Ten Excellent Freelance Resources

Whether you are a writer, web developer, graphic designer or virtual assistant; there are more and more online opportunities every day for freelancers who want to work from home–either full time or to supplement their existing income. Here is a list of 10 excellent online resources that you can use to start and operate a successful freelance career, regardless of your industry.
1. One Word: Google
You can literally manage your entire online business for free using all the apps provided by Google, including real time document sharing, blogging software, email and an interactive calendar. Granted, some of the stuff is simple and has limitations; but if you’re starting out and aren’t familiar with a lot of the other apps this is a great “one stop shop” for everything you need.
2. Taxes for Freelancers
A comprehensive tutorial for calculating the taxes you owe, including depreciation on your home office and protecting your losses.
3. Creative Commons
A site which lets you license your photography or graphic designs with various levels of permissions. Creative Commons is a non-profit organization and offers their licenses for free, making it simple to protect your work and share it with others.
4. You Send It
No need to take up space in your email when sending bulky files. You can instantly send files up to 2GB to your clients using this free service. They will receive an email with a safe link to download your file directly to their computer.
5. Protolize
Web designers and developers collaborate and rank the best web tools for their work.
6. Form Site
A service with several levels (including a free basic) which allows you to create web-based surveys and forms to gather valuable information or register your clients for services, appointments, etc.
7. Fax Zero
Free internet fax service to send signed documents to companies who require a paper fax.
8. Free Contracts for Freelancers
Includes free templates, how-to articles, and tips for drafting your own agreement, regardless of the type of work you do.
9. Freelance Switch
A massive freelance community that includes a job board and message board for making connections. Includes an informative blog that will keep you up on the news affecting the freelance market.
10. Zoho
If Google Apps had a big brother Zoho would be it. This service provides an enormous array of business management tools that Google does not (yet), including invoicing software, document management, presentation software, a database creator, a customizable wiki…and much more. Pricing is very reasonable starting at $12 a month for up to three users.
Most of the sites listed here are either free or available a nominal cost. However, for each item on this list, there are at least twenty more similar sites out there with a loyal following. I would love to hear some comparisons between these sites and the ones you are using. Do you have a favorite place to search for freelance job postings? Are you using another form-building site? Is there something you’ve used that you think everyone should know about? Leave a comment and let me know.

Hit A Home Run on this Mother's Day

Business professionals and owners that use SendOutCards for their clients regularly use the same system for personal use and Holidays!

A good example is Mother's Day. Here is a home run formula to make Mom's across the world smile on Mothers Day. Find an old photo of yourself and upload it to a custom greeting card and send it off with a nice treat from First Avenue sweets (one of the SendoutCard partners)

It is easy to do. it is point and click! And yes, you can just send one card at a time even though its custom. The SendOutCard system will print your card, put it in an envelope and mail it to your Mom with the wrapped gift, all from your laptop computer. SWEET!

Get started here:

http://www.remembermothersday.com/print

Right Now Consumers In Your Area Are Using The Internet To Find Local Businesses

Right Now Consumers In Your Area Are Using The Internet To Find Local Businesses
In fact, 63% of people now start their search for a product or service online.
Is your business there?
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Business owners that advertise with LocalAdLink will be targeting these consumers in the zip codes of their choice. The internet has always had the promise of connecting customers to businesses but until now this mainly benefited large companies until now.
We can get you online and get online fast!
What if I don't have a website?

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Already have a website? Great this online presence will drive local traffic to your online ad and we will link your website to it.

You get:
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Your ad will appear on sites like Facebook, Gmail and increase your popularity online.
We use contextual reading technology to expose your ad on our partnered sites.
A Total Advertising Internet Solution with Three Package Choices. What are you waiting for? Someone is typing into Google " Pizza" or " electrician" or "used cars" right now. Will your business come up on the local searches? Let us connect them to you. Get started today

Call the local office: 717-884-1882 ask for Dian Miller

Kendra Lee is a top IT seller, sales advisor and business owner who knows how to shorten time to revenue in the SMB market in innovative ways. She is the author of the best selling book Selling Against the Goal: How Corporate Sales Professionals Generate the Leads they Need. Under Ms. Lee's direction her organization has assisted sellers in increasing referrals more than 328% in just 7 weeks, penetrating SMB markets in just 6 weeks, driving new client acquisition more than 31% year to year, and increasing annual revenue.

Time to think about Holiday Greeting Cards

Ever wish you had a personal "greeting card assistant" who knew the birthdays of all your friends and was ready to mail out your customized cards on time, for every holiday and occasion?
For Business Owners, office managers etc
Did You Know: Gaining a new customer requires 10 times more effort than soliciting repeat business from an existing customer?
Take the obvious next step: Start building solid trust-based relationships with your existing customers... with cards, of course.
You can advance schedule periodic card mailings to your contact list of clients and colleagues. Our corporate card campaign system is the perfect way to say "Thanks for your business," "Happy Holidays" or customize your own special message. What a great way to enhance existing professional relationships.

www.remembergreetingcards.com/print for more information and a free trial!

What to do?

Here we are at a crossroads where historically stocks have majorly dropped and we have been told this "time to buy". Hmmm yes I do have the urge to buy, but the fear of spending money I might need is greater than anytime I can remember. A business team associate reminds us in an email this morning, how fortunate you can be if you had taken the time to build a self generating business of your own and why even now, it is such a good idea. Invest in yourself. Extra income that is residual, even if its only 1,000 a month is huge.

Recession tools

The prospects for moving a business venture forward during a recession are likely to rattle even the most fearless entrepreneur. To help small-business owners manage their companies during difficult economic times, Doylestown, Pa.-based Square 2 Marketing has launched an online resource center called Square 2 University.
Available at http://square2marketing.com/resources.php, the site includes a free database of tip-oriented articles, podcasts, videos and a weekly newsletter. Some of the features currently available include "15 Tips to Voicemail Survival for the Sales Professional," "Should You Cut Marketing Costs in a Tough Economy?" and "7 Practical Ways to Motivate Your Sales Team."
Square 2 will also host several monthly workshops and seminars across Pennsylvania. Next month's events will offer advice on the basics of running a business, internet marketing, and determining the right sales strategies for a small company. Go to http://www.eventbrite.com/org/36591359?s=913016 to see the complete list of free workshops.