Sometimes, creativity moves like molasses. Other times, inspiration and excitement hit like lightning.
Last week I had an idea for a new project and wanted to act fast. So, in about two hours split between two days, I:
Bought the domain name
Set up a new email address
Signed up for a free Kit account
Created a landing page
Wrote a confirmation email
Bonus: created a pixel art GIF
Here’s a basic overview of how I approached each step.
Step 1: Buy the domain on Namecheap
I’ve used Namecheap for my domain registration for the past 7+ years, and it was the first place I went with my new name idea. To start, type in the name you’re thinking of and hit search.
awesomenewidea is not actually the name of my new website, so if you want it, it’s still up for grabs!
Lucky for me—my idea was available! And as a ‘.com’ address, no less. Namecheap often has sales and discount codes, so registering my new domain name was about 12 bucks. I added it to my cart, chose the free domain privacy option, and checked out.
Step 2: Set up a new email address
I love setting up new Gmail accounts. Is that strange? I don’t have a million addresses, but if I want to collect email examples for a specific idea, I’ll create a dedicated inbox to keep my primary ones clean.
So, I hopped on over to Gmail and created an account with the same name as my new domain. I started with the free version but may need to upgrade to a paid Google Workspace account later.
(I did set up an email redirect in Namecheap for now).
That fresh inbox feeling.
Step 3: Sign up for a free Kit account
With my new domain name in hand, I had two paths forward—start with a website or start with a free landing page.
Again, I’ve done both, but a free landing page is undeniably faster. So, I went to Kit and created a free account with my new Gmail address. I’ve used (and written for) Kit for yeeears, so it’s the tool I’m most comfortable with.
I can’t set up automations with a free account, but I don’t need those just yet. The goal right now is to move and shake, baby. I’ll add a website to the mix later.
Step 4: Create a free landing page
While I still sort through my mountain of ideas for the new project, I’ve decided to start collecting email addresses. Setting up a landing page is a really easy way to gauge interest and build an email list before committing a ton of time.
Kit has loads of landing page templates, and I chose the Knox design. Side note: there was a pesky event details section that didn’t apply to me, and I couldn’t delete it, so I just made the text the same color as the background. Moving fast, remember?
I quickly wrote some text and configured the design to my liking.
Step 5: Write a confirmation email
Technically, you don’t have to customize things like confirmation emails in Kit because they have default text. But I wanted to add a little pizazz, so I changed the copy a bit, adjusted colors, and added a custom graphic.
I also set up my verified sending domain in Kit.
Bonus: Create pixel art
I knew I wanted some pixel art visuals for my new project, and I thought about hiring an artist for some of it. That might still happen down the road, but in the name of speed and fun, I decided to see if there was a free way for me to play with it. Enter: Piskel.
It’s a free tool to create pixel art, and my first masterpiece was a tree(ish).It was so much fun to use that I added frames to a new design and created a few GIFs for the landing page and confirmation email.
Think a little, move a lot
There’s a time and place for carefully considered strategy. There’s also a time and a place to move quickly enough that self-doubt and overthinking can’t set in.
If there’s an idea you’ve been tossing around (or an epiphany that appeared in the shower this morning), start small. If you want to spend exactly zero cents, you can create a landing page without owning a domain.
It’s just the first step, but at the beginning of any project, you need momentum more than perfection.