I’ve been steeling myself to reveal this photograph, but now the time has finally come.
It’s two years on from when it was taken, the pandemic is finally starting to recede from our lives, so I think it’s the moment.
There’s also the matter of an experience I had this week that brought it to mind, which holds a lesson worth sharing.
To that in a minute, but first,the photograph.
It really is shocking…
As you no doubt agree from looking at it.
That was my first self-inflicted home haircut from the start of the pandemic.
I think you can safely say it’s not an award winner.
(Unless in an awful sense, of course.)
It resulted in people crossing the road to avoid me, and thus me having to wear a hat for several weeks afterwards.
Until professional barbers reopened.
For which I was immensely grateful.
And I mean - immensely.
Why do I reveal this story now?
It’s because, this week, I was asked to help a company with a fundraising round.
They wanted media coverage to impress potential investors.
Which wasn’t going to be too difficult, as they had a brilliant product, like so many of the great businesses I have the pleasure of working with here in Cambridge.
Before we met up for a chat, I naturally did some research, including looking at their website…
And it certainly made an impression.
As regular readers will know, I don’t embarrass anyone here (apart from myself, of course), so I won’t name names but…
It was awful.
Absolutely, entirely, completely awful.
Far too much information, no clear idea of their unique value, a lack of images, difficult to navigate, horrible colour schemes and design, just a mess.
Which was a real shame, as they had a great story to tell.
So, when we sat down to chat, I had planned my strategy carefully.
I told them how impressed I was by their offering, that I thought it could make for a very successful business, and that the media would love it…
But, as ever in life, there was a but.
I phrased this carefully, with all due euphemism, and gentleness, but suggested…
Perhaps their website could be improved?
I’m pleased to say, like the best entrepreneurs, they listened and were open to suggestions.
The site, they said, had been thrown up by one of the team in just a few hours as a holding effort.
They thought it would do, but…
No, I replied.
Not really. Not at all in fact.
If you want millions of pounds from investors, it most certainly would not do.
The upshot being that Creative Warehouse are now working not just on the company's media profile, but improving their website.
Which we're happy to do, because they’re a great bunch with terrific potential, and we love to help our partners.
So, coming back to where we began, and that traumatic photo…
The moral of the story being:
If you need a great product, get the experts in.
Whether it’s a website, a haircut, or whatever.
It's an investment well worth making.
Which, of course, leads to the inevitable call to action!
If you need help with a website, core messages, design, getting media coverage, or anything in the communication field, please get in touch via our website: https://www.creative-warehouse.com/