6 Best Podcast Recording Tools

Modern media is changing and more businesses and individuals are turning to podcasts to get their message out rather than using the radio or writing training manuals related to small business processes. Podcasts can be used for virtually anything and are audio recordings that can be posted online for others to listen to. While many podcasts do stream live, most are pre-recorded and software is needed to accomplish this.

Fortunately it’s easy to record audio on pretty much any modern computer, regardless of what operating system you use. As long as your computer has a peripheral or built-in microphone, which comes as standard on most desktops and laptops, then you’ve already got all the hardware you’ll need – that is unless you take your podcasting really seriously and you have the spare cash available to build your own studio! ;)

These are some of the best podcast recording tools that can integrate with Skype or that can be used as a standalone audio recording application. Make your choice, download and start podcasting today!

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10 Best Online Fax Services

Email may be taking over, but many businesses still rely upon the convenience of fax as a communication tool or to submit copies of original documents. There are dozens of online fax services that combine the best of both worlds allowing users to receive faxes to their email when sent to their assigned fax number, or send their own through email by scanning original documents and incorporating text into the body of the email.

These internet faxing services combine the best of both worlds, and are ideal for small businesses that don’t need to make the investment of a large fax system; but do still want to offer fax as a communication option for their clients.

If you’re thinking about using an online fax service, here are some of the 10 best ones to choose from.

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7 Essential Tips for a More Productive Conference Call

Not everybody enjoys conference calls. Talking to a group of people, potentially regarding a very important subject, without being able to see their body language is something that takes some adjusting to. Whilst some struggle with conference calls the reality is that as VoIP technology continues to mature (and become cheaper and cheaper) being able to thrive on a conference call is going to become a necessity in business.

So, the stage is set, you have that fateful interview with Van Morrison. You know fine well that he’s a grumpy and does not suffer fools gladly, if there are any issues he will probably hang up. So how do you make the call go as smooth as possible?

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6 Best Google Voice Alternatives

Many people have taken to Google Voice for its ability to streamline phone, email, and SMS communications. However, it has several limitations. So far it is only available in the U.S., leaving a huge number of international consumers unable to use it. Further, it is just not right for some people. They don’t like using a Google product, they don’t like the limitations, or they are just interested in another way to do things. Fortunately, there are a good number of alternatives available on the market.

The products outlined below provide a good starting point to finding a Google Voice alternative that is right for you.

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6 Best Small Business VoIP Providers

There has been an explosion in the development of and the demand for VoIP phone systems in recent years, and now small businesses are beginning to reap the benefits offered by the technology. Streamlined communications, scalability and increased productivity are but a few of the benefits in deploying a small business VoIP phone system. However, it is the reduced cost of communication both domestically and internationally that is the biggest attraction of a VoIP phone system for small businesses. And with the rapid growth of virtual working teams and telecommuting, VoIP for small business is here to stay!

To learn more about the best small business VoIP providers and the benefits they provide, read on below.

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