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Technology Resources

8 Typeform Examples and a Typeform Discount

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Typeform is an online software company, based in Barcelona, that allows customers to create engaging and conversational online forms, surveys, quizzes, and landing pages called typeforms.

All Typeforms are mobile responsive meaning the forms adjust automatically for users when they visit your form from their mobile devices. So these forms look great not only on computer screens, but also on smart phones. The Typeform Discount for annual plans is 16%.

But most importantly, Typeforms make data collection kind of a cool experience for users – which says a lot when you consider the bland experience most of us run into with Google Forms.  And as an entrepreneur, if you can make data collection seamless and fun for your leads and customers, you will set yourself apart from the competition in the digital economy.

Typeform Makes Forms More Human

What makes Typeform truly magical is that you collect information one question at a time like a real face-to-face conversation – remember those? 😉 and you can make it personalized with the person’s first name throughout the form.  Typeform makes forms more human.  As an example, I use Typeform to conduct comprehensive business and project requirements assessments with project clients.

The possibilities with Typeform are truly endless and once you’ve experienced a well-crafted Typeform as a user, you’ll want to create a similar experience for your own audience.

Typeform_Cover

Typeform can also be integrated via Zapier with countless other email marketing services like AWeber (which I used to use) and ConvertKit (which I now use and recommend – here’s why).

 Free Lead Magnet Guide

Eight Typeform Uses

Here are just eight uses of Typeforms for your reference and inspiration. Typeform also includes an entire library of templates for different use cases and each template is fully customizable.

1. Create a Directory Entry Form Integrated with Google Sheets

(Personal Example: Travel Ball Directory)

2. Project Questionnaire

(Personal Example: Website Strategy and Design Questionnaire)

3. Lead Generation Form

(Personal Example: Lead Magnet Survey)

4. Collect Donations

(Client Example: Homeschoolers of Wyoming Donation Form)

5. Product Survey

(Effective strategy to test interest in a product idea. From the Typeform homepage, select Solutions and then Survey Maker from the site menu.)

6. Event Survey

(Client Example: Homeschoolers of Wyoming Annual Convention Survey)

7. Customer or Employee Satisfaction Survey

(From the Typeform homepage, select Solutions and then Quiz Maker from the site menu.)

8. Educational Quiz

(Great Way to Engage an Audience about Your Content! From the Typeform homepage, select Solutions and then Quiz Maker from the site menu.)

Typeform Discount

Typeform is just 29 USD to try out the Basic Plan for a month and you can really test out the magic at the Basic level now with logic jumps, custom thank you screens, respondent notifications via email, calculators and payment fields. There is a Free Plan option to get started too.

You can also save money by investing in a year upfront and getting about two months for free (or a 16% Typeform Discount).

My Typeform Lessons Learned

Over the past 15 years, I’ve gained a lot of experience designing websites for my family, community, and clients.  WordPress sites are a lot of work, but in the end, static contact on a webpage can be well, kind of boring.  Typeform allows you to turn boring forms into engaging forms, and to even turn dynamic forms into their own web pages or sites. It’s like no tool I’ve ever discovered.

You can also integrate Typeform seamlessly with sites (like this one) running on a WordPress platform.

Like any software, it takes some time to get really creative with all the logic flow, but it’s a rewarding experience. Typeform has also become easier to use over the years.

Full Transparency

I have an affiliate relationship with Typeform so if you decide to invest in Typeform via this Typeform link (or any of the Typeform links in this post), I am eligible for a 20% commission from the good folks at Typeform. There is no extra cost to you.

ConvertKit 30 Day Trial (Plus 5 Other Discounts)

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Special deals on website resources vary throughout the year and extra savings on technology allow you to quickly expand your generosity and service to others online and off. 

So whether it is the winter holiday season or the middle of the summer, included for your use is a ConvertKit 30 Day Trial (updated for 2020/21 and available for use year-round) plus current discounts on five other website resources used and recommended by this website.

ConvertKit 30 Day Trial

ConvertKit is a feature-rich email marketing service that is used by this website and it is recommended for any online entrepreneur – even if you are not a blogger.

It’s definitely worth trying out for free.

You can take advantage of a ConvertKit 30 Day Trial for up to 1000 subscribers via this ConvertKit link:

ConvertKit 30 Day Trial

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 ConvertKit column that fits your subscriber list size.

If you are not sure yet whether ConvertKit is right for you, no worries. Here’s a ConvertKit Review for your quick reference.

5 Other Discounts on Website Resources

Good website resources are not free, but thankfully the cost to get started is nominal.

Special offers from these companies make the resources even more attractive.

  1. WP Engine

    1. Resource Summary:  WP Engine is the largest fully managed WordPress (WP) platform provider in the world. Tech support is available 24×7 and all staff are subject matter experts in WordPress installations.
    2. Resource Review:  Why I Switched from Bluehost to GoDaddy to WP Engine
    3. Promotion: Save 20% off your first payment with WP Engine’s Cyber Weekend Special
    4. Promotional Link: WP Engine Discount
    5. Pro Tip: Sign up for an annual subscription with the WP Engine discount link to get extra savings when you pre-pay for the first year!

  2. StudioPress

    1. Resource Summary: The award-winning Genesis Framework for WordPress (WP) powers the professionally designed StudioPress WP child themes. Genesis is fully customizable with proven security and performance, and it is now available as a packed WordPress hosted solution.
    2. Resource Review:  10 Reasons StudioPress Offers the Best WordPress Themes
    3. Promotion:  TBD
    4. Sponsorship Link: StudioPress Themes
    5. Pro Tip: Sign up for a StudioPress Pro Plus Pack with the StudioPress link to lock in access to all current and future themes for life!

  3. OptinMonster

    1. Resource Summary: OptinMonster is a premium lead generation software that seamlessly integrates email opt-in forms into your website so that you can grow your email marketing list with site visitors.
    2. Resource Review:  10 Reasons OptinMonster is the Best Lead Generation Software
    3. Promotion:  New customers often get 10 – 20% off OptinMonster licenses
    4. Promotional Link: OptinMonster Discount (wait 5 seconds for promo to appear at top of pricing page)
    5. Pro Tip:  Sign up for the OptinMonster Pro Plan with the OptinMonster discount link to lock in bigger savings on the feature-rich pro license – includes exit-intent technology.

  4. WPForms

    1. Resource Summary: WPForms is a premium form creator plugin for WordPress and it is branded as the most beginner friendly WordPress contact form plugin in the market. But it can do a lot more than contact forms.
    2. Resource Review:  WP Forms Review (and a WPForms Discount)
    3. Promotion:  New customers often get 10 – 50% off WPForms subscriptions.
    4. Promotional Link: WPForms Discount (wait 5 seconds for promo to appear at top of pricing page)
    5. Pro Tip: Sign up for the WPForms Pro Plan with the WPForms discount link to lock in bigger savings on the feature-rich pro license – includes integration with PayPal and Stripe to accept online payments without your forms.

  5. Typeform

    1. Resource Summary: Typeform is a professional online form design tool that allows you to connect with page visitors via engaging and conversational online forms, surveys, quizzes, and landing pages.
    2. Resource Review:  8 Typeform Examples and a Typeform Discount
    3. Promotion:  New customers get 10% off Typeform subscriptions.
    4. Promotional Link: Typeform Discount
    5. Pro Tip: Sign up for the Typeform annual pro plan via the Typeform discount link to lock in 10% off plus two months for free.

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Full Transparency about Recommended Website and Email Resources

Promotional links on this page are sponsorship (affiliate) links. There is no extra cost to you.  If you start using any of these website resources, you are encouraged to become affiliates for them as well. You’ll want to spread the word too. These website resources are that good, and I would use and recommend them even if there were no affiliate programs.

Thanks!

Brent

ConvertKit Review: What’s New for 2020

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ConvertKit brands itself as email marketing for professional bloggers.

This popular email marketing software application was built by bloggers for bloggers.

That being said, ConvertKit is a sound investment for any organization that uses email marketing (ten praiseworthy features are outlined below in this ConvertKit Review).

If you have (or plan to have) an email list for your business (and every business should have an email list), ConvertKit is worth at least trying out for free via this ConvertKit 30 Day Trial – for up to 1000 subscribers.

But 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 Yearly Billing button:

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

The features of this popular software application in this quick ConvertKit Review are praiseworthy, but what merits special attention is what’s new for 2018 and 2019.

ConvertKit Review – 10 Praiseworthy Features

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 ten features included in this ConvertKit Review that you will discover too when you start using ConvertKit:

  1. Visual Automation Tool (Introduced in 2018)

    ConvertKit’s email automation tool lets you easily create visual funnels for your subscribers. An email funnel is a fancy marketing term for the process flow a subscriber will go through when they take certain actions as a subscriber to your email list.

    For example, if one of your subscribers clicks on a specific link in an email you send from ConvertKit, you can instruct ConvertKit to then send targeted content to just that subscriber.  This is a great way to develop a business relationship with a lead for your business. You are only sending extra information to leads who request it.

    ConvertKit also offers this capability through built-in “if this, then that” workflow rules, but now ConvertKit makes the setup of the funnel (also called a customer journey) even simpler because the process flows are visually designed by you in your ConvertKit account.  Here is a visual example:

  2. 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. You will discover how much easier it makes email marketing to a specific segment of your list.

  3. Multiple Send From Email Addresses

    Do you have more than one custom domain or business? No worries. ConvertKit lets you send messages from different email addresses at no extra cost. You only need one ConvertKit email account to drive communication for all your websites!

  4. 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.

  5. 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 through the ConvertKit plugin for WordPress (so the landing page is on your domain).  NEW for 2020: ConvertKit offers more robust landing page designs within the tool.

  6. 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.

  7. 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 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.

  8. 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. As mentioned as an 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.

  9. 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.

  10. Integration with Other Software Applications

    ConvertKit integrates directly with other software apps like LeadPages, OptinMonster, and Shopify (plus it integrates with countless other apps like Typeform and Acuity Scheduling 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.

ConvertKit Review – What’s New for 2020

In addition to more landing page design templates, ConvertKit also introduced a new ConvertKit Free Account to its offerings.

But what exactly is a ConvertKit Free Account and how does it compare to a ConvertKit Free Trial?

ConvertKit Free Account

In short, the ConvertKit Free Account gives you unlimited (no expiration) access to most – but not all – product features for up to 100 subscribers. To unlock all features (most prominently the ability to create automatic email sequences – often call autoresponders), you will need to get on a paid plan.

The ConvertKit Free Account does let you create landing pages and forms.

Important Note: The public ConvertKit Free Account via the ConvertKit website does not permit any broadcast or message capabilities until you refer another active user. This ConvertKit Free Account referral link will let you get started with broadcasts for up to 100 subscribers – without any referral requirement.)

ConvertKit Free Trial

The ConvertKit Free Trial, in comparison, gives you limited (e.g. 30-Day ConvertKit Free Trial) access to all product features for up to 1000 subscribers.

If you already have over 1000 email subscribers, this direct link to ConvertKit will also get you started.

(Important Note: The public ConvertKit Free Trial via the ConvertKit website is for 14 days. This One Month ConvertKit Free Trial lets you test-drive all ConvertKit features for an additional 16 days.)

ConvertKit Free Trial vs ConvertKit Free Account

So which ConvertKit offer is better?

If you are not comfortable referring other people or businesses to use a particular type software like ConvertKit, the ConvertKit Free Trial is probably the way to go.

If you already have over 1000 email subscribers (or likely to have over 1000 email subscribers), the ConvertKit Free Trial is probably the way to go.

If you like to test out all software features before buying, the ConvertKit Free Trial is probably the way to go.

But if you are concerned about going to a paid plan ($29/month for up to 1000 subscribers) after one month and then canceling, the ConvertKit Free Account is probably the way to go.

ConvertKit Discount: Free Month or More

If you are now ready to try out this powerful yet affordable software after reading this ConvertKit Review, here again are three 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.
  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 your free trial period ends.
  3. Sign up for a ConvertKit annual plan today and start saving by selecting the Pricing tab on the ConvertKit website and then click on the Yearly Billing button for two months free.

ConvertKit Review: 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.

 

I hope this article has helped in your decision making.

Acuity Scheduling Review: 7 Praiseworthy Features

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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.

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

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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