As we have traveled across the country over the past couple years we have met so many people especially small (to medium) business owners that are jumping up and down looking for help in generating more leads, increasing sales, getting more foot traffic, more reviews and more conversations about their products or services. When we’ve had the chance to sit down and chat with these people we’ve asked them where they needed help. Their answer? They need help with everything from developing a strategy to setting up and optimizing their social accounts to designing a new website that is search engine optimized, designing listening and monitoring portals, email marketing and how to measure all of it. This is not too dissimilar from the enterprise brands that we work with at New Marketing Labs however small businesses have some unique needs, concerns and it takes someone with experience in small businesses to fully understand it all.

Over the past several months our team has been working on how we could be more helpful to small businesses. During this time, I’ve done a lot of thinking on what I’ve done at Caminito Argentinean Steakhouse over the past few years and what my competitors and the other businesses in the town where our restaurant is aren’t doing. I’ve also been researching hundreds of small business websites, online communities and talking with people in my local community to understand what their knowledge base is of social media and what they think of their current marketing plans (or if they even have one, in many cases).

With all of that knowledge and experience in hand, I’m really happy to announce the launch of Red Pin Marketing. Red Pin Marketing is powered by the great team at New Marketing Labs and backed by CrossTech Ventures. Our goal is simple: to help small businesses with their social media and digital marketing efforts. We want to help you leverage these tools to level the playing field, increase sales and grow your business.

Before you start hyperventilating, don’t worry, New Marketing Labs isn’t going anywhere. We’re still busy helping our amazing clients, working with fantastic partners and working on the Inbound Marketing Summit 2011. I’ll still be around adding my assistance as the team needs it but I will be donning a new hat as the Executive Director of Red Pin Marketing. Chris Brogan will lend his advice, guidance and mentorship to Red Pin Marketing as an Entrepreneur In Residence advisor. There are a few other changes over at NML that you Chris talks about in this post.

There is so much more to come in the days and weeks ahead that we’re really excited to begin sharing with you (including our website!). But, since I’m like a 2 year old on Christmas morning, I couldn’t keep it a secret any longer and just had to share it with you.

If you’re the owner of or work in a small to medium business, I’d like to invite you to sign up for our free small business newsletter. We have some special projects and info that we’ll be sharing that won’t be available anywhere else except in the newsletters, including one that we’ll be launching in the next few days. Make sure you don’t miss out by signing up today.

It’s an exciting time around New Marketing Labs, Red Pin Marketing and The Pulse Network.

As always, thanks for your support and all that you do. My goal is to continually be helpful to you and hopefully this is another way that I can fulfill that goal.

Did I ask you yet to sign up for the new small business newsletter?