User experience can be an intimidating element in website design, and not because it is overly technical or complicated. In fact, it is quite subjective, and that is what makes it so difficult for businesses to incorporate. Putting individuals’ thoughts and feelings about the usability of your site into an effective plan can feel hit-or-miss.

Sources of information about user experience are still few, but the number is growing. Here are a couple of articles that may be of interest if user experience is currently on your priority list.

Web content is a GlobalWrites specialty, and this article by Kristina Halvorson on UX Magazine’s website gives a great explanation of how content and user experience go hand-in-hand: Content Strategy and UX: A Modern Love Story.

This article by Paul Bryan on UXmatters.com gives a simple, 7-part framework for user experience design: 7 Ingredients of a Successful UX Strategy.

As our society grows and changes, user experience also changes. So the study and implementation of user experience is worth keeping up-to-date on for any business with a web presence.

Part 4 in Michelle Finerty’s series:

Staying in Touch with Customers Using Emails and E-newsletters

Part 4—Obtaining Customer Email Addresses for E-newsletters

Most business owners need customers’ names and e-mail addresses to effectively market online. So, how do you do that in an age where people are protective of giving out their email addresses?

1. Encourage people to sign up for your e-newsletter by having a link on your website.

2. Offer incentives for signing up for your e-newsletter—give them a chance to win something, or provide a discount as a way to gather names and build relationships.

3. Put links in other businesses’  e-newsletters. Consider what newsletters your target customers may be currently subscribed to. By targeting your ads and promotions in specialized e-newsletters, you may get more sign-ups.

And never forget that customer loyalty is built on trust and confidence. So assure people up-front that you won’t be selling or sharing their personal information with anyone else.

>> Read part 1 of Michelle’s series, Writing a Successful E-newsletter

>> Read part 2 of Michelle’s series, Selecting E-newsletter Topics

>> Read part 3 of Michelle’s series, The Difference Between Emails and E-newsletters

We’re all guilty of it. We make way too much food for Thanksgiving and our fridge is over-stuffed for a week. So why not repurpose it, put a new spin on the old leftovers and serve it as appetizers for the post-Thanksgiving dinner football game?

I came up with three of these these delicious recipes for this HEB.com article and had my own family taste-test them. There were definitely no leftovers afterward.

Since Thanksgiving is coming up fast, here is a link to the Great Post-Thanksgiving Football Appetizers article so you can delight your own families with these tasty treats.