Let’s face it. Good marketing tactics are essential when it comes to getting your business to stand out from the crowd. So it came as no surprise that the room was jam packed for Catherine Seda’s session on Low-Cost Marketing Tactics at the Women in Charge conference sponsored by OPEN from American Express and Entrepreneur magazine that took place on Tuesday in Florida.

 Seda, an internet marketing veteran, had a big task in front of her. She had been given a powerpoint presentation that consisted of 20 marketing tactics prepared by Kim T. Gordon, author and Entrepreneur columnist. Gordon had intended on presenting the information herself, but when she fell ill shortly before the conference, the logical person to pass the baton to was Seda.

So, with the help of Gordon’s slides, Seda presented invaluable information to a room full of rapt listeners. The first task at hand for all entrepreneurs is to develop a unique point of differentiation for your business, she said. After all, it’s much easier to market your business when you have distinct reasons why customers should pick you over your competition. Audience members shared their points of differentiation with others. High quality, same-day service and discounted prices were just some of the factors that attendees came up with.

Seda went on to discuss the use of search engines, online directories (which are free in most cases), print directories, and newspapers as effective ways in which to attract new consumers. She also addressed how effective an effective website can actually be and tips on how to run a great e-mail campaign by personalizing the correspondence and using an e-mail marketing service. And, in addition to a plethora of other tactics, she discussed how to create buzz around your product or service by getting people to talk through contests, news stories, free trials and events.

Marketing is essential but it doesn’t always have to break the bank. By thinking creatively, entrepreneurs can stand out and make it big with some very simple tactics.--Sara Wilson

DailyCandy has announced the winners of its Sweetest Things 2007. The site asked readers to vote for their favorite nominees in the realms of fashion, food, beauty, arts and culture. You can view the winners in your city or winners from across the country. Some of our favorites include:

• Sound category: Bedtime Beats, created by Cindy Bressler and Lisa Mercurio
• Smell category: Cure Custom Aromas, created by Ann Reed
• Taste category: Holey Donuts, created by Frank Dilullo

If Microsoft has its way, Google may soon have a formidable competitor on its heels. A blog post on NYTimes.com's DealBook discusses Microsoft's $44.6 billion bid for Yahoo!, which was announced this morning. The proposed acquisition would be the largest ever by Microsoft. In a letter to Yahoo!'s board, Microsoft's chief executive, Steven A. Ballmer, presented his pitch for the acquisition. "This proposal represents a compelling value realization event for your shareholders," he said. According to the letter, Microsoft and Yahoo! held talks early last year discussing collaborative efforts and a possible merger. But, at the time, Yahoo! turned down any takeover proposals.

As for potential problems with the acquisition, the DealBook blog points out that antitrust concerns, especially from the European Union, could get in the way. In addition, Microsoft and Yahoo! have very diverse corporate cultures, with Yahoo! described as having a "freewheeling ethos" while Microsoft is known for a more "restrained culture."