I confess that I am still learning what Pinterest is, how it works and why as a small business owner I need to be using it. From everything I have read up to this point, Pinterest is worth investing the time in learning the in’s and out’s. My friends over at www.hubspot.com always produce great ebook’s on topics that matter to small businesses. They recently produced a new ebook on Pinterest that is worth the download.

Just last week, Pinterest reached 11 Million monthly unique visits. For many companies, it’s driving more referral traffic than Twitter and Google+. That growth is faster than any standalone site - ever.

Learn how to use Pinterest as a source of traffic, leads and sales for your organization by downloading Hubspot’s new guide, How to Use Pinterest for Business.

Download the Ebook Now

From this guide, you will learn;

* How Pinterest works and top reasons you should be using it
* How to create a Pinterest account and grow followers
* How B2B & B2C firms use Pinterest for lead generation and sales
* Examples of how real-life businesses leverage Pinterest for growth

Are you using Pinterest? How are you using it?

Have you ever had your spouse (for those who are married) or a friend say to you as you head out for the day, “Are you going to wear that?” To which you respond, “What’s wrong with what I am wearing?” Sometimes, ahem, myself excluded of course, we may wear something that doesn’t quite look right or fit the occasion. We look in the mirror and think “you look good.”

As a small business marketing consultant, I sometimes want to say to a small business, “Seriously, are you going to wear that?” when it comes to their branding. In other words, “Are you going to let that represent the marketing narrative for your small business?” Seriously? Let’s talk!

Here are three thoughts to consider when it comes  to what your small business is “wearing” (a.k.a BRANDING):

1. Have a great logo – Have a great logo, not a good logo, but a great logo! Ask others if your logo lives up to the vision of your small business. If it doesn’t, then maybe it’s time to sit down with a good marketing professional and walk through defining your brand and what a great logo would look like for your small business – a logo that communicates your marketing narrative. It isn’t enough to work with just a good graphic designer. Not all graphic designers understand branding. They should, but unfortunately it’s not always the case. You need to work with someone who understands branding AND good design. For more key factors to a great logo
2. Have a great business card – C’mon small business people, for goodness gracious. Your business card is the most efficient and inexpensive marketing tool you have. Make it count! When you hand someone your business card it should communicate who you are and what you do in 5 seconds or less. Every business card should have the following seven elements:
   1. Company Logo 
   2. Company Name – If the company name is clearly stated in the logo, ignore the company name.  If not, take note of how important shouting the company name on a card is.
   3. Your First and Last Name – You might be surprised how often this one slips through the cracks. You’re not gonna let that happen now are you?
   4. Telephone Number
   5. Website – If you don’t have a website, then you have just communicated to your contact you are a not a serious player in the world of small business.
   6. Email Address – Your email address should be your name + your domain name. Do not settle for a @Hotmail.com  or a @yahoo.com. Again, another indicator that you are pretending to be a small business. Stop pretending and get an email address that matches your domain. Pay someone for the time to help you set this up if you do not know how to.
   7. Service or Product Description of What You Do -  If your company name or logo does not clearly define what you do, then you need to add additional language to your business card that does. One word descriptions will work fine. For example, if the name of your company is Smith and Sons and your small business is that you fix cars, then you might want to add to your business card, Automotive Repair. Make sense?
3. Answer All Your Calls With A Consistent Greeting – Many small businesses do not consider the phone greeting that they perform as a part of their branding strategy. Just because you are a small business doesn’t mean that how you answer incoming calls doesn’t matter. It does. All of the ‘big boys’ answer their phone with a consistent message, so why don’t you? Start answering all your phones calls today with a consistent branded greeting. For starters, try this one, “Good morning. YOUR COMPANY NAME. Greg speaking. How may I help you?” For more tips on answering your phone to win business.

What other tips would you add that help communicate your marketing message?

January 12, 2011 (GREENFIELD, IN) – SportsWorld, a national non-profit based in Indianapolis, recently decided to revamp their website.  They hope the change will make a greater impact on schools and students across the nation.

Sports World was originally founded by former NFL chaplain, Dr. Ira Lee Eschelman, in 1978.  He began by scheduling NFL players to speak at school assemblies, allowing the players to share with students about choices and consequence.  Eventually players across the sports world–from softball to baseball to football–were brought in.

Each player is professionally trained for public speaking, and addresses the hurdles they had to overcome to succeed.  The mission of the organization accurately states: “Sports World is sending former professional athletes to share personal life experiences with students, helping them to recognize the consequences of their choices while challenging them with the mission of hope.”

For the work of improving the website, Sports World naturally chose to partner with Greg Cross of Cross Creative Marketing.  Jennifer Raney, director of Marketing, has known Greg Cross for nearly

four years and worked with him on other projects.  She has found him to be knowledgable, easy to work with and, most importantly, reliable; she knew he would be the one to help them accomplish their goals.

Raney and those at Sports World find that the new site is easier to manage, control and grow when necessary.  “Sports World is in the business of making an impact on the lives of our youth,” says Raney.  “With this new site I feel that we’ve finally hit that mark of what impact looks like.  We are online, in your schools, and ready to make a difference.”

Check out the new Sports World website

If you’re like me, a small business owner with many irons in the fire, you probably find that your day is constantly filled with interruptions. If I’m in my office, I receive between 100-200 emails a day and probably 20 phone calls, not to mention employee and customer interaction. So, my uninterrupted time at my desk comes a precious few minutes at a time. If I’m not careful, the day slips away and I have truly not managed to do a single productive thing.

Four years ago, my husband and I went to a Get Motivated Seminar. It was day filled with speakers about everything from selling skills to investments. There were some big name speakers, but I only really remember one. I learned something that day that has changed the way I organize my life and increased my productivity by leaps and bounds. Who was the life changing speaker? This guy.

George Ross, as you likely know, was on The Apprentice and is Donald Trump’s right hand man. His presentation was on negotiation tactics, but he started with a quick tip. He said he learned this concept from Donald himself. If it was good enough for the Donald and George, it was good enough for me.

The gist of the idea revolves around a notebook. It can be any kind of notebook, but I am in love with Moleskine. They have many editions, but I prefer the simple, plain black with lines. When starting the first time, make it less about the notebook and more about the process. You’ll figure out what you need to tweak the style of notebook you’ll need. (I now have a perfect size – probably 4.5×8″. It must fit in my purse, but be big enough to keep all of the information I need.)

Start on the second page and right side of your notebook and make your list. This can be a list of things to do this week or for the day specifically. I usually list everything I would do for the day if I had a perfectly quiet day with no interruptions. Then, go down through the tasks and number them starting with #1 being the first task you will conquer. Usually, I use tasks 1 and 2 to get myself going so they’re easy and quick. Once I get started and knock a couple of things off, I’m usually on a roll and the rest of the tasks go much faster. If you have to pause to take a call or talk with a customer, you’ll be able to fall right back into your prioritized list.

Here’s a photo of my list from the other day when I was at home. I know, it’s on the left side of the page. But, it was one of many lists that day. I’m obsessed with scratching off items, so laundry is on there for each time I need to start a new load.

This part may not seem life changing and it’s really not. The magic occurs on the left side of the page and the rest of the notebook. This is where you make notes from your day that would generally go on scrap paper, Post-Its or a cocktail napkin. This keeps everything in one nice, neat place and a great record of who you talk with, phone numbers, prices and part numbers, and much more. I take this book everywhere including sales training and seminars and keep all of my notes in this book. I now have four years worth of data that I have collected all organized by date.

Here’s a shot of a work day. The chicken scratch on the left side is exactly what makes the concept work.

I also save the back 10-20 pages of the notebook for important information like user names, passwords, and anything else I want to track on a longer-term list. I’ve done a lot with this section over the years including taking measurements when I was on a workout plan, tracking all of my real estate listings, tracking employee’s bonuses, and keeping a to-do list for when I become president of an organization in a few years.

This is more than a to-do list and it’s more than a journal. Following this has truly changed my life and helps me stay on track and organized everyday. And, to think, it’s all thanks to Donald Trump. If it works for the Donald, it will likely work for you too.

If you are a small business and are not using social media yet to grow your business, then today is a great day to get started. Even if you are still wading through the learning curve the most important first step you can do today is to secure your online social media brand or username. You can always figure out later how to leverage social media for your small business growth. What you cannot wait to do is securing your username for social networking websites that you do plan to use to grow your small business. If you snooze you will lose – at least on your first choice for usernames.

A username (also known as a vanity url) is the unique name associated to each social media profile account that you setup.

For instance, some of my top social media profile usernames are …

Twitter –  www.twiter.com/gregorycross
Facebook Business Page – www.facebook.com/crosscreative
Slideshare – www.slideshare.net/gregcross

If you are just now jumping on board the whole social media train then it is very important for you to establish your online presence by securing your username.

A great website to visit to see if the username you want to secure for various social media platforms are available is www.checkusernames.com. Check Usernames allows you to check the availability of your brand or username on 160 popular Social Networking and Social Bookmarking websites. They also have a Premium Service, which registers your brand or username on up to 300 popular social media sites. This is a great way to get up and going fast and to verify if the username you wanting to represent your online presence is available.

The two social networking usernames that I strongly encourage you to secure right away are Twitter and Facebook Business Page.

Sign up for a Twitter account by visiting www.twitter.com

For Facebook, once you have created a personal account you are now eligible to create a username for your personal profile and your business page. To create a username click or type the following URL into your browser http://www.facebook.com/username/

What would your website tell you what it wanted for Christmas  if it could talk? I’ve listed five things below that I know would be at the top of your website’s Christmas Wish List if it could talk.

1. Add testimonials with photos. People like to read other people’s experience with your product or service. When someone provides you a testimonial always request a photo. Associating a photo with a testimonial raises the credibility. Don’t have any testimonies on your site? Take some time this week to email your customers and ask. You’d be surprised how many people will provide you a testimony if you ask for it. Check out the testimonial page of BBQ’nFools.com and how they include photos and logos with their testimonials.
2. Update your content. When was the last time you went through each page on your website and evaluated it for accuracy? Maybe you could rewrite a few product descriptions. Rewrites can also help improve your site’s Google rankings.
3. Make your “About” page a “Sell Page”. The About page is one of the most-visited places on most websites. People are always curious to know who’s behind the curtain. Your about page should be compelling enough so that the person viewing that page is convinced enough to want to contact you. Also, put a purchase or subscribe or hire us button on that page, because doing so has shown to improve conversions.
4. Up your SEO game. It’s no mystery that content is king when it comes to increasing website traffic. However, many sites do not have good content that search engines can leverage and as result increase website traffic. I have found a great tool that helps analyze your website content and then makes suggestions for how to improve your content. It’s called Scribe.
5. Start blogging. Blogging is the best way to add fresh, relevant content to your small business website. How did you find this blog article? Was it from a Google search? Do you click on a link in Twitter? Did one of your Facebook friends share it with you on your status wall? Google and other search engines love fresh content. Don’t have time to blog or feel like you can do it? Check out our Blog Writing service.

Local business owner, Grant Ford, has recently launched a new site for his barbecue catering business, BBQ’N Fools. Ford hired Cross Creative Marketing to design his new website. He wanted a site that was more accessible to potential customers and reflected Ford’s dedication to serving the community. BBQ’N Fools was originally a national company, serving 22 states. When it ceased to operate on the larger scale, Ford decided to reorganize and focus on building his presence in the local community where he and his wife Jeni now preside.

For Ford, this has taken shape in a variety of ways. First, he strives to have the core of his business in Hancock County, Indiana. As an experienced and accomplished barbecue chef, Ford serves high-quality beef, pork and chicken items to anything from birthday parties to business luncheons to local fundraisers in Greenfield, Indiana and the surrounding area.

He also believes in giving back. “If everyone were committed to giving back to the communities they live in, the world would be a better place,” says Ford. He backs up this belief with his actions, supporting the civil servants (police officers, fireman, etc.), a children’s organization, Hope house (serving those currently experiencing homelessness) and the area soup kitchen. He has also served the local National Guard 86 Brigade, providing meals for the soldiers and their families.

The website, redesigned to be more accessible to visitors, now features a full menu and catering request option, as well as testimonials from local individuals and businesses.

Visitors also have the ability to register as a “Fan of the Fool.” “Fans” receive special discounts, insider information regarding the item of the month, and a chance to win a free t-shirt each quarter.

You can visit their new website at www.bbqnfools.com

One night after my daughter’s soccer practice  I noticed  a voicemail on my smart phone. The caller, I’ll call her Becky, left a message inquiring about my marketing services. Her daughter was also a soccer player and she happened to notice my phone number on the back of my vehicle while it was sitting in the parking lot of where I coach my daughter’s soccer team.

The next day I called her back. Her inquiry basically boiled down to this, “Greg, I really don’t even know if I can afford you. How much does a website cost anyway?”

Below I wanted to share with you the email that I sent to Becky. In it I respond to her question “How much does a website cost anyway?”

- Start of Unedited Email - 

Becky, much of what I do often involves educating people on what online marketing is all about. When people are ignorant of the unknown they can sometimes be reluctant to pursue a professional solution or they try to “band-aid” a solution by going the “do it yourself” route, while in the end turning around and hiring a “pro” to fix what they broke. . I always feel like that when something goes wrong with my car. I know in order to fix “it”, whatever “it” is, is going to cost me something to pay the mechanic who is the “pro” on all things cars.

Becky, I see so many small businesses that skimp and limp along when it comes to their marketing, when marketing is the most important variable to their short-term and long-term business success. Marketing props ups sales and more sales. Bad marketing, equals less growth. Good, smart marketing equals increased customer growth. A good website is only the beginning to a long-term partnership with the marketing company that you choose.

Let me communicate one more notion with you before asking you to spend a dollar with me or anyone else you would hire to create your website …. (and btw this is a very good exchange, so I am enjoying the discussion).

As a business owner, you wouldn’t hire an employee without telling them what you expect of them. The same should be true of your marketing. Before you spend your first dollar on a website, social media or any other online tactic, you need to know why you’re doing it, and what you want the outcome to be (which is what you are doing – smile). A sound marketing strategy answers those questions, and lets you reach more prospects and generate bigger sales for your business.

I say all of this, because I could build you a website. I am confident of that. However a lot of what I do for clients is strategy based.  I want to build you a website that connects you with the right prospects and ultimately generates income for you and your family. By using a metaphor, the last thing I want to do is to build you a 2 bedroom bungalow, when what you really need is a 5 bedroom two-story. In the end you would only be frustrated because you would need “more house.” Does this make sense?

Five years ago my wife Kathy and I built the house we are currently living in. We love it! The first thing we had to determine before we decided to build was how big (or small) of house we wanted (we have five kids)? and how much could we afford? We talked to builder after builder and their questions were all the same … “How much square footage do you folks need?” (aka How much house do we want to build?) and “How much can you afford?” Once we determined this (especially the “how much can we afford” question), then we looked for builders that could offer what we were looking for and that we could afford. Determining this was huge and significant for us before we could choose a builder who could build the right house for us.

It’s no different when setting out to build an online business. Don’t look at building a website as simply building a website. There are tons of people out there that can build a website. However, not everyone can strategically create an online solution based upon your marketing goals.

What is the amount of money you have set aside for this project? If you only tell me $200.00 then that tells me what kind of “house” you want to build. If you tell me $1,500.00, then that tells me what kind of house you want to build. My goal isn’t to spend all of your budget. It reveals two things: 1. What kind of house you can afford. and 2. If I am able to build you the house that you want.

You may have looked at my proposal and realize that we need to add “two more bedrooms” or another “bathroom”. I think the proposal I have submitted to you will accomplish what you need to get started. I also know, however, that at some point you are going to need to add a “bathroom” or an “extra room” to your digital house as your business grows. A website is always a work in progress. Every year you will want to set aside marketing dollars to up your online marketing game. No one builds a house  and never invests anymore money into it to make improvements or make it look nicer than when they first moved in (paint, new carpet, furniture, etc.) My wife and I have invested lots of time and money in landscaping for our home. We get so many compliments on how nice our yard looks. Our $$ and time investment has paid off and it’s nice to know that others notice. Yeah!!!!

A website is such a great tool to communicate with new customers. And then there is the whole new media marketing opportunities called social media – Blogging, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and so much more. Check out my blog for some articles I have written on Social Media – http://crosscreativemarketing.com/blog

Becky, thanks for the great small-business-owner-to-small-business-owner discussion. Your marketing is crucial to your long-term success. If you feel that I would be a good fit for your new company then I’d love to serve your marketing needs that will evolve as your business grows.

-  End of email –

So, how much does a website cost? My natural response to this question is to say this: You first need to have a strategic conversation with your marketing partner of choice and describe to them your marketing goals. If you don’t know what your goals are or don’t even have a marketing partner you should start with a Request For Proposal (RFP) document. A good RFP document will walk you through a set of good questions on what you want to accomplish with your online marketing. The exercise will not only help you, but it will also help the marketing partner you eventually feel comfortable with in hiring to help you  execute your online marketing goals.

I have created an RFP document that helps you walk  through what you need to know when it comes to your online marketing and your website. You can download a free copy of it in the sidebar to the right.

My Dad taught me a long time ago that when it comes to running a small business it’s about working smarter, not harder. To achieve a “working smarter” small business lifestyle that helps me be successful everyday I use the following Software as a Service programs.

In full disclosure I am an affiliate partner with the software programs that have an asterisk. If you are interested in taking any of these for a trial run be sure click the links below so I can a little kickback.

Freshbooks*– Freshbooks allows me to invoice my clients and get paid fast. It’s that simple. It’s like having my own personal bookkeeper. The thing I love about my Freshbooks account is that I can offer a professional, branded invoicing solution for my clients.

AddressTwo*  - I use AddressTwo to stay on top of all my leads and referrals. It’s a CRM (Contact Record Management) that also let’s me send email campaigns, postcards, text messages using SMS and so much more.

ManyMoon - I use ManyMoon to manage our clients marketing projects. ManyMoon helps keep my team and our clients stay on task.

Google Apps – Google Apps is my small business brain center. I manage my email, calendar, online documents, and online chat via Google Talk.

Google Voice – Google Voice is my phone connection with my clients and prospective clients. It’s my voicemail system. The great thing is that it’s a free service. Be sure to click the link to watch some very brief videos on all of the features Google Voice offers your small business

Google Talk – Google Talk gives a full service chat functionality with my staff team and clients. Very handy and keeps me productive all day long.

FreeScreenSharing.com – Free Screen Sharing is an online screen sharing service. This is a new tool that I just introduced to my small business repertoire. You can brand your own “lobby”  – check out my Free Screen Sharing Lobby at https://www.freescreensharing.com/meetings/154-861-586 –  I have tried several online screen sharing services, including the popular GoToMeeting, but I am very impressed with this new online sharing tool and the price is right for small business owners – FREE!

What software programs do you use in your small business? Please provide a link so I can go check it out.

After collecting nominations from the Mashable community for over a month, the 2011 Mashable Awards have now shifted to the voting portion of the program. The awards honor nominees and winners in 28 categories, covering four of Mashable‘s core content areas: Social Media, Tech, Business and Entertainment.

Take a closer look at the nominees in the “Social Media” category, with a breakdown of the finalists from each of the nine sub-categories. From the worlds of sport, business, media, politics and entertainment there are “must-follow” personalities, while the social networking services themselves get recognition for helping keep us connected.

Meet the 2011 Mashable Awards Nominees for Social Media Now –>