due to “illness or injury”.

“What some of these results show is unexpected and contradicts previous research,” said Leslie Linfield, Esq., Executive Director of the Institute for Financial Literacy. “Clearly more extensive study into both the causes of bankruptcy and those directly affected must be done.”

The Institute for Financial Literacy is a non-profit organization whose mission is to make effective financial literacy education available to all American adults. The Institute for Financial Literacy is currently the only provider approved to offer bankruptcy credit counseling and debtor education in all 50 states and all 94 judicial districts. The Institute is funded by program fees, private donations, and grants from public and private foundations.

For a copy of the white paper entitled First Demographic Analysis of Post-BAPCPA Debtors please visit www.financiallit.org and click under News or call (207) 221-3603.


Press Contact: Leslie Linfield
Company Name: INSTITUTE FOR FINANCIAL LITERACY
Phone: 207-221-3603
Website: www.financiallit.org

Make More Money By Not Charging

How To Make More Money By Not Charging For Video Ads

 

by Ari Rosenberg, Thursday, April 13, 2006
WARNER WOLF COINED THE PHRASE "Let's go to the videotape" in the late '70s. He was a sportscaster on ABC television in New York, and that phrase would send us into a state of frenzy. For many in the region, Warner was the gatekeeper to sports video highlights each night. What made him unique--the impetus behind his catchphrase--was that he showed highlights from teams outside the New York market. I still recall that sinking feeling those times we abruptly broke from dinner only to tune in and see weatherman Frank Fields, which meant we had missed our serving of video highlights.

 

Today, Warner Wolf works in radio, sports is on twenty-four hours a day, and video is available anywhere you like it, including online. But is online where we really want our video served, or is this a case of the advertising tail wagging the content dog? I have been told on occasion not to throw the baby out with the bathwater, so let's see how we can put the horse back in front of this cart.

 

Just a reminder: the consumer is the horse. Consumers set the pace through their consumption. The lack of supply widely reported in this segment of online advertising is one sign that the horse is not eating what it is being fed. I spoke to a sales director at a major portal who validated this lack of appetite. The portal had a big content cross-promotion on its site late last year that involved streaming video, and yet the revenue tied to the pre-roll advertising (video ads that run prior to the video content) was minimal. "There just were so few streams relative to the promotion of the content, we hardly made any money," he told me.

 

This lack of consumption, however, has not stopped companies from pushing the cart right past the horse. This includes Klipmart, who profits from the creation and placement of video advertising online, without any responsibility for the development of the content the consumer grazes. Klipmart announced last week its executives are having conversations with media buyers regarding a simulated upfront for online video ad inventory. "Broadband video has become a must-have companion to TV advertising" said a Klipmart sales executive, "so it makes sense that it should be planned in the same way and at the same time as the traditional TV and cable upfront."

 

So Klipmart, here are a few questions for you: Will you be showing two- to four-minute clips of the video content you represent to give buyers a sense of the programming quality? Will you have the actors and directors on hand to further define the content's voice and what kind of person is apt to listen? Will you be presenting projected rating points by demo for each program, or will you just be talking about how many more "televisions were purchased last quarter versus the quarter before," and saying that inventory is really tight?

 

Sorry to pick on the very bright folks at Klipmart, but instead of a premature promotion of a simulated upfront, maybe they can lead the online video advertising market discussion down a path with less resistance from the horse they are riding.

 

This market subset has their eye on the right issues, such as content quality controls and better technical user experiences, for example. However, the irony is that companies involved in the production, purchase and sale of online video advertising produce and place the very barrier that prevents the horse from keeping pace.

 

Pre-roll ads are not the only kind of video advertising sold, but they are the most popular. However, unlike television, where viewers are conditioned to let a commercial have its day in court before we hit the clicker, the experience on the Web centers on greater control and even greater speed. Users who choose to engage with video content are easily frustrated by the 10 to 15 (or in some cases, 30) seconds of a pre-roll ad message. Try holding your mouse steady right now for 10 to 15 seconds and tell me how much you needed to fend off the urge to move or click.

 

David Verklin of Carat weighed in on this issue when he commented, "Commercials on the Web in broadband have to be 10 seconds, not 30 seconds like television." CBSMarketwatch has dedicated an entire ad campaign to convincing advertisers (and buyers) to run no more than 10-second pre-roll spots, all in an effort to improve the drop-off ratio they know occurs with readers who do not stick around to consume the content when met with a lengthy pre-roll ad. Both ideas are on the right track, but are not the solution that best serves the horse.

 

To ensure more video content gets consumed, publishers need to make the content easier to swallow by not selling pre-roll ads at all. Instead, sell two-and-a-half second "sponsored introductions" (just the advertiser's logo). When the video content the consumer requested is over, run post-roll ad spots where advertisers can share their creative wisdom, with the hope it earns the attention of the viewer instead of kidnapping it.

 

Inventory should stay the same, but you have given consumers fewer excuses to bail on content they are not used to digesting yet. Drop-off rates (which are never publicly discussed) should diminish, which means volume should grow. As for pricing the post-rolls and sponsored introductions, I encourage publishers not to charge for them at all. That is the biggest mistake publishers are making today. By assigning a high CPM value to one of their limited supply products, they are lowering the perceived value of the inventory they have the most of to sell (this issue does not, however, apply to video-only Web sites like Youtube.com or Maniatv.com.).

 

Instead, online publishers should use this high-demand, low-supply product as a zero-priced, added-value hook to induce purchases of larger allotments of their impression-based ad inventory at higher CPM's (slightly similar to how network television stations force advertiser to spend money on other dayparts in order to buy prime time).

 

Sometimes the best way to sell a premium product is not to charge for it at all. As for the carts, if they all keep applying the right pressure, but stay behind the horse, they will get to where they want to go faster than they think.

 

Ari Rosenberg is a media sales consultant. Prior to starting his company, he was the vice president of sales at IGN.com. He can be reached at ari@performancepricing.com.

 

Online Publishing Insider for Thursday, April 13, 2006: http://publications.mediapost.com/

 

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Undercover Marketing Tactics

 

Advertisers Draw Fire for Using Undercover Marketing Tactics

As advertising has become advertising ad nauseam, and we are forever being pitched to, marketed to, and appealed to by someone trying to sell us something more advertisers are looking at new ways to deliver their message to you. This has resulted in a mix of marketing tactics that are drawing fire. Some are new versions of old techniques and some are very new. Consider that many advertisers are already paying your friends or in some cases even hiring actors to strategically engage you in their product- with or without your knowledge.

(PRWEB) December 4, 2005 -- As advertising has become advertising ad nauseam, and we are forever being pitched to, marketed to, and appealed to by someone trying to sell us something more advertisers are looking at new ways to deliver their message to you. This has resulted in a mix of marketing tactics that are drawing fire. Some are new versions of old techniques and some are very new. Consider that many advertisers are already paying your friends or in some cases even hiring actors to strategically engage you in their product- with or without your knowledge.

If the current trends hold true it’s almost certain that you’ll be the target of “undercover” or “referral marketing” as more companies use undercover marketing and more of your friends will start trying to make a few extra bucks referring people to the products that offer them commissions for making those referrals.

Undercover Marketing

Whether you like it or not, undercover marketing is here to stay. Whether you know it or not, it may already be a part of your life.

Consider this. The last time a friendly tourist asked you to take their picture with an impressive new camera or an attractive woman at the bar said you could buy her a drink; they both may have been “working”. These are examples of what is being called Undercover Marketing. In these examples the company paid people to pose as tourists or bar patrons respectively. The “tourists” job was to show as many people as possible all the features of a new camera that Sony coming out with. The models were paid to look good of course, but you won’t see them holding anything but a Sky Vodka. Not when their “working” anyway.

One of the larger companies in this industry is Big Phat Promotions. They’ve drawn both protest and attention for their unique marketing practices that they now employ in 30 cities across the United States and Canada. The company defends their tactics as "spontaneous" and "virile" approaches to product promotion. Critics however, argue that paying actors to target consumers in these settings is unethical.

Even over seas the New South Wales government has enacted legislation preventing tobacco companies from using similar undercover marketing practices.

Adam Salacuse, CEO and President of Alt Terrain, LLC, a Boston-based agency specializing in alternative promotion services, stresses undercover campaigns should only be used in conjunction with larger, more traditional advertising campaigns. "It is always best to be honest with people and if used properly, alternative marketing can be a unique and relevant experience that the consumer will always remember."

Gary McCarron, Asst. Communications Professor at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, says the public is already immune to most mainstream advertising and new research indicates that advertising that doesn't seem like advertising, is the new way to reach our jaded minds.

McCarron warns that if advertising becomes so sneaky that it is unrecognizable from the everyday experiences of defenseless consumers, it will damage corporate credibility and the resulting state of distrust could have an extremely negative effect on social interaction.

Referral or Network Marketing
Do the words MLM, Network Marketing or multi-level-marketing ring a bell? These words all describe companies that pay you commissions for referring people to their products.

MLM or Network Marketing is back. The MLM Direct Selling Associate now reports that nearly 75% of all Americans have now used or been presented with a product from a Network Marketing company. The most well known, International, Network Marketing Companies are Amway (now Quixtar), Mary Kay and Life Force International.

The allure of Network Marketing or MLM to consumers is the massive amounts of money that some in the industry claim to make. These companies pay you a commission on all the products you sell. They also pay you commissions on the products that anyone you refer to the company, sells. If the people you refer refer others, you earn commissions on the purchases of those people too.

Sound like a pyramid? There’s a difference. Really. Network Marketing has exploded in the last 20 years since Amway fought their landmark case making and distinguishing the MLM or multi-level commission structure as legal and separate from a illegal pyramid structures.

MLM or Network Marketing companies offer you and your friends of course, commissions for referring people to their products. These companies now sell every kind of product you can imagine.

Marketing expert Chris Tinney is the founder of Best MLM Business (www.BestMLMBusiness.com) and MLM Forums (www.MLMForums.com) and eBusiness Bonanza (http://ebusinessbonanza.com) says many in his industry used undercover marketing in the past but have found parts of it turned the public off, “Too many people have memories of going somewhere with a friend only to be surprised to find themselves front and center at an opportunity meeting for some kind of home based business.”

He says Network Marketing still teaches people to go into social settings to pitch their products, however, they’ve learned it works much better if you’re up front about whom you are and what you’re doing. Tinney claims that if a marketer has to lie they’ve already made a mistake in choosing the social setting. He says this is the most important step. Once in that setting he says to be upfront about the product you represent.

Tinney claims that by being in places where people are predisposed to want your products and being “upfront” about it, that they'll approach the marketer and initiate the interaction. He claims this is much different than what the public perceives as undercover marketing.

As competition to reach consumers increase undercover and referral based marketing is sure to become more and more a part of our lives. The challenge will be for marketers to use these tactics in such a way that the don’t alienate the very consumers they’re hoping to win over.

To learn more about MLM and Network Marketing visit http://www.MLMGorilla.com/movie

Chris Tinney hosts a private forum at http://chris.powerfulintentions.com/forum/webmarketing and has a newsletter of Spiritual Marketing at http://mlmgrilla.com

###

Press Contact: Chrs Tinney
Company Name: MLMGorilla.com
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 877-605-3108
Website: http://mlmgorilla.com

Nationwide Launch of Unified eMail Partner Program

 

Unified eMail Nationwide Launch of Partner Program

By establishing a strategic partnership with Unified eMail, integrators now have options they can present to their customers that don’t require expensive/complex hardware or software to implement.

Gaithersburg, MD. (PRWEB) April 11, 2006 -- Unified eMail announced today the launching of its Partner Program. System integration companies need to provide a low cost and effective solution to their customers that can reduce/eliminate eMail spam, block viruses and protect their customers during system outages.

By establishing a strategic partnership with Unified eMail, integrators now have options they can present to their customers that don’t require expensive/complex hardware or software to implement.

For more information about Unified eMail’s Partner Program, please visit www.UnifiedeMail.net/Partner or by calling 1-888-663-0064.

Unified eMail is an eMail security company that has been protecting customers against eMail threats since 1999. Our “eMail Protection Service” (ePS) provides gateway threat protection using advanced spam filtering techniques, anti-phishing, anti-virus and DHA/DOS safeguards before threats can reach our customer’s network.

###

Press Contact: Ann Hsu
Company Name: UNIFIED EMAIL, LLC.
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 1-888-663-0064
Website: http://www.Unifiedemail.net/Partner

PRI To Expand, Tighten Grip On Media

New PRI(R) Leadership and Vision Propel Expanded Reach, Reorganization; Network Intensifies Focus on Strategic Marketing, Digital Distribution, Talent Cultivation

 

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 11, 2006--Public Radio International (PRI) announces the expansion of its precedent-setting role in public media. Under the leadership of newly appointed President and CEO Alisa Miller, the network plans to use its leadership position in digital technologies to build and strengthen cross-platform capacity on behalf of its stations, producers, partners and listeners. Meeting the strategic and operational demands of this ambitious new direction has required realigning key functions in the organization, a restructuring that is well underway with PRI management enhancements. In the new structure, PRI's mission -- to serve audiences with distinctive programming that provides information, insights and cultural experiences essential to understanding a diverse, interdependent world -- remains unchanged, as does its commitment to traditional broadcast media. What will be enhanced is PRI's focus on developing cross-platform opportunities for its affiliate stations, producers and partners to fully serve the public at the myriad intersections where consumers and content now meet.

 

"These are exciting times at PRI," says Miller. "We've always been very successful at taking risks and leading the industry in new directions; our agility and forward-looking approach have served us well. Today, given the dramatic changes that are taking place in the way people access and consume content, it's more important than ever that we stay ahead of the game. Our new direction and focus will help ensure that public media continue to grow as vibrant, essential resources for our users and that PRI's considerable assets in technology are fully leveraged."

 

Two new staff appointments will help guide the new direction. Cindy Shuman, formerly CFO of PRI subsidiary Public Interactive(R), public broadcasting's leading Web services provider, is now senior vice president of PRI Distribution and Business Development. In this role, Shuman will focus on cross platform station services and sales, new media partnerships and identifying opportunities to bring PRI's distribution and programming scale to benefit its partners. This new position capitalizes on Shuman's considerable station management and operations expertise from her tenure at Vermont Public Radio and her consulting experience at Public Radio Capitol, as well as her understanding of the strategic use of online and on-demand technology in relation to broadcast success.

 

Julia Mears, formerly director of PRI Brand Strategies and Sponsor Alliances, is now vice president of PRI Brand Management and Marketing Strategy. In this capacity, Mears will create novel, content-driven branding strategies and will manage corporate marketing activity, including marketing communications, public relations and advertising. She will also lead important strategic marketing initiatives on behalf of PRI's programming and services portfolio. She will continue to lead PRI's corporate sponsorship team with a focus on broadcast, online and new media packages, all driven by PRI's partnership-based approach to corporate underwriting and the company's abilities to leverage new technologies to benefit public media.

 

Melinda Ward is now senior vice president of PRI Content, the department that supports the work of all PRI producers.

 

Ward, Mears and Shuman assumed their new responsibilities in early April. Two additional senior management positions have been created, a controller and an executive vice president, and interviews are in progress. The reorganization will be complete in July.

 

About Public Radio International(R)
PRI is public radio's leading source for innovative programming and audio content. The Minneapolis-based network provides over 400 hours of programming each week, content that is broadcast and streamed online by its 748 public radio station affiliates nationwide, which reach 32 million listeners each week. PRI owns Public Interactive LLC, public broadcasting's leading Web services company. PRI is also the managing partner of the satellite radio company American Public Radio LLC, established with Chicago Public Radio(R), WGBH Radio Boston and WNYC, New York Public Radio(R). PRI's cultural programming is available via XM Public Radio. Its news and information programming is available via Sirius Satellite Radio.

 

PRI is known for driving innovation in public radio through partnerships with stations, independent producers, and other organizations, and for working collaboratively to pool resources and share risk, cultivate new talent and bring diverse voices and perspectives to the public airwaves. Its best known offerings include The Tavis Smiley Show, produced by Smiley Radio Properties Inc.; Open Source from PRI, produced by Open Source Media; This American Life, produced by Chicago Public Radio(R); PRI's The World, a co-production of BBC World Service, PRI, and WGBH Radio Boston; Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know?(R), produced by Wisconsin Public Radio; and PRI's Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen, produced by PRI and WNYC, New York Public Radio(R); as well as 24-hour program services -- Classical 24(R), produced by American Public Media(TM); and BBC World Service, produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation. For more information on PRI and its programs, visit the PRI website, pri.org.

 

Contacts
PRI, Minneapolis
Dan Jensen, 612-330-9212
djensen@pri.orgAt A Glance
Public Radio International
Source: via Business Wire
Updated  01/03/2006  by company 
Headquarters: Minneapolis, MN
Website: http://www.pri.org
CEO: Alisa Miller
Employees: 60
Organization: Non-profit

Companies Empty Pockets For Blog, Podcast, RSS Advertising

 

New PQ Media Research: Blog, Podcast, RSS Advertising Grow Fastest Among Alternative Media, Surging 198% in 2005, and Forecast to Grow 145% in 2006 Study Finds Podcast Advertising Will Be Larger Than Blog Market by 2010

Combined U.S. spending on blog, podcast and RSS advertising bolted 198.4% to $20.4 million in 2005, and is expected to grow another 144.9% to $49.8 million in 2006, according to exclusive research released today by PQ Media, a custom media research firm.

Stamford, Conn., April 11, 2006 – Combined spending on blog, podcast and RSS advertising bolted 198.4% to $20.4 million in 2005, and is expected to grow another 144.9% to $49.8 million in 2006, according to exclusive research released today by PQ Media, a custom media research firm. But podcast advertising, nonexistent until 2004, is expected to be a larger market than blog advertising by 2010, according to Blog, Podcast and RSS Advertising Outlook, the first of five installments in PQ Media’s Alternative Media Research series. This groundbreaking series, the culmination of more than six months of primary research, is the first source to define, size and structure the burgeoning alternative media sector.

Blog advertising accounted for 81.4%, or $16.6 million, of total 2005 spending on blog, podcast and RSS advertising, collectively known as user-generated online media. But the blog segment will comprise only 39.7%, or $300.4 million, of overall expenditures in 2010. Podcast advertising, meanwhile, reached $3.1 million in 2005, and is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 154.4% to $327.0 million in 2010, when it will be a larger market than blog advertising. RSS advertising, non-existent until mid-2005, generated $650,000 in 2005.

“Blog, podcast and RSS advertising are being driven by some of the same factors boosting the growth of the overall alternative media sector: continued audience fragmentation, the perceived ineffectiveness of traditional advertising, and the elusive but coveted 18-to-34-year-old demographic,” said Patrick Quinn, president of PQ Media. “Blog, podcast and RSS advertising have demonstrated an ability to reach younger demographics as well as influentials, and the media tend to be highly engaging. These are attractive trends to brand marketers that are focused on return on investment.”

The relatively small size of these markets is an indication of the newness of the media, the lack of standard metrics and various technology issues, Quinn added. “As advertising networks become more effective, user engagement escalates, and the industry works through its technology and measurement challenges, we expect user-generated media to grow at triple-digit rates over the next five years,” said Quinn.

Technology, auto and media brands are the most active in user-generated media advertising, accounting for more than half of total advertising spending in 2005, with the food & beverage and apparel categories rounding out the top five. The technology, auto and media categories will continue to generate more than half of all advertising in 2010.

Total spending on user-generated online media is forecast to grow at a compound annual rate of 106.1% from 2005 to 2010, reaching $757.0 million in 2010, according to Blog, Podcast and RSS Advertising Outlook. By comparison, the overall alternative media industry including, among others, markets such as branded entertainment, digital out-of-home advertising, mobile marketing and video-on-demand marketing, is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 14.8% in the five-year period to $253.7 billion in 2010.

PQ Media’s Alternative Media Research Series will also include reports covering the overall alternative advertising and marketing industry, including all 22 alternative media segments, and the first report to size and forecast the global market for branded entertainment, among others. These publications are available solely through PQ Media’s website at www.pqmedia.com. An executive summary of Blog, Podcast and RSS Advertising Outlook is available online at http://www.pqmedia.com/blog-podcast-rss-advertising.html.

PQ Media is the world’s leading provider of alternative advertising and marketing research. The firm also delivers exclusive data and information on traditional media, including advertising, marketing services, consumer and business media, and media usage. Founded in 2002, PQ Media has two major practice areas through which we provide custom and syndicated research to brand marketers, media buyers, media companies and financial institutions. PQ Media is located at Two Stamford Landing, Suite 100, Stamford, CT 06902. Phone is 203-921-0368; Fax, 203- 921-0367; E-mail, email protected from spam bots.

Contact: Wendy Marx
Company Name: Marx Communications
Phone: 203-445-2850
Website: www.pqmedia.com  
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High Deliverability Mailer Solution Released

 

L-Soft Releases High Deliverability Mailer - Solution Built on StrongMail Technology Enhances Company’s LISTSERV® Product Line

Bethesda, MD (PRWEB) April 10, 2006 -- L-Soft, the company behind LISTSERV®, the original email list management software that launched the industry in 1986, announced today the availability of HDMail, a powerful mail server software product designed to combine the time-tested power and performance of LISTSERV with the speed and deliverability advantages of StrongMail’s mail server technology.

“Many businesses outsource their email delivery because of the complexity and critical importance of deliverability. Although outsourcing is indisputably more expensive, it delegates the hassle of deliverability optimization to professionals. With HDMail’s live updates, you can download best practice rules from L-Soft to your in-house appliance and get the best of both worlds,” said Eric Thomas, L-Soft Founder and CEO. “We are committed to working with StrongMail to make HDMail the best mail server on the market, bar none.”

L-Soft provides HDMail software licenses and appliances, which include hardware and software components in a turnkey solution. The new HDMail product is optimized to work with L-Soft’s LISTSERV family of products and is being sold in conjunction with that product line.

“L-Soft’s decision to offer StrongMail MTA is indicative of where the market is going” said Sam Cece, CEO of StrongMail Systems. “A new breed of technology and services is required for email delivery, and businesses will be forced to decide whether to build or buy. The winners will be the ones that invest in their core business, and leave their email infrastructure needs to StrongMail.”

Key features of HDMail include:

Outstanding Performance: HDMail can deliver more than 1 million outbound and 2 million inbound messages per hour per server.

Smart Bounce Management: HDMail's bounce filter definitions allow you to get unsurpassed details about bounces and their causes, helping you keep your lists clean.

Differentiated Sending: HDMail allows you to maximize your deliveries to individual ISPs by adjusting speed and routing options according to ISP preferences.

Authentication Standards Support: HDMail supports all leading authentication standards, including Sender ID, SPF and DomainKeys/DKIM.

Real-Time Reporting: HDMail tracks all aspects of your email delivery and offers real-time reporting capabilities, including performance and failure reports per recipient, mailing or domain.

Web Management Interface: HDMail offers an easy-to-use Web interface for management in addition to command line management options.

For additional information about HDMail, visit:
http://www.lsoft.com/products/hdmail.asp

About L-Soft
L-Soft, which was incorporated in 1994, offers email list and opt-in email marketing software and hosting services for managing email newsletters, discussion groups and marketing campaigns. L-Soft's products send about 30 million messages a day to more than 110 million list subscriptions. L-Soft celebrates the 20th anniversary of LISTSERV® in 2006. For more information visit www.lsoft.com or contact L-Soft via email at: email protected from spam bots or call +1-800-399-5449 or +1 (301) 731-0440.

L-SOFT PRESS CONTACT
Susan Brown Faghani
1-800-399-5449
pressinfo @ lsoft.com

About StrongMail Systems, Inc.
StrongMail Systems enables companies to realize the value of digital messaging, with high-performance servers that simplify and enhance outbound email systems. StrongMail servers integrate a complete set of delivery, tracking and management capabilities into a single platform to "business-enable" email and other digital messages, allowing companies to build new revenue streams, improve customer loyalty and reduce costs. StrongMail servers integrate with existing business applications to unlock the potential of digital messaging for enterprises, service providers and ISV's. StrongMail is located in Redwood City, CA and is funded by Evercore Partners, Globespan Capital Partners and Sequoia Capital, the venture capitalists behind Google, Yahoo!, Cisco and Apple. To learn more about StrongMail Systems, visit www.strongmail.com

STRONGMAIL SYSTEMS PRESS CONTACTS
Schwartz Communications for StrongMail Systems, Inc.
Dara Sklar or Christine Wright
415-512-0770
strongmail @ schwartz-pr.com

# # #

Press Contact: Susan Brown Faghani
Company Name: L-Soft
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 1-800-399-5449
Website: www.lsoft.com

Custom Made Promotional Things Drive Strategic Corporate Branding

 

Strategic Branding at Corporate Events - Custom Made Promotional Items

Truly effective promotion can often be attributed to a more subtle approach over risky, big-budget marketing campaigns. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the status-driven world of business conventions and similar industry gatherings.

Corporate occasions are rightly considered as prime opportunities for any business to gain recognition within the marketplace, however many companies still fail to maximise their full potential due to unstructured and often careless preparation.

The importance of strategic branding methods can not be overstated and it is an attention to detail that repeatedly prevails in determining the success of a firm's market image.

Corporate events on any scale are seen as key to the long term durability of a brand and ultimately the success of the business as a whole. By remaining visible and current in the eyes of other firms, a company is far better able to negotiate its position.

Strategies vary over time, but the application of small promotional items and corporate gifts has shown itself to be a consistent, cost-effective means of improving brand image. The potential for these items is endless with the potency of simple giveaways like enamel pin badges, key-rings, coasters and even photo frames bearing the company logo still hugely underrated.

The memento remains as a constant reminder long after the event has ended and can be an aide memoir for business opportunities. For companies who want the event visitor to have their contact details easily to hand, a desk message in the form of a PROMO-FLEX soft pvc coaster is ideal. Unlike other coasters, these can be manufactured to literally any shape and size requested. Additionally, they are flexible and can aid stress relief; non-slip, to prevent accidental spillage on those all important papers and long lasting – when they get dirty, just pop them in the dishwasher and they come up like new.

Other corporate gifts such as customised jewellery offer further opportunity to display the prestige of a business especially if care is taken in choosing the right packaging in which to present them. Such gifts can act as an everyday reminder to clients and provide more steadfast brand visibility compared with expensive and often fleeting alternatives.

Security, particularly at large events, can be a problem. Delegates and staff wearing bespoke printed or woven lanyards with pass details attached or personalised name badges are easily identified and the security risk is reduced. We can produce all of your badging needs – lanyards, passes and personalised name badges.

Pinbadge is Europe's premier supplier of custom made promotional items including badges, lapel pins, key chains and corporate jewellery.

For more information regarding the potential of promotional gifts and branding opportunities visit www.pinbadge.com or, for PROMO-FLEX soft pvc items, visit www.promoflex.co.uk.

Contact: Paul Barrow
Company Name: Pinbadge Ltd
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 44 0 1902 326460
Website: www.pinbadge.com

Tax Deduction For Small Business May Be Overlooked

 

Small Businesses Owners Missing Major Tax Deduction

Many small businesses owners are missing out of a deduction worth thousands because their tax preparers have not familiarized themselves the Domestic Productions Activities Deduction.

Littleton, CO (PRWEB) April 6, 2006 -- Many small businesses owners are paying too much in taxes this year because their accountants and tax preparers have not familiarized themselves with the Domestic Productions Activities Deduction.

Shortly before Election Day 2004, President Bush signed the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 (108 Public Law 357) (AJCA). This colossal tax bill contained over 170 provisions spread out over 300 pages. PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, said that the AJCA contained the most sweeping business tax changes since the Tax Reform Act of 1986 and estimated that the new law will provide nearly $137 billion in tax relief over the next 10 years.

The AJCA repealed the Foreign Sales Corporation and contained Extraterritorial Taxable Income provisions required to settle a dispute with European trading partners in the WTO that was leading to escalating tariffs on US exports. However, the provisions most important to small businesses in the US are those creating the new section 199 of the Internal Revenue Code covering the Domestic Productions Activities Deduction (DPAD).

The passage of the law was only the beginning of its implementation. On February 14, 2005 The Internal Revenue Service issued its initial guidance on the DPAD in the form of Notice 2005-14 (Internal Revenue Bulletin 2005-7) which runs 49 pages. Section 403 of the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005 (a mere 14 pages) passed very late in 2005 added several technical corrections to IRC 199. On November 21, 2005 the IRS issued its “Notice of Proposed Rulemaking” (REG-105847-05) 2005-47 IRB p. 987 which totals 62 pages, included the proposed rules. The final rules will be issued later in 2006.

“The volume of paper to read is challenging enough and making any sense out of it is another hurdle. It is very complex,” said attorney Darlene Cypser.

The IRS itself was finding it a challenge to deal with. The form used to apply for the DPAD, Form 8903, and its instructions, were not available from the IRS’s website until late February of this year.

DPAD is a deduction of 3% in tax years 2005 & 2006 (6% in 2007, 2008 & 2009) of the “Qualified Domestic Production Activities Income” (QPAI) from “Qualified Production Property” (QPP). QPP is defined as any tangible personal property, any computer software, and certain sound recordings, that is manufactured, produced, grown or extracted (MFGE) in the United States. A separate section also includes qualified films.

Unfortunately many accountants and tax preparers seem to be unaware of the DPAD’s broad sweep. “It is quite possible that they are boggled by the shear intensity of the acronym slinging in the law and applicable regulations,” Cypser said. “In a fit humor I realized the entire thing could be condensed to one sentence of acronyms: ‘The DPAD is 3% of the QPAI which is the DPGR minus CGS allocated to SELL of QPP or QF MPGE by a taxpayer.’ The challenge is translating that to something you can apply to your tax return.”

Many accountants and tax preparers who primarily deal in small clients have dismissed the new DAPD as only applying to large manufacturing companies and have failed to examine the law in depth.

“It applies not only to large manufacturing businesses, but to software companies, record companies, movie production companies, publishers, farmers, miners, and just about anyone else who creates any product for sale,” Cypser said

But despite the challenges in understanding and applying for the DPAD, it is worthwhile for owners of small businesses to ask their accountants and tax preparers to look into it.

“Most self-employed people are going to be stopped by the W-2 wage limitation,” Cypser said, “but any business that produces and sells products, has employees, and has a positive net income for the tax year has the potential for a deduction of thousands or tens of thousands of dollars.”

And should be enough to cover their accountant’s bill, at the very least.

###

Press Contact: Darlene Cypser
Company Name:
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 303-587-9792
Website: www.foolscap-quill.com

Zoom Information, People Search Engine Finds COO

 

ZoomInfo Names New Chief Operating Officer: Bryan Burdick, Former Monster CMO and Lyos SVP

Job board and Internet search veteran provides new insight as ZoomInfo accelerates growth.

Waltham, MA (PRWEB) April 6, 2006 -- Zoom Information, Inc., the search engine for discovering people, companies and relationships, today announced the appointment of Bryan Burdick (www.zoominfo.com/bryanburdick), online recruiting and Internet search veteran, as its new chief operating officer. Burdick will lead the sales, marketing and product departments at ZoomInfo, reporting directly into Jonathan Stern, founder and CEO.

“ZoomInfo has grown remarkably in the last five years, and our growth is accelerating. ZoomInfo is now recognized as the leading source of passive candidates for recruiting, the leading search engine for business people search and continues to be a well-respected innovator of contextual search technologies,” said Jonathan Stern, founder and CEO of Zoom Information. “Bryan Burdick is a proven leader in our key focus areas, and will provide inestimable value helping us grow from a single vertical search engine into a broad multi-channel search and advertising vehicle.”

“Job boards and the entire search landscape are undergoing an upheaval that is transforming the way content is generated and monetized, and I believe ZoomInfo is positioned to gain in existing markets and expand into many new ones as a result,” said Bryan Burdick, COO of Zoom Information. “I have tremendous respect for what Jonathan and his team have accomplished and am thrilled to be able to contribute to ZoomInfo’s future success.”

Burdick comes to Zoom Information from three years at Monster Worldwide where he held positions including CMO of Monster’s TMP AdComms Division and senior vice president of Monster.com core segments. At Monster Burdick launched several new products, and helped deliver 40% annual growth in key business segments. Prior to Monster, Burdick was SVP at Lycos, leading the Global Portal Services unit responsible for all Internet search, content management and ad serving businesses. At Lycos Burdick launched eight new subscription businesses and grew revenue and realized double digit net operating margin growth each year. Burdick has also held senior leadership positions at InfoSpace and Reuters America. He is a summa cum laude graduate of the Wharton School of Business.

“ZoomInfo has a unique ability to mine the Web to create real business value for its customers and users; they are one of the very few examples of a pioneering company that is already making money with thousands of happy customers,” said Burdick. “The opportunity is unlimited, and I’m excited to be a part of this team.”

About Zoom Information, Inc.

Zoom Information Inc.'s core search product, ZoomInfo, is a summarization search engine that creates individual summaries of people including work history, education, current position and other business affiliations. It features summaries of more than more than 29 million people and two million companies. ZoomInfo finds, understands, extracts and saves actionable information about people on the Web. The patented search technology continually scans millions of Web sites, press releases, electronic news services, SEC filings and other online sources. Then, it intelligently compiles concise summaries about individuals and companies.

ZoomInfo helps streamline recruiting efforts, compile sales leads, enhance competitive intelligence efforts, and more for hundreds of companies. Its customers range from small firms to nearly 30% of the Fortune 100, including Blockbuster, Microsoft, Oracle, PepsiAmericas, Pfizer, Raytheon, Staples and Yahoo!.

Zoom Information is privately held and based in Waltham, Massachusetts. For more information, visit http://about.zoominfo.com or call toll-free: 1-866-904-ZOOM (9666)

# # #

Press Contact: Brian Payea
Company Name: Zoom Information Inc.
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 781-693-1573
Website: www.zoominfo.com

Some Minneapolis Library Areas Still Lack Sponsor Names, Ebay Considered

New Minneapolis Central Library Features Specialized Areas, Comprehensive Resources for Business Patrons

 

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 6, 2006-- Highlights include Best Buy Technology Center, Minnesota's only U.S. Patent and Trademark Depository Library, Jobs & Careers Center and Small Business Center   

 

On Saturday, May 20 at its grand opening event, the Minneapolis Central Library, the center of the Minneapolis Public Library's integrated, 15-library system, will unveil new specialized areas designed to offer business patrons unparalleled access to resources for virtually any of their business-related needs.

 

Highlights of the new areas include the Best Buy Technology Center, Minnesota's only U.S. Patent and Trademark Depository Library, the Jobs & Careers Center and the Small Business Center.

 

The Best Buy Technology Center
The center, located on the first floor, offers complete wireless computer access, in addition to 16 computers for training, and a variety of educational activities including courses in applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and Outlook. In addition, computer-related workshops will be presented on topics such as resume writing, conducting an online job search, how to use business and government online databases, among other topics.

 

The Patent & Trademark Depository Library
Minnesota's only U.S. Patent Depository Library, the Patent & Trademark Depository Library houses complete patent records from 1790 to the present, including Minnesota patents for Rollerblades, Scotchgard fabric and apparel protection, Post it Notes and more.

 

The Jobs & Careers Center
A resource for encouraging self-exploration for job searches and career choices, the Jobs & Careers Center offers a large collection of books on topics such as resume writing, interviewing techniques and job trends and qualifications.

 

The Small Business Center
The Small Business Center is a resource for small business owners and entrepreneurs, including materials on developing business plans, filing a business with the Secretary of State, obtaining financing, developing marketing strategies, investigating permit and licensing requirements, learning accounting practices and developing job descriptions and personnel policies.

 

Other resources available on the second floor include: national and international business directories with company, product and brand information, and industry statistics; investment materials, including historical quotations and current analyses; and resources on American industry, safety and manufacturing standards.

 

About the Minneapolis Central Library
The Central Library is part of the Minneapolis Public Library system, which was created in 1885 according to the belief that the community would be stronger and more prosperous if knowledge was shared rather than held as a private commodity. Today, the Minneapolis Public Library is an interconnected system of 15 libraries that strives to connect all people with the transforming power of knowledge. In collaboration with the city's other branch libraries, the new Central Library reflects why Minneapolis has prospered into one of the nation's most literate cities.

 

Note to media:
For digital images of the new Central Library, visit www.mplib.org and click on Minneapolis Central Library.

 

Contacts
Minneapolis Central Library, Minneapolis
Media Contact:
Karen Louise Boothe, 612-630-6239
klboothe@mplib.org

Online Legal Service Provider Caves To NP Complaint About Keyword Marketing

 

LegalMatch and Pine Tree Legal Assistance Amicably Agree to Settlement

LegalMatch, a national provider of online legal services, and Pine Tree Legal Assistance, a nonprofit company that provides legal services for Maine's poor, have reached an amicable settlement in a legal dispute that LegalMatch calls, “More of a misunderstanding than a lawsuit.”

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) April 5, 2006 -- LegalMatch, a national provider of online legal services, and Pine Tree Legal Assistance, a nonprofit company that provides legal services for Maine's poor, have reached an amicable settlement in a legal dispute that LegalMatch calls, “More of a misunderstanding than a lawsuit.”

According to the original suit, (US District Court, District of Maine, Case # 06-CV-45-P-H), advertisements from California-based LegalMatch appeared when a computer user typed "Pine Tree Legal Assistance" into Web search engines including Yahoo!, MSN, and Google. The suit, filed on February 28, 2006 in U.S. District Court on behalf of Pine Tree Legal Assistance, has now been settled with no monies changing hands.

According to Don Keane, Vice President of Marketing for LegalMatch, “We [LegalMatch are working with the nation’s major search engines, including Google, Yahoo, and MSN, to make sure non-profits are not part of our multi-million dollar search engine marketing program. We have the greatest respect for non-profit agencies that service people’s legal needs,” says Keane. LegalMatch is a free online legal matching service based in San Francisco, California, and Pine Tree Legal Assistance is a non-profit provider of free legal services to people in need and serving the State of Maine.

About LegalMatch
Established in 1999, with a formal site-launch in 2000, LegalMatch is a leading national provider of online legal services. Corporate offices are located in San Francisco and Los Angeles. For more information regarding the company, please contact Don Keane, Vice-President of Marketing at (415) 946-0855.

About Pine Tree Legal Assistance Service
Pine Tree Legal Assistance is a nonprofit corporation with 501(c)(3) status established in 1966 by private attorneys in Maine to meet the need for legal assistance by low-income residents. Over the past 35 years, Pine Tree has become a recognized part of the justice system in Maine, providing help to over 350,000 Maine people since its doors first opened.

# # #

Press Contact: Donald Keane
Company Name: LEGALMATCH
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 415-946-0855
Website:

Last-Minute Tips for Last-Minute Tax Filers

Eight Last-Minute Tips for Last-Minute Tax Filers 
 
Appleton, WI  54912-8002     April 5 2006 
 
With April quickly flying by, the April 17 (due to the 15th falling on a weekend in 2006) tax-filing deadline is weighing heavily on the minds of last-minute tax filers who are racing to beat the clock. Some estimates indicate that nearly half of all taxpayers flirt with the deadline. If you have not yet filed your taxes, here are some critical tips to assist you.

 

- Find needed tax forms at the IRS website www.irs.gov, local libraries, and post offices.

 

- Keep the IRS phone number handy for questions: 800.829.1040.

 

- Enter names, signatures, and social security numbers in all the right places. Do a quick, but thorough review to be sure they are where they need to be on all the forms. Be sure all social security numbers and names match what the Social Security Administration has on file. This is one of the top errors on tax returns.

 

- Check your numbers. These means math, but it also means double-checking for transposed numbers and correct transferring of all numbers. It is another top filing error.

 

- Attach all required forms and schedules.
 o Attach W-2s, W-2Gs, 1099-Rs, and 9465s at the front of Form 1040 or 1040A; attach all others behind.

 

- Don't forget the check if you owe! Insert it, but do not attach it. On the check, include the following information:
 o Payable to the United States Treasury.
 o The tax year the check is for.
 o The type of form you are filing.
 o Taxpayer social security numbers.
 o A daytime phone number.

 

- Be sure you get the complete package to the post office in time for the April 17 postmark and have them stamp it in your presence. Do not put it into a public mailbox and assume it is in by April 17; often the post office does not empty mailboxes until the following day (meaning a late postmark).

 

- "If you plan to contact a tax preparer, don't wait," adds Valerie Kennedy of Why Pay More? Income Tax Service in Merrillville, Indiana. "Calling as early as possible could ensure an appointment before the 17th. Just remember that even if your forms are prepared and e-filed earlier, your payment still doesn't have to be postmarked until April 17, 2006."

 

Don't be afraid to admit if you are over your head and need professional help. According to Kevin Huston, enrolled agent and NATP instructor from Asheville, NC, approximately one-half of all American taxpayers use a paid tax preparer to help them complete their tax returns. An unusual situation such as the sale of property or investments, receiving an inheritance, or starting or stopping a business or rental activity, can result in complications as well as opportunities on your tax return.
"Professional tax preparers help people with these situations all the time", adds Huston, "so what might be new and time consuming to you could take just a few minutes for an experienced professional to complete. A professional preparer's fees are often paid for by the tax savings they generate or the headaches they prevent."

 

If it becomes obvious that you cannot make the April 17 deadline to complete your tax return, individuals should apply for an automatic six-month extension before April 17 by filing Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. You can do so using tax software, paper copy sent via mail, or by filing through a tax professional. Tele-file is no longer available for this service. To fill out Form 4868, you will need to verify information contained on your 2004 tax return. Once you have filed the extension, keep proof of filing with your records. Filing an extension simply extends the time to fill out the paperwork. Don't think that this buys time to pay, however. 2005 tax amounts owed still need to be paid by April 17. If you do not pay at least 90 percent of what you owe, you will owe interest plus a penalty.

 

April 18 is a new day. Breathe easier, relax, and make a resolution not to cut things so short the next time the tax-filing deadline rolls around.

 

Tax preparers are experts who keep up-to-date year-round on tax law changes. They can save you time and offer insight on how to use the tax breaks available to you. To find a professional tax preparer, look to NATP. NATP maintains a listing of professionals in your area at www.taxprofessionals.com.

 

To receive a FREE brochure on how to find a tax preparer, visit the NATP Press Room at www.natptax.com and download a copy of NATP's "Finding the Right Tax Preparer" brochure.

 

Members of the National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP) assist over eight million taxpayers with tax preparation and planning. NATP is a nonprofit professional association founded in 1979 and provides professional education, tax research, and products to its members. The national headquarters, located in Appleton, WI, employs 43 professionals and 25 instructors.

 

NATP exists to serve professionals who work in all areas of tax practice and has more than 17,500 members nationwide. Members include individual tax preparers, enrolled agents, certified public accountants, accountants, attorneys, and financial planners. The average NATP member has been in the tax business for over 20 years and holds a tax/financial designation or a college degree. Learn more at www.natptax.com.

 

Would you like a photo to accompany this article? Visit NATP's press room: http://www.natptax.com/press_room_photos.html.

 

# # end # # 
 
Char De Coster (cdecoster@natptax.com)
Copywriter / Communications Editor
National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP)
720 Association Drive, PO Box 8002
Appleton, WI   54912-8002
Phone : 800.558.3402 ext. 1172
Fax : 920.968.7472 

Secrets to Getting A Thinner Wallet

 

Secrets to Getting Targeted Traffic To Your Website

John Reese – a veteran marketer who had generated more than 1.57 Billion Web Site Visitors to his sites since he started marketing online, now shares all secrets with actual results.

Orlando, Florida (PRWEB) November 9, 2005 -- After six months of implementing what the new Marketing Course “Traffic Secrets” has taught, owners entrepreneurs from 52 countries now gathered to show the world real Proofs.

They now shared detailed information about how the course changed their business forever – many include screenshots of their web site traffic logs and even merchant account statements to give you Proof of what they accomplished. Altogether, there were over 100 fully documented success stories.

For more success stories and information, Go to : http://www.alotcash.com/

“Traffic Secrets” covers these following:

How to build and geometrically grow the number of highly targeted leads and prospects coming to your website that translate into cash and profits...

How to leverage your lead generation to gain more consistency in the number of prospects you get, and create more stability and growth in your business...

How to build so much momentum in the flow of visitors coming to your business that taking your website down is the only way to stop it...

How to easily discover which sources of leads are really making you money (and quickly trash the ones that are sucking your time and profits)...

How to get as much as 4-5 times more leads for the same advertising dollars, and squeeze every ounce of profit out of every visitor you generate...

How to tap many "hidden," super-abundant sources of good quality leads (as many as several hundreds of thousands) for absolutely 100% zero cost...

How to dump, once and for all, all the dumb, costly and ineffective methods that only create one-time spurts of junk traffic that will never buy from you...

How to create and follow a complete "attack plan," especially if you're currently relying on only 1-2 sources for generating your leads — because they can change and dry up overnight (they often do)...

How to get your hands on proven, time-tested lead generation strategies that really WORK — and not "sounds good" regurgitated "theory" that everyone and their dog has seen, read or heard before...

For more success stories and information, Go to : http://www.alotcash.com/

###

Press Contact: James Yee
Company Name:
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 65-6388-3469
Website: http://www.alotcash.com/

---

[Editor's comments You have to ask yourself two things when you see a site like the one being promoted in this press release:

1) If this person knows so much and makes so much money, why are they selling what they know to you? If this stuff really works, then they don't need to sell it and must be trying to help out the little guy also make a lot of money. They want to help us, right?

2) If what they say works and they want to help us, why are they charging almost $1,000 for it? I think it's so we will take the offer "more seriously", I mean, if they are charging that much it must be worth it, right?

My advice is not to fall of this or any other "long form" type of offer unless you really do your homework and check them out, ask for references, and make sure you understand what you are getting.

By the way, the above link is just an re-direction affiliate link. If you are really interested in what is offered, go directly to the site here: http://www.trafficsecrets.com. But I would not bother! (hris ]

Largest Virtual Tradeshow Includes Provider Of Managed Affiliate Marketing Services

 

PartnerCentric to be Featured at Largest Virtual Tradeshow for eCommerce Marketers -- eComXpo 2006 -- Will Host their Own Show in Show

PartnerCentric, (www.partnercentric.com), a provider of managed affiliate marketing services, today announced that the company was handpicked by eComXpo to participate in the tradeshow’s exclusive “Show in Show” section. PartnerCentric will be exhibiting the “Jetson way,” virtually, at the largest online tradeshow for eCommerce marketers for the third time. At eComXpo 2006, PartnerCentric will demonstrate the revenue-generating power of their managed affiliate programs to a targeted and motivated audience. In addition, it will allow attendees to hear the latest in eCommerce marketing technology trends, covering such topics as email, search, affiliate, regulatory issues, branding and advertising – all without the hassle of leaving home, office or computer. Best of all, it’s free for attendees this year!

Santa Barbara, CA (PRWEB) April 4, 2006 -- PartnerCentric, (www.partnercentric.com), a provider of managed affiliate marketing services, today announced that the company was handpicked by eComXpo to participate in the tradeshow’s exclusive “Show in Show” section. PartnerCentric will be exhibiting the “Jetson way,” virtually, at the largest online tradeshow for eCommerce marketers for the third time. At eComXpo 2006, PartnerCentric will demonstrate the revenue-generating power of their managed affiliate programs to a targeted and motivated audience. In addition, it will allow attendees to hear the latest in eCommerce marketing technology trends, covering such topics as email, search, affiliate, regulatory issues, branding and advertising -- all without the hassle of leaving home, office or computer. Best of all, it’s free for attendees this year.

“eComXpo is a great show for us to meet potential clients, learn the latest in the industry and meet with great new affiliates who are looking for new revenue-generating programs,” said PartnerCentric CEO Linda Woods. “With the online marketplace heating up, this show has really grown in popularity and acceptance. I think the high attendee numbers prove that the online tradeshow model has truly come of age.”

PartnerCentric is one of only a handful of companies chosen to be featured in the special “Show in Show” feature. In addition to having a branded presence on the main show floor, visitors can click on PartnerCentric’s “Show in Show” tab. This brings up a graphic-rich, interactive mini-trade show that features 31 of PartnerCentric’s clients replete with booth staff to chat with about the opportunities in that affiliate program. This area will also include each program’s features and current promotions, plus visitors will have a chance to register for “door prizes.” Some of the companies represented are National Geographic, 21st Century Auto Insurance, Jiggerbug, The Company Store and Club Mom.

How It Works?
Once an affiliate enters PartnerCentric’s booth, they are able to communicate with booth staffers using instant chat messaging, email, vCard exchange, Skype or by simply picking up the phone, where appropriate. The communication interface also allows booth staffers and booth guests to see each other’s bio and personal message, as well as their personal avatar or icon. Booth staffers will receive reports listing everyone who visited their booth, including transcripts of any communications within the booth.

There are also over 100 lectures, panels and presentations in the Education Center that are conducted by some of Internet marketing’s best minds. PartnerCentric President, Linda Woods, will appear on a panel addressing “The Future of Affiliate Marketing” with marketing guru Declan Dunn, and noted colleagues Beth Kirsch and Ola Edvardson.

For more information on PartnerCentric’s programs or managed services, visit our Web site at www.partnercentric.com or call 805-569-8750.

About PartnerCentric Inc.
Founded in 2000, PartnerCentric has quickly emerged as the premiere outsourced affiliate program management group in the industry. With an annual growth rate of nearly 300-percent, PartnerCentric boasts an impressive list of clients from around the country and staffers around the world. In addition to core their affiliate expertise, PartnerCentric offers a wide array of high powered marketing services, including: Search Engine Management, Search Engine Optimization, Web site development, eCommerce conversion & analytics, email marketing, “buzz” marketing and more.

Headquartered in Santa Barbara, Calif., PartnerCentric specializes in working with eCommerce companies to build profitable affiliate programs that generate effortless incremental revenue. For customer testimonials and more information, contact us at 805-569-8750 or visit our Web site at www.partnercentric.com.

# # #

Press Contact: Jason Kirshner
Company Name: PARTNERCENTRIC, INC.
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 949-429-1172
Website: www.partnercentric.com

Building Retail Traffic with Direct Mail

 

Building Retail Traffic with Direct Mail
Multichannel Merchant - Stamford,CT,USA
... Catalogs are usually more cost-effective than postcards or other smaller direct mail pieces because the cost of a postcard mailing is almost as expensive as ...

Must-Mail/Must-Not-Mail
Multichannel Merchant - Stamford,CT,USA
... they were dropped. If necessary, insert the must-mail list into the postmerge file to guarantee that they get out. Keep up with ...

Why Postal Trucks Park in Traffic
Washington Post - United States
... much as we all would prefer mail to be delivered before the evening commute, it is a difficult endeavor in this era of increasing amounts of bulk mail, such as ... 

Postal workers will fight closure despite agreement
Canada NewsWire (press release) - Canada
... Canada Post that protects the individual rights of postal workers in Quebec City while maintaining the union's campaign to keep the mail processing plant open. ...

Postal Service Shelves Study of Centralia Processing Center ...
WJBDRadio.com - Salem,IL,USA
The US Postal Service has placed a study of the possible consolidation of the Centralia mail processing center into the St. Louis ...

Baucus questions shift in mail processing
Helena Independent Record - Helena,MT,USA
US Sen. Max Baucus renewed his criticism of a US Postal Service study, which could shift mail processing to Great Falls and possibly delay in-town mail. ...  

Area houses legacy of women's rights
Belleville News-Democrat - Belleville,IL,USA
... The government twice accused Lewis of illegally using bulk mailing rates for a magazine that was more advertising than articles. ...

It Came in the Mail
Washington Post - United States
... the door for their freshman year. That's a lot of direct mail and flashy Web site designing. Others say Sevier's numbers are low ...

As Politicos Race to Match Voter Data to E-mail Data, Reactions ...
ClickZ News - New York,NY,USA
... Because these data also are used for phone and direct mail communications, explained Aaron Pickrell, chief operating officer at DCS Online Communications, most ...

Innovations in Online Direct Response Fundraising Drive Results
PNN - Richmond,VA,USA
... running "viral campaigns" in which people forward messages to their friends; and collecting email addresses offline at events and on direct mail reply devices. ...

Italian Post Sees Better Mail Volume, Quality
DM News - New York,NY,USA
... "Our volumes have increased as well as the overall service quality of our mail.". Sarmi also noted a rise in direct mail in the country. ...

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2,000 Senior Executives Targeted

Easy Access to Names and Titles of Over 2,000 Senior Executives at America’s Leading Public Companies
 
Press Release by: Financial-Directories.com 

 

(openPR) - TORONTO - March 30, 2006: Barely one month after the official launch of www.financial-directories.com , the Financial-Directories.com team is pleased to introduce its latest value-added offering: the new Directory of America's Leading Companies. This newest directory joins the site's existing comprehensive offerings, which include a Directory of TSX Venture Companies and a Directory of Canadian Investment Dealers.

 

“This directory differs from our others in that it includes not only contact information and Web sites, but also stock symbols for over 500 U.S. publicly-traded companies,” explains Michael Rabinovici, President of Financial-Directories.com. “However, we've maintained the standard features our users like most, including listing the information in an easy-to-use Excel format that allows people to segment the data according to the criteria most relevant to them.”

 

With name and title listings for over 2,000 senior executives at these public companies, Financial-Directories.com predicts this offering will quickly become a customer favorite.

 

For more information about these information-packed directories, visit http://www.financial-directories.com .

 

About Financial-Directories.com
Since 1996, the partners of Financial-Directories.com have been committed to developing high-quality, cost-effective content for distribution over the Web. Leveraging years of real-world experience, the site's team has developed a broad range of reports, templates, and white papers geared at providing value-added information to sales executives and other professionals in a wide variety of industries. For more information, visit www.financial-directories.com .

 

Contact Information
Michael Rabinovici
President
Financial-Directories.com
michael@financial-directories.com