pawel grabowski // blogger // writer // ghost writer // ireland
pawel grabowski // blogger // writer // ghost writer // ireland
How many CMS sites have you worked on last year?
OK, maybe not many. Maybe you still work in the Jurassic era and do all changes for your clients in the code. The majority of sites these days require some form of a CMS systems though. And that means their owners have full control over their content. Also, they now decide what goes where. Very often your expertise in that field is no longer required.
Ever heard this old saying? Sure you have.
I always take it a step further though, no risk, no nothing.
All great designers take risks, possibly you included. They try to push themselves to their limits and beyond. They test new ideas and quite often they win. Awards and praise and recognition. Sometimes they loose too but hey, you can’t win all the time.
But when was the last time that you took a risk in your web project?
It was at my 3rd year at the university that I heard what turned out to be one of the most valuable advice when it comes to my adult life.
One of the professors shared his list of secrets for a happy life with us. Out of many tongue in cheek advice there one really stood out for me.
Find a hobby. Just that.
I am an email addict.
I only realized how serious this is a few weeks ago. I kept on noticing signs of it for a while though but I also kept ignoring them. Just like the one that the first thing I do after waking up was checking my email on my iphone. Or going to walk with my two sons and checking email on the phone every couple of minutes to see if nothing new arrived.
But that’s all gone now and I started a process of recovery from this madness.
Do you read any of those newsletters that you receive every week? Or do you just glance at them while you hit delete key at the same time?
And have you ever considered why those newsletters never gained your attention? Why, in fact they are a failure?
Well, here's the answer, they offer no value.
Have you ever landed on your competitors website and immediately felt jealous of the content they had on it? A copy so good that you simply wished you had thought of it first?
Well, it certainly happened to me more than once.
But would you like to have your competition wishing they had the copy you have on yours?
Sure you would.
Have you ever wondered how, in spite of all the trouble with the economy some companies are still doing really well? And often without having to compete on price at all.
These are tough times to do business. Sales are down, marketing is expensive and no one can guarantee good results. Prospects don't have that much money anymore and they very carefully choose what and from whom they buy.
It’s 1.20pm as I write those words and I am done for the day.
All my work is completed and I can focus on what I really like, my hobbies. Of course I am still in the office, a phone will ring eventually and I will check my email at 3pm (see my post about it here) but that’s OK. All I have planned to do today I already achieved.
There is something wonderful about seeing an empty to do list. It feels like as if someone patted you on the back saying well done.