Why done is better than perfect

I have designed a lot of websites in my time. In my experience the main thing that causes delays in a website project is content.

Some people spend months and months writing their content and waiting until it is perfect. In the meantime the project continues to be delayed and in the end it can feel like a chore.

A project like this should be fun and exciting and not turned into a chore because you have spent too much time worrying about getting it exactly perfect.

I totally get it.. you are putting something out to the world to see and you want to nail it. I would be lying if I said I had never sat on something for ages because I wanted it perfect… but this is something I am working on.

If you think about perfect chances are your version of perfect is totally different to what someone else’s version is.

“Done is better than perfect” is fast becoming my favourite quote!

Here is why…

1. You should always update your content

Google loves people to update their website and to be honest as a business owner you should be continually evolving and changing.

So when you are working on a website don’t procrastinate on the perfect content. Create content that is good enough and then update your content over time.

I can’t tell you how many times I have updated pages on my website to improve things. In fact I just revamped my website again!

2. Your competitors are changing (and fast)

In the age of the internet everything is changing at a rapid pace. If you sit on something for a long time then chances are by the time you actually finish it, the information will be out of date.

I had an old client of mine who sat on their website for over a year. By the time their website went live the technology in websites had advanced and her website looked dated.

So move quickly and adapt to the ever changing landscape.

3. Action leads to more time

Sitting there waiting for the perfect content or product leads to inaction.

Take quick action and free your self up.

When working on a project set yourself a deadline and stick to it.

The longer you take on that project the less time you have to spend on other opportunities.

4. If it’s good enough for Facebook…

The Facebook office have signs stating that ‘done is better than perfect’.

I figure if it is good enough for a company that has over 1 billion people using their product then it is a good enough mantra for me.

5. Done makes you more money

Going back to the website client who took over a year to write the wording for an 8 page website.

Can you image how much bigger her company could have grown in the 12 months it took to go live with the site.  Rather than sitting there on the content and not making any money.

A project or website that hasn’t launched isn’t going to make you any money for your bottom line.

So set your deadline and get it done so you can focus on generating income.

Tips to help you against content overwhelm

Write content that is scannable.

No one will read all of your pages.

In face most won’t read all of what you say on the first page they land on.

So make it easy for someone to scan your page with the use of good headlines, images and call to actions.

Create a quick site-map for your website or product

Create a one page word document and use bullet points to layout your pages and content easily.

This will help you work out exactly how everything will fit BEFORE you start creating your content.

It will make it easier to track what you need and how much to create.

If all else fails… hire some help

Don’t keep putting your content creation off.. the longer you leave it the longer your project will drag and the more chances of you losing your mojo.

Copywriters are worth their weight in gold, especially if you aren’t confident in writing. They can help you organise everything you need and provide advice on how to structure everything.