Help! My site is down!

November 29, 2010 By

Has this website downtime scenario happened to you?

You swing by your own website, and your browser seems to be taking forever to connect. With a growing sense of horror, you begin to contemplate the possibility that something is wrong. Moments later, you get a timeout error message saying that the site “timed out” or “took too long to respond.”

Timeout error? Let’s not panic…yet

There are several causes for a timeout error, and it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve been hit by website downtime. Plus, many of them are easily fixable. Try these basic tips before calling your web host in a panic:

  1. Try another site. Can you type in google.com or apple.com or any other site? If you can’t access any sites, the problem is likely your own internet connection, and not something specific to your site. If other sites work and yours doesn’t, keep reading.
  2. See if it really is just you. DownForEveryoneOrJustMe.com lets you type in any URL and see if it’s “just you” or if the site is “really down.” This has saved me from several panic attacks, because if it’s just me, I know that others can still see my site. If it’s really down, it’s time to check with your web host. If not, try a few more tricks:
  3. Toss your cookies. I’m not speaking metaphorically of panic-induced fit of vomiting, but rather of removing the little bits of code that various sites leave in your browser. They are often helpful, but sometimes pesky. Here’s a complete list of how to clear cookies in any browser.
  4. Clear your cache. Your browser stores copies of recently accessed pages so they will load quicker. Again, usually a helpful thing, but occasionally causes problems. Here’s how to clear your cache in any browser.
  5. Restart your browser. Sometimes (depending on your settings) this will auto-clear your cache, history, and cookies.
  6. Have a backup browser. It would sure be nice if all browsers were equal…but they aren’t. Sometimes one displays things weirdly or gets buggy.
  7. Try a different device. If there’s another computer (or a smartphone or an iPad or whatever) handy, see if you can connect using it. You could call a friend and ask if they can connect, but that’s essentially just a one-data-point version of #2.
  8. Reboot and try again. Sometimes the simple things really do work. You might also restart your router (if you’re on a home network, say) and see if that has any effect.
  9. Check with your robot spy corps. Pingdom is a website downtime monitoring service based in Sweden. You can sign up for a free account that includes one “check” (that means testing one website in one specific way, like via HTTP). You’ll automatically get an email when your site is down longer than a time you specify (you can get SMS messages, too, but I don’t use this option — the free account only comes with 20 SMS notifications per month, but unlimited email notifications). I have Pingdom check my site every minute (yes, no kidding, and it’s still free). It doesn’t *fix* website downtime or timeout errors, but knowing what’s going on helps enormously (plus I can accurately report facts to DreamHost if I need to). I just ignore the gentle pressure to upgrade to a paid account.

Pingdom's website uptime percentage graph

Same data expressed as website downtime in minutes

Now, if you need to contact your web host, you’ll be armed with specific information about your timeout error, and you won’t have to waste time trying the basics because you’ve already tried them.

Also, note that if your site is showing something different from a timeout error, like “500 Internal Server Error,” that’s an indication that the problem isn’t on your end (your browser, your computer, or your internet connection). That’s a signal to check with your hosting company.

Here’s hoping that your website downtime is both rare and short!

Filed Under: General How-To's Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Making Friends with Technology: Open discussion October 6

September 29, 2010 By

Meet your robot overlords (not!)

I’ve been thinking a lot about my relationship with technology (web technology to be specific).

You might know that I’m the world’s biggest cheerleader for the technological tools that make it possible for regular people to build online empires.

But I also get that people might be looking at me like I have two heads when I say things like Have fun with your technology! Don’t be afraid to play with it a little bit! You can be friends with your website!

Because the world wild web can feel like a very scary place. And you can’t relax into a state of play when you’re scared.

Now, I don’t have a whizbang super-duper magic pill that will make the fear disappear.

What I have is my own willingness to play. Everything I know about web technology is 100% self-taught, and believe me, I’ve faced my share of rage-inducing frustration, deep fears of incompetence, and incomprehensible tech glitches! Yet I’m still here, still learning every day, and still passionate about sharing my knowledge and skills with you.

So I’m inviting you to an open discussion on Making Friends with Technology.

Normally I’d call this a “teleclass,” because it has teleclass-style logistics (we’ll all dial into a conference line and I’ll record the call).

But I’m really drawn to the word “discussion” for this topic. Because I want to listen to you and acknowledge your struggles instead of merely cheering from the top of my rah-rah-get-empowered-you-can-do-it soapbox (though I have a feeling I’ll be hopping up on it from time to time because hello, it’s my passion!).

I do have some suggestions for ways to work with fear of techology, and some reassurances (here’s one: You are totally allowed to outsource things that drive you crazy and are hard and scary. I’ll never tell you that you have to do it all yourself). And I have plenty of practical tips for working with the systems I work with most often (websites, email lists, shopping carts).

But most of all I want to invite you to share your experiences and questions (you can email them to me if you’re not the kind of person who likes to speak up during teleclasses — I’ll even keep your name anonymous if you prefer), because I want you to know that you’re not alone, that it is definitely possible to get support, and that entering into a conscious relationship with technology can truly make a difference in your life (online and off).

Here are the deets my friends:

  • Date: Wednesday, October 6
  • Time: 11am Pacific (what’s that in your time zone?)
  • Cost: Free (unless your long-distance provider charges you for the call)

Just enter your email address here to join the discussion:

(Can’t see the form in your email or RSS reader? Swing by the Making Friends with Technology page to sign up.)

I look forward to a fun, fruitful conversation with you!

Filed Under: General How-To's Tagged With: , ,

Step-by-step hand-holding for AWeber novices: Love Your List

September 8, 2010 By

You’ve been told you Must. Have. A. List.

And that you really ought to invest in an email list management service if you want your business emails to look professional.

So you dutifully went out and signed up for AWeber — or you’re about to.

But now, you’re stuck.

That’s the bad news. The good news is, you’re not alone — and there is a way out. I’ve talked to other business owners in just your situation, I’ve listened to their questions and frustrations, and I finally got together with life coach and master perception-shifter Shannon Wilkinson to do something helpful, doggone it!

Earlier this summer, Shannon and I held a free teleclass entitled Three ways to get more out of your AWeber investment. You can get the recording of that class by clicking that link.

Then we taught a four-week workshop all about AWeber, which was a ton of fun and helped some complete AWeber novices get a solid start with their email marketing plans.

Now, we’ve turned that workshop into a home-study course, and everyone who buys it before September 21 will get invited to a follow-up bonus teleclass to get your AWeber questions answered live.

Love Your List: Cozying up to AWeber to build relationships with your right people

This home-study course is for you if:

  • You’ve got Aweber (or are about to sign up), and you’re asking yourself, “now what?”
  • You’re a do-it-yourselfer who wants step-by-step instructions and compassionate guidance as you learn the basics of AWeber.
  • You find yourself easily overwhelmed or frustrated by technology.

Each of the four one-hour audio recordings features help and tips from me and my fabulous co-host, Shannon Wilkinson. And the audios are accompanied by a PDF workbook chock-full of screen shots, instructions, and examples.

  1. Walk through each step with Wendy. During this portion of the audio, you’ll listen to a step-by-step explanation of a specific AWeber task. You’ll be able to follow along in your workbook, looking at screen shots that illustrate each step.
  2. Shift your perceptions with Shannon. She’ll lead a group exercise that will help address the anxieties, worries and fears that arise naturally when learning a new technological task. Instead of fighting these fears, or letting them dominate you, we’ll put them into perspective. We encourage you to listen to these confidence-boosting exercises as many times as you need to.
  3. Take action with handy checklists. Now that we’ve shown you the steps to take and addressed the questions and issues that have kept you from doing it so far, you get to actually do the steps yourself using our checklists as a guide.
  4. Get your questions answered on the course website (Premium Course only). You’ll get access to a password-protected website where you can ask your AWeber questions and see the questions others have asked (and the answers).
  5. Get live help during our Bonus Call (Premium Course only). On September 21, we’ll hold a bonus Q&A call so we can answer as many of your questions as possible, live and in real-time. Premium purchasers will automatically receive an email invitation.

The complete home-study course will be ready for delivery on September 14. If you order it before then, we’ll thank you by giving you a special discounted pre-sale price.

And remember, anyone who buys the Premium course before September 21 will get invited to our bonus follow-up teleclass, where we’ll be doing AWeber Q&A live.

Check out the Love Your List workshop page for details and ordering information. Got a question? Feel free to leave a comment here, or talk to me during Open Office Hour (that’s every Thursday from 10am to 11am Pacific time).

Filed Under: General How-To's Tagged With: , , , ,

Tomorrow! Delightful Newsletters class! With Tara Swiger!

September 7, 2010 By

I totally squeed myself with delightment when Tara Swiger asked me to help teach her upcoming class, Delightful Newsletters.

Do you know Tara? She’s amazing. Not only does she create handmade, beautiful, eco-friendly yarn, but she delights in figuring out — and then turning around and teaching — smart business-y stuff.

The kind of stuff that one-person businesses, like yours and mine, can really use. Like how to find the right people to buy your stuff, and how to find the right price for said stuff. Whether said stuff is handmade or purely digital.

And now she’s going to tackle The Newsletter Question, and she asked me to help with the technological side. Since I love teaching live classes, I was thrilled to say yes. And I am positive that I will learn new things from her part of the class, too, so count me double-thrilled!

Delightful Newsletters class with Tara Swiger and Wendy Cholbi

What happens to the people who come by your website but decide not to buy?

Do they have something low-risk and totally free to DO?
Or do they wander away, forgetting all about their intention to return and buy their aunt that gift?

The easiest way to grab these potential right-people is to give them something.  Something free, something that gives them regular doses of your awesomeness that is totally risk free.

Often this is a newsletter.

But forget those notions of boring family newsletters or  corporate HR newsletters or spammy mcspammerson everyday buybuyBUY messages.

No, we’re talking about relevant, desired, down-right delightful love notes.

From you.
For your people.
To build trust.
To entice.
To delight.

You may already have a newsletter.
Or you may be too overwhelmed with the tech stuff to start.

In either case, we’ve got you covered.

Tara already has several different newsletter-ish things, each one thrilling her with the way it fulfills her business needs (whether that’s connecting with her people, making sales or growing her business).

On September 8, Tara’s going to teach you her best make-your-people-happy newsletter tricks.

And on September 15, I’ll explain the tech steps you’ll need to take to put those tricks into action.

Each class is $30, or you can get both as a package deal for $50. Go to Tara’s Delightful Newsletters page to sign up.

Each class includes:

  • Invitation to hour-long live teleclass
  • Chance to ask your questions before or during the class
  • Recording of the hour-long lecture
  • Pretty PDF Summary of everything we cover
  • Checklist on setting up newsletter (for How To Make class ONLY)

Filed Under: General How-To's Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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