Adding to a HTML code?

[WayOutWisdoms]

Having learned a ton today I found some information (somewhere in a post here submitted by someone else) concerning them adding an "opt-in" box on their blogsite.

I found this HTML code and it worked great producing a tidy little box for visitors on my sight to add their info:


O.K., so the code looks like this:

<FORM action="****//somesite*com/prog/adduser" method="post">
<P>
First name: <INPUT type="text" name="firstname"><BR>
Last name: <INPUT type="text" name="lastname"><BR>
email: <INPUT type="text" name="email"><BR>
<INPUT type="radio" name="***" value="Male"> Male<BR>
<INPUT type="radio" name="***" value="Female"> Female<BR>
<INPUT type="submit" value="Send"> <INPUT type="reset">
</P>
</FORM>

Now, I feel stupid because I've got this on my blog, and it looks decent, but I don't have a clue how to retreive the info my visitors put in the sign-in boxes?(DUH!)

Do I embed a tracking code within the HTML code above to retrieve this info?

Obviously, I want to start "list-building" and collecting names, emails, and gathering information.

What is the easiest method to do this?

I promise one day.......(hopefully in the near and not so distant future) I'll return the service by helping newbies like me with answers to such trivial questions

Thanks,

Art

 

[CDarklock]

When they click the "Send" button, the form's ACTION attribute should send them to a script - a piece of programming code - that takes the information in those boxes, and stores it in a database.

That database, in turn, can be accessed by other scripts and programs which retrieve and manipulate the information. You will probably use an autoresponder of some sort, for example, which will read all the email addresses out of the database and send each of them an email.

How to do this is a very complicated question, and it really depends on your hosting provider, your blog, and the specific scripts you use. I tend to write my own scripts, but then, I've been a software developer for some twenty years and I outright own the server where I host my web site... so what I would do is quite likely not very helpful for you.

There are a lot of good free and commercial scripts out there, though, and I'm sure someone can recommend one. You can also use a service like Aweber.

 

[WayOutWisdoms]

Thanks,

During a brief experience with a mlm centrally focused on internet marketing, I had an account with Aweber, domain thru GoDaddy, etc...and they seem very popular for their auto-responders/domains, but until I actually get my understanding up to par in building "landing pages/sites" (blogs for now) I am trying not to spend money.

Once I establish the base or foundation, where I understand how all these items work, managing them, and becoming efficient, then I do intend to get another Aweber account.

Basically, I am trying to do this using "Free Tools" until I can get the basics down. Spending money every month with Aweber right now, or buying domains with GoDaddy is definitely my "cheif aim, but it seems wasteful...as I still don't fully grasp HTML,Javascripts, etc..

I feel like an American in a foreign land that speaks no English, but repectfully...I intend to learn the language, as I plan on making a life, and a living doing this....eventually

If anyone knows how I can link the aforementioned box above with a free database program for now? that would be awesome!

As it stands, I haven't even gotten a "hit" on my blog, my counter's still reading ~0~ , so it's not a bad thing I guess considering the blog is in rough construction.

 

[CDarklock]

Your hosting provider is the right person to ask about how to use the database on your server. Your blog undoubtedly needs one already, so all you need to do is get the information you need to use it with other scripts... although if you're getting free hosting, you may not have that option at all. You will almost certainly need to invest SOME money in your hosting, if only to get access to the right tools.

I got an email yesterday about free Windows web hosting for sixty days... I don't need it, so I didn't pay much attention to the details, but you might want to take a look; it's on Microsoft's web site (you know the domain name, I'm sure) under /web/jumpstart/platinum-hosting - and sixty days should be plenty of time to bring in the cost of hosting.

 

[Linda Buquet]

I believe right now he's just using Blogger. So I'm not aware of a FREE way the names can be collected and used.

For my newsletter I use a turnkey solution that gives you the opt-in form to embed on your site. Then it auto collects and stores all the addresses and when I send out my newsletter it automatically sends to everyone. It starts at just $9.95 a month. Email Marketing Software - iContact

But if I were you I would honestly work on content and marketing 1st and worry about figuring out the opt-in later. You are shopping for a stove before you even have the walls of your house built and wasting time on the stove, when you should be getting the walls up and roof on before it rains.

You need a volume of traffic before anyone signs up. Before you can get a lot of traffic you need to have a lot of good content and marketing.

 

[WayOutWisdoms]

As always I learned something from the above responses. I remember one of my first responses here stated...be patient (a virtue I've longed to acquire, and yet master!)

However, being my current trade is now a brick at the bottom of a pond, and money is definitely becoming tougher to acquire, I feel like a "fish out of water" and I'm dying to get my ideas off the drawing board, and into play.

I really do appreciate the art of "tough love" and straight forward advice, as the first few forums I found had me spun, and overwhelmed by all the people trying to get me to sign-up. It's like that croc-ads company (which I don't know if they're good or bad) but I was forced to change my email after a free sign-up because they "the list building pro's" did just that...put me on a list!!!-flooding my mailbox with an arsenal of spam.

So I am learning this the hard way. But, experiences such as that also granted me the vision to see the bigger picture.

As far putting the stove before the walls, no argument here. I simply have read so much...trying to piece everything together keeps leading me into situations where one attribute (or tool like Aweber) plays off another attribute (like list building/auto-responding) and then from left field I'm trying to assemble all these subscriber boxes...with no idea of the order in which it should be done.

The real irony is, I can build a house from scratch, know all the tools, codes, and "had" specialized in waterfalls, hot tubs, jacuuzi's, swimming pools, etc...for almost 20 years.There's not a product in that market (practically speaking) that I don't know concerning quality, function, price range, efficiency, etc...

But now, I have what could easily be a considered the vision to see; the system of any business...construction, computer, or otherwise, in any application has a plan for success, and getting the resources to implement this Plan of mine...is the only hang-up!

I am confident..."Once I build it, they will come"- When they do, I really want to stand beside the people, behind the products, and on top for the long-term rewards of teaching others how to do it.