Graceful Resources

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Best Star Wars Christmas Commercial?

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Ok, I am not sure how many Star Wars themed Christmas commercials there are, but the inner project management geek in me thinks this holiday commercial is the best.

It is from Germany’s Kaufland Market (don’t worry, it doesn’t require any words to tell the story).

It has all the characteristics of a great project management love story:

  1. The hero sets a goal to win the girl.
  2. He tests out some ideas and evaluates his options.
  3. He then makes a decision.
  4. The hero practices his plan.
  5. Finally, he works up the courage to execute his plan.

I won’t spoil the ending for you, but it’s priceless.

Best Star Wars Christmas Commercial

Whether you’ve seen the commercial before, it’s worth watching again this holiday season…

Entrepreneurship is All About Projects

I’ve been on this entrepreneur journey for over eight years now.

Technology comes and goes.

Social media outlets come and go.

Some great ideas fail.

Some weak ideas succeed.

What always stands out for me is whether an entrepreneurial idea was managed as a project or not.

If there is no project, there is no chance of success (and I’ve learned that lesson many times).

The recipe for your success is simple…

Plan the work and then work the plan.

I’m here to guide you along step by step.

Happy Holidays!

I wish you and your family a very merry and graceful Christmas and a joyful New Year.

May the project management force be with you!

Cheers,
Brent

I’m a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) specializing in web design and lead generation strategies. I’m really good at outlining actionable steps for entrepreneurs struggling with web technology. Click here to join my mailing list for free weekly project management and technology advice and some really fun discoveries.

What are Graceful Resources?

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When you put yourself out there, so to speak, on the web with a unique domain address (see 10 Tips for Website Names), you open yourself up for a share of unsolicited feedback. This past week was no exception for my own business name Graceful Resources.

One person shared how much she loved the name and branding on this website.

Another woman outlined all the things wrong with my name and branding.

Discover Opportunities for Improvement

I take all unsolicited feedback with a grain of salt (as I’m sure you do as well), but I also find opportunities for improvement in between the praise and the criticism.

And I know there is always room for improvement with everything I do! For Graceful Resources, I had to more clearly explain on my home page what exactly are graceful resources.

So here is what I came up with for now (and hopefully it also explains some of my thinking behind the brand name)…

What are Graceful Resources?

Like a graceful dancer or athlete, success comes to professionals who make it look effortless.

WhatareGracefulResources

Here are the tech resources to keep you and your passion moving forward online.

One step at a time.

I then added the following resource examples to the home page in a bulleted list:

  • Strategic Website Assessments
  • Professionally Managed Web Design Projects
  • Email Marketing Strategies and Automation
  • Online Training Resources (Coming Soon)
  • Easy to Understand Advice via the Free Graceful Journal Email Mailing List

I know the connection to dancers or athletes may still be a little nebulous, but I also know there is value in being distinctive with a website name.  I also believe in conducting online business in a graceful professional manner.

It’s who I am.

For example, I recommend the automation of email marketing (aka autoresponders), but I don’t teach or implement online schemes like bait and switch webinars that are advertised as live but are actually pre-recorded.

Advice for Your Online Business

It takes some time to get clear on what it is you offer. We are after all human and we tend to make things more complicated than they need to be.

Here are two common starting points to get clear on your business value:

  1. Be upfront with the types of problems you are really good at solving.
  2. Clarify who it is that you serve.

Here is my example…

I’m really good at outlining actionable steps for entrepreneurs struggling with web technology.  

Once you state your value succinctly and in writing, you also have a great signature for your branded emails!

Just get ready for more unsolicited feedback (with a smile on your face when it happens).

Hope this helps,
Brent

Please let me know if you have any questions or feedback via my contact form or in direct response to my free weekly email mailing list (click here to sign up).

10 Tips for Website Names

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This week, a new client identified and registered a name for her new website. It’s a fun and creative project activity because it is the start of a successful brand name that can last for decades for an entrepreneur.

Each time the naming process starts though, the sinking feeling that all the good domain names that end in .com are long gone. But within minutes of a quick domain name search, you discover how easy it is to still find and register a domain name for about $15/year.

In her case, she was seeking a domain name for a parent website that will host membership solutions for different niches that people are passionate about.  The domain name PassionateSolutions.com was the perfect fit and it was available for only a few dollars.

A website represents a journey and every journey deserves a name

When you think of a journey, consider Teddy Roosevelt’s dangerous but successful exploration of the unchartered Amazonian forest of Brazil along the Rio da Duvida (the River of Doubt). To this day, the river is known as Rio Roosevelt.

Former President Roosevelt is seated at the right side of this photo from the expedition (source: wikipedia):

RiverofDoubtExploration

Your journey deserves a name as well and your website should be a reflection of that journey.

Your web address is comparable to a physical mailing address. It’s an officially registered address that requires extra paperwork and expense to change ownership.

So choose wisely.

For domain registration, GoDaddy.com is straightforward.  They are the largest domain registrant in the world and their registration process is seamless with clear invoice billing.

Note: Upon domain registration (with GoDaddy or any registrant), you may want to add Private Registration at checkout so that you are not spammed through the public Whois database.  It’s a lot of peace of mind for an extra $8/year.  

10 Tips for Website Names

Here are 10 tips to help you decide on a good web address name (if you do not already have one registered):

1.  Consider using your personal name (e.g. http://brentpeterson.me) if you are not certain what your web journey will be about or if you want the focus to be on your life or career. Your personal name also gives you the most flexibility if your platform changes. However, it ties the online business directly to your identity (making a transition to someone else, like a family member or another entrepreneur, very difficult).

2. Consider using a name that defines your journey (e.g. ClutterFreeRevolution.com). This approach limits the theme of your journey, but it is favorable to web search engines if your web address contains keywords (e.g. clutter free). A website based on a theme name (in contract to a personal name) also passes the “t-shirt test”. In other words, would people want to display the name and tagline of your site on a t-shirt? Not likely if it is a personal name.

3. If possible, end your theme web address name with “.com”. While there are several other extensions available (e.g. .net, .org), users assume “.com” (e.g. http://NotchDolphinBook.com) when using a browser.

4. Make the web address easy to remember and easy to say. One of my previous blog names was Stand & Inspire (http://standandinspire.com) which I discovered to be difficult to say in conversation because the first two words rhyme.

5. Avoid the words “for” and “to” in your web address, since these two words can easily be interpreted by the numbers “4” and “2” and people will not necessarily know how to spell your domain name if they heard about it through word of mouth.

6. Avoid a hyphen (“-“) in the web address. It’s not great for search engines and is also difficult to communicate to people in conversation outside the web.

7. Check to see if your domain name is also available on prominent social networks (e.g. Twitter, Instagram). If so, register the social media names for free at the same time.

8. Keep the domain name relatively short so it is easy for people to type into browsers. Ideally, the domain name is 20 characters or less (e.g. ChildhoodLoss.com).

9. Combine two (or up to three) words that are easy to spell, pronounce, and are distinctive together. For example, Darcy Eikenberg is an executive coach who helps professionals bring their superpowers to work. Her business and website name is appropriately named RedCapeRevolution.com.

10. When in doubt, ask friends and family for their input when naming your journey. It’s a great conversation starter and people will take an immediate interest in your new website and business because…

LeadersInviteOthers

Other Graceful Resources to Grow Your Email List and Business

  1. Recommended Website and Email Resources (along with the reasons why)
  2. Lead Magnet Project (an interactive online project launching June 2017)
  3. Lead Magnet Examples (email subscribers can add their own web address for free)
  4. Lead Magnet Guide (5 essential characteristics of a lead magnet)
  5. Lead Magnet Survey (share your own opinion and discover what other entrepreneurs recommend)

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

Questions to Ask About Lead Magnets

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To help other entrepreneurs build their email mailing lists, I am launching a directory to promote their lead magnets (often called sign-up incentives or ethical bribes). I announced this exciting plan in my previous blog entry.

The directory is open to anyone on my email mailing list as a creative way to say thanks for joining me on this Graceful Resources journey.

If you are not already on the list, click here to join in. It’s absolutely free and your email address will never be shared.

In addition to the directory, I am setting up a survey about lead magnets to find out which types of lead magnets perform best to grow mailing lists. I have a theory but I will wait until the results are in!

The survey and directory will be published here on the Graceful Resources website shortly and I hope you participate even if you don’t have a lead magnet or mailing list yet.

Your input about lead magnets is just as valuable!

The survey itself will only take about three minutes to complete, can be easily done via a phone, and the current results will be made immediately available for your professional reference.

SurveyonPhone

Questions to Ask About Lead Magnets

So I wrote out a set of survey questions on a napkin over Thanksgiving. I’m sharing them here first for your review.

Please let me know via email response or my contact page if you have any feedback. Thanks!

Here are the questions I have in mind to help you out (answers will be multiple choice based on the lead magnet types outlined in this earlier post) …

  1. How likely are you to be influenced by a lead magnet offer when joining an email mailing list?

  2. As a subscriber to other lists, what type of lead magnet is the most attractive to you?

  3. As a subscriber to other lists, what type of lead magnet is the least attractive to you?

  4. What type of lead magnet are you most likely to actually use after opting-in to a list?

  5. Do you offer a lead magnet to build your own email mailing list?

  6. What type of lead magnet do you offer?

  7. Based on your experience, what type of lead magnet is the most effective to build an email mailing list?

  8. Based on your experience, what type of lead magnet is the least effective to build to an email mailing list?

These questions will then lead into the following set of questions for survey participants who would like to add their lead magnets as examples for others to see by opting-in to their respective lists:

  1. Type of Lead Magnet

  2. Name of the Lead Magnet

  3. Target Audience for the Lead Magnet

  4. Web Address for the Lead Magnet

  5. Your Name

What Lead Magnets Work the Best?

I’m anxious to find out too and the survey results will continue to update in real time. I look forward to your valuable participation and your help spreading the word about this project!

Thanks,
Brent

Please let me know if you have any questions or feedback via my contact form or in direct response to my free Graceful Journal email mailing list.

As a certified project management professional (PMP) specializing in web design and lead generation strategies, I’m here to take away the pain of figuring out how to seamlessly integrate web and email software resources to grow businesses online.

One project step at at time.

Plan to Share Your Lead Magnet

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In my previous blog post, I defined a lead magnet by 7 other common names and shared 10 types of lead magnets. Now I have a plan to share actual lead magnet examples from my email subscribers.  You can join in too free of charge!

What Again is a Lead Magnet?

Let me first reiterate what is a lead magnet in the world of online commerce…

A lead magnet is simply an extra incentive or bribe to inspire someone to join your email mailing list. In essence, it is a form of exchange.  You gain someone’s contact information (e.g. email address) and the other person receives your lead magnet.

In short, a lead magnet is designated to attract leads to your mailing list and business.

A lead magnet is not intended to be a bait and switch.  People should be first interested in your mailing list because you produce good content and/or products.

The lead magnet instead serves to give people that little extra nudge in the right direction if they are on the fence about joining your mailing list.  At the same time, there will always be people who join your mailing list regardless of your lead magnet. They’ll just receive it anyway.

What Type of Lead Magnet Works the Best?

That was the question I concluded with in my earlier post What is a Lead Magnet (and 7 Names for Lead Magnets). The short answer is… I don’t know yet.

So I wrote up an online survey over Thanksgiving to find out and I plan to launch it here on this website in December. I can’t wait to receive and share your valuable feedback.

But I also want to share real life examples of lead magnets from around the world. And I want the examples to come from my email subscribers.

It is a way for me to say thanks to those who have put their trust in me on this Graceful Resources journey.

WebsiteAssessment

A Public Lead Magnet Directory

In addition to the free survey, the lead magnet directory will also be published on this website starting in December for anyone to reference.

Here is what I have in mind for inclusion in the directory:

  1. Type of Lead Magnet
  2. Name of the Lead Magnet
  3. Target Audience for the Lead Magnet
  4. Web Address for the Lead Magnet
  5. Your Name

My Lead Magnet Fascination

I love discovering the creativity of other entrepreneurs to grow their mailing lists and in turn, grow their businesses through lead magnets.

I am also amazed at what people are giving away for free these days.

Now you’ll be able to discover these lead magnet treasures too!

If you are already on my mailing list, please feel free to email me the five lead magnet items outlined here. You’ll be the first to go into the directory and it is my pleasure to give you free publicity.

My hope is for this strategy to grow your respective mailing lists too.

If you don’t have a lead magnet yet, no worries. I am here to guide you further along this journey and when you are ready, just let me know.

If you are not already on my mailing list, here’s a link to join in for free.

I can’t wait to share your examples!

Hope this helps,
Brent

Please let me know if you have any questions via my contact form or in direct response to my free Graceful Journal email mailing list.

As a certified project management professional (PMP) specializing in web design and email integration, I’m here to take away the pain of figuring out how to use new web technologies so you can gracefully profit online from your passion in life. 

One step at at time.

What is a Lead Magnet (and 7 Names for Lead Magnets)

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I think I first heard the term Lead Magnet through software provider Leadpages, a company that specializes in landing pages. Lead Magnet is one of those marketing tech terms that seems to catch on within certain online communities but creates a degree of confusion for everyone else.

I had visions of physics experiments with… you guessed it, magnets.

If it’s a new term for you, no worries. You’re not alone.

The good news is that lead magnets are all over the web – so there are a lot of examples out there and you’ll recognize them (just by a different name).

What_is_a_Lead_Magnet

What is a Lead Magnet?

In the online commerce world for your own business, a Lead Magnet is simply an extra incentive or bribe to inspire someone to join your email mailing list. In essence, it is a form of exchange.  You gain someone’s contact information (e.g. email address) and the other person receives your lead magnet.

In short, a lead magnet is designed to attract leads to your mailing list and business.

If you produce helpful content through a blog or online journal, the person can also receive notification about your content through your email mailing list. As shared in this earlier post, blogging is an authentic and organic way to grow your mailing list because you are marketing your authority through content rather than through advertisements.

The lead magnet is what tips the scale for some people on the fence about trusting you with their email addresses.

What are Some Lead Magnet Types?

Here are 10 of the most common free lead magnet types in the digital world:

  1. Discounts (Coupons)
  2. eBooks
  3. Resource Guides (e.g. Checklists, Cheatsheets, Reports)
  4. Audio Files
  5. Online Assessments / Quizzes (I recommend and use Typeform)
  6. Video Training Files
  7. Software Trials
  8. Swipe Files (Communication Templates Used by the Business)
  9. Free (but Short) Consultations
  10. Email Autoresponder Series

7 Other Names for Lead Magnets

Lead magnets have been around since the dawn of coupons, but in the digital world, here are 7 other popular names for lead magnets:

  1. Sign Up or Opt-In Incentives
  2. Ethical Bribes
  3. Killer Bribes
  4. Irresistible Bribes
  5. Freemiums
  6. Content Upgrades
  7. Free Gifts

Which Lead Magnet is the Best to Grow an Email Mailing List?

I find myself asking this question all the time.

My first response is… I’m honestly not sure.

My second response is… It probably depends on the type of the business.

For example, if a business is known for selling physical products, the logical or traditional lead magnet would be a product discount (e.g. sign up today to receive 20% off your next purchase).

But if you are operating an online business to sell digital products like courses or downloads and you’re just starting out or starting over (like me), what lead magnet works the best to grow your email mailing list?

Again, I’m not sure. But I’m eager to find out to help you.

I’m convinced some types of lead magnets perform better than others. I’ve now set up a lead magnet survey to find out.

Hope you participate!  And keep attracting leads to your mailing list through your ethical bribe (ahem, lead magnet).

Hope this helps,
Brent

Please let me know if you have any questions or feedback via my contact form or in direct response to the free Graceful Resources email mailing list.