Today, Digital Business Books' podcast discusses determining and managing prices while costs for small businesses continue to escalate.

Based on two articles from different issues of Inc. Magazine, we will talk about innovative ways that entrepreneurs are avoiding price hikes while competitors give in to the urge. We will also review ways to increase prices when it's absolutely necessary, and how to do it without alienating your clientele.

One entrepreneur figured out how to cut his company's health insurance costs WITHOUT making his employees carry any of the burden!

He also reduced his material costs by 25% doing simple things that you can do in your own business. Find out how to break a price increase to your customers, and when to do it.

Ever wonder how you should price your service or product?

We have that answer for you as well. We discuss pricing strategies, what works and what doesn't. We discuss objective and perceived value, as well as customer irrationality and expectations. It's an issue that will fill in many of the blanks in your entrepreneurial databank.

Check out this week's free digital business book.

Digital Business Books is also expanding to offer live business expertise via forums, classes and curriculums at The Overwhelmed Entrepreneur. With a business barter room, a Holiday Business Gift Bazaar, and an opening teleclass on Bootstrapping Your Business with Barter, we're hoping the Grand Opening on November 5, 2005 will be a truly "grand" experience.

If you are a vendor with products or services that Entpreneurs can purchase for their clients,

then please check out the Holiday Business Gift Bazaar at http://www.owent.com, in the Events column on the left. You can also register and participate in any of the online business surveys (and see the results). Hoping to meet you at the festivities at The Overwhelmed Entrepreneur site in November!

Penny Haynes, Digital Business Books

Vendors are your friends, and can also make excellent business partners!

In today's business podcast, we learn that the best businesses are actually a seamless network of providers working together to offer excellent services. Collaboration can move a business from mediocrity to greatness if both partners excel at their niche and at customer service.

We rarely think of vendors as sources for great joint ventures.

However, vendors who are also small businesses are eager to gain new business, and have a hunger that larger companies may not have. They also are fortunate to be flexible enough to tailor their offerings to the needs of their clientele. Lastly, they understand the needs of a small business because they ARE a small business.

Smaller vendors can act as an officer in your company.

We will review a marketing firm CEO that now acts as another company's Marketing Director. Other firms became partners by upping the ante in their customer service, making themselves an indispensible part of other companies' businesses.

Solopreneurs can rarely do everything well.

That's why outsourcing to capable companies makes sense. But the trick is often finding companies that will fit well with your business. But how do you find those companies? The internet is a blessing and a curse - you can google anything, but you end up with a case of information overload when you get your answers.

The Overwhelmed Entrepreneur is a collaboration of business experts in one location.

As an answer to the information overload syndrome, as well as the problem of solopreneurs trying to wear every hat and get everything done in their business, we are testing out a site that provides access to experts in every area of business. It also provides inexpensive, on-demand virtual secretarial services for projects, helping you keep your Microsoft Outlook updated, or someone to just keep you on schedule. There will be free classes and curriculums for members, as well as a barter room. We also are providing access to an online Outlook program which will allow you to access your contacts, schedule, projects and tasks while you're out on the road, and still be able to synchronize any changes to your desktop Outlook.

The first class will be Bootstrapping Your Business with Barter, and guarantees to put $500 cold, hard cash in your pocket.

You can sign up for the class at http://www.owent.com. And while you're there, please check out the site. I'd love some feedback from you. What would you like to see in a one-stop-shop for business expertise, training and assistance? What do you need to help you in your business?

As always, check out our free weekly business book download, "Pssst. Pass it On - Viral Marketing", at Digital Business Books(DigBizBooks.com).

And tell me what you think about Brain Storm! - what else would you like to hear about? What area of business is troubling you? We'll try to put it together and find you assistance! Until next week, keep brainstorming! Penny Haynes