A Brief List of the Tools & Resources (part 2)
Web Design & Development
I’m not advocating you design web sites. But, you need one.
However, a Blog will do to begin.
We will go about figuring out the criteria of how we decide what exactly it is we need after that. There are great resources out there, where you can put up a free website. (and before you listen to those annoying television ads) I’m talking about resources like WordPress.com . I started this blog on WordPress.com — I will be migrating it to my own server, shortly — but that’s a personal preference. If you want your own domain name, which I highly recommend, for a recurring fee, WordPress.com will host that. If you want your own unique website design — hiring a web designer is not all that expensive in the grand scheme. Make no mistake — hundreds of thousands of folks are using a free website at WordPress.com and elsewhere. “Reach what you can, from where you are … first.”
Content Management Systems
This one’s an option — however, I include it, because some will need to produce a “membership” website. We’ll expand all these topics, as we go. Just know, there are free, robust versions of this – Joomla.org & Drupal.org – if you want to tackle the rather steep learning curve. (and, we can show you a few tips that will make that a little less strenuous).
E-commerce Systems
Again, this is an option. Some folks will need a venue to sell goods. There are plugins and extensions that work well with WordPress.com or Joomla.org. There are shopping carts that will stand alone. But there are some exciting opportunities that don’t require you to do that. Ebay is the best known. And Facebook is developing commercial opportunities.
Search Engine Optimization
If you are dealing with your own
website — SEO — needs to be an ongoing task. If you’re not watching your sites stats, if you’re not testing new keywords, if you’re not writing frequent content updates — your website is little better than a business card you’ve handed out that sits under a stack of papers on someone’s desk.
Summing Up
The journey I’ve chosen is to learn the skills that are available so that I can carve out some real estate on the internet for myself. With these skills I intend to produce reputation, referrals, readership. That is called lead generation.
With these skills I intend to monetize those leads – both in quality and quantity. That is called sales generation. We’ll explore direct sales & advertisements, adwords and click-thrus, sponsorships, membership and affiliate programs.
The beginning steps I’ve taken — remember — “I’m going to use those same tools. Show you how those tools work. Show you what I’m doing with those tools.” — the beginning steps I’ve taken is my first blog.
Presently, it is a category on this website, but I’ve already purchased the domain name and am working on activating it. This is a blog that allows me to share helpful tips and techniques with do-it-yourself folks about standards and methods used in the trades and in the industry — in woodworking, building and home improvement and in tool craft.
You see, I’m not hanging up my tool belt — I’m just adding new tools for the job at hand.
I might fumble around a bit. I might not use the best English or grammar. But it will be my voice, who I am.
I want to hear your voice.
~.~
