What the Heck do Cookies and being a Web Designer have to do with each other?
A lot!!
I am a Tucson WordPress Website Designer, and a Verified Veteran Owned Business. I specialize in Affordable WordPress Websites for the small and home based business. I may be in Tucson Arizona – I have clients all over the United States!
When I was a youngster growing up in Southern California, my Grandmother use to make the best Sugar & Spice Molasses cookies. The smell and taste of the cookies use to give me that warm “Christmassy” feeling. And today they remind me of my Grandmother, and the care that she took when making these yummy cookies. She got the recipe in a bag of flour probably in the 1940s. She carefully and gently kept the recipe safe. Today, the same recipe is with me, in a ZipLoc bag sitting on a shelf with my cookbooks. It is stained and well used….lots of cookies made with love have been made from that recipe!
Why did these cookies always turn out so good? She followed the recipe, and made adjustments over the years for the temperature of the oven, the bake ware used and the ingredients.
Web Designing is much like baking cookies. Ok…that is sort of a stretch, but bear with me. As a Tucson WordPress Website Designer, I am focused on creating a plan of success (a recipe) for my client’s website. What ALL web designers should have to ensure success is client participation (the ingredients). A web designer shouldn’t work in a vacuum, as the final product usually will end up like a blob of unbaked cookies on a sheet. The client A website that a client is actively engaged with during the creation, and actively promotes once live will be successful.
It is a continual education with clients and potential clients that website must be fed. And by feeding I mean that there is work that must be done to continually promote the website, ensuring that the search engines crawl through and index the site. I often tell clients to think of their URL (www.yourdomainname.com) like seeds. Their job is to plant these seeds in as many places throughout the internet as possible. Through back linking to other website, commenting on other people’s blogs, being social on Facebook , twitter, etc., and by blogging. All textual changes that a website has signals the search engines with a big “HEY YOU, COME INDEX ME” signal. The results of these efforts should be positive for the page ranking of the website.
Like making adjustment when baking cookies, a web designer and web site owner must be willing to make adjustments to the website. The adjustment can be increasing textual content, new images, adjusting the keyword/keyword phrases, and most recently the importance of having a mobile ready website.
A large percent of clients and potential clients search the internet on their tablets or smartphones. It a website isn’t mobile ready it basically won’t get used – this is potentially is a lost customer.
The page speed of a website is really is critical. If a website is slow to load most people click off of it and search on another website – this is potentially is a lost customer.
My testimonial about the cookies that Grandma used to bake would encourage others to bake them and eat them. The same is true for a web designer, and their client’s websites. Testimonials are important. What others have to say about working with you, or about your product and/or service is an important factor in making a decision to do business with you.
And a very important part about the process is caring – caring that the job, whether it’s making cookies or designing a website, is done well.
As a Tucson WordPress Website Designer, my goal is a happy client that has participated in the process. I try to make the process easy, and fun. I believe that fast and effective communication is critical.
I have had more than one client tell me stories about “The Last Web Designer” that wouldn’t return phone calls or emails. As my Dad would say “That is No Way to Run a Railroad.” I haven’t a clue where that saying came from, and my Dad worked in the aerospace industry. However the saying fits.
I enjoy what I do and I believe that helping the small business helps level the marketing playing field just a tad. It gives that small business owner a 24/7 business card. I encourage all potential clients to give me a call (520) 789-7638 to discuss their vision for their website.
And as Promised – the best cookie recipe from a Tucson WordPress Website Designer
Sugar & Spice Molasses Cookies
4 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter softened
1 cup light molasses
½ cup milk
2 eggs
extra sugar and powdered sugar for rolling
In large mixer bowl combine all ingredients except additional sugar. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed (2 to 3 minutes). Cover; refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours). Heat oven to 350. Shape rounded tablespoonfuls of dough into balls; roll in white sugar. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until slightly firm to touch. Dust with powdered sugar.
Enjoy the Day – and thanks Grandma!