Brownbook.net’s New Listing Customization Features Further Widen Gap with Traditional Online Directories

For the first time, businesses can differentiate themselves from every other listing in the directory as Brownbook.net releases its suite of advanced yet easy-to-use business listing customization tools

Florida, USA / London, United Kingdom / Montreal, Canada: The free global online directory that anyone can edit, Brownbook.net, released today cutting edge new features that allow businesses, for the first time ever, to fully customize the way their business listings appear on screen.

Brownbook.net was already the first directory to move away from traditional ‘pigeon hole’ categorization in favor of tags (keywords) alone. Now, with its full listing customization offering, it has entered a class of its own within the online directory and local search arenas.

The new customization tools have been included as part of the enhanced listing fee – costing a negligible £11 or $22 per year.

“At last, all business listings don’t have to look the same!” says Marc Lyne, COO of Brownbook.net. “With Brownbook.net, through the use of rich media - like videos, images (such as your company logo), text descriptions and even embedded widgets in your listing - you can easily show the individuality and uniqueness of your business and make it stand out, helping to convert prospects into customers. You can even drag and drop page elements to change the layout of your listing to create the look and feel you want it to have, and the inbuilt wysiwyg text editor allows a choice of fonts, sizes, colours, and table layouts. All this for a negligible cost! Other directories can charge hundreds of dollars a year for nothing more than a sterile box listing that looks identical to everyone else’s with a fraction of the functionality that Brownbook offers.”

Marc Lyne, COO of Brownbook.net

A video demonstration, by Marc, of how to use Brownbook's new customization features can be seen here:

Brownbook’s new customization features allow users to:

• drag and drop page elements to change the layout of their page
• add photos, videos, logos, marketing information and more
• add external widgets, such as news feeds or a “MeeboMe” messenger widget that enables users to respond in real-time to sales enquiries
• re-use Brownbook features (like the listing’s Map or Reviews) as “Bidgets” (Business Widgets) elsewhere, such as on their own website or blog

Examples of a customized page that includes a full complement of both rich media and widgets:
http://www.brownbook.net/business/186/nauteriors-fitted-bed-linen-for-boats.
http://www.brownbook.net/business/31008544/sjk-products-ltd

Example of a blog that is re-using Brownbook Bidgets (Map and the Reviews Bidgets):
http://miracledrywash.blogspot.com.

“The release of Brownbook’s customization features gives users an extremely powerful new marketing tool, all for a negligible annual fee, introducing a new era for the online directory business,” concludes Marc.

What the analysts are saying about Brownbook.net

• Wikinomics – The co-author’s take on Brownbook’s user earnings, helping people earn and make money from home by doing what comes naturally http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2008/10/30/wikinomics-in-action-brownbooknet-gets-prosumers-invested-for-life/
• Kelsey Group - The yellow pages industry’s most influential analyst firm discusses how Brownbook.net is doing things very differently to the traditional directory model http://blog.kelseygroup.com/index.php/2008/07/31/brownbook-following-different-path-to-iyp-success/
• InfoCommerce - Is Brown the new Yellow? Discusses how Brownbook.net is providing businesses with a unique rich marketing opportunity whilst simultaneously challenging the traditional directory companies http://www.infocommercegroup.com/blog/2008/02/is-brown-new-yellow.html
• Intruders.TV - Brownbook CEO Dave Ingram sharing his vision of the future of local business directories that are powered by low cost web solutions vs. traditional high cost telemarketing http://uk.intruders.tv/Dave-Ingram-of-brownbook-net-the-open-business-directory_a447.html
  

About Brownbook.net
Founded in 2008, Brownbook.net is the world’s largest user-contributed keyword-based (rather than category-based) local business directory, with over 27 million businesses already listed in 230 countries. Any business is entitled to a free listing that includes their business name, address, contact telephone numbers, e-mail, website, VoIP, Instant Messenger and tags. Businesses can choose to pay a small annual fee (£11 or $22) to enhance their listing allowing the addition of photos, videos, widgets, detailed marketing information, and full customization, as well as priority in search results. Built upon the foundations of wiki-principles and collaborative production, transparency and openness between users, low- or no-cost services for businesses, totally self-service processes, and rewarding users, Brownbook.net aims to be THE global business directory.
http://www.brownbook.net
http://blog.brownbook.net
http://blog.brownbook.net/press

For more information, please contact:

Sarah Warren
Brownbook.net
Brownbook Limited
London Road
Sayers Common
West Sussex
BH6 9HS

+44 (0)208 1235 466
sarah@brownbook.net
http://www.brownbook.net

Brownbook.net’s New Listing Customization Features Further Widen Gap with Traditional Online Directories

Brownbook Provides a Cost-effective Way to Carry On Advertising Despite Everything

Businesses that advertise during a recession outsell their competitors by 256%, claims study

London, United Kingdom: Brownbook.net, the free online directory that anyone can edit, offers an extremely cost-effective way of increasing a company’s online presence – essential in today’s financial climate.

McGraw-Hill Research analysed the advertising expenditures of 600 companies across 16 different industry categories during the recessionary periods of the early 80’s. The results of the research showed that companies who maintained or increased their advertising spend during times of recession achieved significantly higher growth in revenue and brand awareness, both during the recession, and for the following three years. In fact, the sales of those companies who advertised aggressively during a recession rose 256% over their competitors who eliminated or decreased their marketing and advertising expenditure.

The overall consensus across business commentators is that companies should continue to invest in marketing if they are to survive the current credit crunch.

David Ingram, CEO Brownbook.net

“Continuing to invest in this way is perhaps easier said than done,” notes David Ingram, CEO Brownbook.net. “Money for advertising and promotion is often the first part of the budget to be sacrificed when times are tight. Today, businesses are faced with new challenges as many of the traditional advertising mediums are not as effective as they used to be. New ways have become mainstream such as: having a website; blogging; using twitter; selling online; using video online; managing testimonials online; customer forums; and the use of social networks. Brownbook.net offers companies a completely free new way of obtaining and constantly enhancing their valuable online presence with many new tools to help businesses.”

Business commentators also agree that, when money is tight, companies have to look for new, smarter ways to operate and promote themselves. Brownbook.net is the new way to promote any businesses of any size and type, anywhere in the world.

“Unlike traditional directories, Brownbook.net is ‘by the people, for the people’ – anyone can add or update a business listing. It is based on ‘wiki’ principles, like Wikipedia,” added Ingram.

About Brownbook.net
Founded in 2008, Brownbook.net is the world’s largest user-contributed local business directory with over 27 million businesses already listed in 230 countries. Any business is entitled to a free listing that includes their business name, address, contact telephone numbers, email, website, VoIP, Instant Messenger and tags. Businesses can choose to pay a small annual fee (less than a round of coffees) to enhance their listing by adding photos, videos, a business description, and priority in search results. Built upon the foundations of wiki-principles and collaborative production, transparency and openness between users, low- or no-cost services for businesses, totally self-service processes, and rewarding users, Brownbook.net aims to be THE global business directory.
http://www.brownbook.net
http://blog.brownbook.net
http://blog.brownbook.net/press

For more information, please contact:

Sarah Warren
Brownbook.net
Brownbook Limited
London Road
Sayers Common
West Sussex
BH6 9HS

+44 (0)208 1235 466
sarah@brownbook.net
http://www.brownbook.net

Brownbook Provides a Cost-effective Way to Carry On Advertising Despite Everything

Print Manager Plus Receives Award of Excellence from Tech and Learning Magazine

35 outstanding education technology products saluted by prestigious
26-year-old recognition program

The Tech & Learning Award of Excellence 2008

Clearwater, Florida and London, United Kingdom: Print Manager Plus® 2008 Standard Academic by Florida-based Software Shelf International, Inc was one of 35 education technology products presented, last week, with the Tech & Learning Magazine’s Award of Excellence.

A panel of more than 30 educators, who tested more than 100 entries at San Francisco Bay Area schools, decided on the winners. “Choosing the finalists was no easy task,” said Kevin Hogan, Editorial Director for the Tech & Learning group. “Those companies that passed muster should feel proud of this accomplishment.”

The other winners encompassed a wide range of high-quality offerings such as numerous Internet-based programs, software for handheld devices and several special hardware/software combination packages that address management, safety, communication, differentiated learning, and other key areas in education.

“For Print Manager Plus to have been recognised as outstanding education technology and for it to be awarded alongside so many important and influential products is a welcome acknowledgement of Software Shelf’s dedicated staff and their work,” stated Bill Feeley, Software Shelf CEO.

Tech & Learning, Inc.
For over 27 years, San Bruno, California-based Tech & Learning has been -- and continues to be -- the leading resource for K-12 leaders. Its publications, Web sites, and events provide factual and evaluative information on trends, products, and strategies to educators who purchase technology products in their districts and schools. Tech & Learning delivers the highest quality content and essential resources to manage, train, and teach technology. For more information, visit www.techlearning.com

About Software Shelf
Software Shelf is the worldwide leader in tightly integrated Windows Print Management solutions. Established in 1994, its flagship product, Print Manager Plus, is used by thousands of organizations worldwide and is available in over 60 countries. It was awarded the Hewlett-Packard Outstanding Partner of the Year Award in 2007 and is listed in GuideMeGreen, the online directory of environmentally-friendly products and services.


For further information, please contact:

Danny Byrnes
Software Shelf International, Inc.
601 Cleveland Street
Suite # 710
Clearwater, FL 33755
United States
Phone: +1 727 445 1920
Phone: +1 800 962 2290
Fax: +1 727 445 9223
Email: sales@softwareshelf.com
Website: http://www.softwareshelf.com

Tatjana Kunze
Software Shelf International, Inc.
Vitality House
2-3 Imberhorne Way
East Grinstead
West Sussex, RH19 1RL
United Kingdom
Phone +44 1342 310950
Fax +44 1342 302405
Email: sales@softwareshelf.co.uk
Website: http://www.softwareshelf.co.uk

Print Manager Plus Receives Award of Excellence from Tech and Learning Magazine

On the Mike with Mike Sherman is Going Global

Mike Sherman Productions signs a three-year contract with Global Broadcasting Company to broadcast its premier music lifestyle television show across the world

Delray Beach, Florida: Mike Sherman Productions, Inc that produces “On the Mike with Mike Sherman”, one of the nation’s premier music lifestyle television shows, will be taking its show to the rest of the world from Jan 1, 2009.

Mike Sherman with the Grammy Award-winning rapper Ludacris

Mike Sherman Productions has signed a three-year contract with The Global Broadcasting Company, Inc. to begin broadcasting “On the Mike with Mike Sherman”, beginning in January 2009 on Total Hip Hop Television across western and eastern Europe including Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Lichtenstein, Northern Italy, Switzerland and the Baltic states, with more countries being added throughout the year.

The ultimate reach of its audience will be approximately 10 million subscribers across 16 countries with a total available subscriber population of 80 million.

This is a breakthrough achievement for Mike Sherman Productions as penetrating the international market has been a big goal for the company since the inception of the show 3 years ago. “One of my major ambitions has been to get international distribution for the show via both TV and the Internet,” said Mike Sherman, creator and presenter of the show. “I’m very excited that, in the new year, we will finally be broadcasting across the world.”

Mike Sherman with multi-platinum selling pop singer Rihanna

Now the rest of the world can enjoy, up-close-and-personal interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and live concert performances from a long list of today’s superstars such as Rihanna, Robin Thick, Snoop Dogg and Akon, to name a few.

Viewers can check the Listings link on http://www.mikeshermanshow.com to find out when the show is broadcast in their area. It can also be viewed on the website in its entirety shortly after each live television broadcast.

About The Global Broadcasting Company, Inc.
The Global Broadcasting Company, Inc. is a global media company based in Los Angeles, California – the entertainment capital of the world. The senior management team of Carol Angela Davis, Mark Geragos, Lisa Jones Johnson and Walter Jones has a wide range of experience in the television and film industries as well as in law and finance. The company launches global 24-hour television channels featuring underground and independently produced entertainment, sports, kids, lifestyle, financial and news programming that is additionally suited for audiences who want to learn English.
http://www.globalbroadcastingcompany.tv

About On the Mike with Mike Sherman
In 2006 “On the Mike with Mike Sherman” debuted on Saturday night on My 33 (My Network TV, a CBS affiliate) in Miami. Today, the show, now called “On the Mike with Mike Sherman”, is syndicated both domestically and on 5 international networks. Mike Sherman, a successful stockbroker and founder of Delray Beach-based MSP, Inc., has always had a love and passion for pop, hip-hop and R&B music. He created a show that has brought millions of viewers to TV screens across the US and now across the world, successfully bringing urban communities closer to exclusive interviews, VIP events and A-list celebrities.
http://www.mikeshermanshow.com

For more information, please contact:

Andrea Arandia
Mike Sherman Productions, Inc.
1401 Estuary Trail
Delray Beach
FL 33483
USA

Tel: +1 561 243 0429
andreaarandia@aol.com
http://www.mikeshermanshow.com

On the Mike with Mike Sherman is Going Global

Software Shelf’s Print Manager Plus Attains a 50% Saving on all Printing Costs

Results show that implementing Software Shelf’s print control software is a sensible and practical way to improve the bottom line. That’s good news in these financially insecure times.

An average employee wastes 6 pages per day; that's 1,410 pages a year

Clearwater, Florida and London, United Kingdom: Software Shelf International, Inc. is proud to announce the results of a recently conducted client survey which looked into the degree to which Print Manager Plus - its leading print control and monitoring software - reduces the printing costs of its clients.

The key findings were that: the software can save between 30% to 50% of all printing costs, and that the software usually pays for itself, easily, within its free 30-day evaluation period. This is because it has an instant effect on the consumption of toner, paper, printer wear and tear and IT resources.

“This all adds up to huge savings,” says Software Shelf CEO, William Feeley. “Print Manager Plus not only audits all aspects of printing, but also allows an organization to fully control its printing with quotas, restrictions and reports. This control and report data can be used to cut back on wasted printing, restrict any aspect of printing, fully utilize current print resources, and fully account for all printing expenses. And so, this usually hidden expense can now be fully accounted for and controlled,” he concludes.

Because Print Manager Plus allows companies to successfully audit, restrict, quota and control print traffic over any network and any heterogeneous environment, they can really control their printing and so not only gain instant and complete return on investment, but also achieve a massive reduction in costs.

Auditing & Reporting Include:

• Over 130 individual reports, statements, and charts.
• Reports by User, Groups, OU, Workstation, Server, Accounts, Client, Billing Code.
• Detailed Savings Reports.
• Audit heterogeneous network environments.
• Supports Work Groups, Active Directory and LDAP.
• Printers Audited includes: Dot Matrix, Inkjets, Laser Jets, Multifunctional devices, Large Format Printers, and Plotters.
• Print Job data collected is: Time/Date Printed, Document Title, Document Type, Page Count, Copy Count, Page Size, Print Job Size, Black & White Output, Color Output, Duplex, N-Up, Large Format Printing by Inches and Centimetres.
  

Printing Restrictions Include:

• Deny printing for print jobs over certain number of pages.
• Deny printing if the number of copies exceeds.
• Deny printing if the document size is greater than.
• Deny printing if the document is reprinted within so many seconds.
• Deny or Allow printing if the document title contains specific keywords.
• Deny printing if the document is color.
• Deny printing if the document is Black and White.
• Enable Date/Time Restrictions.
  

Printing Quotas Include:

• Set a currency quota to a user.
• Set a page quota to a user.
• Set a quota by user by printer or group of printers.
• Reset or Increase quotas automatically.
  

Printing Security and Authentication:

• Set print job verification.
• Set print job authentication by user password.
• Set print job authentication by username and password.
• Set print job client billing verification.
• Set print job client billing authentication by client password.
• Set print job client billing authentication by user password.
• Set print job client billing authentication by username and password.
• Allow users to create client accounts on the fly.
• Allow users to add comments to their print job.
• Allow batch printing.
  

About Software Shelf
Software Shelf is the worldwide leader in tightly integrated Windows Print Management solutions. Established in 1994, its flagship product, Print Manager Plus, is used by thousands of organizations worldwide and is available in over 60 countries. It was awarded the Hewlett-Packard Outstanding Partner of the Year Award in 2007, a Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence in 2008, and is listed in GuideMeGreen, the online directory of environmentally-friendly products and services.

For further information, please contact:

Danny Byrnes
Software Shelf International, Inc.
601 Cleveland Street
Suite # 710
Clearwater, FL 33755
United States
Phone: +1 727 445 1920
Phone: +1 800 962 2290
Fax: +1 727 445 9223
Email: sales@softwareshelf.com
Website: http://www.softwareshelf.com

Software Shelf’s Print Manager Plus Attains a 50% Saving on all Printing Costs

Marc Koska’s Safe Injection Campaign Set to Save Millions of Lives in India

Safepoint UK’s “One Injection, One Syringe” message comes to India on a grand scale

Marc Koska OBE, founder of SafePoint Trust

East Sussex, 11 November 2008: Marc Koska OBE, (the British inventor of the single-use auto-disable syringe), together with his charity SafePoint UK, is embarking upon a one-week life-saving healthcare education mission to India on an enormous and unprecedented scale, starting 14 November 2008.

According to a recent study by Indian Clinical Epidemiology Network (IndiaCLEN), around 65% of injections administered in India are unsafe – because they are performed with reused or unsterile equipment.

Health problems resulting from unsafe injections worldwide, according to these annual figures from the World Health Organization, has reached epidemic proportions:

• 230,000 HIV infections
• 1,000,000 Hepatitis C infections
• 21,000,000 Hepatitis B infections

Resulting in:

• 1,300,000 deaths

Marc set up SafePoint Trust in 2006 to educate the public on the dangers of re-using syringes with its “One Injection, One Syringe” message, in order to reduce the misery, illness and deaths being needlessly caused through unsafe injections.

On 14th November 2008, Marc will lead a SafePoint team to India with the aim of informing hundreds of millions throughout that country of the fatal consequences of re-using syringes, by means of the SafePoint-produced public information film (or public service announcement) called ‘Sachin’. This is the moving story, narrated by Dr Kiran Bedi, the highly celebrated Indian social activist, about Sachin - the little boy who contracts HIV through the reuse of a syringe by his doctor. The film leaves no doubt that prevention is better than cure.

Click here to watch the film in English:
http://www.sharenow.com/base/content/48564/


Click here to watch the film in Hindi:
http://www.sharenow.com/base/content/48563/

SafePoint claims that it will be the biggest media buyer throughout India for that week (14-21 November 2008), covering an incredible:

• 14 hours of prime TV broadcast across 23 channels

• Radio broadcasts from Dr Kiran Bedi spanning 160 cities, playing 28 times in each, making a total of 4,480 broadcasts

• 307 cinemas that will screen ‘Sachin’ 4 times per day per cinema, making a total of 8,596 screenings

In addition, the SafePoint team, split into four groups, will hold concurrent press conferences in Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Chandigarh, commencing 14 November. In total, the teams will cover 14 regions over a gruelling four days.

Preventing the devastating effect that unsafe injections have on innocent people’s lives is the driving force behind Marc’s tireless campaign. SafePoint offers a solution to the problem by informing the next generation and by raising awareness about this silent epidemic. The charity’s educational campaigns on injection safety have the bold aim of ensuring that the 16 billion medical injections given globally every year are given safely.

Focused and passionate social entrepreneur, Marc Koska, who has already been credited with saving well over 5.5 million lives through the invention of his auto-disable syringe, hopes that many more millions of lives will soon be saved as a result of his forthcoming campaign in India. The campaign is also expected to bring about major changes for the better in the way global healthcare is administered.

“We will be asking the public and legislators of India to sit up and listen to our life-saving message,” says Marc. “We intend to both empower the people of India by opening their eyes to the dangers of reusing syringes, as well as to increase demand for the implementation of legislation in this field. This is paramount to our campaign.”

Marc Koska, OBE
Inventor of the single-use auto-disable syringe, social entrepreneur, Marc Koska, is the founder of SafePoint Trust and was awarded the Order of the British Empre in 2006 for his contribution to healthcare.
http://www.marckoska.com

Dr Kiran Bedi
Dr Kiran Bedi is an award-winning Indian social activist and one of the most celebrated and widely known police officers of the Indian Police Force (now retired). She was awarded the Mother Teresa Memorial National Award for Social Justice in 2005.
http://www.kiranbedi.com

SafePoint Trust
SafePoint Trust is a registered UK charity that has the aim of solving healthcare problems through education, predominantly in the developing world and focusing on injection safety.
http://www.safepointtrust.org

For more information, please contact:

Ginny Simpson
SafePoint UK
The Granary
Pippingford
East Sussex
TN22 3HW
United Kingdom

Tel: + 44 (0)1825 713 722
Fax: + 44 (0)1825 713 838
Mob: +44 (0)7595 206923
Email: info@safepointtrust.org
Web: http://www.safepointtrust.org

Marc Koska’s Safe Injection Campaign Set to Save Millions of Lives in India