Looking to create your own version of a pop-up optin box? In this Minima tutorial, I’ll show you exactly what I use to easily create high-converting pop-up boxes. Create, test and tweak away! Click here for the OptinMonster plugin featured in this tutorial.
Lessons from a goldfish
Last week I was in Denver for a tech conference. When I called to check in with my husband, he asked if I had gotten the pet fish. I didn’t know it, but one of the fun perks of my hotel was a goldfish for your room. When I relayed this to my new friends […]
Secrets behind creating a memorable online course
Curious about building an online course? Watch my behind the scenes video that shows you exactly what I used to create a memorable course.
The art of the redesign
Are you planning a website redesign? Watch the video below to review a few points to consider before you redesign your site.
Before you leave that day job
Recently I’ve had a few folks write me about when is it the right time to leave the day job. When I started my business over a decade ago, I was terrified that I had no idea what I was doing. I’d been working at a small firm in DC that had its own office […]
How to pick the perfect plugin
Confused on how to pick the right plugin? Watch the video below to see how I evaluate and review plugins for my site. Determine your needs Don’t just install the first one you see without researching it Check to see when it was last updated Check for support issues Check the cost Evaluate plugins on […]
The art of the elegant opt-in
I’m so thrilled with the response to my last video – and a got a lot of questions about how I made the elusive horizontal opt-in. I used widgets to hold my newsletter sign-up code – There are several widget areas already available for use in this particular theme (Parallax Pro Theme from studiopress.com). and […]
Behind the Curtain – what happens when a web designer redesigns her own site?
Watch the video review of my own site as I explain my 6 goals for my website redesign and the strategies I employed to remake my site. Links mentioned in the video Parallax Pro Theme from Genesis Business Professional Font from You Work for Them Typekit from Adobe Envira Gallery
How to create and show navigation menus in WordPress
In this quick Minima tutorial, I review four key ways you can use navigation menus in WordPress. Learn how to add a navigation menu, how you can show your navigation menu in a variety of areas on your site and how to create drop-down menus.
Simple tip to add people to your newsletter list
I’m sharing one of my very best strategy tips today – how I’ve easily added hundreds of quality subscribers to my newsletter list. If you’re running an online business, you’re always looking for ways to add people to your list. In today’s tutorial I’ll show you how to create the absolute best contact form that […]
How to create a FAQ page for your website
If you’ve got any sort of business that deals with clients and the general public (and especially if you’re offering digital or software products), I’ll bet you’ve answered a lot of the same questions over and over again. In this Minima tutorial I’ve got a simple solution that will cut down on your customer support […]
How to create a simple placeholder page in less than ten minutes
Have you ever started a project and wanted to put up a placeholder page while you work behind the scenes? Or are you working on your site and want to put it into maintenance mode but keep your email opt-in available to your visitors? Today’s tutorial will show you exactly how to do it – […]
Two words that will change your business
Saying these two words – thank you – might be the smartest business move you make this year that influences your business for next year. I usually take this Thanksgiving weekend to send custom holiday cards to my current and past clients thanking them for the opportunity to serve. This is a super easy way […]
The art of organizing your work life
For the last few months, I’ve been teaching advanced web design to students at a top art school – and one thing that really surprised me was that I had to teach how to organize projects. Students initially had trouble finding where their current project files were – and they were getting easily confused as […]
Should you work for free?
So it happened again a few weeks ago…I got offered equity if i did design work for a start up company. I’m always open to hearing from new strategic partners – and this one came as a referral. The project sounded interesting…until we got to discussion of fees. Ah, the old equity offer. Full branding […]
How to get and stay inspired
Whenever I start a new project, my first step is to review my idea collection. I’m constantly scouring the web for inspirational textures, photos, layouts, and coding techniques and saving ideas I find for different needs – these hits of inspiration help form color and layout choices and push me to think differently. If you […]
Why being the nice guy pays off
If you've ever run any type of online business, you've probably encountered a tech issue of one sort or another. Servers have glitches, plugins don't co-operate, maybe you forgot to renew your domain and everything's down. At some point you're going to have to contact tech support (whether you're the designer, the client or the […]
My biggest business mistakes…
Over the years I’ve learned a thing or two or twenty (and some lessons I had to learn multiple times!) Here are a few lessons I hope you can take to heart and avoid my costly mistakes. 1. Buying products on behalf of the client A huge error I discovered a while ago — I […]
Everyone’s a critic…How to deal with haters + criticism
Here's the real deal that no one wants to talk about. You aren't imagining it. Everyone is judging you and the work you put out there. And yeah, they're looking at your source code too. And wondering why you didn't make that site responsive. Or why you used that photo. Or why you didn't make […]
What makes a pro?
Recently a reader asked what I considered a professional designer. It isn't how much you make or how flawless you think your code is – it's your actions and behavior that make you a pro. What makes a pro in my eyes? You respect your clients, your peers AND your competition You work with a […]
Digging into your toolbox
I'm pretty lucky that my dad is a smart guy – (and a technical wizard to boot) The first thing he does in any new house is setup his extensive tool bench. He's got electronic & mechanical parts that are older than I am — but that means he's able to fix pretty much anything. […]
Set yourself up for success
When I first started my business, I lived in a studio apartment in DC. I naively thought running my own business meant I could do anything anytime I wanted. Distractions abounded. I could see everything that needed to be done around the house. I had always worked for someone else – and someone else's timetable […]
Providing value behind the pretty
I’ve been designing software and websites since the late ’90s. And while trends and technologies have changed over the years, one thing holds true. The value you provide your client. This week I did a video site review for a consulting client – besides the glaring technical issues with the site, there was no clarity […]
What can you really charge?
I know it can get really frustrating when you look at portfolios and you see other designers charging higher rates than you for similar work. But here’s the key point – what ends up on the screen isn’t the only way to judge the value of their services. A pro designer carefully considers the solutions […]