Before I start a writing project, I generally do as much research as I can about the topic at hand, which I’m sure most of you do as well. So, today’s task was to gather some ideas of what to include in my brief autobiography for this month’s GCC MOPS newsletter.

A search on Google.com for “autobiography outline” led me to an interesting website: OurStory.com. It’s a collaborative online environment where you can collect and share all kinds of media: letters, photos, videos, audio recordings, and more.

OurStory is an online service where family and friends collaboratively create, share, and preserve their family history, life stories, anecdotes, photos, and videos in an organized visual photo-history timeline.

OurStory combines the best of blogging, photo sharing, digital storytelling, and family history with rich features such as an interactive visual timeline, privacy controls, collaborative email requests, guided templates, and a library of over 2,000 prompting interview questions.

OurStory helps family and friends share and preserve their stories from life’s shoebox in a lasting format online, backed up to a home computer, and/or made into heirloom-quality books, CDs, and DVDs.

OurStory is a full-featured free service on the web. It is also available as a premium subscription for $39.95 (USD) per year, which adds features such as multiple profiles and timelines, unlimited privacy circles, style embellishment, and discounts on books and CD/DVDs.

What a great way to organize your memorabilia… an organizer’s dream! Learn more online.

* * * Update: Mamasource.com is now Mamapedia™ * * *

…a safe and easy way to connect with other moms in your local area where you can find the advice, referrals, and insight you need in a supportive community of moms helping moms.

As a Mamasource member, you can:

• Ask other local moms any question you need help with.
• Read the questions other moms have asked—and see what answers they have received.
• Share your own advice and practical referrals with other moms who need your help.
• Promote your business to other moms who could use your products or services.

Shortly after our family moved to Kentucky in June of 2006, I stumbled upon Mamasource.com while “surfing the ‘Net” one evening. I was able to touch base with other moms in the area for referrals to hair stylists, moms groups, pediatricians, and more.

The following year, once my professional organizing business was officially up and running, I added my [ real neat ] listing to Mamasource.com and shortly thereafter received an inquiry from a local mom interested in learning more about my services! Needless to say, Mamasource has been a wonderful repository of information and a great source of referrals!

Sign up today (for free!), then be sure to check out the listings and reviews for [ real neat ] and GCC MOPS. In fact, feel free to add your own review!

As a fairly new small business owner, I have quickly learned that managing client information, marketing campaigns, and general business administrative tasks can easily become extremely overwhelming. Any suggestions?

Pen and paper aside, I’m in the market for an online hosted CRM solution. I’d love to integrate my website directly into the CRM application in order to manage my newsletter mailing lists with greater efficiency. At this point, though, it’s beginning to seem as though my head is in the clouds…

My professional organizing business is currently 95% service-based. At some point in the future, I do plan to expand into selling organizing-related products. I know, I know… there are definitely solutions out there that meet all my “requirements,” but I simply can’t afford to use them! I need some guidance!

My current CRM wish list:

• visually-appealing interface
• web-based & hosted
• lead, prospect, and customer tracking
• sales process management
• marketing campaign management
• automated drip marketing
• customizable reporting
• at-a-glance daily task list
• inexpensive (if not free)!

If you currently own a small business (or have owned a small business in the past), how do you manage your client information and marketing campaigns? I’d love to hear from you!