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Technology Advice

Acuity Scheduling Review: 7 Praiseworthy Features

December 5, 2019 by Brent Peterson

Acuity Scheduling is an online scheduling tool for any business that needs to regularly book client appointments.

Behind the popular software application is Acuity, a quirky software company based out of New York City. Acuity was started by software developer Gavin Zuchlinski to help his mother better handle appointments for her massage therapy business. Today, Acuity supports over 50,000 businesses.

This quick Acuity Scheduling review is based on the following key business requirements for a Graceful Resources client:

  1. Business leads and returning clients can schedule their own appointments online – based on available time slots.
  2. Information about clients is captured via an online form.
  3. Appointment confirmations are immediately sent out at time of booking.
  4. Appointment reminders are sent out automatically via email and text.
  5. Clients can reschedule their own appointments – as long as it is done outside of a specific timeframe (e.g. changes must be done at least two days before the appointment).
  6. Clients will be charged a fee if they no-show.
  7. Multiple appointment calendars for one business.
  8. Software must be easy to use by clients and by the business.

Acuity Scheduling Review

With these business requirements in mind, Acuity Scheduling software was put to the test for Graceful Resources client Rita Lynn Gilman, a professional fastpitch softball instructor.

After a couple weeks of configuration and testing, all of these requirements were successfully met with Acuity Scheduling.

Acuity offers a solid online knowledge tutorial base to guide you along, and if you get stuck on a couple of process steps, the Acuity customer service team can help via their ticket system.  You should expect a response via email within one business day.  If you are seeking more hands-on Acuity project help, please see my Acuity Scheduling Help page.

The following seven praiseworthy features stand out for this Acuity Scheduling review.

Acuity Scheduling gives businesses the ability to:

  1. Trigger different emails internally and to the client based on which calendar is booked.
  2. Re-use custom forms for any calendar.
  3. Combine multiple forms into one appointment flow.
  4. Customize email notifications (great for cross-branding).
  5. Equip their clients with the power to update their own online profiles.
  6. Capture but not charge credit cards (great way to charge people for no-shows).  You can also give clients the option to prepay for appointments online.
  7. Integrate with email marketing services like ConvertKit – see ConvertKit Discount: Free Month of More (Plus 8 Benefits).

Click Here for Acuity Scheduling Help

Acuity Scheduling is free to try out for a week. After the trial, the cost is very reasonable based on your business needs.

Here is a breakdown of the costs for this Acuity Scheduling review:

Note: The plan used to meet the business requirements outlined in this Acuity Scheduling review is the Growing Business plan.

Acuity Scheduling Review – In Summary

While several WordPress scheduling plugins (plus other scheduling applications) were considered initially for this project, only Acuity Scheduling could fulfill the requirements – at least on paper.

When the software was actually put to the test and questions were successfully addressed by Acuity customer support, it proved that Acuity Scheduling was the right fit.

You can preview the process flow for Acuity Scheduling by visiting my Acuity Scheduling Help page. I loved the software so much, I became one of the first Acuity Certified Experts (ACE) in the world!

If your business also handles client appointments (in alignment with the business requirements outlined in this post), you should test out Acuity Scheduling for free for 7 days.  The software interface is fun to use and in the end, client appointments and reminders are processed seamlessly.

Hope this quick Acuity Scheduling review helps your online business goals.

Cheers,

Brent

Note: The link in this post to Acuity Scheduling is an affiliate link.  There is no extra cost to you and if you start using Acuity, you are encouraged to set up an affiliate account with them too. I’d recommend Acuity even without an affiliate program.

Filed Under: Lead Generation Advice, Technology, Technology Advice, Technology Resources, Uncategorized Tagged With: Acuity, Acuity Scheduling Review, Business, Online Scheduling, Online Scheduling Tool, Schedule Software, Scheduling, Scheduling Application

ConvertKit Discount: Free Month or More (Plus 8 Benefits)

November 1, 2019 by Brent Peterson

ConvertKit brands itself as email marketing for professional bloggers.

As a former user of Constant Contact, AWeber, MailChimp, and GetResponse, it’s a valid statement.

But ConvertKit is more than just email marketing for professional bloggers. It’s a sound professional choice for any entrepreneur who has something to say or sell online (including the fulfillment of physical goods or services).

At $29/month for your first 1000 subscribers, ConvertKit exceeds the user and cost-friendliness of MailChimp with a lot of the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) capabilities of InfusionSoft.

ConvertKit Discount: Free Month or More

If you are ready to try out ConvertKit (awesome! – you won’t regret it), here are two ways to save money:

  1. If you use this ConvertKit promotional link (current as of 11/1/19), you can fully test out ConvertKit free of charge for the first month (up to 1000 subscribers).
  2. After your account setup, you can prepay for a full year of ConvertKit and get 12 months for the price of 10 months.  Simply contact ConvertKit customer service to take advantage of the annual plan – once you set up a ConvertKit account.

If you are just starting out (with less than 1000 subscribers to import or none at all), click here for a ConvertKit Free Month Discount.  After 30 days, set up an annual plan to get two more free months over the next year. Or you can pay for ConvertKit on a monthly basis.

If you already have over 1000 subscribers (or you know ConvertKit is right for you), you can lock in two months of ConvertKit for free today by selecting the Pricing tab on the ConvertKit website and then click on the Annual Billing button:

Then click TRY IT FOR FREE in the column that fits your subscriber list size.

If you are not sure yet if ConvertKit is the right choice for you, no worries.  Eight benefits of using ConvertKit are outlined for your quick reference below.

8 Benefits of ConvertKit

ConvertKit’s user interface is almost too simple to be a powerful resource to segment and tag your email mailing list subscribers for strategic growth. But when you immerse yourself in complexity for so long, you expect things to be difficult to be good.

But ConvertKit is different.

Here are eight benefits of ConvertKit you will discover when you start using the service:

  1. Only One List 

    Unlike email marketing services likes AWeber and MailChimp that charge you per email per list (even if it is the same email address), ConvertKit only charges you once per email because there is only one list. All subscribers to your mailing list have their unique profile where you can tag and segment them with ease.

  2. Nice Looking Opt-in Forms  

    One of the biggest frustrations with other email services is that their opt-in forms are well unattractive out of the box and difficult to configure.  Yes, you can customize them if you know what you’re doing (or use an opt-in designer tool like OptinMonster), but ConvertKit lets you set up simple and attractive opt-in forms when you are starting out.

  3. Built-in Landing Page Templates

    This is a very nice and unexpected benefit of ConvertKit.  Landing page templates allow you to create an entire page dedicated to your opt-in. This is a feature you can pay separately for with a more robust landing page software designer like LeadPages.  But ConvertKit lets you set up a simple landing page at no extra cost.

  4. Easy-to-Follow Autoresponder Sequences

    Autoresponders are a term for automated sequences of emails you can send out to your subscribers. ConvertKit makes the process intuitive by displaying all of your email messages in one view in your account dashboard. You can even drag and drop your messages to change the sequence. 

  5. Broadcasting While Excluding

    Broadcast emails are one-time messages that can be written and distributed at any time to your subscriber list.  Since you only have one list, ConvertKit makes it easy to send a broadcast while excluding certain segments of your list. For example, you may want to send out a notice about a sale on one of your products, but you don’t want to send it to customers who have already purchased the product.

  6. Tagging Based on Your Subscribers’ Activity

    ConvertKit lets you tag (and then segment) potential leads in your subscriber list based on their activity on your website or through your email message. For example, you may include a link in one of your ConvertKit emails to assess interest in a new product. If one of your subscribers clicks on the link, ConvertKit can automatically tag that person as being interested.

  7. Easy to Understand Analytics

    When you log in to your ConvertKit account, you will see an easy-to-understand subscriber graph that shows you by the day which forms are growing your subscriber list.

  8. Integration with Other Software Applications (including the Rainmaker Platform)

    ConvertKit integrates directly with other software apps like LeadPages, OptinMonster, Acuity, and Shopify (plus it integrates with countless other apps like Typeform through Zapier). ConvertKit is also one of only a handful of email marketing services that have been selected to integrate directly with the Rainmaker Platform.

    If you are planning to create, share, and sell content online through a blog, podcast, course, and/or membership site, ConvertKit coupled with Rainmaker is a powerful combination (and Rainmaker is the foundation for this website – here’s why).  If you want to maximize email opt-ins on your website, OptinMonster is a great addition to your toolkit (here’s why).

ConvertKit Discount: Free Month or More

If you are now ready to try out ConvertKit, here again are two ways to save money with a ConvertKit discount:

  1. If you use this ConvertKit promotional link, you can fully test out ConvertKit free of charge for up to one month. You’ll be asked to answer some setup questions first.
  2. Then set up an annual plan to get two more months free of charge over the next year via the additional ConvertKit discount available to customers – just ask for the annual plan discount after you become a customer!

Full Transparency

Graceful Resources has an affiliate relationship with ConvertKit so if you decide to invest in ConvertKit via this ConvertKit free month promo link or the direct ConvertKit setup link, this website is eligible for a nominal commission from the good folks in Idaho at ConvertKit if you decide to pay for the service. There is no extra cost to you.

If you start using ConvertKit, you are encouraged to set up an affiliate relationship with them as well.  You’ll want to spread the word too.  The software is that good, and I would use and recommend ConvertKit even if there was no affiliate program.

What other questions do you have about ConvertKit?

Please feel free to reach out via the Graceful Resources contact form.

If you need assistance migrating to ConvertKit (or getting started with a strategic lead magnet tied to ConvertKit), we assist clients with ConvertKit-related projects every month.

Cheering for your online success – one project step at a time!

Brent

Filed Under: Technology Advice, Technology Resources, Uncategorized Tagged With: autoresponders, Broadcast Emails, converkit, convertkit discount, Email, email marketing, Mailchimp, Opt-in Email, Simple Landing Page

WPForms Review (and a WPForms Discount)

December 1, 2018 by Brent Peterson

WPForms is branded as the most beginner friendly WordPress contact form plugin in the market.

While that may be the case, WPForms (affiliate link) can do a lot more for your online lead generation strategy than a simple form for your website contact page.

(There is a lite version of the WP Forms plugin that allows you to set up a standard contact form on your site for free.)

WPForms Review

The full-featured WP Forms plugin is classified as a premium WordPress plugin and as such, it is not free.

To unlock the advanced lead generation features though, WP Forms plugin will likely cost you between $39 and $299 per year.

You can compare the features by pricing model via the WPForms website, and you may also determine the Pro level at $199/year is the smart strategic investment based on your online goals.

When visiting the WPForms website for the first time (or after clearing your browser cache), you are likely to see a WPForms discount for 50% off using coupon code (e.g. SAVE50) at the top of the page.

The Pro level is what is used and recommend by Graceful Resources. Six notable benefits of WPForms are noted below for your quick reference in this WPForms review.

wp-forms-logo

WPForms Review: 5 Praiseworthy Benefits

1. Form Templates (Pro Level)

WPForms includes a lot of standard forms out of the box, so to speak.

In addition to a simple contact form, there are templates for:

  • Donation Form
  • Billing/Order Form
  • Suggestion Form
  • Request a Quote Form
  • Newsletter Form
  • Blank Form

The new WPForms Templates Pack Addon also unlocks 100 new pre-built form templates, such as:

  • Girl Scout Cookie Order Form
  • Meeting Room Registration Form
  • Party Invitation RSVP Form
  • Conference Registration Form
  • Support Ticket Form

2. Conditional Logic (All Levels)

Conditional logic lets you hide or show fields in your form based on other user entries.

WPForms lacks the graceful conditional logic flow of Typeform (see 8 Typeform Examples and a Discount), but conditional logic comes in handy especially on longer surveys or forms.

3. Drag & Drop Form Builder (All Levels)

Like Typeform, WPForms lets you easily drag and drop entries into and out of your form.

All forms are then mobile responsive meaning the forms adjust automatically to the size of the user’s screen.

If this is the first time you are designing forms for your own WordPress site, the drag & drop feature is a welcome start to the entire form setup process.

4. Stripe Integration (Pro Level)

WPForm’s direct integration with Stripe lets you process individual credit card transactions (or recurring payments) directly through your website form.

A SSL Certificate is required on your site to process credit card, but as a best practice today, your entire site should be SSL encrypted.

Stripe integration is not difficult to set up and once in place, WPForms offers an efficient way to process customer credit card orders on your website.

5. Multiple Addons (Varies by Level)

WPForms is a WordPress plugin that has available plugin addons to enhance the capabilities of the software.

If you are on the Pro plan, all the addons are available at no additional cost.

Here are some available addons:

  • Direct MailChimp, AWeber, and GetResponse Addons (unfortunately there is not a ConvertKit addon at this time – see ConvertKit Discount: Free Month or More (Plus 8 Benefits) if you would like to try out ConvertKit – the email service used and recommended by Graceful Resources).
  • Zapier Addon (Zapier does allow you to create a WPForms and ConvertKit connection).
  • Blog Post Submissions Addon (creates a pending draft of blog post without the need to set up a guest author on your WordPress site).
  • Form Abandonment Addon (captures partial entries from your forms).
  • Signature Addon (lets users sign forms with their mouse or a touchscreen).
  • Survey Plugin (easily creates surveys and polls within WPForms)

6. Great Customer Service

WPForms is run by the same company that runs OptinMonster (see OptinMonster Review: 10 Reasons to Give OptinMonster a Try).

The company provides great video tutorials and when you get stuck, you can submit a support ticket.

Response time – in my experience – is same day (including weekends) and always helpful.

WPForms Review – In Summary

WPForms isn’t the only WordPress form creator on the market.

But it is arguably the most user-friendly and flexible.

If your business goal is to process online leads and transactions through your website, WPForms is worth a close look (you can try it out risk-free for 14 days).

An investment of $199/year (and potentially less with a new customer WPForms discount) will hopefully lead to a clear return on investment for you.

You will quickly discover you can do a lot more with WordPress forms than a simple contact form.

Other Resources for Your Lead Generation

  1. Lead Magnet Guide (5 essential characteristics of a lead magnet)
  2. Lead Magnet Survey (share your own opinion about email sign up incentives and discover what other entrepreneurs recommend)
  3. Lead Magnet Examples (Graceful Resources email subscribers can add their own web address for free)
  4. Recommended Website and Email Software Resources (you’ll also discover why these resources are recommended)

Cheering for your online success – one project step at a time!

Brent

Filed Under: Technology Advice, Technology Resources, Uncategorized Tagged With: Creative Lead Generation, Lead Generation Form, Online Lead Generation, Optinmonster, wordpress forms, wpforms

5 Reasons You’re in Control of the Lead Magnet Project

June 29, 2017 by Brent Peterson

The Lead Magnet Project is an online interactive project to guide you step-by-step through the successful project execution of your own online lead generation strategy – leading to the attraction of relevant email subscribers to your business email list.

If you think you are the only person who struggles to build an email list, you are not alone.  As a Lead Magnet Project participant, you will discover how to:

  • Determine Your Best Email List Building Strategy
  • Create a Winning Professional Lead Magnet
  • Write Effective Copy for Your Opt-in Form, Web Page, or Advertisement
  • Integrate, Test, and Deliver the Lead Magnet with Your Email Marketing Service
  • Strategically Connect Your Lead Magnet to Your (Current or Planned) Product / Service Through Your Own Professionally-Crafted Email Marketing
  • Grow Your Email List and Business with a Relevant Target Audience

Free Lead Magnet Guide

The Lead Magnet Project is now available for your participation (click here for more information) and you are in control for five reasons noted below.

LeadMagnetProjectQuestionnaire

Five Reasons You’re in Control of the Lead Magnet Project

Reason #1 You are in control: You are welcome to say no.

The Lead Magnet Project isn’t for everyone. You may already have the strategic and technical processes in place to build a relevant email list for your current or planned business.

Advanced lead generation processes using tools like ConvertKit, Leadpages, OptinMonster, and Typeform will be taught to participants, but again you have permission to say No.

Reason #2 You are in control: You can request a refund within seven days.

The Lead Magnet Project is new and you will be one of the first project participants. A big advantage for you is that you will receive more personalized attention and feedback than at any point of the project.

A risk for you as an early adopter (or, for that matter, as a participant at any stage) is that you may discover the Lead Magnet Project is not for you.  If so, no worries. You have one week to simply request a refund.

Once you start the Lead Magnet Project, you will have an immediate opportunity to complete a strategic lead generation questionnaire.  You will receive a copy of your responses for your own strategic planning – even if you request a refund.

Reason #3 You are in control: You can invest in the Lead Magnet Project for just one month or stay connected. It’s up to you.

There is no annual contract to sign or big online course fee to pay upfront with the Lead Magnet Project. Your access is available monthly so you control your duration and budget.

You may receive all the strategic and technical guidance you need after one month – in which case your total business investment may be under $100. If you are receiving additional professional value (and you will), you can stay connected to the project for as many months as you would like.

Reason #4 You are in control: You can engage with the project team and other participants, or stay quiet behind the scenes.

The Lead Magnet Project is organized through Teamworks Project software so that all written or video instructions for each strategic and technical project task are outlined in a logical sequence. You can post your questions or feedback directly within any task and reference other organized discussion threads available to all project participants.

As you do so, you will build professional relationships with other entrepreneurs sharing the same lead generation journey with you. But you are in control so your level of engagement is entirely voluntary.

Reason #5 You are in control: You can lock in a discounted rate for as long as you are in the project.

The project consultative fee for custom client lead generation projects starts at $500/month (and there’s a wait list). You are obviously not going to be charged that amount. The cost for the Lead Magnet Project is instead 75% less per month or $125/month.

Professionals on the free Graceful Resources weekly email list (click here to sign up – and to receive the free Lead Magnet Guide) will also have a brief opportunity to lock in an additional monthly project discount of 25% leading to a very reasonable cost to participate of $93.75/month.

You’re in Control of the Lead Magnet Project

The Lead Magnet Project is an affordable and interactive professional-managed online project – that will guide you step-by-step through the strategic and technical steps you need to execute for your new lead generation strategy.

As a project participant, you will attract relevant email subscribers to your business email list. You will also gain freedom back in your life.

The Lead Magnet Project is available now and you are in control.

Click Here to Register

Filed Under: Lead Magnet Advice, Marketing Advice, Project Management Advice, Project Management Resource, Technology Advice, Uncategorized Tagged With: convertkit, lead generation, lead magnet, lead magnet ideas, lead magnet project, lead magnets, leadpages, Optinmonster, Teamwork Project, typeform

How to Take Advantage of Opportunities (or Positive Project Risks)

April 5, 2017 by Brent Peterson

Risk isn’t always a bad thing.

Granted, the risks in the earlier post 4 Ways to Manage Risk on Web Projects did cast risks in their typical negative shadow.

Negative risks should be handled carefully on any project related to your online entrepreneurial ventures – whether you are starting out full-time or as a part-time side gig.

But not all risk is negative.

Risk can actually be positive (and another name for a positive risk is simply an opportunity).

According to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) – the international standard for projects from the Project Management Institute – there are four suggested responses to project opportunities.

Managing Risk is Critical

Any new resource or process you offer online in service to others is created in a project.  And your success depends significantly on your ability to then manage risks on your projects.

Project management helps you.

So if you are in search of how to take advantage of opportunities that surface on your online entrepreneurial projects, read on…

… and if you are interested in other weekly professional tips about the critical project side of online entrepreneurship, simply click here to join the free mailing list.

How to Take Advantage of Opportunities

There are four commonly accepted ways to take advantage of opportunities (or positive risks) on projects. Like the ways to manage negative risks, once you are familiar with the ways to manage positive risks, you will also be better positioned to plan ahead for the inevitable positive risks of doing business online.

1. Exploit the Opportunity

When you exploit an opportunity, you take deliberate action in your project plan to eliminate the uncertainty of the upside risk.  In other words, you make sure the opportunity is seized.

In technology-related projects, a common way to take advantage of opportunities like this is to assign an experienced project manager or to use proven software solutions.

2. Enhance the Opportunity

When you enhance an opportunity, you take steps to increase the probability or the impact of a positive risk occurring. For example, if you discover there is a strategic advantage to finish a project activity earlier than you planned, you can add more resources to the activity to enhance the opportunity for your business.

3. Share the Opportunity

When you share an opportunity related to a project (like a product launch), you share part of the reward of the opportunity with a third party. In the online entrepreneurial world, these types of opportunities are often called joint ventures.

In a joint venture, you may pay another party 50% of your product sale if the other party is responsible for the customer of that particular sale.

4. Accept the Opportunity

Lastly, when you accept a positive risk, you do not exploit, enhance, or share the opportunity.  You simply hope for the best and if the opportunity surfaces, you happily take advantage of the size of the opportunity.

For example, you realize there is a chance your online membership product will appeal to a different demographic that you are targeting. Rather than marketing directly to them through Facebook ads, you accept the opportunity as is.

Project Management Works for You

The secret to successful online entrepreneurship is simply this…

Plan your work and then work your plan. 

The four ways to manage negative risks are critical elements of any project.  But the four ways on how to take advantage of opportunities are also critical for your success.

Plan ahead but don’t accept all risks – both positive and negative.

Your success depends on it.

If you are seeking further professional project guidance for online entrepreneurship in a supportive and interactive environment, you may be interested in the upcoming Graceful Resources project on How to Build a Relevant Email List.

Note: The kickoff date for this Graceful Project has shifted to June so that all project components are in place for your benefit.  Please accept my apology for the delay.

Stay Connected to Project Announcements

Even if you already have a mailing list, the scope of the project is worth a close look.  It is designed for professionals like you who have other full-time responsibilities.

Positive and negative risk strategies will be clearly outlined for participants.

Cheering for your online success – one project step at a time!
Brent

Filed Under: Entrepreneurship Advice, Managing Risks, Project Management Advice, Technology Advice, Uncategorized Tagged With: Entrepreneurship, How To Take Advantage Of Opportunities, Managing Risk, project management, Risk, Risk Management, Teamwork Project, Ways To Manage Risk, Web Project

Rainmaker Platform Review: Is Rainmaker Right for You?

March 28, 2017 by Brent Peterson

The Rainmaker Platform is a complete online turn-key solution from Rainmaker Digital (formerly Copyblogger Media) for entrepreneurs who are seeking a WordPress-based platform with a lot of out-of-the-box functionality for online commerce – such as a landing page designer, course builder, membership area, and checkout workflow.

Summer 2017 Update: The Rainmaker Platform software application is currently closed for new customers.

Is Rainmaker Right for You?

As is the case for any software application, it depends on your online business goals and preferences.

Think of the Rainmaker Platform like owning a fully-furnished vacation home or condo that includes all maintenance, security and cleaning services. It’s not inexpensive real estate, but it does offer peace of mind so that you can focus on a great vacation experience for you and your guests.

Your property, whether we are talking about real estate or a website, can also grow significantly in value over time if operated professionally.

VacationRental

Rainmaker Platform Review

If the thought of patching together multiple pieces of technology (aka WordPress plugins) – and then testing security patches for those plugins on a regular basis – would keep you up at night, Rainmaker is worth trying out for free.

Consider what is included with Rainmaker (and this isn’t everything):

  1. A library of professional StudioPress themes to use.
  2. Top-notch secure hosting for your managed WordPress website.
  3. SSL certification for secure customer navigation and transactions on your site.
  4. Unique WordPress interface that is relatively easy to navigate and operate (especially for entrepreneurs who have not used the native WordPress dashboard).
  5.  All technical maintenance for WordPress updates and built-in plugins.
  6.  Integrated Learning Management System (LMS) for online courses.
  7. Members-only features for your customers (e.g. access to digital downloads and courses).
  8. Landing Page creator (here’s why landing pages are important).
  9. Fully integrated email marketing (works seamlessly with AWeber, Constant Contact, ConvertKit (what I use and recommend – here’s why), MailChimp, and Infusionsoft. Rainmaker also now has its own integrated mail service called RainMail that is free for Rainmaker customers for up to 999 unique emails on your mailing list.)
  10. An extensive library of marketing and how-to resources to build your platform.
  11. Exclusive access to an online community of other Rainmaker users. This is a great forum to ask questions.
  12. Friendly and helpful customer support if you ever get stuck. Just submit a support ticket from your Rainmaker dashboard.

Customers can give Rainmaker a test drive for 14 days.  After that, the complete professional package is $145 – $165 per month (subject to change). If you add up all the costs of running a website (e.g. software, WordPress hosting, email marketing, landing pages), it can actually be a significants savings for your small business.

728x90-2_Rainmaker

If you are planning to offer online courses, then you can really come out ahead financially because Rainmaker has that covered too with its own integrated Learning Management System (LMS).

Most reputable LMS software services like Teachable.com, Thinkific.com and NewKajabi.com will run you at least $100/month for their professional plans. With Rainmaker, your customers never have to leave your site for a consistent and integrated experience and it is included in your account.

10 Benefits of the Rainmaker Platform

  1. Secure website hosting and performance.
  2. Design tools to create and modify a WordPress website that looks equally great on computer screens and mobile devices.
  3. Content creation tools for text, audio, video, and graphical messages.
  4. Search engine optimization recommendations (through the proprietary Scribe Content software – now called Content Optimizer). This feature is big (I once paid $47/month just for this SEO software).
  5. Lead generation tools via email integration and membership pages.
  6. Easy to access metrics about your site’s business performance.
  7. Extensive library of marketing webinars to build your business.
  8. SSL Certificate included for secure payment transactions with customers (another cost saving with Rainmaker).
  9. Integrated Learning Management System (LMS) to host your own online courses.
  10. Landing page creator for sales pages, opt-ins, and call to action opportunities. You can even set your Rainmaker site to display your own custom landing page while your site is being developed or under maintenance.

RainmakerPlatform

Lesson Learned

This site called Graceful Resources runs on the Rainmaker Platform and is the fifth WordPress site I’ve designed for my own online business. I now professionally design and integrate sites for clients. Over the past nine years, I’ve learned a lot about setting up and maintaining business and community websites (and always learning something new every week!)

It’s a rewarding experience to do-it-yourself, but it is also brutally time-consuming. The online rules of engagement continue to change and you are forced to learn something new technically-speaking almost every week. It can be very hard work and frustrating.

The Rainmaker Platform launched publicly in 2014, and I now highly recommend it for clients and prefer to use Rainmaker (over native WordPress) when setting up their sites for long-term growth and impact.  When I hand over the keys to clients on a new site, Rainmaker makes the transition much easier because the technology side of things isn’t as cumbersome as it is with a self-hosted WordPress site.

Discover More About Our Project Work

Is the Rainmaker Platform Right for You?

Rainmaker was created by Rainmaker Digital (the same team behind the industry-recognized StudioPress Genesis framework and child themes, and the Authority content marketing training).

There is still a lot to be learned about blogging, content creation, product development and online marketing. Thankfully, Rainmaker allows customers to focus more on that business learning curve, and not on the technical one.

Give Rainmaker a Try

If you are the fence about Rainmaker, I encourage you to give it a try for two weeks for free so that you can make an informed decision.

This site runs on Rainmaker so I am a customer too. I trust it for my long-term growth and I think you will too.

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Savings Opportunity

If you prepay for a year of Rainmaker (click here to get started), you receive almost two months free of charge per year.

Full Transparency

Graceful Resources has an affiliate relationship with Rainmaker so if you decide to invest in Rainmaker via this link (or any of the Rainmaker links in this post), your use of this affiliate link helps support the growth of Graceful Resources. There is no extra cost to you.

If you start using Rainmaker, you are encouraged to set up an affiliate relationship with them as well.  You’ll want to spread the word too.  The software is that good, and I would use and recommend Rainmaker even if there was no affiliate program. But simply one referral per month will cover your software cost of this powerful platform.

Do you have other questions about Rainmaker?

Please let me know via response to the free Graceful Resources weekly email or my contact form.  I am here to help.

If you end up building your website through Rainmaker via this affiliate link, please drop me a note.  I am happy to take a look at your new site and to offer you free feedback to help grow your online business operation.

Cheering for your online success – one project step at a time!

Brent

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