Software Development With a Twist

If your company is involved with developing software, you know just how expensive it can be. Big name companies charge thousands of dollars for the tools you need to be a success. This fact alone often keeps many developers from realizing their true potential.

However, thanks to Eclipse Tools this doesn't need to happen any more. They provide you with all the tools you need (and the support) to develop awesome applications and it will only cost you $29.95. The software is comparable to IBM, BEA, Exadel and many others, and is available for immediate download from their site. If you have been wanting to try your hand at development, this is an awesome opportunity.

Personally, I like Eclipse because they put the power of development in the hands of the creative few who may not have the funds to get started in a big way. That's playing nice with the little guy - a big thumbs up in my book.

Online Videos

In the past, I've discussed the efficacy of using online videos to promote your products, but a recent poll has indicated that you may want to keep them short.

From the article:

Only one in five online video viewers has watched or downloaded a full-length movie or television show, according to a new AP-AOL Video poll.

Overall, more than half of Internet users have watched or downloaded video. News clips were the most popular, seen by 72 percent of online video viewers, followed by short movie and TV clips, music videos, sports highlights and user-generated amateur videos.

Saving Money on Long Distance

If you're not into VoIP yet, you can still save a ton of money thanks to Pingo - a service that lets you save up to 90% on international calls. With their International prepaid calling cards you're free to make calls overseas whenever you want, and at a significant savings. In fact, their international calling card rates are among the best in the industry.



You can also use Pingo to save on domestic long distance calls if you prefer, which is really a useful aspect. If you purchase one of their international calling cards you'll even get four hours absolutely free, just for signing up - which is very cool. So, if your international phone calls, or domestic long distance is breaking your bank account, this service is definitely worth a try. With a 90% customer come-back rating, Pingo is definitely onto something good.

Meredith Buys Marketing Firm

Meredith a publisher of numerous magazines and the owner of a television station, announced today that they have purchased an interactive marketing firm.

From the article:

Meredith Corp., a magazine publisher and TV station owner, on Monday said it has acquired the California-based marketing firm O'Grady Meyers Interactive Agency. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

O'Grady Meyers, established in Los Angeles in 1993, specializes in interactive marketing including Web site development. The company has about 40 employees with experience in food, packaged goods and health care categories and its clients include the Nestle USA brands Carnation Instant Breakfast and PowerBar.

O'Grady Meyers will operate as a self-contained entity within Meredith Integrated Marketing, a division of 80 employees in Des Moines, New York and Los Angeles serving 30 clients including Procter & Gamble, The Home Depot, DaimlerChrysler, DirecTV and Hyundai.

More on VoIP

I recent found a great forum discussing Vonage and VoIP. If you're not familiar with VoIP, or you'd like to learn more about it, this is a great place to start. This site features reviews, important VoIP news, and you'll even find a coupon for a free month of Vonage service. That's worth it right there.

They have a strong community of knowledgable users who are dedicated to helping others learn more about Vonage and VoIP. I enjoyed their informative posts on a variety of different subjects and found it was truly a useful excursion.

Economic Slowdown

The AP (and several other outlets) are reporting that the economy is hitting a slow-down, due in part to rising oil prices, global insecurity and a lot of other factors. What are you doing with your business to make sure this doesn't affect you? Now is a good time to start offering sales, incentives and other features that will keep customers coming back for more.

Online Flower Sales

The online flower business is one that is incredibly competitive. You have a lot of the big name merchants that crowd out the little guy, making it tough to succeed. However, Serenata Flowers has done a wonderful job building a truly advanced site, and they have some really good prices that should help them stay competitive.

If you're used to shopping with the big names, try a smaller store to see the kind of value and service that you can get. I liked the Serenata site since they're combining Ajax and a lot of Web 2.0 techniques with an ages old product (their flower arrangements are truly lovely.) And you know what? It works.

As Fall Approaches...

Many people start winterizing their house and getting ready for the icy chill. What are you doing to "winterize" your business? This is a great time of year to begin planning your end-of-the-year sales, getting organized, refreshing your office and getting rid of a lot of junk that you don't need.

Winter can be a great time for some businesses, and a bad time for others. If you normally have a slow period during the winter months, take some time now to figure out ways that you can really heat things up. Whether it's running additional sales, holding a special event or just reaching out to your customers, there are many ways to increase sales even when it's 30 below.