Sortarich http://www.sortarich.com The up-and-coming online world of Scott Reynolds Tue, 26 May 2009 03:35:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 en The $96 Project - Getting your idea online in about a day. http://www.sortarich.com/2009/05/12/the-96-dollar-project/ http://www.sortarich.com/2009/05/12/the-96-dollar-project/#comments Tue, 12 May 2009 22:42:06 +0000 Scott http://www.sortarich.com/?p=76 The $96 Project - Getting your idea online in about a day.

 I’ve been planning on offering this package for a long time, and have just finally gotten around to writing up the description and steps.  Basically, I’ll show you all of the steps to get your idea or identity online with a robust web presence.  We’ll work together and get you a domain name, a website, an email address, a functioning blog and an hour of telephone consulting time for a measley $96.00  Since this process can seem a bit overwhelming, let me start by giving you a bit of background about me and why I can help.

My name is Scott Reynolds.  I’ve been building businesses and helping others create online presences for many years. In the past few months, I’ve helped several friends setup their first website, get a personalized email at their domain name (you@yourdomain.com), setup a blog (which is key to building your online presence) and generally take their projects from idea to reality.  Once we create a site, it needs to be promoted so you can build your online reputation and community.  I can help with that too!

Oh, I should mention here that you can call me at any time.  I understand that it might make you more comfortable to speak with me before you undertake this project.  Of course, at any time during the process you can call or email me and I’ll help you out however I can.  I use a nifty service called Google Voice that lets you call me anonymously and for free.  You can give it a try below -

 

Everytime I start a new project, I go through the exact same steps.  I had the idea that I could help others through the same process.  You’re looking for someone to show you the process, and I can do it with my eyes closed.  What a great match!  Ready?  Let’s get started.

Here’s what we’re going to do together:

  • Get a domain name that describes you or your idea
  • Signup for a hosting account so your site will have a place to “live” on the internet
  • Join my email list and send me $96
  • Send me the details so I can do “my part”
  • Spend an hour on the phone with me to talk about your next steps.

    •  

    Your first step is going to be getting a domain name.  Even if you have a domain name already, I suggest you read the post so you’ll be familiar with the next steps.

    Step One: GET A DOMAIN NAME

    And like I said, call me anytime.

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    Related Websites ]]>     http://www.sortarich.com/2009/05/12/the-96-dollar-project/feed/     Get a Domain Name (Step one in the $96 project) http://www.sortarich.com/2009/05/12/get-a-domain-name-step-one-in-the-50-project/ http://www.sortarich.com/2009/05/12/get-a-domain-name-step-one-in-the-50-project/#comments Tue, 12 May 2009 21:39:23 +0000 Scott http://www.sortarich.com/?p=78 Ok - Let’s go through the first step of the process of getting your idea online.  A domain name is your “address” on the internet.  It will usually end with a “.com”, but can also end with other extensions like .net, .info, .me, etc.  In my experience, having a .com is the absolute best way to go.  Dot Com websites are more memorable and more likely to generate visitors in the future.  So what name should you pick?

    Choosing your domain name is a very imporant decision.  This will be your name on the internet and it’s much easier to choose correctly the first time.  Some of my recommendations are:

    • Avoid extra punctuation, espcially dashes or underscores
    • Keep it to two words (three if you use a small word like “and”, “the”, “or”, etc.)
    • If the name you want it taken, try reversing the word order (onlinemoney.com and moneyonline.com are both good choices)
    • Adding a prefix can help you stand out: MYsite.com, YOURmoney.com, THEidea.com, etc.

    There are dozens of places to go online to buy a domain name.  I recommend GoDaddy.  You may have seen their commercials during the superbowl.  Overall, GoDaddy has the most powerful tools and is easy to use.  So, CLICK HERE to go to the GoDaddy site and purchase your domain name.  (You MUST use the links in this article to qualify for the $96 project price) Why?

    Right in the middle of the page, you’ll see a search box to get you started.  Go ahead and type in your preferred domain name.  You might have to try several different variations until you find one that is available.  If your first choice is not available, be sure to check the suggestions on the bottom part of the screen, they’re typically quite good.  Once you’ve found a domain name that is available, read on.

    GoDaddy does an EXCELLENT job of trying to sell you a bunch of stuff you don’t really need.  In my opinion, none of their add-on services are really any good.  If you really want to buy some of their extras, please do, but in most cases, we’ll cover everything they offer in the next steps at a much cheaper price.  So just scroll down the screen and click on ‘PROCEED TO CHECKOUT’.

    After clicking through, they’ll try to sell you more stuff.  Find the small link that says: “No Thanks, Continue to Checkout” and click on that.  Now you’re going to create a GoDaddy account.  It’s the usual stuff like name, address, phone, etc.  You’ll need to provide all of this information so that your domain name can be registered properly.  They give you a lot of warnings about using a ‘free’ email account such as Yahoo Mail or Google Mail because they’re hard to trace.  If that’s all you have at the moment, don’t worry - in an hour or so, you’ll have your very own private email address and you can update your account later.

    Now that you’ve completed the registration process, GoDaddy will once again try to sell you something else.   Just click on Continue to Checkout and move on.  The next screen is a bit cluttered.  Up top, you’ll see a few options for your domain names.  The default setting is for the registration to be for two years.  I usually set this to one year, but I’ll leave that choice to you.  You can also leave the registration as ‘Uncertified’.  Certification doesn’t do much for you at this point and you can always add it later. Almost done!

    I should jump in here to tell you that you can repeat this process as many times as you like to purchase more domain names.  If you have ten ideas, then get ten domain names!  It really is that simple.  The best part is, once you have your hosting account setup (which we do in the next step), it’s absolutely free to add new domain names to your hosting account - all you’ll have to pay for is the domain name itself!

    Once you’ve made any changes on this screen, scroll down and press Continue again.  You finally get to pay!  At the bottom of this last screen you can select your payment method and complete the transaction.  Once you’ve paid, you’ll get an email from GoDaddy confirming your order.

    Congratualations! You have your very own address on the internet!  It’s time to get a hosting account setup so that your site will actually be reacheable.  

    Click here for Step Two - Sign Up for a Hosting Account

    Related Posts Related Websites ]]>     http://www.sortarich.com/2009/05/12/get-a-domain-name-step-one-in-the-50-project/feed/     Signup for Hosting (Step 2 in the $96 project) http://www.sortarich.com/2009/05/12/signup-for-hosting-step-2-in-the-96-project/ http://www.sortarich.com/2009/05/12/signup-for-hosting-step-2-in-the-96-project/#comments Tue, 12 May 2009 21:39:05 +0000 Scott http://www.sortarich.com/?p=80 Welcome to Step Two!  You’re here because you just finished buying a domain name (or you already have a domain name) and you’re ready to give your website a “home” on the internet.

    This step involves getting setup with a hosting company.  Basically, a website consists of a bunch of files that tell an internet browser (like Firefox or Internet Explorere) how to display your website.  All of these files need to be “hosted” on a server that’s connected to the internet.  This is where a hosting company comes in.

    I’ve used three or four hosting companies over the years and have settled on BlueHost.  They offer the best range of options, the best customer service and they keep their servers up-to-date and well maintained.  I run every single website that I own on BlueHost servers and can’t recommend them enough.

    CLICK HERE to sign up for a hosting account. (You must use the links in this article to qualify for the $96 project pricing) Why?

    When you get to the BlueHost page, you’ll see a giant Sign Up Now button right in the middle of the page.  Click on that.  The next page basically asks whether you already have a domain name.  Since you’re here because you already completed Step One, enter your new domain name under “I Have a Domain” and press ‘Next’.

    Now you’re going to have to register with BlueHost.  They ask a lot of the same questions that GoDaddy did, but it’s worth the time to fill out, trust me.  You’ll have your choice of pricing plans down to as low as $6.95/mo (if you pay for 36 months in advance).  I recommend the 12-month plan where you pay $7.95/mo in advance ($95.40) and you don’t have to pay a setup fee.  In case you’re wondering, GoDaddy charges $4.99/mo for hosting but then adds other fees for email hosting ($1.99), blog hosting ($4.99) and so on.  In the end, using BlueHost will save you money.

    Once you pay on this same page (which is much less cluttered than GoDaddy), you’ll be the proud owner of hosting space!  You’ll get an email from BlueHost with all of the details of your order, along with temporary login information, passwords and other important information.  This is one of the emails I’ll need so that I can help you get your site up and running.

    O-Kay.  You’ve pretty much got all the pieces you need to get your idea on the internet.  This is where I come in.  I’m going to take your domain name, make sure it gets “pointed” properly to your new hosting account, setup some email addresses for you and get the basics of a website installed.  If you’re really curious as to how this process works, we can go over it on the phone, but I find that it’s better to get setup first and then we can go over any questions you have when we talk on the phone.

    CLICK HERE to go to Step Three -

    Related Posts Related Websites ]]>     http://www.sortarich.com/2009/05/12/signup-for-hosting-step-2-in-the-96-project/feed/     Getting Your Site Online (Step 3 in the $96 Project) http://www.sortarich.com/2009/05/12/getting-your-site-online-step-3-in-the-96-project/ http://www.sortarich.com/2009/05/12/getting-your-site-online-step-3-in-the-96-project/#comments Tue, 12 May 2009 21:38:48 +0000 Scott http://www.sortarich.com/?p=107 Alright then.  You’ve got the building blocks of your  new online home put together, now we get to assemble them into a real-live website.  In order to get this done, you’ll need to complete just a few more steps (we’re almost done, I promise!):

    • Join my email list (it’s quick, free and easy)
    • Once you join the list, you’ll get the link to pay me $96
    • Send the $96 via PayPal (you can use a Credit Card if you like)
    • Send me copies of the emails you received from BlueHost and GoDaddy

    The four steps above should take about 10-15 minutes and then I’ll have everything I need to get your site online.  Let’s get started.

    Joining my email list is easy.  Just fill in your name and email address below and press ‘Submit’.  You’ll have to check your email Inbox to confirm that you want to subscribe to my list (and I provide instructions on how to do that when you subscribe):

    Once you’ve confirmed your email address, you’ll receive one more email with the link to pay $96.  I know this is a bit confusing, but I just want to make sure that everyone joins my email list so you can stay up to date with any new developments and news from this site.

    Related Posts Related Websites ]]>     http://www.sortarich.com/2009/05/12/getting-your-site-online-step-3-in-the-96-project/feed/     Send $96 My Way (Step 4 in the $96 Project) http://www.sortarich.com/2009/05/12/thanks-for-confirming-your-email-address-96-project/ http://www.sortarich.com/2009/05/12/thanks-for-confirming-your-email-address-96-project/#comments Tue, 12 May 2009 21:31:13 +0000 Scott http://www.sortarich.com/?p=93 Thank you so much for confirming your email address. 

    The next step in the $96 project is for you to send $96 my way.  This payment covers the following (this is just a basic list, once we get talking, you’ll see there’s much, much more):

    • One hour of telephone consulting once your site is complete
    • A complete walk through of all of your blog features and how to use them to your advantage
    • Configuration of your website so that when you go to www.yourdomain.com it actually shows up
    • Setup of up to 25 email addresses (do you really need more?)
    • Installation of the latest version of WordPress (the blogging/website software)
    • Installation of your chosen theme along with a few basic plug-ins
    • I’ll show you how to add new domain names to your site for free! All you pay for is the new domain name
    • Anything else you want to cover - I’m here for you!

    “Why are you charging $96 for this service?”, I hear you asking.  Well, if you’ve looked over the Terms and Conditions, you’ll see that by the end of this process you’ll have spent about $104.00 so far when you picked your domain name and setup your hosting account.  I picked $96 because I wanted you to be able to complete the whole process for around $200 bucks.   As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, if at any point, you have questions about this process, just give me a call using the button below.  Otherwise, skip over the Call Me button, click on the Buy Now button and let’s get your site live!

    When you’re ready to move on, click the button below.  You don’t even have to have a PayPal account and you can use your credit card 100% securely.  Oh, and don’t forget that this payment is covered by my lifetime 100% money back guarantee.  If at any point you’re not satisfied with the services that I’ve provided to you, just ask for your money back.  I’ll send it back right away, no questions asked.  What are you waiting for?  After you’ve completed the payment process, you’ll be taken to the next step!

         

    I’m hoping that if you’re reading this sentence you’ve just sent me $96.  Thanks!  At this point I’m going to need a few things from you.

    Click here to go to Step 5 - Send me the information I need.

    Related Posts Related Websites ]]>     http://www.sortarich.com/2009/05/12/thanks-for-confirming-your-email-address-96-project/feed/     Putting it all together (Step 5 in the $96 Project) http://www.sortarich.com/2009/05/12/putting-it-all-together-step-5-in-the-96-project/ http://www.sortarich.com/2009/05/12/putting-it-all-together-step-5-in-the-96-project/#comments Tue, 12 May 2009 21:30:52 +0000 Scott http://www.sortarich.com/?p=111 You’ve made it this far, now just a few more things and you can relax while I do my part.

    These next steps are very imporant.  I need to get the following information from you to complete the process of getting your website online and your whole project setup. Please make sure you complete the following steps!
    1. When you registered for your new domain name from GoDaddy, you got an email with your login information (and a bunch of other stuff as well).  I need you to forward that to me at scott@sortarich.com with a subject line of $96 Project.  
    2. You also received an email from Bluehost with your new site information.  I need you to forward that email to me as well (scott@sortarich.com) with a subject line of $96 Project.
    3. Send me a list of the email addresses you want to have.  In most cases this will just be your first name followed by your domain like scott@sortarich.com.  If you want others like info@ or sales@, let me know so I can get them setup.
    4. Any other special instructions you’d like me to work on.  

    If you send the above info to me during normal business hours (9am to 6pm M-F PST), I’ll start working on your new site immediately.  I’ll also email you to confirm that I’ve gotten everything I need.  Of course, you can always call me:

     

    So that’s it!  You’ll hear back from me within 24 hours (usually within an hour or so) with all of the details you need to start using your site.  Then, we’ll spend an hour on the phone going over your site and I’ll show you how to update it, setup your email client, check webmail, etc. 

    I hope this wasn’t too much trouble - I’m always looking for suggestions! 

    Thanks! 

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    Yesterday, I was talking with a friend about an idea he had for a niche business.  Basically, he needs a website setup, a blog built and a bunch of integration with various vendors setup.  These are all things that I do on a daily basis!  Once he gets the domain name purchased, I’ll publish more details about the project.

    Stay tuned!

    Related Posts Related Websites ]]>     http://www.sortarich.com/2009/05/04/building-a-site-from-scratch/feed/     Tweetlater Pro - First takes http://www.sortarich.com/2009/04/29/tweetlater-pro-first-takes/ http://www.sortarich.com/2009/04/29/tweetlater-pro-first-takes/#comments Thu, 30 Apr 2009 01:25:32 +0000 Scott http://www.sortarich.com/?p=69 This post is a bit out of context here, since I have a big post on my use of Twitter in the works, but hey, I’m trying to write what comes to mind, so here goes.

    I have more than one twitter account setup for my various niche marketing purposes.  Ideally, I’d be monitoring all of the accounts, read the posts of the people that I’m following, do some searches to find new people to follow, write new tweets and generally interact with my twitter community.  In reality, I don’t do any of those things on a regular basis.  There are a number of tools out there, both free and paid that can some or all of the above for you.  I’ve been experimenting with a few of them over the past few days and have decided to give TweetLater a few of my hard earned dollars to give their Pro version a try for a month.

    So, what does TweetLater actually do?  And specifically, what does the Pro version do that the Free version does not?  Here’s a brief run-down:

     

    • Manage all of your twitter accounts using one interface
    • Delgate the managment of your twitter account(s)
    • Schedule tweets to occur in the future
    • Auto-follow and Auto-unfollow other Twitter users
    • Vet new followers
    • View all of your accounts and their live history in one interface
    • There’s more, but that’s for later
    The Pro version removes some limits on how many scheduled tweets you can create and also allows you to use the TweetCockpit which lets you see the timeline of all of your twitter accounts.
    I’m still getting used to the interface for the TweetCockpit, which is quite cluttered, but slowly starting to make sense.  One of the only drawbacks is that a lot of the functionality within the cockpit takes you to another web page, and then you have to wait for the cockpit to reload when you’re done with an action.
    I also created a whole bunch of scheduled tweets for all of my accounts to be distributed over the next few days.  The idea is that you can write a bunch of copy now, and then tell the system when to send them on your behalf.  One of the big advantages here is that you get to increase the number of updates you send out without actually having to be sending tweets 24 hours a day.
    This post is a bit thin on actual, usable content, but hey, it’s just my first day using the Pro version.  An update will be forthcoming
    Related Posts Related Websites ]]>     http://www.sortarich.com/2009/04/29/tweetlater-pro-first-takes/feed/     Eek - It’s been too long http://www.sortarich.com/2009/04/29/eek-its-been-too-long/ http://www.sortarich.com/2009/04/29/eek-its-been-too-long/#comments Thu, 30 Apr 2009 01:09:55 +0000 Scott http://www.sortarich.com/?p=67 Well, it’s official.  Despite my moderate efforts, I have not been writing here nearly as much as I should.  I’m suffering from some sort of reverse writing block.  I have too much to write, not too little.

    In my head, the problem seems to stem from the fact that I don’t know how to ‘brand’ this blog. Should it be more business focused, or just about me in general? Maybe both?  Ugh.  

    So, for a week I think I’m going to just write whatever comes to mind.  This will be an interesting experiment.  I hope I don’t drive you crazy, but there’s only one way to find out.

    Oh, I must also apologize for the somewhat stream-of-consciousness style of writing here.  My brain is full and I just have to get this stuff out.

    More to come, as always.

    Related Posts Related Websites ]]>     http://www.sortarich.com/2009/04/29/eek-its-been-too-long/feed/     Get out of bed and write http://www.sortarich.com/2009/04/15/get-out-of-bed-and-write/ http://www.sortarich.com/2009/04/15/get-out-of-bed-and-write/#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:04:48 +0000 Scott http://www.sortarich.com/?p=62 I’ve been trying to figure out a good ‘routine’ for writing.  I don’t think that’s going to happen.   I need to be realistic about what ‘routine’ means to me.

    I’m not much of a ‘list’ person, though I should be.  When I start each day, I feel paralyzed by all of the stuff I have to get off of my plate.  From website development to adwords campaign managment and of course keeping the day-to-day job moving along.  I’ve got a couple hundred items (if I broke the list down into its component parts) that I need to complete.  Writing here is one of the items - in fact, it’s many items.  When I come up with something I’d like to share, I make a note on one of my lists or I start the post and save it as a draft.  Then I can come back and write/edit/finish the post later.

    Lately though, it seems as though my ideas are outpacing my finished products.  I’m just now getting a grip on how to handle this situation.  Basically, I need to focus on whittling down the drafts into finished pieces.  I can see the benefit in this, but it also pulls me away from jotting down new ideas.  A classic catch-22.

    So, here I am, out of bed, writing.  Rather than laying there, staring at the ceiling with all of these ideas, it made more sense to get up and write about writing all these ideas down.  See? Doesn’t that makes sense.

    The point I’m trying to make is that if you don’t just get up and do something, you’ll probably never get it done.  So go ahead, make a list, write something, make something, DO something.  You’ll be glad you did.  And if you can figure out how to monetize whatever you just did, all the better.

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