Resources: screenr.com, followupthen.com, M6Method , Screenflow
jan 18th
summary: video editing for videos in your product launch, mindmaps, salespages, personal marriage updates
navigation installed on each page of the WP Trainer service and video made for customizing your logo or header in WordPress which I think people are really going to appreciate.
i ended up using screenflow to record the video, not screenr.com and i’m glad i did. i screwed up half way through and could easily re-record and paste over the bad part with it. screenflow doesn’t just allow you to record your screen, or audio, i can record your video camera in an overlay, and puts the recorded video in a timeline when you’re ready to edit and finalize the video. absolutely the best desktop app for recording. if you’re creating a product, it’s top notch. in screenr.com’s defense though, they’re tool is free, entirely online, and super easy to share. just more suited to quick videos that don’t need any polish.
i started looking for a really easy way to create a custom text into for the video’s i’m creating because part of my feedback for the video’s were to make it look more professional, sit up, wear a collar, get better lighting, and an intro. so i looked into iMovie ’11, and it’s a let down for making any type of customized intro besides for a stock background and dropping in an image….oh well not that important.
updated the ITA website so the wordpress service is live, but unannounced as it’s still priced at $1, and not finished without all the videos done well.
went on a typing rampage for how i want to position and what i want to offer for the opposite side of the wordpress & websites “train me” service, which is the “do it for me” or as i labeled “build me one” … it’s what will turn into the sales page. after creating this page, i went back to my master mindmap and updated a few things to reflect.
once the video’s are done, time to write this sales page, create a form to capture the details for those submitting information for a “build me one” wordpress website service.
i miss the blog updates on IT Arsenal, and responding to questions live on the blog a bit, but i’m still loving the creation and it’s needed, slow and steady with the rest of life that’s going on.
me and maria are pretty set on a wedding venue and time, and our families are meeting for the first time at a restaurant i built the website for a long while ago this weekend. www.ryanchristophersbyob.com – looking back, i really need a class in font type and color matching. oh well, they’re number 1 in Google for “BYOB Narberth, PA”.
hands to the ready
jan 19th
dealing with a surge of requests lately. i love it, and love what i do. every e-mail or question from any source occurs to me as opportunity to be me.
i can’t be everywhere though, and as i’ve said before, i can’t let myself take on anymore gigs that trade time for money. i should be building the future.
i’ve started using a tool called FollowUpThen to help manage new work. when i need more time, or i need to follow up with someone but need a week, or a 3 day buffer so I can write out new content on these services i’m pumping out and creating. it’s a simple easy website/tool … send an e-mail to or add to the reply field any increment of time like 10days@followupthen.com … then i get an e-mail in 10 days with the content of that e-mail to follow up.
FollowUpThen allows me to unclutter my inbox, keep my calendar free of frivolous events, and keep clients in the “funnel” …
that being said, sheesh why is it so hard “turn off” everything and everyone. if you don’t pay attention, life will catch you with it’s net and drag you out.
i’m only going to get through a few reviews of my services, and pages of content and sales copy this week, but i’m not any less excited to keep going.
jan 20
spent about 4 hours in m6method drilling into the sales page breakdowns. it’s incredibly deep and conveys what’s important so well.
i took a template that m6method has and compared it to what i started as my salespage and form capture for the wordpress “do it for me” service. there were numerous changes.
i really liked what i created, and it’s almost ready to be posted and reviewed by more experienced eyes and others in general
it’s so important to get reviewed
the service itself is mostly task driven, so once a form is submitted a majority of the work can be confirmed and processed, so a large chunk of the services set up for right now, is the salespage and the form. then a few backend things, and a few structured e-mails, and it it what it is.
at the end of the day, it’s reading what people really want when they are looking for a website, and delivering a high quality but economical website set up (and experience), based on the plethora of wordpress structures out there.
it’s more of a beginner service, but if you need a website, it’s going to be the best to get you up to speed. i’m going to bundle in all the training from the trainer as well so it provides more value, and gives massive amounts of context.
jan 24
“without sales, you don’t have a business”
nice computer? a million friends? the best product? …. without sales, you don’t have a business.
new week, new action. get this stuff out.
Commitment Updates
LDP commitment results for jan 23rd:
- each service listed on website (placeholders for non ready services) (complete)
- WP trainer online in beta for major discount (complete)
- come up with 5 business goals for 2011 (failed!)
- salespage skeleton for WP “do it for me” service (complete)
- $700 in JustAnswer quota hit, and no more questions answered! stop myself (complete! need to stop going back)
- content filled for hdvideotest.com (failed)
LDP commitments for jan 30th:
- come up with 5 business goals for 2011
- write at least 3 pages content for hdvideotest.com
- WP “do it for me” service online and buyable
- WP backup salespage draft written
- WP troubleshooting form and “pitch page”
- write up a launch strategy for publicly “releasing” services
- build landing page for e-mail newsletters and campaigns page