If you’ve watched many screencast videos, you’ve probably noticed they’re usually created by an ‘expert’ who’s just rapidly clicking through screens and checkboxes in a dizzying blur, while using confusing tech jargon and trying to impress you with everything that’s in their head. They may be an expert user of the software, but they’re certainly not focused on education — on making sure that you, the viewer, can actually learn.

Since 2008, I’ve created more than 1,500 screencast tutorial videos for my own WordPress tutorial series, and clients like Automattic, GoDaddy, WooCommerce, Namecheap, and dozens of others.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the tools and techniques I’ve learned so you can create screencast learning videos that will actually help your audience learn. Then, I’ll include some bonus tips for how you can improve your screencasts so people will actually watch and share your videos.

Before we dive in, let me clarify what we’re talking about when we say, “screencasts”.

What is a screencast?

Simply put, a screencast is a digital recording of your computer screen, usually accompanied by audio narration. Screencasts are ideal for showing viewers the best way to use an online application, service, or piece of software, step-by-step.

Screencast videos are an excellent way to introduce your product to new customers, or help existing customers get up to speed with your product. And that translates to fewer calls and emails for your customer support team.

Screencasts can also be used to help a new employee get up to speed more quickly, without requiring another, more veteran employee spend their valuable time teaching a new hire the basics.

If you find that you’re often repeating the same instructional content over and over again, it might be time to create a screencast. Record a screencast video once, and then share it with your employees or customers.

Screencasts are perfect for online learning, because they enable your audience to watch and learn whenever it’s most convenient for their schedule. Plus, they can return at any time for a quick refresher.

What makes an effective screencast?

A well-crafted screencast guides the viewer, step-by-step through the best way to achieve a specific goal, task, or outcome — clearly and concisely.

1. No more than five minutes in length.
   Chances are, if you can’t cover the material in less than five minutes, you’re trying to cover too much ground.
2. Clearly articulates the goal or objective.
   What is the problem your audience faces? And what is the specific objective or goal of the tutorial?
3. Both conversational and educational.
   Good narration sounds natural and conversational, not like someone reading a book aloud.
4. Easy to follow, step-by-step instructions.
   What are the specific steps required to accomplish the task? Nothing more, nothing less.
5. Showcases the product. No distractions.
   No distracting desktops background, notifications, random cursor movements, ‘uhs’ or ‘ums.’

Alright, now that we’re clear on what screencasts are and how you might use them, let’s dive in!

3 Tools You’ll Need to Create a Screencast

It’s worth noting that you don’t need expensive equipment to create great screencasts. You can start with basic, inexpensive tools, and then upgrade later. That’s why I’ll recommend multiple options for each of the tools below.

Here are the three tools you’ll need in order to create great screencasts:

1. Screen Recording Software
2. A Microphone
3. A Quiet Recording Area

1. Screen Recording Software

You’ll need software to record your on-screen actions and accompanying narration, then export and share that video with others.

If you use a Mac, you’ll find that you can create decent screen recordings using the free QuickTime Player application. Just launch the app, then choose File > New Screen Recording and click the red button to begin recording your screen actions. You can record either your full screen, or just a portion of your screen.

When you’re finished recording, simply save your video to your computer, or share it via email, YouTube, Vimeo, or any of the other built-in destinations.

While this method is fine for creating very simple screencasts, you’ll soon discover that the editing tools are quite rudimentary, if not downright frustrating. So, when you’re ready to begin creating more professional screencasts, you’ll want to invest in a proper screen recording program like Camtasia or my personal favorite, ScreenFlow.

Camtasia and ScreenFlow cost roughly the same, offer similar features, and function in pretty much the same way. But each application has a slightly different user interface and editing tools. You may find that you simply prefer one over the other. Personally, I prefer the overall experience of ScreenFlow, including the editing interface and the powerful export tools.

My favorite feature in ScreenFlow is the ability to publish directly to YouTube or Vimeo with just a single click. This eliminates the time-consuming process of exporting, then converting the final video into a suitable format, and guessing at a suitable data rate, final size, or frame rate. Best of all, the final video is of noticeably higher quality when exported directly to the video hosting service.

Q: What screen recording software do you use and recommend?

A: Hands-down, ScreenFlow. On a PC? Camtasia is your only choice.

2. A Microphone for Recording Narration

Believe it or not, the first thing people will notice about your video is the quality of the audio.

Don’t use your computer’s built-in microphone to record your narration. The audio will be muffled or unclear, filled with distracting background noises, echo from the room, or worse… the clatter and thud of your fingers on the keyboard.

After the screen recording software itself, the next most important piece of equipment is a high-quality microphone.

Start with a USB Microphone.

If you’re just starting out, I’d recommend you begin with a USB microphone. They’re affordable and provide decent audio quality. One of the biggest advantages of using a USB microphone is that they require no additional hardware. Simply plug the USB cable directly into your computer, and you’re ready to start recording!

Now, I’ve purchased and tested dozens of microphones over the years. I have a background in professional audio engineering, and I really enjoy testing new microphones. In my tests, the Blue Yeti continues to be one of the best entry-level USB microphones on the market. It normally retails for $129, but you can often find it on sale for even less.

Ready to level up? Step up to the Shure MV7.

But if your budget permits, I’d highly recommend the excellent Shure MV7. It just may be the last mic you ever need to buy.

The Shure MV7 is basically a ‘junior’ version of the highly popular Shure SM7B, which you’ve probably seen in dozens of podcasts. And in my tests, it sounds very similar, despite costing $150 less. But unlike the popular SM7B, the MV7 has both a USB connection and an XLR microphone connection. That means you can use it out of the box as a simple USB microphone, or with an audio interface.

But what makes the Shure SM7 so great is the included software. MOTIV is a lightweight desktop app that powers the Shure MV7. It has two modes: Auto Level and Manual Mode.

In Auto Level Mode, you just set the mic position (near or far), and the tone you want (dark, natural, or bright). That’s it. The software does the rest. It automatically adjusts the volume, EQ, and more to make your voice sound the best.

In Manual Mode, you can adjust the mic gain, monitor mix, EQ, limiter, compressor, and more. So you’ll have as much control over the quality of your narration as you want.

At $249, the Shure MV7 is a fantastic microphone you can use to record professional-quality voice overs for your screencast videos, create a podcast, or sound more professional on webinars and video calls. It may be the last mic you ever need to buy!

Q: What microphone do you recommend for screencasts?

Good: If you’re on a limited budget, start with the Blue Yeti.

Better: When you’re ready to step up your game, you’ll want a dynamic mic like the Shure MV7.

3. A Quiet Place to Record

Unless you have access to a professional recording studio, you’ll likely find yourself recording screencasts in your office or perhaps a semi-quiet room in your house. But, as you’ve probably already noticed, your microphone still picks up distracting background noise and echo from the room itself. Nobody wants to hear your phone ringing or your dog barking in the background of your video.

So, how do you soundproof your recording area to eliminate room noise and pesky echo?

Professional voice over artists use expensive, purpose-built vocal booths, which are insulated and completely soundproof. But you don’t have to spend a fortune to create a quiet environment for recording your own voice overs.

A well-known hack used by many beginning voice over artists is to simply record in a clothes closet. No kidding.

The hanging clothes in a tiny space dampen and absorb the sound of your voice, rather than reflecting it back into the microphone, virtually eliminating echo and creating an intimate, ‘up close’ sound.

But, if you’re like me, you prefer to record at your desk. If so, buy two of these inexpensive DeskMAX panels by Auralex, and position one on either side of your computer and microphone. These do an amazing job of reducing room echo, and may be the only additional soundproofing you require.

Q: What’s the easiest way to reduce room echo and background noise while recording?

A: Purchase two DeskMAX panels, and position one on either side of your computer and or microphone. To go one step further, purchase two of these Sound Wall Panels and position them directly behind you to create an excellent temporary vocal recording booth.

With these three tools, you’re ready to start recording. So let’s move on to the good stuff… how to actually create a screencast!

How to Create a Screencast Video

Broadly speaking, there are two methods for recording screencasts. The first is to simply hit “Record” in your screencast recording software and then record your screen actions while narrating at the same time. It’s easy and quick. But it often results in awkward pauses, or ‘uhs’ and ‘ums’ — because it’s difficult to concentrate equally on both the on-screen actions and also your narration.

That’s why I prefer a second, more strategic approach. I write a detailed, word-for-word script first, during a ‘dry-run.’ Then, I record the voice over or narration in Logic Pro (you could also use GarageBand), carefully inserting deliberate pauses where needed.

Next, I import that audio file into ScreenFlow, and then record my on-screen actions while simultaneously playing back the narration audio. This ensures that the narration is as clear and succinct as possible, and that the on-screen actions are perfectly synced to the instruction being presented.

Here’s the exact process I follow to create a screencast…

My 10 Steps to Create a Screencast

5 Pro Tips for Even Better Screencasts

BONUS: How to Create an Animated Intro for Your Screencast

You don’t need to invest in expensive software to create a simple animation (or, ‘bumper’) for the intro and outro of your videos.

Both ScreenFlow and Camtasia include handy editing tools you can use to animate an object (like your logo) by fading and zooming it into frame. Sometimes, that’s all you need… and simple is always best.

You can go one step further and create a more interesting animation including transitions and effects in Apple’s Keynote. You might also use PowerPoint, but it doesn’t contain the same cinematic-quality transitions and effects.

Then, export the animation/presentation as a video file, which you can import into your screencast project.

Export Settings

As I mentioned before, one of the most helpful features in ScreenFlow is the ability to publish directly to YouTube or Vimeo with one click. This eliminates the time-consuming process of exporting, then converting the final video into a suitable format, while guessing at a suitable data rate, final size, or frame rate. Best of all, the final video is of noticeably higher quality when exported directly to the video hosting service.

For years, I exported a ‘Lossless’ video file at full-resolution, then used HandBrake to convert that video file into a more web-friendly format and size.

When manually exporting video files for use on the web, here are the settings I use: H.264 .mp4 file format at 1440p (2560×1440) @ 60fps (5,000 kb datarate)

A Final Note About Video Hosting

A while back, I wrote a detailed article outlining “10 Reasons Why You Should Never Host Your Own Videos.”

Without repeating all those reasons again here, let me simply share my recommendation for hosting video…

Once you’ve created your screencast video, the best way to publish and distribute your video is to upload it to a video hosting service like YouTube, Wistia, or my personal favorite, Vimeo.

Then, you can easily share your video on social networks, or embed your video on your own website and invite folks to watch your video there.

If you want people to find your video via search, YouTube is your best bet. But, if you want to protect your screencast video, for example, for use in a membership site or an online learning portal, then you’ll love Vimeo’s built-in protection features. You can hide your video from the public, then specify the domain or website on which you want your video to be viewable. This protects your content for only the people you want to watch.

Whatever you do, don’t host your videos on your own web server. Use Vimeo instead.

Got questions?

Whether this is the first time you’ve attempted to create a screencast, or you’re a seasoned pro, I hope this article has helped you learn how to create better screencasts that your audience will enjoy watching.

If you’ve got questions, or need a little advice about creating more effective screencast tutorial videos, feel free to reach out. Or, if you prefer, schedule a call and let’s chat!

The post How to Create a Screencast Tutorial Video People Will Actually Watch appeared first on Shawn Hesketh.

I’ve worked from home for over a decade, and we homeschool our three kids. So, not much has changed in terms of our day-to-day routine. Still, we miss being able to travel and visit with our friends. And that brings back fond memories of the many family trips we’ve been fortunate to take in recent years.

Back in October—which seems a lifetime ago—we traveled to Cabo with our dear friends, Chris and Melissa Lema, and their two awesome kids. We spent the first couple of days relaxing and playing together as families, enjoying some much-needed downtime.

Over the week that followed, we attended Chris’ business conference, CaboPress. This marked my third time to attend this highly unique event.

Chris hosts CaboPress at the beautiful, five-star, all-inclusive, Grand Fiesta Americana beachfront resort. It’s a perfect location to relax and recharge while reflecting on your business. The restaurants and food are exceptional, and each one offers postcard views of the Pacific Ocean.

Anyone who’s attended CaboPress will tell you that Chris carefully curates the entire event, from the attendees—who apply months in advance—to the hosts, and even the topics discussed during each session. This creates a relaxed atmosphere in which business owners feel safe to openly share about their business (and personal) challenges.

As a result, every participant is highly engaged, committed to giving and receiving advice from each other. It’s an incredibly diverse group of smart, talented business owners who are eager to learn and share transparently from their own experiences.

To a large degree, it’s the caliber of the people who attend that have made CaboPress the impactful event that it is.

If you’re like me, you’ve been to countless conferences where you sit all day, listening to a seemingly endless stream of presenters, most of whom are merely reading their slide deck aloud to a room full of half-awake people. Conversations with other attendees are relegated to small breaks between sessions, or perhaps an after-party.

But at CaboPress, the entire focus is on those discussions, not presentations. So, get this…

Every session at CaboPress is a group conversation that takes place in the pool. The discussions are moderated by hosts, but the most impactful takeaways just may come from the person right next to you!

This year, Chris invited me to facilitate one of the group discussions, on the topic of telling better stories using video. I shared a simple storytelling framework based on the classic “hero’s journey” template. Then we talked about how to use that framework to create more compelling videos that will better connect with the audiences we serve.

During the discussion, several people shared creative ways they were already using video. Then, we brainstormed ways to leverage this storytelling approach to not only make better videos, but also more effective email campaigns, sales copy, and even improve homepage verbiage.

And that’s the kind of practical insights and strategies people take away from CaboPress. Not a bunch of high-level, abstract platitudes, but real-world advice you can apply to your business the day you get home.

The best part? The sessions only take place during the morning.
After the morning sessions, lunches are shared in small assigned groups. Afternoons are free, so there’s plenty of time to unpack ideas, connect with others for meaningful conversations, or just relax and enjoy the gorgeous surroundings.

Each night, we were split into small groups to enjoy dinner at the stellar restaurants around the resort. And the conversations continued after dinner, well into the night, while many of us enjoyed a nice cigar, which was always paired with plenty of laughter.

And that’s kind of the whole point.

It’s impossible to leave CaboPress without being challenged, encouraged, and inspired to do your best, most meaningful work. But the most important takeaway for me has been the friendships I’ve built at CaboPress, which continue long after we’ve returned home.

And it’s those friendships that I find myself missing the most right now, while we’re under quarantine.

Sure, we’re making the most of this time, scheduling Zoom calls as often as possible. But there’s just no substitute for being together, face-to-face, enjoying a meal together, or a meaningful, late-night conversation.

I’m reminded of this quote…

“Be around the light bringers, the magic makers, the world shifters, the game shakers. They challenge you, break you open, uplift and expand you. They don’t let you play small with your life. These heartbeats are your people.”

— Danielle Doby

Chris, I know I speak for every CaboPress attendee when I say that we’ve all been impacted in immeasurable ways because of your investment in our businesses and lives. Thank you for modeling generosity, excellence, and service to us all. Every time I’m around you, I’m challenged to level up. And for that, I’m incredibly grateful, my friend.

To the rest of you, may you find ways to stay connected with others during this challenging time. If I can be of help in any way, please feel free to reach out. And if you’re serious about taking your business to the next level, you owe it to yourself to follow my friend, Chris.

I hope to see you soon. In fact, let’s meet at CaboPress!

The post CaboPress: Connections and Conversations that Matter appeared first on Shawn Hesketh.

I’ve been an IndyCar fan for as long as I can remember.

Honestly, I can’t remember exactly how long I’ve been a fan of IndyCar racing. My Dad raced sports cars before I was even born, and he first introduced me to the Indy 500 when I was just a small kid.

When I was 13 years old, my Dad and I made a road trip together to Indianapolis during the off-season, and we took a tour of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum, which included a lap around the historic 2.5 mile oval track. I still remember getting out of the van to touch the legendary bricks that make up the start/finish line.

Since then, I’ve watched nearly every televised IndyCar race.
Thankfully, my wife, Kay, has also adopted my passion for IndyCar racing, and I think she’s become an even bigger fan than I am, since she follows the drivers and teams even more closely than I do. Often, she’ll catch me up on story lines that occur between races.

Although we watch just about every televised IndyCar race and have attended the Grand Prix of Houston every year, the Indy 500 has become an annual family tradition for our family, and we host a “watch party” each year for friends and family. It’s like the Super Bowl for our family.

Kay and I have talked many times over the years about attending the Indianapolis 500 in person, but it wasn’t until this year that it quickly become a very real possibility.

The Indy 500: Bucket List Event

The Indianapolis 500 Mile Race is called “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” and is the world’s most famous and prestigious auto race. It’s the largest single-day sporting event in the world, and has been recently voted the “World’s Best Bucket List Sports Event,” topping other events like the Olympics, The Masters, and the Super Bowl.

“As a sporting event, there really is nothing like the Indianapolis 500 race day experience because of its 100+ years of history, pre-race pageantry and the sheer number of people who come each year to be part of this great spectacle,” said J. Douglas Boles, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president. “The race is definitely a must do on any sports fan’s bucket list. Once people experience the 500, it many times becomes more than a check mark on a bucket list, and turns into an annual pilgrimage to watch 33 race drivers compete for the chance to drink a bottle of milk in victory lane!”

#TheLemaEffect

During a conversation last year with my friend and business coach, Chris Lema, I mentioned that my wife and I are fans of IndyCar racing. I shared how we watch every race during the season, and attend local races whenever they come to town.

Chris asked if we had ever attended the Indy 500. I said no, but it was definitely one of those “bucket list” events we would like to attend one day.

“Do you want to go this year?” he asked, nonchalantly.

“I would love to, but it costs a small fortune,” I replied.

Now, my wife and I had been the recipient of Chris’ generosity before, so it didn’t come as a complete surprise when he asked, “What if I buy the tickets?” Still, we had no idea exactly what Chris had in mind.

Before we knew it, Chris had purchased 10 tickets along the front straight of the racetrack, and had begun inviting some of our mutual friends to attend with us. We booked our hotel and airfare, and began the long wait until Memorial Day weekend finally arrived.

Kicking off the weekend in grand fashion.

We flew into Indianapolis on Friday, May 23rd along with our friends, Jared and Sam Atchison, and met Chris and Karim Marucchi for dinner and drinks at the Slippery Noodle Inn, Indiana’s oldest bar.

Our hotel was just a few blocks from the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument in the middle of downtown, and we found a nearby cigar lounge which would become our nightly hangout after each days’ activities.

Everybody loves a parade!

Saturday, we attended the 500 Festival Parade almost entirely by accident. When we stepped out to grab a quick breakfast, we discovered that the streets had been blocked off and thousands of people were lining the streets for the traditional pre-race parade, which featured colorful floats, historic race cars, celebrities, and of course… the drivers.

“I’ve got something to tell you. We’re not sitting along the front straightaway.”

It wasn’t until later that day, when Karim and I accompanied Chris to the track to pick up our tickets that I became aware of Chris’ sneaky plan, which he had been working on for some time.

“I’ve got something to tell you,” he said, in a mock-somber tone. “We’re not sitting along the front straightaway like I originally told you.” He paused for dramatic effect.

“No?” I questioned.

“No. I called again a few weeks ago and found out that there were some tickets available in the Hulman Terrace Suites, which are actually at the very top of the grandstands along the front straight. They’re air-conditioned, and come with food service and an open bar. Do you think that’ll work?”

I was completely surprised. “Man, you really know how to make a bucket list trip EPIC, don’t you?”

Complete with dinner and a show…

That night, the six of us joined the rest of our friends, Andrew and Bri Norcross, and Josh and Caroline Eaton for an amazing dinner at Fogo de Chão, followed by a comedy show at the Hilbert Circle Theatre featuring comedian, Bill Engvall… again, courtesy of Chris.

Race Day!

Early Sunday morning, we made our way to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway… along with 250,000 other people. The traffic and gridlock were unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

Suddenly, our Uber driver noticed a line of cars approaching fast, led by a police escort. As soon as they passed by, he pulled into the back of the line of cars and we flew through town, being waved through red lights and even down oncoming traffic lanes with the help of officers at each intersection. Our driver dropped us off directly in front of the track, and we realized that the entire trip had taken us less than 20 minutes!

We joined the throngs of people and walked down the paddock until we arrived at the elevator that took us up to the Hulman Terrace Suites.

The staff welcomed us warmly, and then I made my way to the balcony outside the suite. The view was stunning, and as I looked up and down the track, I felt the emotions of being in a place with so much rich history.

For more than a hundred years, drivers have come to this very track, pushing themselves — and their machines — to the very limit, fueled by the cheers of millions of race fans over the years… and now we were among those fans.

Even though we’ve watched the pre-race festivities for years on TV, every moment was so much more meaningful when witnessed in person. Jim Nabors sang, “Back Home Again in Indiana” for the 37th — and final — time since 1972. And I found myself getting choked up during the national anthem, while watching the flyover, and listening to the solo trumpet slowly play, “Taps.”

One awesome spectacle!

But nothing can prepare you for the excitement of hearing 32 Indy cars roar down the front straight at full speed for the first time!

We’ve attended dozens of road races throughout the years, but you simply don’t get the same sound or sensation on a road course as you do when the cars are at top speed, racing down a mile-long straightaway. It’s deafening. There’s a low-end rumble that you actually feel in your stomach, more than you hear.

And these cars are tuned to such precision, the drivers so evenly matched in their skill, that the cars are only separated by fractions of a second.

Early in the race, two of our favorite drivers, Graham Rahal and last year’s winner, Tony Kanaan, had mechanical difficulties that knocked them out of contention.

Another of our favorite drivers, Helio Castroneves, ran particularly strong all day, and near the end of the race was in position to win. It would be his fourth win, an achievement only shared by three other drivers in history.

Oh, and Helio is also Chris’ favorite driver, so we had no problem rooting for him to win!

The 2nd closest finish in the history of the Indy 500!

The final 20 laps of this race offered some of the closest racing I’ve ever seen in an Indy race anywhere. The top three cars, driven by Helio Castroneves, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and Marco Andretti traded the lead several times.

A dramatic crash by Townsend Bell with only 9 laps remaining threatened to end the race under the caution flag, but race officials decided to halt the race, bringing all the cars onto pit lane to wait while the damage to the wall was quickly repaired.

Soon, the race was resumed and the entire crowd was on their feet for the final six laps, while Helio and Ryan traded the lead again and again, lap to lap. Finally, Ryan passed Helio as they entered the final lap of the race, and took the checkered flag by a hair-raising .0600 of a second — the second-closest margin of victory in the history of the event.

It was impossible not to get caught up in the excitement and sheer emotion of the thrilling shootout, and while we would have loved to see Helio win his fourth Indy 500, we were just as thrilled to see Ryan Hunter-Reay win his first.

After the race, we stuck around long enough for the massive crowds to subside as we toured the garages and historic Gasoline Alley.

Conversations that matter.

That evening, the group met up once more for dinner, this time at Claddagh Irish Pub. And after dinner, we meandered down to our favorite cigar lounge one final time for more deep conversations about life, business, and the future.

Honestly, beyond the unforgettable spectacle of the Indy 500 itself, the highlights for me are these times… the times spent in meaningful conversation, trading ideas, challenging and encouraging each other, and generally getting to know each other better.

While I hope to return to Indy again (perhaps for the 100th running?), the rewards of this trip will continue for years to come. And for that, I’m truly grateful to my friend, Chris Lema, who knows how to check off “bucket list” items in epic fashion

The post Our Indy 500 “Bucket List” Trip appeared first on Shawn Hesketh.

We’ve been incredibly fortunate to make many new friends over the past several years, so many of you may not know that Kay and I were once employed in the ministry at a local church here in Houston.

Nearly 20 years ago, we walked into this particular church, our expectations at a minimum, completely disillusioned by our recent experiences with other churches and the trappings of organized religion. So we were caught completely off guard by the warmth and genuine concern with which we were greeted by the pastors, Ernie and Lyn Fitzpatrick.

Over lunch, we shared our recent experiences while they listened attentively, nodding in agreement, and sharing their own story of how they came to found this church specifically for folks like us who had been burned out on religion. Over the next several weeks, we met dozens of folks with similar stories and experiences as our own, and we soon felt comfortable calling this “church for non-church people” our home. Ernie and Lyn had truly built something remarkable, bringing people like us together around a simple message of freedom and genuine love for those around us.

In the months that followed, I volunteered to run sound, which seemed a safe distance from my previous roles on music teams at previous churches we had attended. It wasn’t long, however, before we found ourselves leading music, working with the youth group, and helping out wherever needed.

Ernie’s background was that of a businessman and entrepreneur, rather than a formal religious education, which afforded him a unique perspective that differed from pastors we had known until then. He was dedicated to serving the local community, and continually looking for ways to have a positive impact on our city, an ambitious goal in the fourth-largest city in the United States. But Ernie’s infectious energy created a “reality distortion field” like that of Apple’s charismatic founder, Steve Jobs, and it empowered us to think outside of ourselves and dream big.

So when I approached him with a harebrained idea to start a city-wide art contest for Houston area high school students, he didn’t dismiss it out of hand, despite the monumental challenges involved. Rather, he went to work making the idea a reality, and in 2000, the Culture Shapers art contest was born. Since then, with generous financial support from corporate partners, the contest has awarded more than a million dollars to hundreds of high school student artists, enabling many of them to attend art schools and pursue their dreams.

No one will ever accuse Ernie Fitzpatrick of thinking small.

In the years that followed, Kay and I worked full-time alongside Ernie, serving as music leaders, youth pastors, and coordinators of our growing art contest. But Ernie also insisted that I continue my freelance design business, giving me time off to meet with clients, providing generous office space, and even offering his invaluable business insights. It was clear that he was far more interested in my success than any agenda of his own, and as our relationship deepened, he became a trusted mentor, advising me in every area of my life… business, family, and spirituality.

Working in the ministry is hard.

It’s no wonder one of the highest mortality rates is among pastors. But Ernie taught me to step away from work and make time to enjoy the finer things of life… music, movies, fine wine, cigars.

(I know what you’re thinking, and yes, to say that Ernie was not your typical pastor would be a huge understatement.)

He hosted monthly wine tastings that were responsible for much of my knowledge and appreciation of wine today.

He absolutely loved music, often sharing his latest finds with me. We’d sit in his office with the speakers cranked up to 11, taking in every note like it was meant just for our ears. We attended epic concerts together with our wives, which now rank among my all-time favorite memories.
But Ernie gave me something far more significant.

When I first met him, I was a wounded and insecure 20-something, full of rejection and a damaged ego. Over the next two decades, Ernie carefully and patiently helped me get over my wounds, both real and perceived, discover my true identity, and learn to think bigger than myself.

In short, he helped me transition from a boy into the man I am today.

If you’ve done business with me over the years — Ernie taught me to conduct myself with that integrity and diligent work ethic you found refreshing.

If I’ve helped mentor you in any way — many of those principles and mantras came from my own mentor, Ernie.

If we’ve enjoyed a thought-provoking, late-night conversation over a cigar and a glass of wine — Ernie showed me how to exchange ideas in a respectful dialogue.

He taught me how to handle criticism without becoming defensive, and that confrontation — when handled properly — is the gateway to deeper friendship.

He taught me to embrace the power of the question, which has become a formidable tool for this introvert, but has also guided me in my spirituality… a far cry from the dogmatic, “ours is not to reason why” approach of my earlier Christian upbringing.

When Kay and I found ourselves completely burned out as a result of all that we had committed to take on, Ernie and Lyn graciously accepted our resignation, but refused to let go of our friendship.

And in the years since we “left the ministry,” we’ve continued to enjoy a glass of wine together as often as our schedules permit, sharing a laugh, talking about our kids, and just generally enjoying each others’ company.

Ernie taught us the value of friendship — and demonstrated it. He and Lyn taught us that relationship is more important than the work.

Of course, I hold on to many great memories…

Ernie performed our wedding ceremony, a privilege very few couples share with us. (Again, he was *not* a typical pastor.) During our first premarital counseling session, he asked, “Do you want the 20-, 30-, or 40-minute wedding?” We went for the 20-minute version, still the best 20 minutes of my life.

When our first daughter, Kate, was just a few months old, we began taking her to the office with us. Ernie would come to the office, lay down on the ground near her blanket and play with her, making cooing sounds and talking to her. It was the first time I’d seen this softer, gentler side of him, and I still smile, knowing that those moments were his most true self.

When a prenatal ultrasound of our youngest daughter, Karis, indicated that she might have Down syndrome, Ernie fasted from food, and told me that in his meditation time he heard that, “It would be alright.”

Those words brought me great peace, and as it turned out, Karis was not born with Down syndrome. It was only later that I realized that those words would have been true no matter the outcome… and because Ernie was prepared to walk the journey alongside us, it would have been “alright.”

Ernie’s life has impacted hundreds — if not thousands — of people, and it’s been incredible to read the notes and posts written in tribute to him throughout the morning.

But perhaps most fitting are the words he chose as the title for what he could not know would be his final blog post yesterday afternoon…

“Keep it simple. Just love.”

I think everyone who had the privilege of knowing Ernie would agree that there are no better words to describe how he lived, his approach to life and to others. So in this case, the words do not fail. These are the words I will choose to remember him for.

Thank you for simply loving me, Ernie.

The post Keep it simple. Just love. appeared first on Shawn Hesketh.

Today is my friend, Chris Lema’s birthday. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. It may just be the close proximity of these two days, but I feel inspired to share how grateful I am for Chris and the impact he’s had on my life during this past year.

It’s only fitting to share these thoughts in a blog post, since Chris is one of those amazing people who is committed to blogging daily.

Every. Single. Day.

Even when another site publishes one of his guest posts… that doesn’t count for Chris. No, he still writes a daily post just for his own readers, because as he once explained to me, “They might not see that article that was published on another site, but they’ve signed up to receive something from me every day. So I honor my promise to them by delivering something every day… and not just anything, but something of value.”

That kind of dedication is rare these days. It’s inspiring… and it’s annoying.

It annoys me because it reminds me just how lazy I am. But at the same time, it challenges me to set higher goals for myself. And I’m encouraged to do so because Chris demonstrates daily that it’s possible to achieve those goals by working hard. Every. Single. Day.

Chris’ dedication inspires me. But that’s not what impresses me most about Chris.

I first became aware of Chris because of his daily blogging. My friends linked to interesting, helpful articles he’d written. Before long, I had bookmarked his site and visited more regularly. Now, every morning, I receive Chris’ latest article by email. And I learn something from him every day.

Do you know how difficult it is to write something of value, something educational, helpful, and inspiring every single day?

But it’s not his writing that impresses me most.

Ask anyone who has ever sat in the audience during one of Chris’ presentations and they’ll tell you that he’s one of the best public speakers they’ve ever heard. From the opening line, you’ll find yourself captivated, sitting on the edge of your chair, completely engrossed in a story, as if you were a kid again.

Chris doesn’t give boring PowerPoint presentations. No, he connects with his audience in a tangible way, leveraging the power of metaphor and story to challenge and inspire. Check out one of his talks for yourself and you’ll see what I mean.

But it’s not Chris’ presentations that have made the biggest impression on me.

I reached out to Chris about a year ago to ask if he could spare a minute for a quick chat about my business. I assumed he would be too busy. He wasn’t.

Instead, he invited me to a brief Skype chat that turned into an hour-long consulting session. At the end of our chat, I asked how I could pay for his time. The advice he’d given me was incredibly helpful, actionable, and measurable. But it was the much-needed encouragement he gave me during that call that was invaluable.

Chris responded, “If I were motivated by money, I’d charge you my hourly rate for this call. It would be expensive, and that rate may prevent us from having future conversations. But, I have a great job that enables me to live the lifestyle I want. So I’m not motivated by money. I want to help you.”

Chris wasn’t afraid to climb into the trenches with me and work with me on my business, and he continues to do so to this day. Since that first call, we’ve had many more conversations, yet he still refuses my repeated attempts to pay him for his time.

Has it been helpful?

This chart shows the growth of my weekly revenue in the 33 weeks since Chris began working with me on my business strategy. That’s what we call “up and to the right.”

He could have said no. (He does that a lot.) Instead, he made time for me, and continues to do so.

He could have charged me a hefty consulting fee for his time and expertise, and I would have happily paid it right away. Instead, he continues to provide invaluable advice at no charge, choosing instead to invest in me and my business.

And now we’re getting to the thing that most impresses me about Chris.

A few months after our first chat, we realized that we would both be attending WordCamp Austin. The year before, I had inadvertently started a fun event informally called, “CigarCamp,” together with a couple of fellow cigar aficionados, Austin Gunter and Pat Ramsey. We had invited a few folks to join us for cigars following the WordCamp Austin after-party, but word quickly spread and it turned into quite an event.

Like us, Chris enjoys a nice cigar from time to time. So he suggested we create commemorative, WP101-branded cigars for the much-anticipated return of CigarCamp.

We had actually considered doing this, but custom cigar labels can be expensive, to say nothing of the cost of the cigars themselves. Chris offered to pay for both the cigars and the custom labels, which he insisted would be WP101-branded.

The next day, three boxes of premium cigars arrived on my doorstep, ready for WP101 labels.

CigarCamp II was a huge success. WP Engine booked the venue and generously picked up the drink tab for everyone. First-time cigar smokers and aficionados alike enjoyed the “WP101 cigars” while playing Cards Against Humanity and sipping on Scotch with friends. (Check out the pics here.)

It was easily the most impactful “advertising” we’ve ever done, and it wouldn’t have happened without Chris.

The next day, my wife and I took Chris to breakfast at Fonda San Miguel, one of the finest Mexican restaurants in the country. We thought we would finally have the chance to pay Chris back in some small way for all the things he’d done for us.

But Chris is sneaky.

Somehow, while Kay and I were making a return trip to the legendary brunch buffet, Chris had arranged to pay for the meal. We never even saw the check!

Humbled by his continued generosity, we vowed to be even more sneaky next time.

But for Chris, this wasn’t some sort of power play. Seeing the smile on his face and the way he laughed at our surprised reactions, it became clear that he really enjoys giving.

He’s written about the benefits of generosity, and has earned a reputation for always paying for others’ meals, but it’s only when you’ve been the recipient — when you’ve seen the smile across his face — that you come to realize Chris genuinely enjoys the act of giving.

A month or so ago, I mentioned to Chris that my wife and I are huge fans of IndyCar racing. We watch every race during the season, and attend local races anytime they come to town.

Chris asked if we had ever attended the Indy 500 — the highlight of the IndyCar racing season, billed as The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. I said no, but it was definitely one of those “bucket list” events we would like to attend one day.

Done, done.

This coming May, my wife and I will join Chris and a few other friends to attend our first-ever Indy 500. Once again, we find ourselves on the receiving end of the Lema effect.

Now, if you’re like me, you’re probably asking yourself, “Why? What’s his end game?”

In fact, I asked him that very question. “Man, I’m blown away by your generosity. But what‘s your end game? What are you expecting from us down the road? How will we repay you?”

After all, nobody gives without expecting something in return… right?
Chris answered simply, “Nothing. This is who I am.”

He shared how he and his wife intentionally cultivate a lifestyle that enables them to be generous. How they’re passing this family trait on to their children, teaching them how to give generously. How they forgo other luxuries so they can set aside funds to make dreams happen for others. How they save for months on end to pay for trips, creating memorable “once in a lifetime” experiences for others.

And that’s the thing that impresses me the most about Chris.

The most important thing that I’ve learned from Chris didn’t come from one of his insightful daily blog posts, or one of his memorable and inspiring presentations (as amazing as they are).

No, it’s come from watching him closely over this past year. From our conversations together. From seeing him consistently give to others again and again.

I’ve learned that one of the many benefits of giving to others is that they will give you something far more valuable in return… their trust. Their loyalty. The freedom to speak into their lives and their business.

In short… influence.

So, this is how you’ve influenced me, Chris… you’ve inspired me to do for others what you’ve done for me. To give generously. Make dreams happen. Encourage. Invest. And do it without expecting anything in return.

Happy Birthday, Chris, and thank you for modeling generosity to me and many, many others. May it come back to you, your wife, and your children for many years to come.

The post #TheLemaEffect appeared first on Shawn Hesketh.

Q: “What was the primary source of growth for your membership site? (Paid advertising, PPC, JV capital, etc.)”

“I’ve launched my site. Now, what’s the best way to let people know my site exists and get them to visit?”

As if designing and building a site with compelling content weren’t challenging enough, once you launch your site, you’ll quickly discover that the real work has just begun!
We’re all bombarded by a sea of advertising, media, and conflicting messages that compete for our attention on a daily basis. So, how can you ensure your site rises above the “noise?” How do you connect with your potential audience and help them discover your site?
There are number of methods for ensuring your site gets noticed, but you’ll quickly find that the costs are inversely proportional to the amount of time and effort required to make that method succeed. For example, pay-per-click advertising can be very expensive, but requires little effort on your part.  On the other hand, word of mouth is completely free and has the greatest potential to convert visitors into paying members, but it takes significant time and effort to build traffic from this method alone.
So in the beginning, you may find that a combination of these strategies will work best. Over time, you should be able to scale back your advertising costs, and rely more on word of mouth.
Here are the methods I used to grow WP101…

1. Paid Advertising (If you must.)

“Advertising is the cost of being boring. If people won’t talk about you for free, you have to pay them to do it.” – Andy Sernovitz

Still, the easiest and quickest way to get eyeballs on your site during those critical first days after launch is to simply pay for traffic by advertising on other sites.
There are many ways to advertise online, but here are the three I’ve relied on most heavily:

1. Pay-Per-Click Advertising (Good)
PPC advertising can be very expensive, but requires the least amount of effort on your part. Simply set up a Google AdWords account, create an ad campaign, choose how much you’d like to spend, and watch the visitors begin to arrive at your site!

Well, you’ll also spend a good deal of time monitoring and tweaking your campaign, and there are a couple of other downsides.

First of all, PPC advertising can be prohibitively expensive, particularly in highly competitive markets. You can target niche markets or less popular search phrases, which will help stretch your advertising dollars as far as possible.

For example, it costs far less to advertise for the keyword phrase, “personal trainer in Houston” than a more popular search phrase like, “personal trainer.” Obviously, you’ll get more traffic by targeting more popular keyword phrases, but you’ll also pay a great deal more per click, since they’re more competitive.

Even making use of this strategy (choosing less expensive “long-tail” keyword phrases), during the first few years following WP101’s launch, I still paid more than $20,000 annually in pay-per-click advertising costs.

It also took some costly experimentation to find the conversion rate — the percentage of folks who actually signed up on my site after clicking an ad. Striking that perfect balance between the maximum price you can afford to pay for each click and the value of a subsequent signup, can be very challenging. At times, I paid as much as 50% of the value of a signup!

Still, PPC advertising was the primary method for increasing traffic to my site in the early days.

2. Remarketing (Better)
Remarketing (or retargeting) lets you show ads to people who’ve previously visited your website even as they browse other sites on the Web. This can ensure that your site stays “top of mind,” and folks are more likely to return to your site after seeing your ads several times on other sites they already frequent and trust.

This method wasn’t available to me when I first began advertising on Google, but in my opinion it’s much more effective than traditional search advertising. I’ve only just begun experimenting with it recently, but the conversion rate is almost double what I used to achieve with regular search advertising.

If you’re gonna spend money on PPC advertising, I’d recommend you begin with a remarketing campaign, or at least run one alongside your search campaign so you can compare the results and then move forward with the one that converts the best.

3. Strategic Advertising on Related Sites (Best)
Despite recent research that claims folks no longer click on banner ads, the most effective advertising I’ve done so far has been strategically-placed banner ads on related sites.

BuySellAds has an impressive directory of sites on which you can advertise, organized by a wide variety of interests. You can research details on each site’s traffic, and choose the one(s) that best fit your budget and target audience. Find the sites that are being frequented by your potential audience, and advertise on just those few sites.

FWIW, this is the only method of paid advertising that I still use today, and the conversion rates are significantly higher than PPC or other forms of paid advertising I’ve tried.

TIP: When creating banner ads, make sure they speak directly to the interests and needs of your audience, rather than just promoting your company name and web address. People don’t care about who you are (yet), but they will… once they feel that you “get” them and care about their needs.

2. Reviews and Blog Articles (Good)

One of the best forms of publicity is an unbiased review of your site by an industry news site or blog author. In addition to reaching audiences that you might not otherwise be able to reach on your own, you’ll also benefit by reading about their experience with your site or product. This information can be invaluable in helping you refine your signup process, marketing verbiage, or even the offering itself.
You’ll likely get the best responses if you personally reach out to blog authors via email or Twitter, asking them if they wouldn’t mind taking a free “sneak peek” at your site pre-launch, and then provide feedback to you about their experience. You might also offer them a unique coupon code that they can promote to their audience should they choose to write a review about your site.
If you have an affiliate program in place, you might invite them to become an affiliate so they can earn a generous commission on any referrals they send your way. Keep in mind, many blog authors prefer *not* to be compensated in any way for their reviews, to ensure that they’re completely unbiased and that their reviews are the most credible.
If someone is willing to invest the time and effort to help me spread the word about WP101, I’m more than happy to pay them an affiliate commission to make it worthwhile.

3. Good, Old-Fashioned, Live, In-Person Networking (Better)

A few years ago, we began sponsoring local WordCamps, which are informal, community-organized events that bring together WordPress users of all skill levels to learn, share ideas, and get to know each other.
These events have become an integral part of our outreach strategy, for a number of reasons. Obviously, there is no better way to connect with our core audience — WordPress beginners — than through these intimate, face-to-face events. But we’ve also built key relationships with the event organizers and other WordPress professionals, who are then more likely to recommend WP101 to their own clients.
Even better, it enables us to give back to the WordPress community in a meaningful way, ensuring that these learning opportunities continue to be available for years to come.
There really is no substitute for face-to-face interaction with the people you intend to serve, so consider sponsoring local events that serve your core audience while providing you the opportunity to connect with people in person.

4. Word of Mouth (Best)

According to Nielsen, the most trusted forms of advertising are recommendations from personal acquaintances or opinions posted by other consumers online.
A whopping 90% of consumers surveyed stated that they trust recommendations from people they know, while 70% trusted consumer opinions posted online. People buy based on the recommendations of other people they trust.

“Word of mouth is the primary factor behind 20 to 50 percent of all purchasing decisions.” — Jonah Berger, Contagious

These days, WP101 continues to experience growth because of word of mouth. We facilitate this by providing the tools they need to spread the word…

1. Encourage Sharing on Social Networks (Good)
On nearly every page of our site, we’ve included social sharing buttons that make it easy to share our content with your friends on your favorite social networks: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc.

2. Affiliate Program (Better)
As I mentioned before, we have an affiliate program that pays a generous commission for referrals, making it well worth the time and effort to help us spread the word about WP101.

3. Achievements (Best)
We all like to share things that make us look good. So we’ll soon be adding “achievements” to our site, which will award badges for completing our tutorial series and other tasks along the way. We’ll make it easy for folks to broadcast their accomplishments via their favorite social networks.

While these three tools facilitate online sharing, research by the Keller Fay Group finds that only 7 percent of word of mouth happens online. This means folks are much more likely to recommend your site or service during an offline conversation with a friend or family member, so you should give considerable thought to how you can deliver an experience to your members that blows away their expectations and makes them say, “Wow!”
That’s really the best way to ensure that people will help you spread the word.

Bonus: One last strategic tip for you…

If possible, connect with other professionals who are also serving your audience and incentivize them to send their customers your way.
When I initially launched WP101, my marketing efforts were focused solely on the end user — the people my site intended to serve. Over time, I came to realize that my site also offered a huge benefit to other WordPress professionals who faced the same challenge… training their clients how to use WordPress.
I created our affiliate program primarily to serve these professionals, offering a financial incentive for them to send their clients to our site for this critical training. We even created a new product — our WP101 Plugin — that makes life easier for these professionals, and enables them to provide additional value to their clients.
So today, our marketing and efforts are equally geared toward both the end users and these WordPress professionals.
So give thought to other ways you might put your unique content to work for additional audiences. You might be surprised at where this thought process leads you!

Additional reading…

These two books provide invaluable insight into why people buy and why things catch on. Add these to your reading list and let these two authors show you how to ensure your site gets noticed!
Like you, I’m still learning as I go, but hopefully these tips will help you grow your membership site even quicker than I have.
Got a question or a tip of your own? Post them in the comments below, and I look forward to the continued dialog!

The post Q&A: What was the primary source of growth for your membership site? appeared first on Shawn Hesketh.

Q: “What are your top 3 tips and advice for growing a membership site?”

Let me cut to the chase. Growing a membership site is hard work. There are no shortcuts for building a vibrant, healthy community around your area of expertise. It takes time, careful, strategic planning, and a relentless dedication to consistently go over and above your members’ expectations every day, in every way.
With regard to my own membership site, WP101.com, I was fortunate because there was — and continues to be — a worldwide audience that grows daily. Because WordPress powers something like 20% of all the sites on the web, there is no shortage of people who are looking for the type of training WP101 provides. And since WP101 was originally launched as a side project, I was comfortable allowing the site to grow at its own pace, organically, via word of mouth for the first few years. It wasn’t until the third or fourth year that I began to diligently focus on growing WP101.
Looking back on those first few years, here are the top 3 factors that I feel were responsible for WP101’s growth:

1. “No-Brainer” Pricing.

When I launched WP101, I wanted to make it as affordable as possible for anyone who was serious about building their own WordPress-powered site. Because the value of my training content varied from user to user, I initially adopted a “Pay What You Wish” model, allowing folks to pay whatever amount they felt the content was worth.
The PWYW model worked great in the beginning, and I still feel it’s a great fit for certain types of educational content where the value varies depending on the end user.
But as WP101 became more popular, I realized that we needed a more predictable price point so that we could grow more strategically, plus enable other folks to help us spread the word through an affiliate program. (It’s hard to offer a worthwhile commission to an affiliate when the value of a referral can vary as low as a dollar or two, and 50% of that is being donated to charity.)
So we changed to a flat rate of $19 for a lifetime membership to WP101. While I do not recommend offering lifetime memberships, this “no-brainer” price point lowered the barrier to entry for most folks and enabled us to grow steadily for the next couple of years.
I’ll dedicate an entire future post to pricing models, but for now, let me just recommend that you leverage the power of the “Early Bird” discount when you first launch to create a “no-brainer” entry price for those early adopters. This will help you build early traction and get as many eyeballs as possible during those critical first days after launch.

2. Blow away their expectations. Make them say, “Wow!”

Each person brings a set of expectations to every experience. Whether those expectations are rooted in their own past experiences, or based on promises you’ve made during the sales process, you’ve got the opportunity to do one of three things:

1. Meet their expectations by delivering what you promised.
2. Fail to meet their expectations by delivering less than what you promised.
3. Exceed their expectations by delivering far more than what you promised, resulting in a “Wow!” experience.

Michael Hyatt has written in depth on creating “Wow!” experiences, but it boils down to one question…

“Which of these three experiences will compel your members to tell all their friends about your site or product?”

HINT: It’s a bit of trick question.
You see, if you simply meet their expectations by delivering only what you promised, you’ll have created a satisfied customer. But satisfied customers don’t talk about you to their friends, colleagues, and family members.
No, there are two ways to ensure folks will talk about you… 1) disappoint them miserably, or 2) deliver an experience that makes them say, “Wow!”
So take every opportunity to exceed your members’ expectations, whether by delivering “bonus” content, responding to their questions and support requests within just a few minutes, or making yourself available for a quick Skype chat or phone call.
Think about creative ways you can exceed your customers’ expectations at every step of the process.

3. Give your members the tools they need to spread the word.

If you’re successful at creating a “Wow!“ experience for your members, they’ll want to tell someone else about your product. They’ll quickly become your most enthusiastic evangelists, so give them the tools they need to spread the word!

• Place social sharing buttons strategically throughout your site, making it easy for your members to share your content via their favorite social networks: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, etc.
• Recognize and reward them for achieving milestones, like completing a course, watching your video series, or performing actions on your site like posting a comment in your forum. Make it easy for them to share those achievements and brag a little bit. (Check out BadgeOS, which lets you create achievements and issue sharable badges as your users succeed.)
• Consider adding an affiliate program to reward others for referring people to you. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on “pay per click” advertising, pay bloggers a generous commission for every signup they refer to your site. Give them a free membership so they can experience your product for themselves, and encourage them to actually write a review about their experience, rather than merely sticking banner ads in the sidebar of their site (which nobody clicks anyway).

Here’s one final tip… join a membership site yourself and then carefully observe how they do things.
Take note of the way they communicate with you at each stage, acknowledge your contributions, and encourage you to share what you’ve learned.
I highly recommend Michael Hyatt’s Platform University, which exists to help you get your product, service, brand, or cause noticed. You’ll enjoy monthly master classes, live Q&A sessions, hands-on tutorials, and an active member forum with other folks just like you who are learning how to build their own platform.
But in addition to the benefits you’ll receive from the actual training and other content, pay particular attention to how they operate. You’ll quickly see that this is one membership site that is doing it right! Watch and learn.
Like you, I’m still learning as I go, but hopefully these tips will help you grow your membership site even quicker than I have.
Got a question or a tip of your own? Post them in the comments below, and I look forward to the continued dialog!

The post Q&A: What are your top 3 tips and advice for growing a membership site? appeared first on Shawn Hesketh.

Q: If you had the opportunity to redo your membership site, what would you do differently?

For the most part, WP101 has been a “work in progress,” continually evolving since its launch in 2008. As a result, there are many things that I’ve learned the hard way… things I would have done differently if I were to launch the same site today.
1. Choose a robust membership plugin that will grow with your site.
I made the mistake of using a popular membership plugin that made use of obfuscated code, making it impossible to customize as my site matured. The same plugin also did not include support for one of the most popular payment gateways (Stripe), which created additional problems down the road (see below).
Eventually, I abandoned this plugin for a proprietary system that I customized heavily for WP101 — another route I strongly recommend you avoid.
If I were to build a new site like WP101 today, I would choose the excellent LifterLMS. It’s by far the best WordPress plugin for building an online learning site. You can sell courses, create quizzes, track student progress, and much more.
But what I love most about LifterLMS is the ability to create “engagements” — touch points with your students as they progress through a course. You send a personalized email when a student completes a particular lesson, for example. Or award them a badge or certificate of achievement when they complete an entire course. These engagements help restore the human element to online learning, something that is conspicuously absent from most online learning sites today.
Update: We recently migrated WP101.com to LifterLMS! You can read the blog announcement including all the details on how our move went!
But don’t stop with this single recommendation. There are dozens of membership plugins available to you today. My friend and mentor, Chris Lema, has created a beautiful infographic that will help you choose the best membership plugin for your needs, and has written a number of articles comparing WordPress membership plugins.
2. Choose a payment gateway that won’t lock you into your current membership plugin.
While PayPal is certainly the most popular payment gateway worldwide, carefully consider other options before committing to them. In addition to countless nightmarish stories of frozen accounts and suddenly disappearing funds, their support is among the worst in the business, driving many to the brink of insanity.
NOTE: My personal story, along with some technical jargon follows.
TL;DR: Avoid PayPal. Choose a membership plugin that supports Stripe, one of the most reputable and flexible payment gateways out there today.
Initially, I chose PayPal’s Website Payments Pro plan, which integrated nicely with my original membership plugin. What I didn’t realize at the time was that this choice would come back to haunt me down the road.
You see, whenever a recurring subscription is created in PayPal, there’s an important piece of data, called an IPN (Instant Payment Notification) URL, that is saved along with the subscriber’s payment details. Every time a subscription payment is processed, PayPal ‘pings’ the IPN associated with that subscription to let your membership plugin know that the payment was successful, and the subscriber’s account is still active.
The final step in this ‘handshake’ is that your membership plugin must confirm receipt of the IPN details. If PayPal does not receive this automatic confirmation of a successful Instant Payment Notification, they conclude that your account must be fraudulent… and subsequently revoke your ability to process future web payments. Yikes.
Each and every membership plugin creates their own IPN URL, which means if you should ever choose to migrate your site to a new membership plugin, all your existing subscriptions will contain an invalid IPN URL, which means future recurring payments will fail, putting you at risk of having your PayPal account shut down.
You cannot change IPN addresses for existing recurring subscriptions, which means you’ll have to cancel every one of your existing subscriptions, then politely ask all your subscribers to sign up again… a step that will absolutely cost you a number of subscribers, resulting in a loss of recurring revenue.
When I migrated away from our original membership plugin, I chose a 3rd party payment gateway (Spreedly) that specialized in recurring subscription payments. This service handled all the payment details on their own site, eliminating the need for secure sign up forms and SSL certificates on my own site, which I thought was a bonus.
Fast forward to today. We’re stuck again.
Spreedly has been sold to Pin Payments, giving me reason to believe the future of the entire gateway is uncertain. But now that all our members’ payment data is stored on their servers, I have no options for migrating to another membership platform. This particular gateway is far too small to be supported by any of the major membership plugins, so I’m stuck either continuing to use my hacked-together, proprietary membership solution together with this current payment gateway, or migrating to a new membership plugin, which could result in losing most — if not all — of our existing recurring revenue.
Moral of the story? Choose a reputable and flexible payment gateway that will enable you to change membership plugins down the road, should you so choose. If I were building WP101 today, I would use Stripe as my payment gateway, because of their stellar reputation, which is second to none, along with their powerful API and developer tools.
3. Start building your email list from day one!
Because our original membership plugin included the ability to email members directly from within the plugin’s own options panel, I didn’t feel we needed a 3rd party email newsletter service. I was wrong.
Now that we’ve changed membership plugins, I no longer have the ability to email our 15,000 members. My only option is to manually import 15,000 email addresses into a service like MailChimp, requiring every recipient to double opt-in once again, a hassle that will likely result in a significantly reduced audience.
Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of emailing your audience on a regular basis. It’s probably the best way to ensure you stay “top of mind” with your members, make yourself available for two-way conversations, and let them know about new products and services that will benefit them.
But beyond the ability to communicate with your current members, inviting new people to subscribe to your email newsletter list before joining your site is a great way to let them sample some of your content and get a sense of who you are. Folks will be more likely to join your membership site if you’ve already offered something of value up front.
MailChimp is a popular email newsletter service that lets you create multiple lists or categories of subscribers, enabling you to send strategic, focused emails to specific groups within your audience (see ‘segmentation’ below).
Then, use a plugin like OptinMonster to include an unobtrusive subscription form on your site that will enable folks to sign up for your email newsletter.
Finally, consider creating a series of pre-written emails that will be “dripped” automatically at pre-determined intervals, incrementally introducing yourself to new subscribers, while also providing valuable tips and insights up front that will add credibility to you and your offering.
4. Get to know your audience. Focus on segmentation from day one.
I’ve only recently begun to focus on this, but I wish I had understood the importance of this practice from day one, because now I have questions about how to better serve our members, and I realize that I can’t say with confidence who our members are.
How many of them are primarily bloggers? What percentage of loud members are wanting to learn how to build an e-commerce site? How many are professionals using WordPress to build a business site, versus amateurs who just enjoy writing blog posts in their spare time?
As you can see, these questions are critical in determining the type of content we create next, how we continue to serve our members in the best way possible, and even what we choose to charge for a membership to our site.
So, what is segmentation? In short, it’s getting to know your audience so you can speak to each member in the way that best connects with and serves them.
Practically, it means dividing your audience into groups based on geography, behavior, events or occasions, or other similarities that allow you to connect with them in the best way possible.
Look, nobody enjoys being mass-marketed.

“You want to go where everybody knows your name,
and they’re always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see,
our troubles are all the same.”

You can’t afford to treat every person the same way, or communicate with every individual using the same, one-size-fits-all approach. No, you need to communicate with each person in the way that best connects with them, lets them know you understand their specific frustrations and needs, and that you can help them.
No matter how small your audience may be at first, you need to begin focusing on segmentation. Do you know who your whales, dolphins, and minnows are? Not all customers are created equal, and you need to know who you best serve from day one.
Read more from Chris Lema about segmentation.
5. Avoid the temptation to offer cheap or lifetime memberships.
When I launched WP101, I had no idea it would become as popular as it has. Because I thought too small, I initially offered a lifetime membership for just $19.
It was a “no-brainer” price point, which enabled us to build some early traction, but resulted in a tremendous loss of revenue over the years… revenue that would have enabled us to grow much quicker, and better serve our members today.
I knew nothing about the LTV (lifetime value) of a customer, so I didn’t fully realize that a one-time payment of $19 from a member would not enable me to continue creating new content or providing support for that member years down the road. Rather, those initial members eventually become a “drain” on your resources, and wind up costing you more money to support.
It’s a bit of a Ponzi scheme because you quickly become reliant on the income of new members to cover the cost of creating content and supporting your original customers, who are no longer paying you. And it never ends; you’re only able to stay afloat if you have a constant stream of new members, and you’re only as financially stable as your last month.
Today, we offer recurring subscriptions, which enables us to build on a constantly-growing base of revenue so that we can eventually afford to bring on new staff and other resources that will better serve our members for years to come.
Hey, I’m still learning, but hopefully some of these tips will help you avoid some of the pitfalls that I’ve encountered along the way! If so, these hard-learned lessons will all be worthwhile.
Got questions? Suggestions? Post them in the comments below. I look forward to the continued dialog!

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Q: How did you validate your idea for your membership site, WP101.com?

WP101 was birthed out of a real-world problem: as a web designer specializing in building WordPress-powered sites, I found myself providing personalized, one-on-one training in my clients’ offices, teaching them the basics of WordPress, so that they were able to manage their own site content once I “handed over the keys” to their site.
After providing this highly-customized training over and over again, I began to realize it was not only an ineffective use of my time, but also left my clients with a daunting challenge… “What if we forget what you’ve taught us today?” I realized it would be more helpful to record a series of video screencast tutorials and then make those available to my clients online so they could return as often as they needed.
As I discussed this idea with other WordPress developers and designers, they encouraged me to make this available as a membership site, so that they could refer their own clients to WP101 to learn the WordPress basics, freeing up their own time to return to what they did best.
So the process for validating the idea of WP101 was simple… I needed this solution to address my own pain point and that of my clients. If I needed it, surely others did, too. So I simple began asking around. Those conversations validated the need for WP101.
Solving your own problems, or “scratching your own itch,” can give you a real head start on delivering a solid product that will take off.

So let me offer what has become my standard advice for anyone thinking about launching a membership site or product:

Don’t waste time answering questions that aren’t being asked.

It can be heartbreaking to work on a membership site or product for weeks and months on end, only to finally launch… to the sound of crickets.
It doesn’t mean your idea is completely invalid; you may very well have solved this particular problem in a way that no one else has. But unless you’ve verified ahead of time that folks are willing to pay for your solution, you may find yourself wasting a tremendous amount of time.
To validate your idea, first ask yourself, is there a real-world need for this solution? Have you validated this need through conversations with the people whom you intend to serve?
One great way to validate your idea is to build a simple landing page that outlines the pain points you wish to address, and invites people to sign up for your email newsletter to “Be the first to know when we launch.”
Plugins like the Ultimate Coming Soon Plugin integrate with popular email services like MailChimp, Constant Contact, Aweber, and Campaign Monitor, enabling you to build a list of email addresses with whom you can begin having email conversations (automated or otherwise), asking further questions about their specific needs, and gauging their interest in your solution.
Some folks go even further, asking folks to secure their spot with a credit card, which further validates their willingness to actually pay for your solution. Of course, in order to begin taking credit card payments, you’ll need to provide more details about your solution on your landing page, specifically how you propose to eliminate the “pain point.”
You may be surprised by what you learn during this process, and it could help you to further refine your idea, ensuring it’s the absolute best solution possible.
For more reading, check out Idea Validation Strategies to Help You Build Your Business, or read how my friend, Brian Casel, validated the idea behind SweetProcess before they launched.
And hey, if you’ve got other creative ideas about how to validate an idea for a membership site or product, please feel free to share those in the comments below. I look forward to the continued dialog!

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But we all know that strong, healthy partnerships take great deal of work. They require a sincere commitment from both parties if they’re to survive the test of time.

In a perfect world, a handshake and a verbal agreement would be all that is needed for two people to get along. Sadly, we’ve all discovered that meaningful partnerships are not held together by sincerity (or even “love”), but by agreements. When we enter into a formal agreement, both parties benefit from the instant clarity that comes from clearly-defined expectations.

In fact, the vast majority of conflicts arise from unmet—and often uncommunicated—expectations.

Many years ago, I adopted these five key relationship principles. When used together, they create a strong foundation for building healthy, long-lasting partnerships. My wife and I have agreed to live by these principles, and I even include a modified version of these principles in hiring agreements with contractors and employees. I can’t tell you just how invaluable they’ve been in strengthening my key relationships.

Conflict is unavoidable. Whenever two people are involved, there will be disagreements from time to time. Count on it. But when it happens, it doesn’t have to be relationship-ending. These five practices can keep your key relationships from getting derailed.

In fact, as you become more practiced, you’ll find that conflicts are resolved easier and easier, and even become the gateways to stronger relationships that are more secure and healthier in every way.

Here are the five simple relationship principles that will help you resolve conflicts before they happen…

1. The Loyalty Principle

Faithfulness to a relationship means loyalty to the other person. When problems become the primary focus of a relationship, everything else gets tossed aside in favor of merely airing differences, which is at best unproductive, if not outright detrimental to the relationship.

THE COMMITMENT: I’m not going anywhere. Our relationship is far more important than any offense between us. When I have a conflict, I resolve to work it out with you. Quitting or leaving is not an acceptable option, and I recognize that confrontation is the gateway to deeper friendship.

THE QUESTION: Does this problem threaten to end our relationship?

2. The Four-Day Principle

Resolving conflicts preserves—and strengthens—friendships. Offenses between friends can quickly become detrimental. Bringing issues to closure within a reasonable amount of time maintains the health of a relationship.

THE COMMITMENT: I will not allow any problem I have with you to go unresolved for more than four days. If, within that length of time, I have not been able to settle the issue myself, I promise I will communicate this with you.

THE QUESTION: How long have you been troubled about this problem?

3. The First Word Principle

No one enjoys being confronted in public. It’s always better to go to the person privately… before speaking to dozens of others, in an attempt to garner support and justification for our hurt feelings.

Honestly, have you ever made a point of returning to each and every one of those people to whom you spoke about the offense, to let them know how things resolved? That it was just a big misunderstanding? If you don’t, there are now a dozen other folks out there, carrying a grudge on your behalf. Stop it before it happens by simply going to the individual who offended you first.

THE COMMITMENT: You will be the first person to hear about any problem I have with you. I will not talk to anyone else about the issue until I have spoken with you.

THE QUESTION: Have you spoken to anyone else about this offense?

4. The Last Word Principle

If we respect the words we hear from each other, we don’t need constant assurances of the well-being of our relationship. We can be confident that all is well because we have not been told otherwise.
In the military, the last order received still stands… until or unless a new order is given.

THE COMMITMENT: Unless I hear otherwise directly from you, I will continue to believe and act on the last words we spoke concerning our relationship and live as if you will do the same. If anything changes on my part, I will communicate with you.

THE QUESTION: Did you forget or disregard what we last spoke to one another concerning our relationship?

5. The “ESP” Principle

Look, no one can know what you are thinking or feeling, until you communicate those thoughts or feelings with them. It is not reasonable to expect another person to read your thoughts. “You should have known I was upset!”

THE COMMITMENT: I will not hold you accountable for things that I have not discussed with you, no matter how strongly I may feel. I will not expect you to interpret my actions or my heart’s condition. It is my responsibility to approach you if I need your help.

THE QUESTION: Are you offended that I did not recognize you were troubled?

So how does it work in real life?

Any time a conflict arises, we sit down, and ask each other the five questions outlined above. If at any point, the answer is “Yes,” we stop right there and address the breakdown in our agreement, because it’s clear we need to work on the relationship before we tackle the specifics of the issue at hand.

Only when we have a “green light” on each of these five points do we finally begin to talk about the specifics of the offense.

As a result, it becomes infinitely easier to resolve the conflict when both parties are resting comfortably in the knowledge that the relationship comes first, and is secure.

But even better… you’ll find that many minor offenses are resolved before they ever become a major conflict!

No more…

“He had a funny look on his face when we passed in the hall. He must be upset with me.”

Finding out that someone has an issue with you through the “grapevine.”

“Several months ago, you said something that hurt me. I didn’t say anything then, but now…”

Can you imagine the benefit of putting these keys into practice today?

Does any one of these principles particularly resonate with you? What difference do you think it would make if you put these into practice in your key relationships today?

Got other questions about how this works in real life? Ask in the comments below…

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I learned these five relationship principles from my friend, Ron Corzine, who is without a doubt one of the most encouraging men I’ve ever known.

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