On being present over perfect
Because the people we work with are all pretty determined to be the best versions of themselves that they possibly can be, perfection is something they all hunt out, all of the time. This is why, just sometimes, that’s not such a good idea.
As I write this I’m thinking of a dear client who we worked with this year. She’d hired us to create her brand, and was planning to roll it out to her website herself. She so badly wanted her new website to be perfect that she delayed its launch for absolute months. The problem was that her business was not doing terribly well, and she badly needed the injection of energy and purpose that her new brand and updated website was there to unleash. But as the days rolled by, she seemingly got no closer to being ready to launch anything at all. Leads were growing cold and she wasn’t getting any new ones either. This really worried me. Not least because I knew full well that she could ill afford to see business trickle away. My point is, in her instance, and many others like it, it would’ve been a much better idea to get something out there and worry about fine tuning it later than to wait for the perfect moment.
Things constantly evolve
The truth is, your brand is never really ‘done’. Your business will always evolve, which means that as the years roll by, your brand will need to adapt to fit. And your website will absolutely evolve - probably faster than you imagine! Most savvy business owners that we know will diarise time at least once a year to give their website a rigorous shake down and update it to reflect their latest, best work and plans for the future.
If not now, then when?
Whenever I speak to someone who’s stalling on making a decision, this is what I’ll ask them. If they can come back with a definite answer (“I’ve booked a photoshoot for x, and once those images are back I’ll feel ready to launch”, “I’m taking a closer look at my packages with a business coach and will have them all sewn up by the end of the month”), I’m happy - if it’s quite clearly a case of procrastination then I’ll pop my nagging hat on and start to shove people towards the finish line. Because if not now, then when?
Will this project actually benefit from another two weeks of faffery?
What’s delaying the launch of your new brand or website? Is it because it really isn’t good enough yet - or are you one of the great many of us who suffer those jittery nerves that can often kick in before you make a big change? I’d never stand in the way of a client who has genuine refinements to make, but if you’re putting things off because you’re too nervous to hit that button and put something out there, it might be time to take a deep breath and just go for it.
Put a deadline on it
Nothing focuses the mind quite like a deadline. Announcing a new launch publicly or planning a celebratory bash can be a risky business in case things don’t go according to plan, but if you can safely and realistically put a date on the point at which you’ll unveil your new brand or website, you should. It gives everyone something to aim at and completely eliminates the desire to procrastinate.
A final word….
Oh my goodness, I’m not recommending that you release half-baked websites into the world or adopt a ‘that’ll do’ mentality to your precious brand identity. What I am saying is that sometimes the pursuit of perfection can lead to little more than wasted time. If you’re one of those people who has delayed a launch in the past for no good reason other than nerves, you’ll know what I mean. Get it out there!
