NVU has a lot of easy to use features and one of them is creating columns.

After opening NVU, it starts you off in a new blank document.

The first thing to do is go up to the menu bar and click the 'Table' button. It works just like in MS Word. When you click it, it opens a new window.

What it wants you to do is tell it how many rows (horizontal) and how many columns (vertical) you want in your document. The standard sales/opt-in page usually has 1 column with three rows.

So, using the 'Quickly' tab, drag your arrow so there are three boxes selected in one column. At the bottom it should say '3 x 1' and click ok.

Now you have three boxes, in red. When you click on it, it will have several anchor points. Some will have arrows with a round circle with an 'x' in the middle. If you were to click the 'x' you would delete that row or column.

If you right click on the table, you will get a drop down menu; select 'Table Cell Properties'. This will bring up a window, click on the 'Table' tab. What you want to do is go to the 'Table Alignment' field and where it says 'left' using the drop down menu change it to 'center', also in the 'width' section type in around 740px. Plus you need to have a background color for your table. To the right of the 'Background Color' is a little box, click it and it will bring up the color palette window. Choose a color (I usually use white, in the predefined colors) and click ok. This will bring you back to the Table Properties window, just then click ok.

You can also change the size of the column using a bar. It is located directly above the column; it probably reads '443px'. Go to one of the sides of the bar and when it turns into horizontal arrows just click and drag it to the size you want it to be.

Next, you need to add your graphic header. Click into the top row, it should show you a blinking cursor. Now, in the menu bar, click the 'image' button. This will bring up a window. Click on 'Choose File' and browse to the file you want to put there. My headers are usually around 750 x 185.

You will need to put in your alternate text. This is useful is a couple of ways. The first is with the search engines. The will capture this information and be able to relate it to searches for people. This is just one way of many ways to optimize your web page. Another good use for alt text is for people that are blind. They have a program that will tell them what the graphic 'says'. This way they know what the picture/graphic. Next click ok.

The middle row of the column is for your sales letter. Just type in it just like you would MS Word. In the menu bar is ways to make text bigger and smaller, bold, italic and underlined. Plus you can make it different colors too.

The last row is for your footer graphic. Just insert a graphic like you did your header. Click into the row, click the 'Image' button and choose your graphic and click ok.

Sometimes people don't use a graphic for their footer. They just add color to the background with complimentary colored text. There are a couple of ways to do this.

One way is to right click in the cell you want to change and select 'Table Cell Properties'. Near the bottom of the window that comes up is 'Background color'. To the right of the words is a little window, when you click on it, it brings up a color window palette. Using the rainbow area you can virtually choose any color or you can use the predefined colors. Chose a good color for your site and then click ok. This takes you back to the Table Properties window, just click ok. You now have a colored cell.

Next, just type in the cell, I usually have my domain name 'www.TheCreativeNerd.com'. Sometimes, I include copy write info.

Another way to change the color of a cell is to click into the cell and in the menu bar there are two colored squares next to the 'little a'. The top color is your text color and the bottom color is your cells background color. If you click on the bottom one it will bring up the color palette, choose your color and click ok. Your cell is now the color your chose.

The last thing to create in the template is the background of the site. I usually use a tile graphic. To add one, go to up to 'Format' and in the drop down menu choose 'Page Colors and Background'. Now, if you want to use a solid color just click 'use custom colors' and choose a color. For a tiled graphic background, go to 'choose File' and browse to the graphic you want to use. When you have selected it, it will show a preview, then just click ok.

Play around a little, by adding & deleting columns and rows. Just use those little anchor points. The small arrows will add rows and columns and the small circle with the 'x' will delete rows and columns. Just have some fun.

Well, that is all there is to it. Not too hard, right? Just about as easy as using MS Word.

Don't forget to 'save as' the file and this way you have it forever and you can use this template for all your future websites!

Talk to you later,
Connie Casparie
"The Creative Nerd"