Digital marketing strategist for brick-and-mortar business owners starting from scratch.

Hobbs' Notes

Surrender Your Designer Hat

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Does your customer’s experience empower your customers? Or suck the life from their souls?
Does your customer’s experience empower your customers? Or suck the life from their souls?

Its for the best

Everyones a designer.

Humans know best how to make things look good.

With our websites, this is especially true. So we sink tons and tons of time into tweaking every pixel of our website to fit our perception of design perfection.

I get it. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

But as a business, I define beauty differently or, better yet, I SEE beauty in a different place.

Not the look of the third row of my home page.

Or the latest inane list post about nothing offering nothing. Or said page’s secondary-sidebar’s fifteenth-widget’s formatting and color palette.

I see beauty in my business’ bottom line.

Because my bottom line tells my business’ tale.

My bottom line helps me keep score of my goals realization or rescheduling.(I guess that may be more my Google Calendar but you get my point?)

I’m so pregnant with knowledge to share from my experience of my past decade that I’m finally forcing myself to speak publicly. And to do so with regularity and utter lack of concern about the amount of crap I’m heaping into the void vying for our attention as humans online.

Toward this end, I deleted my Jason Hobbs, LLC Facebook page, my Jason Hobbs, LLC Twitter Account along with my GenesisGoodies Twitter account.

Why? I was having a really bad day and decided simpler was indeed better for my sanity.

Prioritization ain’t easy, but its necessary

I love my customers. I love helping others improve their business.

What I don’t like in the least is feeling devalued by the very people I’m straining to help.

At the same time, I see the conundrum for folks I’m helping.

Just because Copyblogger Media included me in a list of possible help for your Rainmaker website, that does not a guru make.

Then I tell them about my debt, which is currently well beyond six-figures.

And not surprisingly, their perceptions shifts.

Now I’m not the expert who can help them do more with less.

Now I’m the destitute moron whom they’re actually doing a favor by allowing to learn while doing their bidding quick, fast, and in a hurry.

I’m finally ok with my creating a bunch of content to vie for your attention.

Why?

Because I have always detested the notion of lets put a bunch of crap out and thats good for our customers too.

Cause it ain’t.

The content is coming from the marketer’s goals and desires and then spun from the customers Point-of-View (POV).

I reconciled this by admitting I’m creating content for me.

I want to help you help yourself.

But my talking incessantly into the void does nothing for you beyond creating more options for your evaluation.

And me putting all kinds of content out can do tons for me.

That is assuming all the junk I dump into the void allows me to meet my customers.

I merely require an introduction.

I got it from there.

Beginning by running off any non-customers.

Best not waste your time and my resources fitting an octagonal peg in a triangular hole.

How Do I Build A Membership Site With Genesis?

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This tutorial uses the following tools:

Total: $191.95

1. Install the Restrict Content Pro plugin

  1. While logged into your WordPress installation, hover over the Plugins menu in the left-hand column and click the Add New link
  2. Click the Upload link
  3. Choose the plugin’s zip file you downloaded to your computer
  4. Click the Install Now button

1.1 Click the Activate Plugin link

2. Create Your Register Page

  1. While logged into your WordPress installation, hover over Pages in the left hand column and click the Add New link
  2. Give your page a name, for example: Register
  3. Be sure you’re on the Text tab (tip of the triangle) as opposed to the Visual Tab, then insert the [register_form] shortcode
  4. Click the Publish button

3. Create Your My Account Page

Step-by-step instructions for creating your My Account Page are located here.

4. Configure the Restrict Content Pro Settings

  1. Enter your license key to receive automatic updates to the plugin and plugin support from Pippin and his team.
  2. Your PayPal address for your membership payments to be deposited
  3. Click the Save Options button

4.1 Messages Tab

  1. Free Content Message: Displays when a visitor attempts to view free, user only content. The example pictured invites the user to register a free account or login
  2. Premium Content Message: The example pictured invites the user to visit the Register page for the premium membership.
  3. Click the Save Options button

4.2 Signup Form Tab

  1. Choose the page containing the shortcode for your membership
  2. Choose the page you want successful registrations redirected to upon completing their registration
  3. jQuery Validation prevents a page reload which, from my experience, is an improved/faster user experience.
  4. Disable all form styling. Only if you plan to provide all CSS styling for your form.
  5. Enable reCaptcha? This is to fight spam in your form. Want to use reCaptcha? Step-by-step instructions here.
  6. If you have setup an SSL certificate for your site and are using it on the form page, then check this box. If not, ignore. FYI: SSL is not required to accept PayPal standard payments.
  7. Check this box if you do not want memberships to automatically renew.
  8. Click the Save Options button

4.3 Emails Tab

  1. Email sent to subscribers when their subscription becomes active
  2. Email sent to subscribers when they cancel their subscription
  3. Email sent to subscribers when their subscription epires
  4. Email sent to subscribers letting them know their subscription will expire soon. Use the dropdown to choose when subscribers will be notified. IE: 1 day or 1 week before expiration, etc
  5. Email sent to subscribers when they signup for a Free Subscription
  6. Email sent to subscribers when they signup for a Free Trial
  7. Check this box if you do NOT want to be emailed as new users signup
  8. Click the Save Options button

4.4 Misc Tab

  1. Hide all premium posts (posts/pages where the Paid Only checkbox is checked) from users
  2. Page you want non-subscribers redirected to when they try to access a premium post or page
  3. When subscribers login, do you want them redirected to a specific page of your choosing?
  4. If yes to #3, choose the page to send users. For example: My Account Page
  5. Check this if you’d like to prevent multiple users from logging into the same account at the same time.
  6. Click the Save Options button

4.5 Logging Tab

If something is not working with the PayPal integration, you will want to come and turn this on and then click the Save Options button.

5. Create Your Subscription Level(s)

Subscription levels allow you to setup different membership packages. For example, you could have one package that grants members access to your premium content for one month, and another that grants users access for an entire year. There is no limit to the number of packages you can create. You can also create “Trial” packages; these grant users premium access for a limited period of time, and can be completely free.

  1. The Name of the Subscription Level
  2. The Description of the membership Level
  3. Access Level, I typically leave this to the default
  4. Duration of the Subscription. In your choice of days, months, or years
  5. Price of the Subscription
  6. Signup Fee for the subscriptions. You can make this a negative number to give a discount on the first payment of a recurring subscription.
  7. Status must be set to Active for members to be able to signup
  8. WordPress User Role given to the subscriber after signup.
  9. Click the Add Membership Level button

6. Payments Menu

While logged into your WordPress installation, in the Left-Hand Column hover over the Restrict Menu and then click the Payments link.

This is where your payments will be logged as they come in. I point it out because its a menu I tend to view often.

7. Add Content

While logged into your WordPress installation, hover over the Posts (or it works the same for Pages) then click the Add New link

  1. Give your Post or Page a title
  2. Enter the content for your post or page
  3. Restrict this to Paid Users only? If yes, toggle the checkbox on
  4. Display the Post Excerpt for non logged in users? If you want to display the message you setup under Settings –> Messages tab, leave this unchecked.
  5. Hide the excerpt of this Post/Page from your RSS feed? To hide it, toggle the checkbox on
  6. Restrict viewing of this content based on Access Level of user, I leave this as default
  7. Restrict viewing of this content based on Restrict Content Pro Subscription levels
  8. Restrict viewing of this content based on WordPress User Level(s)
  9. Click the Update button

Note 1: To hide this content from logged-out users, but allow free and paid, set the User Level to “Subscriber“.

Note 2: Access level (6), subscription level (7), and user level (8) can all be combined to require the user meet all three specifications.

8. Screenshot Examples

Examples of the plugin in action on pippinsplugins.com

8.1 Free Members Content – Not Logged In

8.2 Premium Members Content, Not Logged In

8.3 Register Form

This register form is using the SSL option.

Add Email List Signup

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Add Mailchimp Email List Signup

  1. Setup a Free MailChimp Account
  2. Install the Free Genesis eNews Extended Plugin
  3. Add the Email List Signup to your website

1. Lets Setup Our MailChimp Account

1.1 MailChimp | Signup

  1. Enter your email address you want associated with this MailChimp Account
  2. Choose your username for this MailChimp account
  3. Create your password
  4. Click the Create My Account button

1.2 Activate Your Account

1.3 Click Activation Link

In the email from MailChimp Client Services

1.4 Are You A Human? | MailChimp

Confirm your humanity for the Chimp. 🙂

1.5 Your Account Information for MailChimp

  1. First Name
  2. Last Name
  3. Email Address you signed up with
  4. How many people in your organization?
  5. How old is your organization?
  6. Have a list of emails to import as the starting  point of your email list?
  7. Is this account for you or your client?
  8. Company Name
  9. Company Website
  10. Company Address Street Address
  11. City
  12. State
  13. Zipcode
  14. Country
  15. Your industry
  16. Your Timezone
  17. Your mugshot (I kid, I kid)
  18. MailChimp Getting Started Emails?  Yes.
  19. Click the Get Started Button

1.6 Dashboard

Clicking the Save and Get Started button above presents you with this screen.

  1. Click the Create A List Button

1.7 Confirm You Want to Create a List

1.8 Complete List Details for Your New List

  1. List Name: Your subscribers will see this, so make it something appropriate. Good example: “Acme Company Newsletter”
  2. Default From Email (It’s also the Email Address people will reply to)
  3. Default from name for emails sent to this list. (Use something that they will instantly recognize, like your company name)
  4. Remind people how they got on your list (Example: “You’re receiving this email because you opted in at genesisgoodies.com. ”)
  5. Verify Your Contact Information is correct (Important with the CAN SPAM Act)
  6. Choose when you want to be notified of new subscribers
  7. Click the Save button

1.9 Setup Signup Form

You have your list people can signup to, now you need to create the form on your website for users to signup with

1.10 Signup forms for Genesis Goodies Emailer| MailChimp

  1. Click the Select button for Embedded Forms

1.11 Embedded Form Code | MailChimp

  1. Choose Naked – Embedded Form Code
  2. Copy the code snippet for your form

1.12 You Need the Form Action URL

I drag a text widget into the inactive widgets area and then paste the code snippet in the empty text widget, since all I need is to copy the form action url, which is highlighted in the image below

2. Search for the Genesis eNews Extended Plugin under the Add New Plugins menu

  1. Hover on the Plugins Menu abd Click Add New
  2. Click the Search Link
  3. Type: Genesis eNews Extended into the search query box
  4. Click the Search Plugins button

2.1 Install Plugin

  1. Click the Install Now link

2.2 Confirm Installation

2.3 Click the Activate Plugin Link

3. Add the eNews Extended Widget to Your Website

3.1 Widgets ‹ southerntraditionsinc.com — WordPress

  1. Fill in the title for your email capture widget
  2. Enter your text to show above the entry field, explaining the benefit to readers in joining your email list.
  3. Paste the Form Action from the snippet you copied in MailChimp
  4. Enter EMAIL into the E-Mail Field If you want users to fill in their first name, enter FNAME in the First Name Field. For users to enter their last name, enter LNAME in the Last name Field.
  5. If you want, change the Button Text
  6. Click the Save Button

3.2 And heres your email list signup

This is the Genesis eNews Extended Widget inside the Primary Sidebar using Parallax Pro, the Genesis Child Theme.

4. Having trouble with the tutorial?

Comments are on, just ask Jason a question about troubleshooting this tutorial, in the comments or use the contact form.

Troubleshooting Tips

Why don’t the error messages show on my site (inline) rather than showing on the MailChimp site?

The inline error messages require your theme use HTML5 to work. If your theme is not built with HTML5, the errors will be displayed on MailChimp.