A Review "Site Build It" — how to build your own website to start making money online.
To build a website is like making cheese - each one is different.
This page is for those who need more structure in building their first website.
I’ve been building them since 1997 and so have been through everything from hand-coding through some various site-building software and currently using WordPress. So I’ve been the route and know your pain, and fears, and general nervousness about putting together a site.
Now, elsewhere on this site, I’ve set out the pages and lessons of “How to Roll Your Own Blog” which will get you started pretty easily – for free. But there are some steps above that to actually make money online from that blog.If you’ve got a copy of my book (or read the excerpts) you see that there is substantial detail to it. Not for the faint at heart.
So for those who would like some additional training and tools, (or would just like to get there faster) I’m reviewing here as product from Ken Evoy called “Site Build It!“
Now, I have to give a disclaimer at the outset: I’m no fan of hype. And some of the pages I’ve seen at Ken Evoy’s Site Build It are – well – cheesy. (Please pardon the visual pun above…)
But I’m not here to make you buy anything. This is a raw review of a product I think will do good for you if you need more structure. While I disagree with some of their approach in selling their goods – but they have the essentials correct, IMHO.
On the Web you don’t sell anything. You only inform and enable choice. Once you have given away valuable information enough to individuals, then these people will trust you and start to exchange with you. It isn’t always in terms of money, but ecommerce by definition is based on some sort of commodity exchange, and money will do until something better is invented.
Now, if you want to look up Ken Evoy, here is a biographical link. Decide for yourself. Certainly is full of things he’s done. And if you want to see how he talks about what he does and what he thinks is really important, here’s his blog.
But like I’ve said other places, he’s been around with Site Build It almost as long as there have been browsers (remember Mosaic?). (As a matter of fact, I found out that he’s been building out Site Build It as long as I’ve been building webpages.)
How these guys work
Site Build It is plainly a site builder, site host, and ecommerce niche research – plus educational training – all rolled into one.
And that’s why it’s a good starting point for anyone who isn’t dead sure about what they need to do with their first website.
You could consider them cheese-makers, which custom build your cheese just the way you like it. So all that cheese in the above picture could represent individual niche-sites built (flavored) personally for the individual who requested it. Sure, they were there to help add ingredients, so it was more a mutual effort – but SBI has the molds and the basic recipe that works in all cases.
Now, right off: I don’t own an SBI site and don’t intend to get one. Because I’ve already built about 40 or more sites, blogs, you name it (plus several more in the hopper right now.) And the recent research I’ve completed with that Online Sunshine Plan just nails exactly what these guys have been helping others with for years. You see, their cheese mold isn’t proprietary knowledge or some secret – anyone can find it on the Web. But don’t spend the years I have working this out for yourself. That’s why I wrote the book and that’s why I’m telling you about Ken Evoy and his Site Build It!
The core principles of Site Build It!
The main thing you’ll see in their copy is the acronym: C
T P M
And this simply translates to: Content Traffic PREsell Monetize
What does this mean with social media trumping our search engines – and people training themselves not to look at ads on TV and websites? Doesn’t that mean that ecommerce is actually all but impossible?
The simple answer is in their definitions:
- Content – valuable content, speedily delivered, is what the Internet was built on.
- Traffic – you want to attract people who are interested in what you have to offer. Heflin says that it is one of three things: entertainment, education, and/or englightenment.
- PREsell – don’t ever, ever try to “sell” anything to anyone. Nobody buys that stuff anymore – they just tune it out. You can only pre-sell, by providing impartial content in a usable format so they can make up their own minds.
- Monetize – then provide an option they can agree to, something which is really valuable and they will become a client of yours indefinitely (as long as you keep providing services or produccts that they consider valuable.
OK, that’s the shorthand.
Now the bottom line is that they take a monthly fee from you while they host your site and provide all these other training programs. You have to work at this and learn a lot of technical points quickly. But these guys’ training will give it to you quickly. I know this, because I’ve read their books. As a matter of fact, they’ve allowed me to give them to you for free.
Again – don’t take my word for it just on the basis of what I said. Check out these books for yourself and see if he’s not giving you the straight dope – Ken Evoy himself. I’ve picked out a few for you which probably cover the bulk of what you’re interested in:
Service Sellers Course
Webmaster Business Course
Netwriting Course
And these are yours to keep and do what you want with.
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What they say about themselves
Now, let’s get it into some of what they say about their product. I’ve edited this to keep it as short and to the point as possible, but this is still one overlong page already, so just scroll down to keep up. I’ll put my 2 cents in as needed:
The process is simplified to such a degree that success (i.e., profits, not the mere presence of a Web site) is achievable even for a beginner. For an experienced person, achieving success is even smoother. SBI! really does change lives.
Yes, there are easier ways to build a Web site. However, online profits require more than just having a collection of Web pages. SBI! includes all the tools and a proven process required to build a long-term, profitable e-business.
You get more than just a “site builder.” You don’t need to worry about looking for separate hosting, paying for a separate keyword research tool, handling site submissions, integrating autoresponders, etc., etc. See the full list of features here — pick the most relevant ones for you and your reader.
My take: SBI builds you a business from your passion, your hobby – so you can keep your interest up and earn extra income at the same time.
SBI! is the only product that takes the time to prepare you to build a profitable business, before you jump into building your site. For the beginner, your learning curve will be shorter and you’ll bypass any show-stopping errors. For those experienced in site-building, SBI! deepens your level of understanding. No matter who you are, you are guided all the way until you succeed.
The Action Guide presents a step-by-step process, presented in both written and video formats. All you have to do is follow it. Really! The most successful SBI! owners say “all they did was follow the Guide.” They don’t get sidetracked, or have to guess at what to do next. SBI!’s guided approach helps you reach your goals.
Continuous mentoring via the Action Guide and online help is always available. Learn by reading (written guide) or watching (video guide)! You are carefully guided every step of the way, which make success that much more do-able. Advanced help is also available (when you are ready for it), all designed to save you time and keep you moving forward.
SBI! comes with unlimited Customer Support. SBI! owners often call it the best they’ve ever experienced. And the SBI! Forums complete the picture. They are the most friendly, help-and-be-helped set of e-business forums in the world.
These guys train you and have an extensive back-up system which builds with your experience. And your site also has built-in Customer Support so that you can just relax when something doesn’t go right – there’s all sorts of back up to help you out.
Too many non-SBI! sites start without profits being “built into” the process from DAY 1. It all begins with the right process. Content
Niche Choose It! is your final decision-making tool. It uses a complex decision-matrix theory that makes choosing the best niche for YOU simple… and flawless.
Choosing your best site concept is not always as obvious as you might think. Brainstorm It! and Niche Choose It! show you the best path for your particular business, reveal some surprises, and help you make the right choice.
Monetize It! helps you choose the best monetization options for your site concept. Creating a diverse monetization mix will help you maximize your site’s profitability and ensure long-term growth.
The biggest complaint I’ve heard from people trying to set up a website is to select their niche. It takes loads of research and lots of time. SBI has done what they can to simplify this and speed it up. It’s still your decision, but their tools are pretty sharp down this line. Same goes for your site concept and making sure you can monetize your traffic (helping visitors turn into clients).
Page creation is as simple as riding a bike with its training wheels still attached. No need to know HTML. The block-by-block builder trains you how to write a page that is both “Search Engine and human effective.” It’s simple, do-able and most importantly, effective site-building. The block-by-block builder is perfect for beginners, but even many “advanced” users should start with this tool. It’s an excellent way to break bad habits!
When it’s time to create your site’s Look & Feel, SBI! provides fully customizable, easy-to-use templates. You can choose and create a professional-looking presentation, even if you have no design skills. And if you’re a designer, you can create and upload your own. This page shows a range of styles.
SBI! includes domain name analysis, optimization, and registration. You will develop the best name for maximum profitability in your niche. (It’s often different than what you had planned.)
Fast, reliable, state-of-the-Net Web site hosting is all included with SBI!. You don’t have to worry about choosing the right “hosting” features (size, capacity, etc.). Web hosting is included, no nonsense, no hidden clauses.
Search Engine spider/listing/ranking reports let you see how your pages are being handled by the Search Engines. You can see what pages rank best and drive traffic. Each report’s insights help you to determine how to increase traffic and monetization. Most pros don’t have easy and reliable access to this type of information.
Traffic Stats and Click Analysis help you understand what your visitors like most. Understanding them helps you know what to write about, which in turn leads to more and more business.
Again – they take a lot of the guess-work out of creating a site, getting a domain name, and all the worries about web hosting and configuration. For someone just starting out, all this stuff can be daunting. So they take the sting out of it for your.
SBI! includes an easy-to-use form builder with autoresponders. You can build contact forms, surveys, and polls to easily communicate with your visitors. You don’t need to use your e-mail address, which attracts spam. Experienced users will appreciate no longer needing separate form-building tools. Having these tools all in one place saves time and expense, too.
List-building and e-mail marketing are included (usually these expensive features are bought separately). Sign up visitors to your e-zine subscription list and then mail an issue to them. This repeat exposure builds a stronger bond with your visitors and allows for direct promotions to them. Deeper PREselling = More Monetization.
PREselling is a concept “invented” by SiteSell, part of the C
Automatic site blogging turns your site into a blog easily. You’ll enjoy all the benefits of a blog without needing extra skills or additional software. For those experienced with blogging, auto-pinging for your SBI! blog keeps your site on the Search Engines’ radar. All of this helps attract more traffic.
Let me interrupt again here and point out an effective concept here. Google and the other search engines are going social. Blogs are indexed more quickly than static-page (old-fashioned) sites. As I’ve covered elsewhere, you are going to want to produce regular valuable content and post this to your site – so a blog function is vital to get and keep your top search engine rankings.
SBI! has a no-risk, 30-day money back guarantee. It’s a risk-free decision that you can make with confidence and peace of mind.
Content 2.0 allows your site’s visitors to create content for you. Turn any page on your site into an invitation for your visitors to add content. C2 then allows other visitors to comment and rate the page much like on a blog. This means your site will have more Search Engine attractive pages. Having more site pages means the Search Engines will rank your pages higher and that leads to more traffic. A chain of events that simply started through the contributions of your visitors!
The tortoise approach symbolizes SBI!’s steady-and-sure approach. It’s definitely not GRQ (GetRichQuick) and keeps you from getting distracted by false promises or dead-end tools and strategies that end up costing more money. Experienced users will appreciate avoiding time-wasters that don’t help you succeed. Think of it as a simple, direct, hype-free path that leads to success.
This is a key point. GRQ is an addiction, a false hope spread by unscrupulous Internet marketers who feed on emotional ego-traps we’ve all been trained with. While you definitely need to get busy in the first 30 days, to test and ensure you are on a right path to begin with – you are in for a longer process which will be successful to the degree you simply keep building out your site according to your research and plan.
SiteSell.com was established by Dr. Ken Evoy in 1997. His series of books have helped hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs and small businesses. Make Your Content PREsell! and Make Your Words Sell!, formerly books sold by SiteSell, are now free. They are literally the dynamic duo of “Web-writing.”
Dr. Evoy realized that the average business person needs more than some information in books, no matter how good. S/he needs both the C
Here is where I tell you to check this out for yourself. There is no one going to be holding your hand in this, but there is an extensive amount of data you can do your due diligence with. Also, cross-check everything with the forums and other comments people have left via blogs. Find people who have real sites created with Site Build It and weigh their actual success (and search engine standings) against the constantly-critical trolls (who find nothing good about anything.)
I wish you good luck, then. If you do choose to invest in SiteBuildIt, I know you will be more than satisfied with your results. Because, as anything, you only get out what you put in.
Here’s the link for you to check it out for yourself: SiteBuildIt!
Good Hunting!
PS. Still more questions? Want to ask Ken Evoy directly? Here’s a link to do just that – email Ken Evoy.
