Local consumers typically make up a large portion of a small business’s client base. Therefore, it is essential that small businesses target consumers residing near their business location. To gain local exposure, many small businesses utilize geographically driven advertising channels like radio, newspapers and business directories. Some of these businesses, however, have failed to recognize the importance of incorporating local search Web sites like, Yahoo! Local, Google Maps and ThinkLocal into their marketing mix.

What Is Local Search
Local search is a rather new and inexpensive – often free – advertising method that can effectively reach a large, well-defined audience. The local search audience is unique in that it is comprised of local consumers who request to see the business ads delivered to them and therefore, are receptive to the information they receive. Local search can strengthen any marketing mix because it gives businesses visibility among those who are most likely to purchase their products or services.

Local search Web sites shares the same model as paperbound business directories like the Yellow Pages®. In fact, they are sometimes referred to as online business directories. In addition to displaying a business’s name, location and phone number, many local search Web sites also provide additional tools such as maps, driving directions and quality ratings. Some also offer extra benefits like weather forecasts, local event calendars and forums.

Look for local search engines that consistently receive good amounts of traffic.
High trafficked sites provide more visibility for your online business listing. Google Maps® for instance receives millions of visitors a day, and each visitor is searching a specific business or business type within a defined location. If you are listed on Google Maps, your business listing will receive a tremendous amount of exposure among local consumers who desire your offering.
Check to see if you are already listed.
Many of online business directories like ThinkLocal® business listings purchased from data management companies. Because these lists are so long, the online business directories are not able to contact every business listed. As a result, many business owners are unaware that their businesses are listed.

If you find your listing, take ownership of the listing.
You may take ownership by creating an account. Once you’ve created an account, edit your listing if necessary and enter information about your business wherever possible. The more information you provide, the more likely you will be able to sway an undecided consumer.
If you cannot find your listing, it simply means that you will have to create one.
It’s not difficult to create a listing. All you need to do is set up an account and enter your business information. You may have to indicate the category and subcategory under which you would like your listing to appear. Simply choose the category that best describes your offering.

Are you donating used clothing or household items to IRS qualified organizations every year, and not claiming the full fair market value of those items? Since the IRS doesn't provide a way to determine the full fair market value, most people assign values of a few dollars to items they donate. This will cost you money each year. Using websites or software programs can increase your deductions, saving you money every year.

Check the web. Free information is available from the Salvation Army on a limited number of donated items. Go to the Salvation Army's USA website: www.salvationarmyusa.org. Then select "your help->donate->receipts->valuation guide."
Be more thorough. If you are willing to pay for your information www.charitydeductions.com is a website that has valuations for thousands of items and provides printable reports for your records and accountant for less than $15/year. It works for anyone with an internet connection and has a money back guarantee.
Use software programs. If you use tax preparation software, you should consider using their valuation related products that work together to optimize your deductions. TurboTax offers a program called It's Deductible and TaxCut offers DeductionPro software. Both programs are Windows compatible only, cost less than $20/year and offer guarantees if you don't save a certain amount. They can be downloaded from their respective websites or purchased at a variety of retail locations.
Consider cost effects. Any of the paid products should save you at least what you paid or you can get your money back, so there is really no risk is trying them out to increase your itemized charitable deductions.

There will usually be items donated that are not on their list. It is nearly impossible for a product to guess or know every type of item that people donate. What you must do in these cases is do the work yourself. You should be able to easily create a custom category, then search eBay to find items like yours to find your value. These programs aren't perfect, but do save you the time of finding all the values yourself.

Phishing is when scammers send a mass email to every address they can get in the hope of tricking some on the Web into revealing their sensitive personal information such as passwords, banking information, SSN, mother’s maiden name, date of birth,among others.

Phishing scams are targeted to gather personal information in order to hijack your assets or steal your identity to open credit accounts in your name.

Getting fooled by an email warning of some new crime or promising free money can be embarrassing and dangerous.

Here are some tips for How To spot these scams and what to do.

Check the facts - every time. The reason emails warning of silly urban legends spread so quickly is because people receive them from their trusted friends, and never imagine these smart, clever people could be fooled. Before forwarding any email, take a second to search one of the databases listed below.
If you find the email is a hoax and comes from someone you know personally, immediately reply to the original sender to let him or her know. Select 'Reply all' if appropriate, or suggest that the sender send an email to this effect. Remember to include a link to the site debunking the email!
If you receive an email requesting money or personal information in return for great riches, do not respond! Responding to emails like this - or any type of spam - merely confirms your email account as an active one and opens the floodgates for more spam. Forwarding an email like this to an anti-phishing website, like the ones listed below, can help stop or slow its progress.
If you receive an e-mail that appears to be from a company or website you do business with that asks you to input any personal information, such as your username or password, do not respond to it or click on any links. If you are concerned that there may be an actual problem with your account, navigate to the website yourself and log in. Do NOT copy and paste text or links from the email to your web browser.

Learn to hone your Spamdar by asking the following questions of every email you receive:
Is the sender's name familiar to me?
Did I physically enter my name into this "sweepstakes"?
Has this person ever sent me spam before?
Is there an offer of free money in exchange for personal information?
Is there a threat of immediate detrimental action if I don't respond with personal information?
Some scammers use graphics and e-mail addresses to make you believe their e-mail is from a legitimate site. Again, always naviagte to the site in question on your own.
Use your browsersanti-phishing facilities (Fireforx and IE both have them). That way, even if you do follow a link in a phishing email, the browser will warn you if the site is fraudulent.
If the email is from a 'free' email account (hotmail.com, yahoo.com etc) treat it with great suspicion.

If it's too good to be true, it probably is!

Watch out for anyone asking you to sign something, Or to give them something for the promise of something much more in return.
Ask yourself what you really know of the person, Have you known them for long, could you find them again if need be (cell phones and emails don't count).
Ask if you can take them up on an offer another time, if they say it's a limited time offer, or will get less rewarding the longer you wait, then walk away.
Request ID.
Google some of the main points of your conversation to see if others have identified a situation as a scam.
Keep your emotions in check, if you're excited then you're more likely to agree to do something unwise.
Phone a friend and describe the situation to them yourself, seek their opinion.
Remember if it seems too good to be true, it's probably is and you should walk away.

Con artists are usually likeable people, rather than the stereotypical suspicious people that most people would think of.

Conning or scamming someone is a criminal offence!