Creating this website – writing about my work – has been my toughest project ever.
I quickly thought of the expression, “The cobbler’s kids go without shoes.” Apparently, so did many other communications professionals. According to a quick web search, which I did after I thought I was done writing, it’s a popular topic for an inaugural blog.
But the similarities ended there. The other bloggers used the expression to mean that the cobbler was so busy making shoes for her clients, she didn’t have time to make shoes for her kids (or herself).
As soon as I began writing, I knew that I had a different reason for not having made my own shoes: I had no idea what to say. As good as I might be at making functional and elegant shoes for my clients, I could not design for my own feet.
So I hired a cobbler – a web designer who is also a terrific communications strategist. It was my first experience at being The Client.
Maria Kalomenidou (www.denovodezign.com) started by asking me, “Why do you want a website? How do you expect people to find you? What do you want them to do as a result?” She translated this understanding into a logo, layout and design in a way that felt a bit magical to me. But the work she did to help me do my part was instantly familiar. It’s the same questioning and problem solving I do.
Watching her work gave me a chance to hold a mirror to my work. I saw what focus, simplicity and clarity look like when you are standing in The Client’s shoes.
It’s an experience I highly recommend.