Getting a website live on the web (especially for a business) can be totally confusing and overwhelming, can't it? Do you ever feel like you'll "Never get it?" Do you maybe "Feel like a dinosaur?" These are actual statements that I hear all the time from business owners just like you.
And it's a familiar feeling, because I was once there too...
Years and years ago...(way back in the late 90's), I was in exactly the same spot as you. I had an online business I wanted to build. I knew I had a great product. But I had no idea how to get started. It all seemed so technical and confusing...
Web servers? Code? Techie stuff?
Are you kidding me?!
I just wanted to get my business on the web. And I didn't want to have to get a PhD to do it. I also didn't want to pay big money to hire a flaky freelance designer...and be totally dependent on them, either.
But at the same time (and this is important), way back then, I didn't want to have to become a web designer either. None of that dorky stuff was interesting. What I wanted was to be an independent business owner! I wanted to use the same tools and methods as web designers used, and leverage them to get the same (or even better) results.
Way back then, that was the goal...
Do you feel the same way?
Well...after years and years of trial and error, running online businesses, and teaching people just like you...I've been able to distill everything down into a single online course.
And so, I've gotta ask you...
Back when I was first starting out all those years ago what I really wanted was this...
Rather than all the hassle and frustration...Rather than all the endless digging and sorting through junky articles and videos...what I really wanted was...
To get everything I needed to know, nothing more, nothing less, all in one shot. A single course that didn't waste my time or go into needless detail or unnecessary nonsense.
I wanted a teacher who sat me down, took me by the hand, and walked me step-by-step through every procedure, process, and exact set of tasks I needed to get started. Someone who didn't bore me to death or waste my time. I wanted a course that would give me the skills and confidence to handle my website on my own.
That's why I've put together this new course for you, Ready For Lift-Off: How To Build And Run Your Business Website Yourself -- an online course that condenses everything you need to know, and delivers it in an easy to follow, lesson-by-lesson format.
So in your new course, you'll be taken through the entire process of getting your business website online. You'll learn and discover the tools the "pros" use to save yourself huge amounts of money, hassle, and effort.
And best of all, you'll get your business online -- from zero to serving your customers -- in no time!
By the end of your course, you'll have a beautifully designed website, fully customized to your exact business needs. Imagine your site complete with with bright, full-colour images, graceful, silky fonts, and a modern, mobile-ready layout!
...And it's all easier than you think!
How does that sound?
See how easy it is to get your business website live on the web -- and set up right the first time!
In your new course, you'll discover the world of WordPress plugins -- add-ons that allow you to extend the abilities of your website.
But more importantly, you'll get a list of critical, must-have plug-ins for your business website.
And as you work your way through the course, you'll see and use many additional plugins to help get your site setup right -- from constructing page components, to handling site security, to a whole lot more.
Changes come up. Problems arise. New customizations need to be applied to your site.
Wouldn't it be great if you could handle it all yourself?
No more waiting around in frustration for a freelance designer to finally make time for you.
No more paying hourly rates for small, simple changes and fixes.
In your course, you'll learn how to diagnose problem areas in your layouts. You'll see how to use built-in web browser tools to find what needs fixing, and then see how to fix them.
Pull together branding elements, beautiful photography, custom fonts, and more to create your website to your exact taste!
...I teach small business owners how to build and grow their website themselves...and yeah, make more money!
And I want you to know that you're in good hands. So...
Here's my official bio: Geoff Blake is an award-winning veteran software trainer, author, and designer. A professional public speaker since 1997, Geoff has taught desktop publishing, web design and graphics courses for a wide range of clients and organizations, from Fortune 500 companies and colleges, to small and medium-sized businesses; and to individuals just like you. In 2009 he launched his video-based training site, Ten Ton Online, allowing him to reach students worldwide. With his humorous, non-jargonny approach, Geoff's style of teaching revolves around dissolving learner's anxiety, and presenting otherwise technical subjects in a relaxed, easy to understand way.
And here's a few professional acheivements: Lead software training classes in corporate environments for over ten years; Published author with Peachpit Press and top industry magazines and websites; Held a professorship at Seneca college, and ran graphics workshops at George Brown and Humber colleges in Toronto; Worked with nearly every major vendor in the online learning marketplace; Produced the award-winning Photoshop Extended Essentials training package with Total Training; Grew Ten Ton from complete scratch to well over 11,000 users and growing -- it's amazing that I can help so many people all over the world!
I hope it's obvious that I'm passionate about teaching! I love helping people launch and market their creative online projects...
...So let's get started on yours!
"Geoff has given me a great foothold of knowledge and insight into web design from which to grow from. I was quite amazed by his knowledge of everything: web, print, design, production, etc. He’s the whole package. He’s a natural, with a myriad of talents."
"Excellent course for building your own web site. The casual tone and clear instructions make it easy to follow and understand. I felt like Geoff was in the room instructing me personally! The step-by-step instructions helped me to feel more comfortable in tackling HTML coding, and Geoff’s insider tips on how to make a great site were invaluable."
Here's a run-through of all the great new skills you'll get in your new course...
You'll start with a strong foundation! You'll see how to setup and use the most powerful, most flexible and customizable web design platform currently available -- WordPress! It's got a ton of horsepower, which is why it's so widely used. And you're gonna see how set up this powerful publishing tool as the foundation for your business website. But there's so much more I want to show you!
You'll get introduced to the world of WordPress themes! Themes are design templates that control how your site looks. And you'll be using a very popular, fully-customizable WordPress theme that's perfect for business websites. This theme looks and functions beautifully on smartphones, tablets and yeah, even your desktop PC...right out of the box. But then, you'll take things further...
You'll get your site looking just right! Get introduced to a set of simple, built-in tools that allow you to easily control and customize your website. You'll learn how to set up site structure and custom navigation, easily apply custom colours to various layout components, and how to apply beautifully designed custom fonts to build your online brand to perfection.
You'll learn how to insert and format hyperlinks! Connect your site's pages together, and even link to other sites and online resources with hyperlinks. You'll also see how to create custom email links that trigger your customer's email application. Finally, you'll also see how you can format your site's links and tie them into your overall branding.
You'll find and insert beautiful, royalty-free photography! Discover resources for royalty-free photography online that you can use in your projects. Then, get comfortable working inside WordPress's Media Library, where you can sort and manage your site's images. Finally, work with WordPress's built-in image editing tools to crop, size, and adjust your images to pixel-perfection!
You'll see how to insert image galleries! Want to include even more photography on your site? No problem! You'll learn several ways to insert image galleries, with WordPress's easy to use, drag 'n drop interface. Select the images you'd like to include, adjust their order, and you're done!
You'll build custom contact forms! Don't let those sales leads get away! See how to build and insert a fully customizable site contact form to capture sales leads -- all with ease...no coding needed! Simply create your form using the built-in settings, then insert it wherever you need it!
You'll easily add a Google map for your business! If your business has a physical location, then including a map on your site is a great idea! You'll learn a few approaches to inserting maps, including how to build an embedded map into the footer of your site with easy-to-use, drag 'n drop widget components. But you won't stop there...
You'll get comfortable with FTP! FTP (File Transfer Protocol) allows you to connect directly to your website. This is perfect for troubleshooting, customizing, and otherwise directly accessing your website's files. Once connected, you can download files directly to your computer, work on them, and then re-upload them to your site and view your changes.
You'll discover the world of WordPress plugins! Plugins allow you to customize and extend your website's abilities. You'll tour through many of the most popular plugins available, and see a few methods for adding them to your site. Then, you'll get a list of critical, must-have plugins you'll need for your site.
You'll customize your site further with widgets! Widgets are small add-on components you can add to special areas in your site (called "widget-ready areas") to further customize your site's design and behaviour. You'll see how to not only add widgets, but also how to control and edit them to fit your site perfectly!
You'll see WordPress's #1 most popular (and powerful) visual web page builder! This is an incredible tool for intuitively constructing beautiful, modern, eye-catching layouts...Elementor! Elementor, which is completely free, makes building custom page layouts -- including customer testimonial sections, featured video blocks, call-to-action banners, and a whole lot more -- a breeze.
You'll see how the "pros" customize sites even further! Learn how to preserve all your site customizations by setting up what's called a child theme. This allows you to store your custom work so it'll never be lost. You'll get the exact, step-by-step set up procedure to make sure your child theme is in place and working right.
You'll learn how to troubleshoot like an expert! You'll learn how to diagnose and troubleshoot tricky problem areas in your site, directly in your browser. Then, you'll see how make tweaks and fixes with surgical precision directly to your site's code, all in just a few steps! It's way easier than you think!
You'll see how to set your site to "under construction" mode! While you're building and customizing your business website, you can keep your site safe and private behind an optional "maintenance mode" message. Then, when you're ready to unveil your business, it's simply a matter of a few simple mouse clicks!
You'll get your site running fast! Learn about the biggest culprit for a slow-performing website, and what you can do about it. Get hands-on with tools and plugins to help you get your site running smoothly. Then, learn about website caching -- what it is and how it works -- and how you can use it to help increase your website's load-time.
You'll get a step-by-step process to fortify your website! The internet's loaded with bad guys -- bots, hackers, spammers, and more. And they often prey on unprotected WordPress websites. But not yours! You'll get a full, easy to follow process for completely securing your site from the internet's most common attacks.
You'll see how to automate your website data backups! Website back-ups are a must. And while it's possible to manually back-up your WordPress website, a much better option is to set a regular back-up schedule -- one that automatically duplicates your website to a secure location. And that's exactly what you'll see!
You'll master how to move your website from one web host to another! Website back-ups are a must. And while it's possible to manually back-up your WordPress website, a much better option is to set a regular back-up schedule -- one that automatically duplicates your website to a secure location. And that's exactly what you'll see!
Get your hands dirty with self-paced tasks! Throughout your course, you'll be challenged to put your new-found skills to use! Immediately apply what you've learned with hands-on tasks, exercises, and assignments. Then, compare your results to mine and see how you did!
You’ll test your skills with built-in quizzes! Periodically during your course, you can pause to test what you've learned. Review your material at key points with engaging, challenging quizzes. Hone your understanding, and gain a deeper understanding to help ingrain your skills deeper.
Here's a full outline of your course...
"I had no doubts that Ready For Lift-Off would do exactly what Geoff said it would do. I never thought I’d see the day that I’d have an official website, much less create one myself. In fact, I couldn’t wait to get ahold of this course! Geoff’s tutorials are like Cracker Jacks, there’s always a surprise or two, or three, or four! Geoff actually covers some CSS coding methods to enhance the default design that the free themes in WordPress offer. I was amazed by this! Especially since no additional costs or tools were needed other than the applications already installed on most computers, and Geoff’s highly recommended sites for free tools to accomplish the tasks. As a newbie of the craft of WordPress web design, I found every lesson to be extremely valuable, because I had no clue where to start. Ready For Lift-Off is a very straightforward way to get your website up and running efficiently and quickly. Also, being in control of your own website gives the freedom to make changes on impulse rather than waiting for someone else to do it. That would drive me crazy! I’m really looking forward to part two of this course. Thank you Geoff!"
"Never have I come across such a thorough method of teaching. Your courses have helped me tremendously! Thank you!"
"I just had to write to say how thrilled I was with this course. I don’t enjoy learning new technical stuff or having to study. This course made it all SO easy. It was so much fun I can’t believe how quickly I went through them all because I didn’t want to stop learning! Highly recommended!"
Trawling through the web, searching for answers...we've both been there. And it ain't fun. What makes Ready For Lift-Off unique is that it puts everything you need to get yourself up and running all in one spot.
But it's more than that...
Most web design courses, articles, and YouTube videos you come across aren't easy to follow. They assume way too much, go too fast, and they're hard to understand. They don't exactly make this stuff easy.
But with Ready For Lift-Off we take things one step at a time, so you're sure you won't miss a thing. Each lesson progressively builds on the last...and before long, you'll have a beautiful, functional website customized just the way you want!
And, this entire course is in clear, plain English. Remember, we don't want to be web designers. We want to be successful independent business owners. This means that we won't be getting bogged down in technical jargon or tackling complex nonsense.
We don't have time for that...we have customers to serve and product to sell!
Before you dig into your Ready For Lift-Off course, it's crucial that you get a full, complete picture of how to build and run a successful website and online business. That's why I've put together a short, consicse ebook called Online Business Building Blocks.
This ebook breaks down for you the complex interconnected components of running a successful website into just ten simple parts (Building Blocks!)
Here's what you'll get...
In fact, staring first with your Online Business Building Blocks ebook is so crucial...that it's a prerequisite to taking your Ready For Lift-Off course! It's vital to get a strong, clear picture of the entire process and a clear, logical starting point...and I know you're gonna love it!
Your Online Business Building Blocks ebook (a $27 value) is included FREE with your enrollment.
What's going to be covered in the course? Will I get the results I want?
This course will show you, step-by-step, how to set up and maintain a brochure-style website -- a type of website that's perfect for businesses that don't need to handle payment transactions, customer bookings, digital downloads, or full e-commerce capabilities. But, it lays the foundation for you to be able to handle these more involved online business processes in the future. For a complete breakdown of everything that's included in the course, take a look at the complete course outline.
What web building tools will I learn in this course?
The primary web building tool we'll be using throughout this course is WordPress. Specifically, you'll learn how to set up and run a website that's under your direct control (called a "self-hosted" website).
Further, you'll also be introduced to the most popular visual drag 'n drop web builder, Elementor, which integrates seamlessly with WordPress.
By the end of this course, what skills and knowledge will I have?
By the end of this course, you'll have a complete understanding of how to build, run, and maintain websites, as well as how to make customizations and fixes as needed.
You'll learn how to keep your website secure and safe, how to build and customize pages and images, how to install and apply WordPress themes, ensure your site's running smooth and fast, and much, much more. For a complete list of topics, see the full course outline.
How long is will it take to complete the course?
The total length of the course is 7 hours, 47 minutes. So, you can easily get through it in about a work day. And, because your enrollment gives you unlimited lifetime access, you can watch and re-watch your course as often as you'd like!
Do I need to know anything before taking this course? Are there course prerequisites?
There aren't many course prerequisites. First, it's important to have at least general computer skills -- this means things like copying and pasting, navigating through folders, using a web browser, navigating web pages, etc.
No prior experience with coding or web design is required in order to take this course.
Finally, to get the most out of Ready For Lift-Off and get a deep understanding of how to build and grow a successful website, it's important to start with a short ebook, Online Business Building Blocks before starting your online course.
This concise ebook breaks down for you the complex interconnected components of running a successful website into just ten simple parts (Building Blocks!). Your Online Business Building Blocks ebook (a $27 value) is included free with your enrollment.
How is the course structured? How does it work?
The course is organized into chapters and individual video lessons. The course is also self-paced, so you can go through the material at your own speed. This allows you to pause, rewind, skip ahead, take a break...whatever you like! And since video lessons are streamed online (in the same way Netflix works), this means you can watch your course wherever you have an internet connection.
Further, you can use your phone, tablet, or computer to watch your course...anywhere, anytime you like!
Do I have to finish the course in a certain amount of time?
No, not at all. Your course enrollment includes Unlimited Lifetime Access to your course. This means that you can watch and re-watch your course anytime you like. Many students return to their courses months, even years, after initially enrolling to go through things again.
This makes your course a valuable resource for you to return to again and again...anytime you want!
I'm too busy. What if I don't have time right now?
Remember that this course includes Unlimited Lifetime Access. This means that you can enroll now to lock in your enrollment...and then come back and jump into your course whenever you like!
Does the course come with project files?
Yes, this course comes with a set of free downloadable project files. This allows you to follow along with each lesson, step-by-step and get the exact same results for yourself that you see in the course.
What if I don't like the course? What's your refund policy?
I definitely want to make sure you LOVE your course! But I understand that sometimes things don't make a good fit. That's why every course is backed by Ten Ton's "Spaghetti Salad-Proof" Guarantee. If after receiving your course, you aren't happy with the material, send us an email within 30-days and get a prompt refund of your investment. No hard feelings!
For more details about our refund policy, please click here.
What does the course cost?
For course pricing and what's included, please click here.
How do I enroll in this course?
To see your enrollment options, click right here!
I want you to be nothing less than thrilled with your course enrollment! Yet sometimes things just aren't a good fit. That's why all courses are backed by Ten Ton's "Spaghetti Salad-Proof" Guarantee!
Here's what that means: If, after delving into your course, if everything’s still a "Spaghetti Salad" in your head...if you don't like how your courses are clearly structured and laid out...or if it just isn't working out...
Get a full, prompt reimbursement on your enrollment within 60 days...no hassles!
Because I wouldn't want you stuck with in a course that isn't a good fit.
I hope that sounds awesome!
Ever struggled to try to get things set up right? It's so easy to take a wrong turn and head down a path that doesn't take you where you want to go. You wind up lost, confused, and frustrated at the lost time and effort. And you know, I've been there many times...
That's why I put together your Special Bonus Course, Business Website Foundations. This short coruse is all about is getting you set up and headed in the right direction...the first time! Hence the name "website foundations."
Here, it's all about laying down the solid groundwork for you to build your website on. This includes choosing the right web platform, tools, hosting, and other services to make sure you're starting off on the right foot.
In your Business Website Foundations course, you'll learn...
For a limited time, get an additional premium Bonus Course -- Crucial About Page Components! There are some big, fundamental mistakes nearly all websites make when it comes to their About page. In fact, website About pages are very often seen as an afterthought or even a throw-away page that isn't all that important. An About page is often even the last page that ever gets thought about.
But in Crucial About Page Components, you'll gain a totally new perspective on the importance and purpose of your website's About page...and begin using it as a powerful way to connect with your audience and customers.
In Crucial About Page Components, you'll learn...
For a limited time, get an additional premium Bonus Course -- Secrets To Home Page Success! Most often, website and online business owners have no idea what they should include on their website's home page. They know their Home page is important...yet at the same time, have no idea what important content they should include.
Secrets To Home Page Success lays out in detail exactly what to include on your website's Home page. Here, you'll get a proven, step-by-step blueprint to follow to build your website's successful Home page!
In Secrets To Home Page Success, you'll learn...
Important! This is a self-study course with no direct involvement from Geoff. You will be working by yourself own at your own pace. To compliment your course, you'll have access to a variety of support resources, including free access to the Ten Ton Student-Only forum!
A great starting point!
Just right if you're new to web design, or want to upgrade your skills with the latest tools.
A great fit for business owners who want to own and control their website themselves.
Online Business Building Blocks ebook (a $27 value) included FREE!
Packed with extra value!
Just right if you're new to web design, or want to upgrade your skills with the latest tools.
A great fit for business owners who want to own and control their website themselves.
Perfect if you want to push your skills further and get the most out of your website!
Online Business Building Blocks ebook (a $27 value) included FREE!
A great starting point!
Just right if you're new to web design, or want to upgrade your skills with the latest tools.
A great fit for business owners who want to own and control their website themselves.
Online Business Building Blocks ebook (a $27 value) included FREE!
Packed with extra value!
Just right if you're new to web design, or want to upgrade your skills with the latest tools.
A great fit for business owners who want to own and control their website themselves.
Perfect if you want to push your skills further and get the most out of your website!
Delve into the more advanced aspects of customization and Child Themes!
Online Business Building Blocks ebook (a $27 value) included FREE!
"Geoff’s expert teaching has guided me through the journey of learning web design. I started out as a complete beginner, but with Geoff’s excellent training, I graduated at the top of my 3-year college program in just 2 years, which I could not have done otherwise (in fact, his training was to a much higher standard than my school’s). Now after learning so much with Geoff, I’ve gained a full time job as a web designer. Geoff helped get me that break, which I’m sure without his help simply wouldn’t have happened."
"Finally, training that delivers! I have taken courses from numerous vendors, but absolutely none of them begin to compare with this course. I’ve taken a ton of courses from Lynda.com and frankly came away with more theory than practical application. But not with this course, you will get your hands dirty with code, you will be challenged to think through issues on your own but in the end you will have taken a giant step forward in learning to build a WordPress theme from scratch! Geoff is an outstanding instructor, I think I laughed almost as much as I learned. If you’re serious about improving your skills with WordPress then sign up for this course, lock yourself in your office and get to work. I promise it will be worth it! By the way I’ve been so impressed with Geoff as an instructor that this is the third course I’ve taken from him and will soon be starting on my fourth!"
"I like the easy going, friendly style of these courses. Keeps my attention and I can listen to your voice for hours without drifting! I tried a couple of Lynda courses previously, but found I lost interest quickly. Much better courses on Ten Ton Online!"
"I love Geoff’s training courses. It’s like he’s sitting right beside me, taking me through everything step-by-step!"
"I can’t tell you how many times I sat there and said “Oh, that’s how you do that!” throughout this course. Most importantly, Geoff explains the “why” along with the “how,” so I didn’t feel like I was left in the dark. I highly recommend this course to anyone who wants to get the most out of Photoshop with web design. The word “helpful” doesn’t even begin to describe Geoff!"
"From the web layout’s header, down to the footer, Geoff literally walks us through each section of the design, including graphics, code and so much more. Plus, after learning all his helpful Photoshop hints, tips and tricks, all I can say is that I wish I found this course sooner!"
"Champagne videos! After trawling the web looking for many answers, your videos have answered them all and more! Thanks heaps for this knowledge as it’s saved so much time. They’re simply the best tutorials on the matter. Cheers!"
"A big thank you for your amazing, easy to understand videos. I love your easy going style, it makes them so much easier to follow and have a good laugh as well. You have the uncanny knack of getting inside our heads and knowing what we find confusing. Amazing! Many thanks!"
"Awesome. I LOVE how easy it was to follow you. The way you took time to explain every single action made this a great tutorial. Many, many thanks!"
"I seriously feel like how Neo felt when he just learned kung fu going through these videos, it cleared up a lot thank you!"
"This course was great. Geoff’s concise, easy way of teaching is fantastic. Everything is so easy to understand and makes so much sense. I’ve used other online schools but was totally lost until I found Ten Ton. It is a real pleasure to learn from these videos."
"Man, that was the BEST video course ever! Thanks Geoff, that makes so much sense to me, and is easy to follow!"
"AAAAAhahaha, what great work! I really enjoy the enthusiasm and clarity in your delivery! I've been freelance web designing for a few years and it's sites like yours that really helped me to evolve into a better designer. Now I can build e-commerce sites for clients too! Many thanks for your hard work and I wish you the best in the future!"
"I must say, your courses have been a life saver! I wasn't new to building websites but I was new to WordPress. Your courses have open new avenues for me. There are still a few things that I want to know more about and I see that you offer those courses too. So, I'll be back to purchase another course, for sure!"
"Just when I thought that this was going to be a tough subject to learn, Geoff totally flipped the switch on me. He made this SO easy. It was like he literally took me by the hand and told me exactly what I had to do, and exactly HOW to do it! Plus, he made the whole process fun and easy. I also couldn’t believe that he packed so much information in one little place! And I think the best thing about this, was that I could always stop the video, go back if I needed to fully understand something, and continue on at my own pace. Thanks Geoff. I’ll definitely be back for more!"