starbucks ceo howard schultz tells us how this bracelet is going to help fund small businesses and why you need to start using qr codes like this one to get and retain customers. a little inspiration coming up next on "your business."

hi there, everyone. i'm j.j. ramberg. welcome to "your business" where we give you tips and advice to help your business grow. starbucks launched create jobs for the usa. they donated $5 million in seed money and is solicit donations from customers and employees. it's a partnership with the opportunity finance group. financial institutions that focus on underserved markets. i sat down with the ceo, howard schultz to learn more about the campaign. thank you for sitting down with us. i'm excited about this opportunity. i have my bracelet. >> love it. >> tell me how you are going to

be helping small businesses and as a result create jobs. >> before i answer that specifically, can i frame the problem for you? >> abc lultly. >> it's been reported we have 9.1% unemployment in america. that's bad enough. the fact is, it's almost double that in the hispanic and african-american community. in addition to that, the engine for job creation in america has been and continues to be small businesses. the problem we have now is that small businesses are having a very difficult time getting access to credit. the banks are not lending as much as they did in the past. >> it's an issue we talk about all the time. i want it to grow, but can't get the money for it to grow. >> the question is how can businesses and business leaders step up, not wait for washington. how can starbucks use the scale for good? we came up with a simple idea, create a bracelet.

call it indivisible from the pledge of allegiance. ask for a donation of $5 or more. we will raise millions of dollars and immediately, after the money is raised, we will get it in the hands of the opportunity finance network, which is an organization that has microfinance loan organizations across the country that will automatically provide access to credit that the banks are not doing. in doing so, we will have a significant effect on job creation in america. >> if i'm a small business and i have been to a bank, i can't get money, i have no friends and family, i am watching this interview, there's my money, what do i do? go to createjobs.org. you will see an opportunity that doesn't exist. go into a starbucks store. get a sheet that explains

everything. put this bracelet on with pride to show americans can help americans. >> you are doing what bono did with the problem of hiv in africa. make the idea of helping small businesses cool. >> sure. >> do you think and what are you going to do to make sure this is cool, every person in america wants to wear this as a badge of i'm helping a small business. >> there's millions of people going through a starbucks store. we will create awareness, relativity. you will see americans with this on all over the country. what we want to do, in addition to raising money is we want to celebrate america. we have a crisis of confidence and leadership in america. there's a hopelessness where the american dream doesn't seem as accessible as it once did to the people left behind. the bracelet, in a way, is

emblemmatic of that. >> will i be able to see the small businesses i'm help? >> yes, believe me when i tell you, this is nothing about starbuc starbucks, it's what we can do to use our skill for good. >> to go on the other side, a lot of bankers i speak to on the show say we have money we would love to lend, but the people coming and asking for loans aren't fundable. we can't give them money. we are afraid they would not pay us back. >> i certainly cannot speak for the decision making of the banks. there are thousands of small businesses across america who have great entrepreneurial ideas, small and large and for whatever reason are not getting access to credit and new restrictions on how banks are making decisions. >> can you give me an example of small businesses or types of businesses that are going to benefit from this?

>> just in the last two days, we have already found out we funded a nursing home that already did not have access to credit, got a loan, hired people already. you will be able to see all of this with great transparency on the website. you can learn more. we are handing this sheet out at starbucks that will explain the entire mechanism of where the money is going and how it's making a difference. >> money is one issue. learning how to run the business is another issue. you have been very successful. started something tiny and grown it. what if they were all able to sit in an audience with you, what advice would you give them? >> we have been very blessed with starbucks. there was a point and time we had 11 stores in 1987 and a dream. when i speak to young people, i

try to give them a few tidbits that worked for us. surround yourself with people who are smarter and have more experience than you do. most importantly, have values. dream big, then dream bigger. don't let anyone tell you your idea, thoughts or dreams cannot come true. >> i look forward to seeing a lot of small businesses grow because of this. >> thank you for joining us and what you are doing. >> thank you. you may not know what they are called, but no doubt you have noticed the unusual square shaped bar codes popping up. consider this a begins guide to qr codes where we look at what they are and how they might be useful to your business. they are everywhere. store fronts, magazines, business cards, wine bottles, billboards. this guy had a tattoo with it on

it. >> i put it so it can be scanned like this. they are qr codes, quick response. they are revolutionizing how we get information on just about anything. here is how they work. create the code. more on that later. put it someplace where your customers will see it. they put their smartphone over the code and scan it. a special web page featuring your contact comes up. >> the most important tip for a small business is provide a great pay off to the consumer for interacting with the qr code. give special content that's not available otherwise whether it's a special offer or video. that rewards it consumer for going through the exercise of actually scanning the code. >> for the small business owner, the opportunity to crack the code is relatively easy. >> they are inexpensive to

deploy with a number of tools availab available, create your own in a matter of minutes. >> she recently started a qr campaign at garnet liquors in new york city. they offer discounts linked to facebook and twitter pages, information about special events and sales. >> it isn't the whole website, it's pieces of information you can take. you can click on there, check in and get a discount. >> it's not just about this information. nina is gathering valuable information, too. >> what's great is they allow you to track your effectiveness of marketing. because it's tied to the internet, if people are looking at your business card or your bus poster or packaging, you wouldn't know that is occurring. with qr codes, suddenly you are able to track advertising and

measure which were most effective for you. >> it's given her insights far beyond marketing she's done before. >> most of our business is iphone. >> small businesses looking to get started with qr campaigns should remember a few things. first, there are plenty of qr codes online for free. most of the free services don't offer analytics. for a small fee, it may be worth paying a small about to track your scans. >> they come in great shapes and sizes. there are large agency that is will deploy beautiful campaigns for you. that can cost in the thousands of dollars. there are other solutions that charge a small fee and allow you to create your own campaign, get all the analytics, use a contact

management system to manage what you want the codes to point to. >> second, the customers need a qr reader on their phones. be ready to help with this, especially if they have never scanned before. there are plenty of free apps out there for the phones. once it's installed, start scanning. put your smartphone over it. here the beep. it comes up with our menu. the next step is create a call to action. tell people why they should scan your code. show her and you get a 10% discount. >> don't make the mistake of just sending them to your website. >> if you are passing by a store and you see a code on the front window to get reviews, offer coupons. it's a way of connecting between print and the internet but more importantly between the retailer to the consumer. >> the last step for creating a

successful qr campaign is putting the codes in interesting places. nick is a film maker who uses the qr codes on his business cards. >> i get a lot of wows, that's cool and how does it work? that's the reason we went this way. you want to have people remember you. >> melissa brown is a real estate agent who uses them to give customers information on the spot. >> it goes directly to my website and i have it programmed so photos of the house and information of the house is readily available, instantaneous. >> david wanted a fastzer way to market his music. when i go to shows they are asking do you have this, do you have that? take your phone out and see. >> it's the shortest distance between curiosity and content. it's easier to hover your phone over a code or thumb type in a

url. >> want more information on it, scan our special business code to learn more. so, how important is it for your business to jump on that qr code bandwagon? we want to show you our qr code once again. go ahead, scan that code on the screen and you'll find a special video about qr codes and you'll be taken to facebook and twitter pages. go ahead, scan it and check it out. now, let's talk about the board of directors, angela jia kim founder of saver the success.com and barry moltz is a small business consultant. barrymoltz.com. we took our own advice. we didn't just send them to our website, it's a special part of the website. that's what you take away from

this piece. if you are going to do it, don't be lazy about it. >> it's so cool. it's another layer of exclusivi exclusivity. this only works on a smartphone, correct? you are cutting off a certain segment who doesn't have a smartphone. >> that is true. i do not have one. i'm old school. >> 50% of people in the united states have a smartphone. if they don't know how to down load the qr reader and don't have internet, it's not going to work. >> can you put the url under it. for those people who do have smartphones, it is. it's a cool thing to do and relatively easy. >> what's most important in marketing is you have to be shareable. you are allowed to be shareable. what they said is the important thing is not to just send them to your website. there's got to be a special offer. if you don't give them a special

offer, you are missing an opportunity, right? >> right. especially if you are going to use it to replace an announcement of where your website is. you showed that qr code in the beginning. what if you don't have it? you don't know the qr code. make sure it's accessible to all your customers. >> i didn't know what a qr code was now i see them everywhere. i have so many business cards with qr codes. i don't have a phone that can look them up. thanks so much you eyes. are you looking to tap into the potential power of facebook to promote your company? if so, here are five facebook apps you can use to market your business. create questions and post them on your wall. the app tracks results for you which include the voter u.s. id name and sender. if you have a company website, i

frame apps embed it on to your facebook web page. extended info has more detailed customizable information about your business. you can add video and images to your page. work for us let's you post job openings through facebook. you can sell products directly on facebook using social e-card. you can create a new online store or a link to your shop directly. when we come back, we'll answer your business questions about keywords for search engine and finding developers for a start up. today's elevator picture. the light for those of us having trouble reading menus in the dimly lit bistros.

smal l bu sinesses are the smal lifeblood of our communities. on november 26th you can make a huge impact by shopping small on small business saturday. one purchase. one purchase is all it takes. so, pick your favorite local business... and join the movement. i pledge to shop small at big top candy shop. allen's boots... at juno baby store. make the pledge to shop small. please. shop small on small business saturday. have you ever tried to read a restaurant menu by the light of the small candle on your table? it can be tough. today's elevator picture came up with a way to save your appetite

and eyesight. >> good morning. >> nice to meet you. >> good morning. as j.j. said, most of us have experienced in low lit venues, difficulty reading the menu or the check. this is a rechargeable l.e.d. product, the only application able to illuminate the pages. it's secure and unlocks with our little key and fits into our charger. it charges about every two to four months. the market with over 1 million u.s. full-service restaurants and bars alone is obviously wide open. then we are endorsed by the largest wine and spirits distributor in the united states. >> how much money are you looking for? >> i'm looking for an experience

to take our pat enlted international patents globally and help with licensing and distribution? >> you are looking for a partner? >> a partner and the endless potential for the product. it has no language. >> let's see what these guys think. you got to hear angela. you have been sitting in that space. how do you think she did in the pitch? >> i thought it was great. you are very elegant. get more grounded and speak from your passion point of why this is such an amazing product rather than trying to get the words right. it's more like a conversation, more casual conversation. the other thing i would love to know, i feel like i say it all the time. i'm interested in knowing what your sales are going to look like, what the interest is. that's my piece of advice. >> what do you think she needs to include in the pitch. >> understand that people, what

they really do is buy when they are in pain and have money to solve the pain. who has the pain here? certainly the diner has the pain, they can't see the menu or the eyes of the person they brought as a date. does the restaurant owner have the pain. are they comfortable with them having a conversation with the person going to the restaurant or do it with a $10 pen light. it's a very elegant solution. you have to make sure you are selling to the person with the pain. >> interesting. it's about how you frame it. this is solving a problem. that's great. would you take another meeting? angela? >> not at this point. i think the menu is interesting. you were telling you actually designed the menu with the light in it. that would solve the pain point of the restaurant owner. i would like to see more in that direction. >> barry? >> i would probably say not at this point. what i want to understand is

what your distribution strategy is. most small businesses are about distribution. can you get on with a food supply company so they consider your product. >> sorry to cut you off because we are limited. you have a great thing to put in the beginning to show we are successful. we are doing this, we are successful and we are going to get a partner and make it more successful. thank you so much. i know you have so much more to say. it is a cool product. thank you so much for everything today, i appreciate it. if you have a product or service and you want feedback from our elevator pitch panel on your chances of getting interested investors, send us an e-mail. the address is yourbusiness@msnbc.com. show how much money you are trying to raise, what you intend to do with the money. you never know, somebody watching the show may be interested many helping you. now, it's time to answer

some of your business questions. angela and barry are with us once again. the first question is search engine optization. >> how do i find the keyword tosser ch for in google to put on my website. >> this is the million dollar question. >> how do you figure it out? do you hire someone? >> i did. we always talk about a blog but to pepper your blog with good content and making sure to use the friendly words and making sure your url has your word in there. it's so important. >> you have to go for the long tail search items. this gentleman is part of miami executive coach. he's never going to own the word coach. he's not going to be able to compete. you put coach in and you have to be specific. retired hospitality executives. people that enter in those phrases are much, much closer to

a buying decision than just coach. >> moving on. this is a question about growing a start up. >> how would you go about finding developers to bring on to a tech start-up. where would you go, what resources would you use to find people that are a good fit to bring on to your team? >> i'm happy he asked that question. where do you go? >> we have to understand for a small business owner they have to keep their resources variably. we don't want fixed expenses. we moved toward an online contingency work force. people go online to find a specific person with a specific skill for a certain amount of time. they use that person. it's how they are building teams. not a full-time employee all in one place. >> my husband is a web developer. i asked this question. how would he find someone good like you are? he said it's all word of mouth.

you have to get in there and use your connections. go to geek conferences. it depends on the business you are trying to build. if it's social media, go to facebook or twitter. they have a lot of those. then, you need to be prepared to pay very well. they are few and far between. the good ones are high in demand. you need to be able to pay well and get them excited. treat them like investors. they want to be very excited about your project. >> if you don't have a ton of money and can't pay well, there are a lot of people out there that are developers. i guess that's when you go to something like this. >> or the big keyword now is internships. go to the local tech school or business school and get an internship. it takes additional supervision but can pay off in the long run. >> it's a way to get started if you don't have a lot of money. let's move to the next e-mail. i hear a lot about the cloud.

should i be doing all my computing in the cloud? >> this takes me back 30 years ago to timesharing on the computer. the cloud is good for small business owners. you don't have to make big investments. you don't have to pay a lot of money up front. pay for the applications you want. plus, we are a mobile society and we are now working anywhere, any when. you can get to the applications anywhere you are on the road. >> as a small business owner, i love things like g-mail. so simple. free. you have no idea what we are able to accomplish with just the calendar alone. tasks. it's amazing what you can do now and be mobile. >> yeah, you are big fans of putting everything in the cloud? >> huge. >> for people who are scared something might happen -- >> there's always that risk.

the cloud isn't going to fail versus a hard drive. >> do you save stuff on your hard drive? >> i save it in both places. >> with what service? >> i use carbonite. >> you are not working in the cloud, you have it on your hard drive. >> i'm using e-mail on the cloud and various google docs. the cloud is perfect for collaboration. >> i love that. i definitely use the cloud all the time. >> that was very good advice. thank you very everything. appreciate it. if any of you have a question for our expert, go to our website. openforum.com/yourbusiness. link to submit a question for the panel. again, openforum.com/yourbusiness. e-mail your question and

comments. angela and barry had really helpful advice about how to improve your business. let's get great ideas from small business owners like you. >> i definitely think the biggest thing i have learned is you can't do it alone. your staff is incredibly important. i'm all about growing and becoming bigger. along the way, helping other people and utilizing their services and help, too. >> you need to implement a good social media strategy, whether it's a small one, a 15 minute a day one or two hour a day one. if you consider it a job function, utilize it or you will be left behind. >> you are going to get inundated with a lot of things to do. it's important to identify whatnot to do. a lot of times i write lists of

what not to do. if you don't have focus, you are spread out all over the place. >> do you want to take your online marketing messages to the next level? check out our website of the week. aweber.com turns your blog post into an e-mail sent to your readers. you can set up a schedule to send e-mail updates to subscribers. you can e-mail personalized messages. it costs about $19 a month. to learn more about today's show, click on our website. it's openforum.com/yourbusiness. you'll find all of today's segments and content with more information to help your business grow. don't forget to become a fan of the show on facebook. we love getting your feedback. you can follow us on

twitter@msnbcyour biz. >> a lot of people believe you get into 5,800 stores you get multimillion dollar orders. unfortunately, in the first years you are putting all that money back in. >> how a 5-year-old small business got their products on the shelves of some of the largest retailers. until thin, i'm j.j. ramberg. remember, we make your business our business. smal l bu sinesses are the smal lifeblood of our communities. on november 26th you can make a huge impact by shopping small on small business saturday. one purchase. one purchase is all it takes. so, pick your favorite local business... and join the movement. i pledge to shop small at big top candy shop. allen's boots...