In each issue, Inc. presents Hands On, our operating manual for business. Here, you'll find links to our recommended resources -- selections hand-picked by our editors to help you run a better company.

December 2006

Want to Stand Out?
Make a splash with mini billboards.

To learn more about indoor billboards and other forms of out-of-home advertising, visit the website of the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (oaaa.org), which features marketing research, case studies, and a directory of vendors.

A New Kind Of Perk: Online Gambling
How playing games online can boost productivity. Really.

For more information on incentive plans, go to the Incentive Marketing Association's website (incentivemarketing.org). The site features case studies, research, tips, and a directory of companies that offer incentive products and consulting.

Off-the-Grid IPOs
An underused SEC exemption that deserves another look.

Check out the website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for more information on intrastate offerings, including links to detailed explanations of the rules and regulations governing the exemption on the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Foundations R Us
You can give it away as smartly as you made it.

For more information, visit the Council on Foundations at cof.org, or if you prefer a turnkey approach, try foundationsource.com.

Bill Van Ness's Instinct Was to Fight the Plan to Build A School Next to His Factory.
But could he beat eminent domain?

What do you think? Would you have handled the eminent domain battle differently? Let us know at casestudy@inc.com.

Ask Inc.

To learn more about how online communities can benefit your business, read Linked: The New Science of Networks by Albert László-Barabási. For news and discussion boards related to running retail stores, go to RetailWire online.

Looking for answers? Stumped by a thorny business problem? Let Inc. help. Send your questions to askinc@inc.com.

Ask Bernie Marcus
Training tips from a co-founder of Home Depot.

Coming Up: Ask Gary Erickson, founder, Clif Bar & Co.
Need advice on building environmental sustainability into your business? Ask Gary Erickson by e-mailing askinc@inc.com. Then look for his answer in the February issue of Inc.

November 2006

Contagious Commercials
How to get in on the YouTube craze.

Inc.com Associate editor Nadine Heintz discusses video viral marketing at www.inc.com/keyword/nov06.

In-Your-Face Selling
A gutsy approach to closing the deal.

For more information on business travel trends, check out the website of Carlson Wagonlit Travel.

Smart Questions for Your Accountant
Forget holiday shopping. Now’s the time to huddle with your CPA and make year-end tax moves that will shave Uncle Sam's bill.

Here are a few questions to ask your number cruncher. Inc.com Editor Larry Kanter discusses end-of-the-year tax tips at www.inc.com/podcasts.

Our Companies, Ourselves
Can you separate yourself from your business?

For more about the dangers of overidentifying with your company, check out Howard Book's "The EQ Edge: Emotional Intelligence and Your Success," Michael Maccoby's "Narcissistic Leaders," and David Dotlich's "Head, Heart, and Guts."

Ask Inc.

For information on colleges that offer experience-based entrepreneurship programs, check out Experiential Entrepreneurship Education. To read more articles about telemarketing, visit the website of the Business Marketing Association.

October 2006

Are Your Staffers Stealing?
How to prevent employee theft and protect your bottom line.

For more advice on preventing employee theft, including a rundown of common schemes and tips for thwarting them, check out the Better Business Bureau's security and privacy guidelines and the U.S. Small Business Administration's guide to preventing employee theft and crime prevention report.

Goodbye, Retainers
Pay as you go with results-based PR.

For more PR advice, check out marketing coach John Jantsch's website Duct Tape Marketing. Jantsch's new book, "Duct Tape Marketing: The World's Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide," is due out this winter.

Found in Translation
How to make the multicultural work force work.

For more advice and insights on managing a multicultural work force, check out the American Institute for Managing Diversity, a nonprofit think tank that offers articles, links, and discussion boards.

September 2006

Would You Recommend Us?
Perfect your service by asking the only question that matters.

For more on the Net Promoter Score, go to netpromoter.com, which features case studies and tips on how to boost your company's score.

Ask Inc.
Scaling back profit-sharing plans; importing headaches.

Check out the Profit Sharing 401(k) Council of America's website (psca.org) for research, statistics, and articles about profit-sharing plans. For more information about importing goods, visit the U.S. Customs website (cbp.gov).

August 2006

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
The new alternative to banks and VCs: person-to-person lending.

Associate editor Nadine Heintz shares her thoughts on person-to-person moneylending sites at www.inc.com/keyword/aug06.

Learning to Love Networking
How a shy guy became a master glad-hander.

Check out www.inc.com/keyword/aug06 for a breakdown of different networking events, including pros and cons for each one.

Smart Questions…
For your insurance agent.

Editor Larry Kanter talks about insurance strategies at www.inc.com/podcasts.

Pioneering the Web's Last Frontier
A plan to get rural businesses online.

To check out more online marketplaces, visit the Source Guides website (www.sourceguides.com/markets), which allows users to search for dozens of business-to-business exchanges according to industry, region, and service.

July 2006

What's in a Job Title?
Doling out flashy titles may seem like a cheap way to attract and retain top recruits. But it's also risky.

For help establishing clearly defined job titles, check out the Department of Labor's occupational database (online.­onetcenter.org), which features information on thousands of job titles, along with detailed lists of tasks involved and skills required.

Need a High-Tech Infusion?
Consider partnering with a university.

To learn more about tech transfers, visit the Association of University Technology Managers' website (www.autm.net), which contains sample licensing agreements and links to the sites of most university tech transfer offices in the U.S.

A Whole New World
How Mosaica Education made the jump from the inner city to the Middle East.

To learn more about doing business in the Middle East, check out ArabDataNet (www.arabdatanet.org), a website run by the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce that features profiles and trade data on Middle Eastern countries.

June 2006

The Nurse Will See You Now
Low-cost clinics staffed by nurses instead of M.D.'s could cut your health care costs. But you may want to think twice before sending your employees to one.

For more information on health care trends, check out this survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. Read the latest news on state health care initiatives on the website of the National Conference of Legislators.

Making Amends
Apologizing is part of doing business. But do it wrong, and you'll really be sorry.

For more on the most effective ways to make amends, read On Apology by Aaron Lazare. For more on the legal considerations, including updates on how apologies are being treated by the courts, go to Law.com and search the term "apologies."

Summertime Tax Breaks
'Tis the season to slash your tax breaks-and have a little fun, too.

Inc.com Associate editor Nadine Heintz discusses summer tax breaks at www.inc.com/podcasts. For more information on tax incentives for energy-efficient businesses, go to the Department of Energy's website.

TV Advertising for the Rest of Us
An innovative new start-up makes the 30-second spot available to everyone, regardless of budget.

Darren Dahl discusses new trends in TV advertising at www.inc.com/video.

50 Smart Questions for Your Landlord
Looking for office space? Good luck. In most markets, vacancies are down and rents are up. Make sure you’re getting the best deal by asking the right questions.

Inc.com Editor Larry Kanter offers tips for getting a deal on office space at www.inc.com/podcasts.

Doing Well and Good
How social responsibility helped one coffee grower land a deal with Starbucks.

For tips on creating a socially responsible business, read Corporate Social Responsibility: Doing the Most Good for Your Company and Your Cause by Philip Kotler and Nancy Lee. Go to FastCompany.com for more stories about social entrepreneurship.

Ask Inc.
Canning commissions; granting equity to shareholders.

For more about designing sales compensation packages, read The Sales Compensation Handbook by Stockton Colt. Go to the Entrepreneurial Success section at www.ventureblog.com for more insight into the minds of venture capitalists.

Inc.com: Hands On Recommended Resources