Many of our users have been requesting a way to point a custom domain name to their BizBlog. For example, instead of having localbizblogs.com/yourbusinessname as your address, you can buy a custom domain name, yourbusinessname.com, and set it up to automatically direct people to your BizBlog.

Why get a custom domain name?

Brand recognition is one of the benefits of having a custom domain for your business. You want people to know your web address when they think of your business. Having a memorable web address makes it easy for customers to find your blog and distinguishes your business identity.

You can think about domains as web real estate. Once a domain is registered, it is unavailable until the owner gives it up or sells it. This exclusivity means that someone may already own your desired domain name. You might have to try a few variations until you find one that is available. Adding your city or town name would be good from an SEO perspective. Owning your own domain is essential for a strong web presence, and gives creditability to your business.

Chuck Guard, co-owner of Bentley's Towing in Valparaiso Indiana, recently purchased BentleysTowing.com and forwarded it to his BizBlog. Chuck told us that he appreciates the simplicity of his new domain name. Clicking the link will show you how domain forwarding is handled by the registrar.

How to forward a custom domain name to your BizBlog:

Buying a custom domain name and pointing it to your BizBlog address is easy. First, sign up with any domain registrar like GoDaddy, Dotster, or 1&1. Pick a domain and buy it. You don't need the additional services they try to sell you when navigating through the purchasing process. Just get the domain.

After you register, find the forwarding option in your registrar's control panel. You want to 'forward' your new domain to your BizBlog's address. If you're not sure what your address is, log in and find it in the Account Tab under BizBlog URL.

It's that simple. It may take a few hours for your forwarded domain to be picked up by DNS servers, so don't fret if it doesn't work right away. Test your new custom domain and make sure it is spelled correctly.

GoDaddy has instructions here if you use their service. We are working on the ability to purchase custom domains directly from your dashboard. This feature will make this process even simpler.

I'm starting a new series called Biz Gadgets, where I will be reviewing electronics suited for the small business owner. This week let's take a look at the Supertooth 3 from BlueAnt.

Handsfree devices have become popular in recent years, especially with drivers. States like New York and California now have laws preventing handheld mobile phone use while driving. (look up your state) There is debate whether or not handsfree devices truly make driving safer. Safety really depends on the particular device (is it truly handsfree?) and the behavior of the driver.

When looking for a handsfree device for my car, I decided on opting for a speakerphone as opposed to an earpiece. I find earpieces too cumbersome. They make us look funny too, like cyborgs. Most earpieces should be labeled partially handsfree because they require pressing a button when answering calls. I don't want to have to press any buttons when driving, making the speakerphone my best option. After sifting through reviews and surveying friends, the Supertooth 3 became the clear choice for the features and price I wanted.

The Supertooth 3 is a speakerphone that connects wirelessly with your mobile phone via bluetooth. It is designed for the car, giving you a handsfree solution when you're driving. The Supertooth 3 automatically connects to your phone upon entering the vehicle. When a call comes in, you have the option of accepting or rejecting the call by speaking simple voice commands, or by pressing the appropriate button.

The Supertooth 3 allows you to upload your phone's address book (confirm compatibility) and uses the information to announce who is calling. Calls are announced using BluAnt's sophisticated Text-to-Speech technology, which can be set to 6 different languages.

I am very pleased with the audio quality. People on the other end seem to agree. The volume level has been satisfactory in my experience. On a good connection the audio level is enough so that I can hear the caller when the windows are down.

Battery life is impressive. I can easily go 4 weeks without needing to recharge. I don't talk very much in the car, so this number will differ depending on your usage. The Supertooth 3 comes with two sun-visor clips, allowing you to easily transition between two vehicles.

I'm using the Supertooth 3 with my iPhone and they seem to play well together. Periodically updating my address book has been a breeze. I've used it in the office a few times for conference calls. It really is a great little speaker phone.

You've launched a BizBlog, added some blog posts, and set up your Tools. Now what?

The next step is to tell people about your BizBlog. Let them know you have a new website for your business and give them the URL. How will they know if you don't tell them?

There are several ways you can inform people about your BizBlog. The most obvious is to include your URL on all marketing information, especially your business card. You need an easy way to hand your URL to someone, so be sure to have it on paper. Other ways of informing people are:

• Tell customers in store or when on the phone
  
• Send an email blast or add the URL to your newsletter
• Link to your BizBlog from other websites you operate
  
• Add a link to your BizBlog in your email or forum signature

John's Pizzeria in Merrillville, IN sent us their placemat menu which now features a blurb about their BizBlog. They've got the right idea by putting their URL on this item that gets high eyeball traffic.

Telling people about your business website is critical. Make it visible throughout your business and tell people every opportunity you get. If you come up with more ideas on ways to propagate your BizBlog, post them in the comments.

This week I am in Northwest Indiana meeting with local business owners. On Tuesday several of us got together for a discussion about marketing a small business on the web. Everyone who attended had different backgrounds, yet all were highly motivated to learn how the internet is changing the way they reach customers. These entrepreneurs are community leaders and have prominent businesses in Merrillville, Valparaiso, Hobart, Gary, Hebron, and Chesterton. They represent the face of local business in the region.

I gave a presentation on blogging and shared tips on how to optimize a BizBlog for search engines. I also highlighted these success stories:

• Johns Pizzeria collected 53 coupons in a one week. Half the catering events booked this summer were from customers who found their BizBlog.
  
  
• Indiana Re-Bath was picked up by the major search engines after their first week of blogging. By the end of week two, they jumped to the first page on Google for search terms such as 'bath remodeling northwest indiana', 'shower conversions valparaiso' and 'bathtubs valparaiso'.
  
  
• St Sava is averaging 600 unique visitors a week, with half coming from search engines. Their all-time total is 90,000 hits. To date they have raised $500 from merchandise sold through their BizBlog.

I would like to give a special thank you to 1st Metropolitan Mortgage for providing the awesome venue with the deluxe flat screen and Johns Pizzeria for the delicious pizza. I'll be back again in late September, so let's meet again!

We recorded entrepreneur Jay Coen Gilbert giving a presentation on B Corporations, his latest project after selling the popular apparel company And1 which he co-founded. B Corporation is a new set of standards and legal framework for using the power of business to create public benefit. B Corp businesses meet high performance and legal standards, while building a collective voice for conscious businesses.

B Corporations turn the traditional corporate model on its head. They use the power of capitalism to address the pressing social and environmental issues we face. This is an opportunity to create a new sector of the economy, and a better world.