Avoiding tech hell

It can feel like swimming upstream sometimes trying to build an online business when you feel like you’re constantly being kicked in the teeth by your lack of nerd credentials.

How are you supposed to do all this stuff when you couldn’t code your way out of a paper bag? (Well, nobody could, technically. But, you get my point.  )

First off, I would most definitely heed the advice I’ve given before about avoiding information overload. Because, if you’re paying attention to a ton of people at once, you will inevitably see a lot of recommendations for various tools people buy. All with their own pros and cons. And, in the absence of a full understanding of the “big picture”, this can easily lead to shiny object syndrome. Before you know it, you own a ton of different online business tools and you have no idea how to use them.

Don’t do that.  But…

The use of tools dedicated to their own purposes is exactly how to avoid a lot of tech hell.

I’ve been around long enough to know that it has NEVER been easier for a non-geek to build and grow an online business. The tools have grown beautifully. You can build beautiful sites now with single clicks and drag and drop. Stuff I used to have to build manually and with a lot of programming back in the day you can now implement with a few clicks. For instance…

• Most web hosts now offer one-click installation of WordPress. Easy peasy.
• There are now a variety of page builders where you can create beautiful pages without knowing any HTML, CSS or any fancy geek stuff. Thrive Architect is my favorite for WordPress. You can literally drag and drop and design your own page where what you see is what you get.
• There is usually a plug-in out there which can do whatever you have in mind without any programming.
• You don’t even need to deal with HTML for opt-in forms anymore, since most opt-in solutions will just integrate with your email list host directly.

The key to all of this is simply being willing to buy and use the right tools. It isn’t expensive AT ALL. Online businesses have the lowest startup costs of anything.

Where I see so many people struggling is because they flat out refuse to use the right tool for the job. Usually because they’re trying to avoid buying something. And it leads to a TON of unneeded confusion and wasted time. It would be like trying to hammer a nail without a hammer. Makes no sense – and it’s dumb!

The tools are awesome! Use them.

Now, even with the right tools, there’s still a few things to figure out. You’ll need to learn how to use the tools, but the good ones are fairly easy to get proficient with. You’ll also need to learn some basic terms.

The terminology is important. If you try to plow through without some basics, you’ll get into the weeds.

In MOST cases, though, this is what I’ve seen when people are struggling with tech. They are:

1. Not using the right tool for the job.
2. They don’t understand the basic terms, which leads to them thinking this is more complicated than it really is.

So, make sure you take a little time to look up words you come across that you don’t get. Seek out simple explanations.

And it might help to have somebody you can go to who can speak in plain English and help keep the tech simple for you. If you’re a Lab member, you have what you need right inside the Lab Community and the multiple ways to seek input from me directly.

Lab members are constantly using The Lab as a technical help line. You can, too.

– David