Although David hails from Blackpool, England – which is often referred to as the “Las Vegas of England” – he shunned a career in show business and instead followed a meandering career path overflowing with “life’s great experiences,” working or living in over 20 countries along the way. Chef, teacher of Transcendental Meditation, guest presenter on QVC, earthquake relief volunteer, CEO of a web hosting company, marketer at a radio station and all combined with years of direct marketing, PR and sales experience for clients as diverse as health food stores, small charities and right up to multinational public companies.
David brought unique talent and experience to his role for six years as Senior Internet Consultant to Agora Publishing Group. Working closely with Agora’s publishers and marketers to test new ideas and marketing campaigns, Agora’s Internet revenues topped $200 million in 2007. David understands and can communicate fluently with creative “right-brain” marketers and analytical “left-brain” IT and software teams, all with equal ease. He has a proven track record for generating results and creative thinking and excels at making trouble to find new ways of making things happen!
He lives on a small farm close to Mount Hood in Oregon with his wife Cinda, a veterinarian, and their four children and a menagerie of animals (no more, please!). When not marketing or brainstorming you’ll find David following a dream of self-sufficiency for food, power and water within 10 years, tending the land and caring for the farm and animals. Not surprisingly, David is an engaging and knowledgeable speaker with many amusing anecdotes from his work and travels over the years.
Read David Cross's previous newsletter articles below:
"Do you think this is a good idea?" he asked me. My father-in-law, GS, had received a request from a website that wished to link to his. And he wanted my advice. The website looked good. It was similar to his business. And it had a reasonably good Google ranking already. So linking would be contextually relevant. And it could be beneficial to both sites' search engine rankings.
By David Cross | Thu, Jun 17, 2010
More than a decade ago, Agora Inc., ETR's parent company, decided to test a theory -- to see whether the direct-marketing methods they used to run a profitable publishing business offline could be adapted to run one online. Did the test work?
By David Cross | Thu, May 27, 2010
I've written before about what to write about when you're "stuck." How-to articles are the perfect antidote to writer's block. But if your goal is to create content for your e-mail newsletter or website to attract search engines, you cannot rely on them every time. Thankfully, there is another type of article that's remarkably simple to write. Your readers will love it -- and so will the search engines.
By David Cross | Thu, Apr 15, 2010
Salt is a restaurant tucked away near Patterson Park in Baltimore. I ate there last week. I’d give it 8.5 points out of 10, which for me is a very good rating. The food was great and I received an immediate warm and friendly welcome by the owner, Jane. But it was my waitress, Theresa, [...]
By David Cross | Wed, Mar 31, 2010
Through juniper and sagebrush and parched grasslands. Past herds of mule deer, elk, and pronghorn antelope. On and on, we drove… into the primeval forest of southeast Oregon. I took last week off. Really off. Disconnected from most things electronic, except for my trusty laptop, my wife and I embarked upon a road trip to the [...]
By David Cross | Mon, Mar 1, 2010
I make it a point to follow up with everyone who asks me a question about setting up an Internet business. It takes me just a few seconds, and it usually motivates them to take action. Usually. But not always. After my most recent follow-up e-mail to "Bob," for example, I received this response...
By David Cross | Thu, Feb 18, 2010
When you click on an online ad that interests you, you expect to be presented with a way to buy that item almost immediately. Right? But far too many businesses advertising online do not give you this logical next step. For example, while perusing the BBC News website, I stumbled upon a heavyweight sweatshirt advertised by [...]
By David Cross | Fri, Dec 25, 2009
I see my three youngest sons every summer and at Christmas. They fly in from overseas so we can enjoy the holiday together.
By David Cross | Wed, Dec 23, 2009
Consumers — yes, that means you and me — know what we want. More choices! May we have more sizes, colors, and flavors? And could you add soy milk, skip the cinnamon, then top it off with ice cubes… to go, please?
By David Cross | Thu, Dec 17, 2009
When you’re starting a new business online, or making changes to your current online business, make sure you take the time to test as many aspects of your venture as possible. This includes:
A word or phrase that’s figurative (FIG-yer-uh-tiv) — from the Latin — is used in a non-literal, usually metaphoric, way to create a desired effect.
(Example (as used by Perry Marshall today): “[I realized] his mission was to slice my fingers off, one bloody joint at a time. (Figuratively speaking, of course.)
By David Cross | Tue, Jul 13, 2010
0 Comments