Products I Recommend (After Testing!)

The products I've found useful

As mentioned before, the only criteria for choosing these websites or products is a dedication to quality that goes beyond the ordinary. In the case of products, we've tested them ourselves before recommending them to you.

You'll find this to be a resource you can trust. I have just put up a few. These are the general categories. As I get more time, I will sort them in a friendlier fashion and add more reviews.

If it feels like I'm talking about old friends, it's because many of them have become just that. This is not a buddy recommending buddy section. It's a purposeful, deliberate action on our part to get to know these people. And once you get to know them too, you'll see why.

Please also note, that we do not indemnify any of these products or services. While we take extreme care to make sure that everything is above board, it's up to you to take your due dilgence. Do so intelligently, and you should be ok.


Sean D'Souza

Website-based resources & tools

How To Build Your Website
It takes a while to awe me. Often it never happens. Site Build it was like getting into Aladdin's Cave with all the gold, silver and rubies all sitting there to be picked. So what's the point of difference? Well, you can build a site, host it, struggle with search engines and do all the stuff that most businesses struggle to do.

Or you can get Site Build it. Is it expensive? I don't think so. It's one heck of a service that would cost you an arm and a leg to get the same features and benefits. I've done the tour. I think you'll be pretty impressed with Site Build It.

Here's the link to Site Build It.

Sonic Memo: Streaming Sound

Audio on the Internet has always been a pain. So far, it's been intruding and irritating. No more. Sonic Memo is a dream. It streams audio so well, that even tests on a 33.6k modem came out smelling of roses! And it actually allows you to press a pause, rewind and stop button. All of you control freaks will love it!

I have personally used this product and you'll find it on lots of pages on the Psychotactics site. Takes about 5-10 minutes to get it installed and uploaded and you're away. It works like magic. I'm in love!

Click here to go to Jay's site

Shopping Cart + Affiliate System + Broadcasting + Autoresponders

I personally know Rob Bell (CEO - 1shoppingcart) and I can tell you Rob works way too hard. He's always trying to set up new and better ways so that you can conduct your online business as effectively as possible. Rob's system has a lot of bells and whistles and differs from Aweber mainly in functionality. I know of many marketers who use 1shoppingcart for affiliates and the beauty of the shopping cart system and use Aweber for broadcasting mail. 1shoppingcart has the best of both worlds, in a way. I've used both of them simultaneously too and I'd highly recommend you check them out. They have very extensive tutorials as well, so you can't go wrong.

To get to the website, click here

Autoresponders + Sending Out Newsletters

If you need autoresponders or need to send out newsletters to your list, there's almost no one as good as Tom Kulzer's service at Aweber.com. Tom's service is extremely good and there's a wealth of information on how to make the maximum use of your autoresponder. The biggest feature about this autoresponder is the ability to choose time and date of a broadcast mail. I highly recommend this service. In fact, I currently use it. I guess you can't get a better recommendation.

Added Bonus: I hear Aweber speaks very often to AOL and other providers to make sure that none of their clients get a 'spammer' tag. This is very important as if you get a spammer tag, you can be banned from your ISP and finally even lose your URL status.

Have a look for yourself at this link.

Membership Hosting

The future of the Internet is based on the past. And the past has shown us that your biggest buyers are people who 'reside' in your own town, your own 'village' or belong to your own 'community.' With a membership site, you can attract a niche market. If you think you want to ignore a membership site, I'd ask you to think again. Harley Davidson made $200 million in membership alone. Nope, no bikes, just membership and sale of products to members. Granted, you're not Harley, but there's still a lot to be said for membership.

WishList Membership
This is a powerful membership script that can turn any WordPress blog into a full blown membership site. The best part is, it’s easy to use. Just unzip, upload and within minutes you can have your own membership site up and running. I have tried Joomla and other rather complex membership software and frankly I run Joomla on some of our sites, but to me WishList was like a dream to use because I had it up and running in one morning. I now use it for some of our sites which is why I think you should take a look at it.

Have a look and judge for yourself at this link.

Websites on Design

www.ideabook.com

By far the most amazing website on design I've ever seen. Chuck's good at what he does. Damned good. And his site is like manna from heaven. He really spills his guts on design and I recommend you take a very good look at it. There are dozens of ways to improve your design and it's all free of charge.

		Chuck has lots of good books, CD Templates What I've read: The Do It Yourself Logos, Letterheads and Business Cards published by Rockport Publishing. It's got the stamp of class all over it and if the rest of the products are anywhere as good, you can buy them with your eyes closed. I'd also recommend Chuck's book on templates for flyers, brochures etc. What's easier than having a ready made template from one of the most outstanding graphic designers on the planet? Best of all, all the templates come on a CD, so you can get started within minutes. Talk about saving me hours of frustration...phew...Thanks Chuck. Check it out for yourself.
The instant template book from ideabook

www.bamagazine.com

This magazine was once only available offline. And now for the first time ever, it's being offered as a PDF online. Man, this magazine is good enough to eat.

So what's BA? Before and After, that's what. And the mag covers really cool design concepts. Easy to read, easy to understand and wonderful to leaf through.

BA Magazine: If you're into design, get it.

I've seen several copies of this magazine, and each one is a treat to hold and read. If you're into reading offline, this is the magazine to subscribe to. If you're an online kind of person, hey, don't let me stop you from subscribing. The subscription is quite affordable too. Check it out for yourself.

Quick Product Covers

Cover Action Pro

This is a quick tool if you want to design covers for your binders, boxes, brochures, dvd or cd cases, notebooks, screenshot presentations or just web graphics.

I recommends this product very highly. We use it very often.

You need Photoshop but you don't need any Photoshop skills at all, because this program runs solely with actions. It is as easy as pressing 'PLAY'. Plus it has other goodies on design for beginners as well. It's worth every cent.

Cover Action Pro is compatible with Photoshop CS2, CS3 and CS4 running on Microsoft Windows or Apple Mac OSX.
So just make sure you have at least CS2 upwards.

Click here if you want to design covers quickly

What Jack does really well, is live like a modern day monarch in Paris. And writes like a dream. Jack's newsletter is all poise, all stuffing and great taste.

If you're interested in the written word and copywriting, this is the newsletter you should be subscribing to. Tell Jack I sent you there. Maybe he'll buy me some wine when I get to Paris. :)

If you have any sense, you'll subscribe to Jack's newsletter. It's one of five newsletters on my must-read list.


http://www.jackforde.com

Measurement and Conversion:

Two big resources here
1) Calltoactionbook.com

I've got the book in my hand. And I'd suggest you get the book too. It's all about the call to action on your website. And it's written by Bryan and Jeff Eisenberg. Both good friends and two guys who really know what they're talking when it comes to getting your call to action.

I may blabber. And you may want to read the blabber. Or you may want to order this book at calltoactionbook.com

I'd suggest Option 2 :)

2) Conversion Chronicles

If you want to find out how to plug the holes in your site, get to Conversion Chronicles. Steve's a walking-talking superhero on measurement and you'll find lots of stuff on this site that will open your eyes. And close the gaps.

http://www.conversionchronicles.com