First, let’s look at the definition. Marketing Evolution defines it as…

Omnichannel marketing is the integration and cooperation of the various channels organizations use to interact with consumers, with the goal of creating a consistent brand experience. This includes physical (e.g. stores) and digital channels (e.g. websites).

In other words, be everyone at one time.

Customer-Focused

The old way of doing this was simple multichannel marketing. Think of it this way, typically businesses would spend time advertising on various outlets with company being the focus. The message is consistent and doesn’t change based on the customer.

With an omnichannel marketing strategy, the customer becomes the focus. The message can be altered or adjusted to meet the customer or client wherever they are in their engagement journey.

Omnichannel Marketing Strategy

This strategy of tailoring messaging for the customer is proven to be more successful. Here’s why. According to the Omnichannel Marketing website, there is clearly higher engagement. They share the following:

• Higher engagement: Omnichannel marketing campaigns earn an 18.96% engagement rate. Those using single-channel campaigns see a 5.4% engagement rate.
• Higher purchase rate: Omnichannel marketing campaigns earn a 287% higher purchase rate than those depending on just one channel (12% versus 3.21%). Bonus: When you use SMS as one of the channels within an omnichannel marketing initiative, the conversion rate improves by 47.7%.
• Higher spend rate: Customers engaging with omnichannel campaigns spend, on average, 13% more than those engaging with single-channel campaigns.
• Higher customer loyalty: Marketers using omnichannel campaigns experience a 90% higher retention rate than those using single-channel campaigns.

DesignRush reports:

• Companies with strong omnichannel campaigns retain over 89% of their customers.
• Buying frequency is 250% higher on omnichannel vs single-channel marketing.
• Customer retention rates are 90% higher for omnichannel vs single channel.
• Omnichannel shoppers have a 30% higher lifetime value than those who shop using only one channel.

Omnichannel marketing starts or ends with your website.

Your current strategy may include different touch points with a customer during their journey and experience with your business, other than your website. You may employ a CRM, like Hubspot or Salesforce, or email marketing through Constant Contact or MailChimp, for example. Social media could also be one of the ways your reach your clients.

The right web design and development agency, such as WebDevStudios, can bring all of these marketing channels together in one digital experience. Creating a digital experience that embraces and supports your omnichannel marketing strategy is really the proper way to think about customer engagement.

This leads me to the importance of a CRM. Are you using one for your customers, clients, or users? Think of this as a giant hub of information and insight for each client.

I often think of that scene from “The Office” where Michael talks about his index cards for each client. While the premise of the scene was funny, the message was important.

The nuances and characteristics of your clients can tell you a beautiful story. When thinking through the lens of omnichannel marketing, it’s as if your user’s story is being read to you.

3 Things to Consider

• Go through the customer engagement process yourself. Visit your websites. Fill out a contact form. Make a purchase, etc. How does it feel? What improvements could you make?
• Talk to each department and understand their needs and challenges. How can they be addressed through either refinements or customer data?
• Think of each piece of your omnichannel marketing strategy. Do they satisfy your customers’ wants or needs, not just to advertise?
• Make sure you convey clear calls to actions.
• Test and retest. Analyze the date and adjust when and where needed.

Get help.

When in doubt, enlist the expertise of a creative agency and/or a web development agency to put all these pieces together for you. Having experts work with you will ensure your success.

At WebDevStudios, we are well-experienced in developing web platforms that reinforce your omnichannel marketing efforts. Contact us and let’s chat. Creating the proper digital experience for your omnichannel marketing strategy will show your customers that you are there to assist them and make their experience complete.

Try this TED Talk.

If you are interested in learning more, this is a great TED Talk to check out. Illustrating his thoughts with inspiring example from some of today’s largest retail players, Kilian Wagner, CEO of a very innovative Swiss start-up, gives insight on his retail strategy and on how omnichannelling might just be the quiet revolution we have all been waiting for.

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Jodie Fiorenza

Job Title: Director of Business Development

Years at WebDevStudios: 5

The alarm goes off at 6 a.m. I fell asleep the night before with a determination and will to change my life in a way I have never done before. The second alarm then goes off. I glance at the clock and say to myself, “We can start changing our life tomorrow.”

That is my usual morning routine. I like sleep.

Nas said, “Sleep is the cousin of death,” but I always felt that sleep was really the grandmother that hugged you hard. I like my eight hours of sleep.

I will, however, admit to bouts of insomnia that will appear out of the blue. It wakes me up at the witching hour simply reminding me that I am, in fact, a terrible sleeper who at some point should address that issue.

When I do finally decide it’s time to roll out of bed, the first task of the day is to give my two pups a healthy dose of belly rubs. If that doesn’t happen, the whole day will be off. At this point, they are usually standing on my face or jumping at my feet letting me know that it’s time for breakfast.

Now, I’m awake. It’s time for my morning routine, which consists of meditation, staring out the window, some movement, and silent time. I check on my plants, make a cup of coffee, feed the pups, and then try to journal. Although some mornings, I just scroll on TikTok. It all depends on how I’m feeling. Today is a bones day though so it’s going to be a great day. (That is a TikTok reference. If you got it, can we be friends?)

I continue getting ready for the day. I try to do my hair, put on some makeup, and throw on a decent shirt because my calendar is always full of Zoom calls. Then I make another cup of coffee and head into my office to start my day as the Director of Business Development for WebDevStudios (WDS).

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I also think breakfast for dinner is an essential part of life. Generally speaking, I like breakfast foods.

My office is full of things I love: plants, books, pillows, blankets, music, incense and candles. I need my space to be a whole vibe in order for me to be truly effective. I have put energy into my space because I spend a lot of time there and I think it is important. I even have two dog beds for the pups. If you’re like me, you have that breed of dog that only barks on Zoom calls. They are special and unique.

Because I’m nosey and like to keep on top of what is happening with all the clients, my first step is to go through Slack. It’s a big task because I’m in every room. I manage my Slack usage with status updates, the mute button, and also by limiting the use of it on my phone.

When it comes to email, I try to make inbox zero a goal. At the very least, I want my inbox to be less than 10. I know what you’re thinking, “Jodie, how are you so organized?”

Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret. My email management style is not because I like to be organized. I do it because if I don’t, I will look at my inbox and my anxiety will immediately grab a hold of me. Then in true Gen X fashion, I will be forced to drink more coffee to soothe my anxiety. This will in turn make me more anxious.

As you can see, there is no way out at this point. Instead of getting caught on the hamster wheel of caffeine and guilt, I must limit my exposure to chaos. This means one thing, and David Allen said it best, “If you can do something in under two minutes, do it now.” Therefore, I respond to emails as quickly as possible. Then it either gets filed, deleted, or I set a reminder/task for next steps.

At 9:30 a.m. every day, I have the pleasure of doing a quick standup with our Business Development Administrator, Tara Rickaby. The goal is to talk about the meetings we had the day before, what’s on deck for the current day, and what tasks we need to prioritize.

Essential Duties of WDS Business Development

• Identify new business opportunities
• Manage partnerships
• Handle incoming leads
• Create proposals, contracts, and SOWs
• Onboard new clients to the PMO department
• And if time allows, focus on outbound efforts

I should also mention that it is a lot of work for two people to do and we are hiring!

Clients

The most fulfilling part of my job as Director of Business Development is talking with clients. This is especially true for new clients, who may be unsure of WDS or maybe they have some outdated views on WordPress.

My job allows me the privilege to brag about the amazing work we do and the people who do it. At the end of the day, that is what clients respond to—the people of WDS.

The Call

It should be no surprise that my calendar is full of calls. I try to minimize the amount of calls I do on Friday so that I can do admin work and catch up on things.

In recent years, I have become better at scheduling appointments. I like to schedule calls for 30 or 45 minutes long. This allows for some buffer between calls to record notes, drink water, etc.

I also try to block off time in the afternoon to walk the pups. They need it and so do I. I have a standing desk that allows me to move while working. I have a sitting desk that allows me to focus on tasks. I also use my air pods to pace when I’m on calls because repetitive movement helps me concentrate.

My biggest challenge is limiting distractions during a call. That is a constant work in progress for me. I’m trying to be present when I engage with a client because that is the absolute bare minimum I can do for them. I recognize that I talk to very busy and important people. I want to provide the best experience for them.

On any client call, I’m trying to learn the following things:

• Why did they reach out to WDS?
• What is the main goal of their business?
• Who are their current users?
• Who are they trying to reach?
• What are their current challenges?
• And, of course, everyone’s favorite questions… time and budget.

Gathering all this information makes me feel like an investigator for a moment. There is a problem that needs to be solved. There is a solution that needs to be created. There is an answer waiting to be developed.

I went to college in the hopes of being the next Barbara Walters. Little did I know all that interpersonal communications studying would lead to this.

Every day I am welcomed with the opportunity to speak with industry leaders, people who are pushing the boundaries of tech. At WDS, we don’t just build websites. We create engines that allow creators to push information to the world allowing for the continuous sharing of knowledge.The gravity of that is never lost on me.

Outside of talking to clients, I also regularly meet with our internal team. We are either reviewing estimates or doing a knowledge transfer about a client.

Remember that game “telephone” you played as a child? You would whisper a phrase into someone’s ear and then they would do it to the next person and so on. By the time you get to the last person, something simple like “I love dogs” turned into “Elephants can’t cry.”

Transferring knowledge from the sales team to strategy to project management to developers often reminds me of that. It’s not that information gets skewed but new information is always coming to light. Projects are an ever-evolving experience and, quite frankly, they should be.

The Proposal

Usually, after talking with a client, the goal is to get enough information to create a proposal or SOW. It is a delicate dance between getting enough information without it being a full strategy session.

Then, we have to organize that information into a beautiful document—one that conveys our message to the prospective client. I believe proposals are a constant work in progress. We are always updating ours.

I love getting feedback from clients on what they found helpful and what they didn’t. I’m a firm believer that a proposal should be short and concise and contain almost no fluff. We have had a lot of positive feedback on our proposals over the years. It’s a team effort, from design to marketing to engineering. Each department has contributed. I love that we get to do these things together.

The Partners

I also have the pleasure of working with a number of partners. Partnerships are an essential part of business development. I get to work with some of the best including WP Engine, WordPress VIP, and Pagely.

We have regular meetings to ensure that we are working together to provide a top tier experience to our clients. The WordPress community is an ecosystem. Every piece moving together yet remaining independent all to provide a complete service to clients.

The End

A day of talking on virtual calls can often feel like being on stage for eight hours. I’m animated and try to keep the energy up on every call.

When the clock winds down for the day, so do I. Thats not to say that some days don’t require late hours, but for the most part, I’ve been successful in creating a definitive end to my day.

It’s important that I give myself time to recharge so I can do it all again tomorrow. In the evenings, when the world is quiet, I often get inspired. This is a great time for me to do some work that leans more creative. For example, that is the best time for me to make adjustments to the proposal or jot down ideas for our marketing department.

I also like to light a candle, read a book, curl up with a cup of tea and feel gratitude that this is my life. When I was in college, the internet was just becoming a thing and now it’s my career. The world is wild.

My Golden Rule

Although it has nothing to do with business development, it has everything to do with people. I try to use The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz as my guide for life as much as possible. Here are some excerpts.

Be impeccable with your word. Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

Don’t take anything personally. Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

Don’t make assumptions. Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

Always do your best. Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

The post WebDevStudios Day in the Life of a Director of Business Development appeared first on WebDevStudios.

Before we get into my recommendations for building successful client relationships virtually, I want to first mention that, to me, communication and good conversation are the keys to many things. I often reference the following excerpt from “My Students Don’t Know How to Have a Conversation” by Paul Barnwell (The Atlantic, April 2014). Has the art of conversation eluded us? Regardless if it’s virtual or in person, conversation is the solidifying factor between a good experience and a bad experience for a client.

As I watched my class struggle, I came to realize that conversational competence might be the single-most overlooked skill we fail to teach students. Kids spend hours each day engaging with ideas and one another through screens—but rarely do they have an opportunity to truly hone their interpersonal communication skills. Admittedly, teenage awkwardness and nerves play a role in difficult conversations. But students’ reliance on screens for communication is detracting—and distracting—from their engagement in real-time talk. It might sound like a funny question, but we need to ask ourselves: Is there any 21st-century skill more important than being able to sustain confident, coherent conversation?

Take Care

It is essential that you are taking care of yourself first. Good sleep, hydration, and movement are key factors in one’s performance. It’s very easy to feel more fatigued working from home. I’m not sure why this happens but I believe it has to do with the scenery staying the same and finding that separation between home and work is hard. I have this problem in that I have a home office but have never actually used it. I don’t feel productive in that space. I end up roaming around the house. Someone told me there is no room police and I’m allowed to use any room in the house for work. Not everyone can do that and some require a dedicated space. Bottom line, do what works for you.

Find Time

My number-one productivity rule: if a task takes less than two minutes to complete, do it right now. That includes, answering emails even if it is to say, “I’ve received this and will respond shortly.”

As a true extrovert, time is an illusion to me. My most productive hours are 7:00 a.m. through 11:00 a.m. and then again from 9:00 p.m. through 11:00 p.m. I’ve always been like this. Because I know this about myself, I have to structure my day in a way that makes sense. Doing client calls at 3:00 p.m., while sometimes necessary, is not the best for me. I also have to make a list each morning to outline my priorities. Before having conversations with other humans, it is essential that I clear my mind of my “to-dos” so that I’m free to interact and focus on client relationships. Lists are a great way for me to do this. I also use my productive hours to get things done before I start my day, such as watering plants, making breakfast, walking the dogs, making the bed, etc. If I have these tasks completed before I wish my colleagues a good morning, I’m in a much better head space. That is the goal after all, to get to a point where I can freely engage in conversation.

Be Present

Efficiency when multitasking has been proven to be a fallacy. It hurts your brain and really cuts down on your productivity. It can also be, quite frankly, rude.

When you have a client phone call on your schedule, clear the chatter around you. That means close tabs, shut off Slack, turn your phone on silent. If your desire is to build successful client relationships virtually, then your clients must know you are there for them.

When I’m about to embark on a virtual call with clients, I still use all the techniques I would use if I were meeting them in person. For example, years of vocal training taught me a trick on how to sit/stand up straight. Imagine a string attached to the top of your head and it connects to the ceiling. That visualization helps to position yourself appropriately. It’s also important that your camera and monitor be at the correct height. You want to appear professional, prepared, and present for your client.

I also like to ask my clients if I can record our phone call to refer back to later. This frees me up from having to take notes. I feel less engaged in the conversation when I’m typing or writing notes. I’ve also noticed that if I have on my blue blockers glasses it looks like inception in the lenses. The reflection really shows up on video calls, so I remove them. And while I love the creativeness of the different backgrounds people are using, I do find them distracting so when I’m on a call with clients. I stick with my boring wall and plants in the background.

Choose Words

Language is a powerful tool. The words that we choose can be the difference between a good conversation and a great conversation. There were a couple of things I had to learn about word selection for virtual conversations.

First, the pace for the conversation is often different. It’s easy to talk over someone or cut someone off due to technical difficulties or simply because of internet delay. This means you have to be patient and take a breath before jumping in. Everyone wants to be heard, so it’s natural to become excited and simply start talking, but we don’t have the luxury of full bodily cues when meeting virtually.

If you are hosting the phone call, it becomes your responsibility to establish control of the conversation. I don’t mean control in a bad way, but you should start the call with introductions and calling on people, if you have to. Think of yourself as a facilitator. Pro tip: having an agenda for the call really helps to structure the conversation.

Authenticity needs to be as transparent as possible in your facial expression and tonality. It’s okay to not know everything. Saying you don’t know is not only okay, it is essential.

One of my biggest communication challenges is the amount of qualifying words and phrases that I use. It has become a personal mission for me to remove them from my communication style. A perfect example is strategizing an email with, “Sorry to bother you,” or starting a sentence with, “I just wanted to.” Not only does it sound needy, it’s untrue. I do need to bother people sometimes.

Manners go a long way. Robert Cialdini explains in his book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, the principle of reciprocity as a powerful motivator. It is in our nature to not want to feel indebted to others. When someone gives us something, we are wired to give back in some way. When customers receive something like a handwritten thank-you note, they feel compelled to reciprocate (hopefully with repeat business or additional scope of work).

Stay Motivated

If I’m feeling tired or like I need a break, I find my pups and play or go for a walk. There is a lot to be said for stepping away from your computer for a few minutes. Don’t force conversations. Allow yourself the time and energy you need to have them correctly.

• Find what works for you.
• Do it often.
• Congratulate yourself on staying motivated during unprecedented times.
• We are growing and adapting together.

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.
-George Bernard Shaw

Recommended Viewing

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On the first day of class of my freshman year of college, our professor walked into the room and said something I will never forget:

Have you heard about this thing called the World Wide Web yet?

My classmates and I looked around the room at each other shaking our heads no. My only context in regards to the WWW was that the military used it and I could somehow magically send emails with my new college email address.

Fast forward, let’s say a few years (wink-wink), and here I am working in an industry that didn’t exist when I was in college. Moral of the story—technology changes fast. Developers and engineers are charting the course. Your users are setting the pace.

As the owner of a website, I believe you have a responsibility to keep that website up to date, in line with best practices, inclusive for all, and engaging. Given the speed that tech changes, in order to uphold your responsibility you must be ready for anything, i.e, “in omnia paratus” for all you “Gilmore Girls” fans out there.

If it seems overwhelming to keep up with your website responsibilities and, more importantly, your users, know that it can be, but not if you have a team behind you. One way to accomplish this is through a retainer.

There is a confidence that comes with a retainer.

The concept of a retainer is common. We often use them for services like an attorney would provide. You know your chosen professional is there to guide and assist you when you require it, allowing you to be proactive and not reactive with your business and marketing.

This is something advertising agencies have been doing for awhile now. In the advertising world, campaigns are usually ongoing because businesses need to adapt to the market quickly.

There are other benefits of retainer engagement.

1. You are not locked into one thing. You can bend easily to the ebb and flow of development.
2. You have a team of people at your disposal, especially in an emergency situation.
3. Additional training is available as needed.
4. You have the opportunity to plan and strategize on improvements.
5. A/B testing can be done and the results evaluated.

But most importantly, you have the ability to grow as your business grows. Can we assume that if you have a business, whether it be consumer packaged goods or a service, the ultimate goal is to grow? And by grow, I don’t only mean financial profit. Growing could be defined as simply expanding your user base or team.

Our thinking needs to shift. A website is not simply a single, one-and-done project anymore. It is an ever-changing and evolving tool for your business.

The results of retainer engagement are simple:

• Happier clients
• Happier engineering and design team
• Less administrative works
• The foundation of a true partnership

Does a retainer sound like a fit for your website project? Contact us and let’s talk about it today.

The post Why a Retainer Might Be a Better Option for Your Website Project appeared first on WebDevStudios.

I love it. Bet your bottom dollar you’ll lose the blues in Chicago… Chicago….

Frank Sinatra said it best. Chicago is magic. You know you are in an urban environment yet you can feel the history created by the city. Shayda Torabi, our Director of Marketing, and I traveled to the windy city to attend WordCamp for Publishers, August 8th-10th. This was the first opportunity that Shayda and I had to present together at a WordCamp. And since the event was designed for “…folks who use WordPress to manage publications, big or small,” and to empower “…participants by coaching them on best practices, and encourage collaboration in building open source tools for publishers,” our talk focused on finding ways to minimize the amount of tools editors would need when creating content in WordPress. We titled it “How to Stop Editing in Google Docs (and Other Tidbits to Help You Find the Right Editorial Workflow).”

We all know how beneficial the open web is and how the byproducts of that are the many benefits of building your website on WordPress. You own your content. You have endless plugins to extend your site. Plus, it’s adopted by 30.7% of the web! However, we spend so much time talking about what your site should look like, and not a lot about how it will function for your team of editors, writers, and producers.

Efficiency is something we all strive for, and thankfully, we’ve learned a thing or two about that from our experiences of building websites for media clients and publishers of all shapes and sizes. And we’ve learned, that as a publisher, you want to enable your writers and editors to work as efficiently as possible.

If you are lost in a sea of endless tools organizing your editorial content while trying to adhere to your editorial workflow, then this talk is for you. Learn how to use WordPress to consolidate your workflow into one efficient, organized space. Watch it below.

Following our presentation, it was immediately evident that is sparked some great conversation on social media. Minimizing the number of editing tools is a real challenge for media companies and publications. A perfect solution does not exist yet, but we are working on it.

The lineup of speakers ranged from agency owners to publishers themselves. Topics included accessibility, paywalls, security, speed and more. As with any WordCamp, many sponsors also attended. One even had a wall of donuts. That is what I call brilliant marketing.

The organizers of WordCamp for Publishers deserve applause. They put together a wonderful event and included amazing activities for the speakers, sponsors, and attendees. My favorite was the Chicago Architecture Foundation Boat Tour, which was a lovely boat ride down the Chicago River, learning about the various buildings and the backbone of center city Chicago.

WordPress has a bright future in publishing. Still the leading CMS, capturing over 30% of the market, WordPress remains a leader in content management. It’s used by publications such as TechCrunch, The New York Times, The New Yorker, and artists like Beyonce. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future of WordPress holds with the release of Gutenberg, but I have no doubt that it will always be a force within the publishing world.

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I arrived Thursday evening and was instantly ready to dive into some seafood. After scouring Twitter for some recommendations via the #WCBos hashtag, I opted to hang out at the hotel and perfect my slides for my talk. Traveling is exhausting and I knew I was about to head into some super busy days. Friday night, though, my seafood dreams were realized as I joined some friends for a feast overlooking the water.

The festivities began on Saturday morning. Walking into a WordCamp the morning of registration is still exciting. You know you are entering something great and you know you are about to be inspired. The keynote presentation “The Gutenberg Journey,” given by Tammie Lister, kicked off the event. It was brilliant. Her talk was an inside look at the reasons behind Gutenberg and where the future of WordPress is headed.

I attended quite a few sessions that day, more than I usually do because I was very drawn to this year’s content. My talk was scheduled for 4:10 p.m. on Saturday; so like any good speaker, I fueled up on coffee and snacks about an hour before. You know what I learned? I’m loud. Like, really loud. Like, louder than you may think. They actually had to have me back away from the mic and then turn it down!

But overall, it was an entertaining presentation, I even included a text message from my mom telling me that I would do great. Raving reviews like that deserve to be shared. This year’s presentation was on “Selling to Enterprise Clients,” and I hope that everyone enjoyed it as much I enjoyed presenting it.

“You must demonstrate value. This has nothing to do with price.”—@Jodie_Riccelli so true! #WCBos there is so much that happens during the discovery phase with clients. #WCBos #WordPress @webdevstudios pic.twitter.com/kx42adcUfY

— Laura Byrne Cristiano (@NewYorkerLaura) July 21, 2018

I really enjoyed the sponsor hall this year at Boston. It was perfectly set up with coffee in the middle and the awesome sponsors on the perimeter. As I wandered, I ran into some old and new friends like the folks at Pressable, Pantheon, and GiveWP.

As with every great WordCamp, the night ended with an after-party. I want it on the record that I played cornhole and ring toss and was not terrible at either. Athletics and I usually don’t go together, not that cornhole and ring toss are the most athletic, but I’ll take the win.

What is really important to note, however, are the organizers and volunteers. They did a fantastic job and put together a wonderful event that was loved by all. Thank you, WordCamp Boston. Until next year!

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My iPhone, laptop, even a new air purifier I recently purchased all had the option to buy some form of a maintenance plan. I’ve never regretted purchasing one because while I’d like to think of myself as responsible, I’m far from graceful. Working in the tech industry now as the Director of Client Strategy at WDS, I’m often asked whether or not an ongoing website maintenance and support plan for a website is necessary. My answer is always the same, “Absolutely.”

I understand being hesitant to engage in this extra expense. I’ll be the first to admit that YouTube tutorials, online classes, and documentation have me believing that I’m an expert developer at times; and while these tools are helpful, they don’t always account for the unexpected. There are many reasons why ongoing support is critical but let me just share a few.

Plugin, Theme, and WordPress Updates

All of the code that goes into making WordPress work is often referred to as the “core.” WordPress sends out updates a few times a year to ensure that the core is always in tip-top shape. Some releases are small, but some are important, containing things like critical security updates. Every update is worth taking seriously.

Plugins are created by this amazing open source community to extend the functionality of your website. Plugins can update more or less frequently depending on how engaged the developer is in improving the tool.

There’s also your website theme to think about. Whether you’re using a free or premium one, chances are that as WordPress releases new updates, so will your theme.

I hesitate to hit that “update” button sometimes. You don’t always know how your website will be affected. While most agencies develop websites to be as update-proof as possible, there are no guarantees. Having a professional on deck to handle these updates for you is critical in the ultimate performance and health of your website.

Security

Hacking: it’s a term we are all familiar with. A quick look at the news and there is a story of some website being hacked somewhere. There are numerous measures you can take to protect your website. Some are easy and could merely require a plugin, but others tend to be a bit more complex. With ongoing support, trusted professionals will ensure the health of your website. One thing you may want to consider is if your website is being monitored on a regular basis. Constant security scans alert the website owner if a file has been tampered with, if there are irregular logins, or even if there have been DNS changes. Regular monitoring can detect if these changes are out of the ordinary and quickly put things back to normal.

Backups

Here is a typical scenario—you hire someone new to work on your website. It could be a new developer or maybe someone just adding content. They are given more access than they need, and accidentally something happens, and your site is not looking like it should. If you have regular backups being performed on your website, restoring to the last one should be a painless process. Without backups, you are in for a ton of investigation and work. Having regularly scheduled backups is the insurance policy you need most.

Big and Small Changes

The real hero of a maintenance and support plan us simply having access to a team of experts available to help. That form you want to add to the website, those images that you just haven’t had a chance to upload, the new ads you want to put on the homepage; with a support team, it’s as simple as letting them know your plans and then allowing them to take it from there. Think of your support team as an extension of your business. They are here to support you. No task is too small or large.

This may seem like a lot, and it is. There is no need to tackle all of this yourself. That’s why WDS has Maintainn. At Maintainn, a brilliant team of support specialists is there to answer your questions, help plan for changes, secure your website, back it up regularly, and update it consistently. All of this is to ensure you have a high performant and rock-solid website. Not only does this bring you peace of mind but it also assures your visitors are enjoying their experience. Yeah, there may be some additional investment, but it can’t compare to the investment needed if these safeguards are not in place.

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Attending a truly organized and entertaining WordCamp is a pleasure and Atlanta did everything right. I arrived a day early to explore some sites and take in the city a bit. As it turns out, I didn’t get to see much, but I can tell you that my hotel bed was great for napping. The life of a traveler sometimes, am I right?

Also, it should be noted that no matter how early I start my slides for any presentation, I always decide that I don’t like any of them on the day before. This, of course, leads to investing a few hours in improving my presentation. Atlanta was no different.

During WordCamp Philly in 2017, I was having a conversation with Aaron Jorbin about potential topics for WordCamp presentations. It was at that time that he suggested doing a talk on selling to enterprise clients could be helpful for attendees. I took the idea and ran with it and then submitted this talk for the first time to WordCamp Atlanta. Part of my professional goals this year is to speak at four WordCamps that I’ve never attended before. Atlanta is the first to check off my list.

The theme this year was Creative Diversity and it radiated through the event in unique ways. They had a graffiti board, for example, that allowed attendees to channel their inner Banksy. This was one of the times I wished I had Cameron Campbell, our creative lead, with me because the extent of my artistry was using two different colored markers. There was also a caricature artist and magician at the after party which was incredible. The organizers and volunteers need to pat themselves on the back because the chatter among attendees was super positive and everyone walked away having learned something.

Someone this weekend asked me why I travel to WordCamps. It got me thinking about the true purpose of attending. I explained that in my position it is important for me to stay connected to the community. It’s also important that I’m aware of what’s happening with WordPress as a platform. But, the joy of meeting different people from around the world is truly what keeps me motivated.

On a personal note, I truly enjoy speaking and WordCamps give me the opportunity to exercise that skill in a safe and comfortable environment. And I’m never disappointed. This weekend I met some amazing people. I had the opportunity to spend time with Pressable, GoDaddy, Wordfence Security, Pantheon, and many friends that I’ve made throughout the years.

My talk was on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. Pro tip: don’t stay up until 2 a.m. the night before chatting. Regardless, I was ready. The room started to fill with attendees and I reminded myself that I had one job—take a group selfie for our blog. Well, my slides weren’t working and technical difficulties followed, so I forgot to do that. But you can use your imagination. It was a beautiful room.

My presentation centered around some of the tips and techniques I use for working with enterprise clients but we also covered some basic sales principles, including my definition of sales:

/verb/
Sales is about providing solutions to challenges a client may be having while being respectful of their budget.

It’s important to me that attendees walked away with two key elements: the lesson that fear is what holds us back and the confidence in working with clients. The presentation covered the basics, the needs, the research, and the proposal process along with client stories and helpful advice. Sales is not a dirty word, and I’m cleaning it up.

If you missed out on the magic of WordCamp Atlanta, you can view a copy of my slides here. Keep up with the various WordCamp events at Central.WordCamp.org. Find out which WordCamp WebDevStudios will be attending (or speaking at) by visiting our WDS Gives Back page. 

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For the past few years, I have had the pleasure of helping organize this event in addition to the two years we hosted WordCamp US in our city. Each year, Philly opens its arms to the community and garnishes praise like the following:

What else makes Philly WordCamp so awesome? Well, this year we did it Halloween weekend. Philly WordCamp was held October 27th and 28th at the University of the Sciences in West Philadelphia. (It’s impossible to write that sentence without saying “born and raised” next.)

To see folks attend the event in costume gives the weekend a whole new dimension. When working with a creative group, it should be no surprise that the costumes are superior. From the Blue Screen of Death to Doctor Who, the costumes were the perfect backdrop for creativity, learning, adventure, and bonding.

Of course, the reason people attend WordCamps is not simply for the camaraderie and the food, they are primarily there for the amazing sessions led by community members. WordCamp sessions are meant to inspire you to go forth and make, design, market, and build really great websites. On the roster this year, WordCamp Philly had some of the most highly regarded speakers in the biz like our own Lisa Sabin-Wilson, who gave a talk entitled, “Systems for Success: Revenue Doesn’t Mean Sh*t if You’re Not Profitable.” Brad was spotlighted on a panel that talked about the WordPress Economy although his Mr. Halloween suit was really the talk of the event. Mr. Halloween does WordPress.

Additionally, Philly WordCampers got to hear Aaron Jorbin talk about advanced topics in developing, Mika Epstein talk about “Data Based Sites (Or: How Sara Lance Made Me Cry),” and Christopher Lauzon discuss “That Time I Blew Up Someone’s Site and Other Ways to Avoid Disaster.” We can’t forget the local Philly folks like, “Having My Website Hacked Was the Best Thing That Could Have Happened to Me,” presented by Laura Byrne-Cristiano and “Create Your First Shortcode,” presented by Sal Ferrarello. I think, however, everyone can agree that one of the highlights was Marc Coleman’s keynote talk on Diversity in the Tech Space titled, “The Risks and Rewards of Community”.

Now let’s talk about the fun stuff. I booked the party spaces. Friday Night we had the pleasure of hosting the speakers at La Fourno on South Street in Philadelphia. We stuffed ourselves with butternut squash ravioli and pizza! It was wonderful. The following evening was the Official After-Party at William Street Common in West Philly. We distributed prizes to our costume contest winners and Brad happened to walk away with a prize, as did other great winners like Bert from Sesame Street!

Then a group of us ended the evening with a time-honored Philly Tradition: the Philly Taco. This masterpiece starts with a slice of giant pizza from a local favorite spot called Lorenzo’s. Then you simply cross the street to another local spot called Jim’s and purchase a cheesesteak. The slice is lovingly wrapped around the cheesesteak sandwich similar to a taco. It’s perfection and disgusting all in one bite but so worth it if you are really looking to get that Philly experience.

On Sunday we held contributor day, and from what I hear it was incredible. I wish I could report more about it, however, I was unable to attend due to a previous commitment. It had nothing to do with the after-effects of the Philly Taco… I swear.

I love my city. I love WebDevStudios. I love WordPress and WordCamps, so it should come as no surprise this was one of my favorite weekends. Thank you to the organizers who made it so special and the attendees who made it shine brightly with the spirit of the community.

P.S. We are proud to say that Maintainn was a sponsor this year!

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Ever since reading “The Sun Also Rises,” I admittedly have had an obsession with Paris. Not that this is any different from many people I know. The city becomes a goal to attain to anyone who has watched a movie, read a book, or simply enjoys quality food. It is a vista to experience and a culture to be savored.

Boarding the plane in Philadelphia, I had some grand plans. I mapped out itineraries and made lists of things to see and do. I was ready for the city, but I soon learned that Paris was not ready for me.

Before I go any further, I want to say that I loved Paris. It was in so many ways familiar and yet in so many ways unknown. It was a true adventure. WCEU was amazing. The team in Europe surely put together an event for the ages, but that’s not what this story is about. Here’s the tale I want to tell.

As I was following my very-well-executed Google maps and trotting through the Parisian streets, it seemed as though my exploration was completely obtainable. My Google map said it was about three hours of walking overall. I figured by allotting enough time at each stop that I would be putting in a full day. I was fine with walking, because I had new sneakers that were ready for the cobblestone. However, it didn’t take me long to learn otherwise. Forty thousand steps later, I was sunburned, tired, sore, and only halfway through what I wanted to see.

After a few days of encountering obstacles and fatigue, I finally realized the best thing I could do for myself was book a tour. Let me tell you, getting on that air conditioned tour bus was glorious. The guide told stories, and I learned so much about the history of Paris. I didn’t have to work at vacationing or make decisions. I was carried through the day. It was worth every Euro.

The experience of taking on Paris alone and then transitioning to booking a tour parallels what a client experiences when hiring a design and development agency like WebDevStudios. See, people often ask me why they should go with an agency as opposed to developing or redesigning a website themselves. It is WordPress after all, an easy content management system (CMS) with a famous five-minute install. But, this is what I learned in Paris and what you should consider before taking on a website development project alone:

Language

I knew enough French to get by in Paris. The usual “Bonjour. Ça va?” etc. When I started to put it into practice, however, it was so hard. I had to strain to listen to conversations and was only catching every couple of words. My sentences ended up coming out like a muddled mess. I was able to communicate the best I could, but I certainly realized that knowing the language would have made it so much more enjoyable. It’s not enough to just know things, you also have to understand them. The same is true for WordPress. If you can know the basics, you can muddle through. You can create some pretty amazing things. But when you truly understand this CMS with all its intricacies and possibilities, that is when the magic happens.

Walking

What I didn’t know from my Google maps were the length of Parisian city blocks, the hills and construction I would encounter, and the condition of the roads. Also, even though I knew it was going to be three hours of walking, it really equated to much more than I had anticipated. The map wasn’t enough and neither was the planning.

If I would have taken the time to talk to someone and have them show me how to maneuver, it may have been more realistic. My expectations were very high for myself and when I didn’t meet them, I was left feeling frustrated. Think about wanting to build your own website. You research, you plan, you prepare. The one thing lacking is experience. Having that extra element of knowledge is the difference between ending the day with a croissant and cafe or ending the day with blisters.

Heat

Turns out while I was in Paris, they had a heat wave, which was not expected. You know what else they don’t usually have in Paris? Air conditioning!

While staying in my Airbnb, it occurred to me that I never thought about asking about central air. It was 99 degrees just about the whole time I was there. I didn’t pack correctly for this weather. No matter how much research I did, I could not have been prepared for this unexpected occurrence. I am from North East USA and my body does not do well with high temperatures.

If you take on a website development project on your own, expect the unexpected to derail your project, and you need to be prepared to handle it.

Time

I was only in Pairs for seven days. I had a very sensitive timeline. I tried to cram everything in, no matter what the cost. The problem was that it was impossible. I had a very unrealistic timeline set for myself, and because of all the factors mentioned above, I kept going off schedule.

When you are traveling, you can’t phone a teammate to take over some of the work. No one can walk or sight-see for you. You have it do it solo. You can maybe get an Uber to help with transportation or have food delivered to you, but these are just things to help make the work of vacationing easier. They aren’t going to accomplish the actual vacation for you. There is beauty in having a team to depend upon, and it certainly helps to keep you on schedule.

Satisfaction

After all the planning, research, and work, I just felt tired at the end of the day. I wanted to enjoy Paris more, but I didn’t take enough time to savor the moment. I felt like I failed slightly and did not feel that sense of true satisfaction at the end of the day.

I realized quickly the value of what an agency does. The years of experience, the knowledge, the mistakes they have made, the successes they have had; all of that results in more comprehensive and fulfilling website development experience.

Paris was amazing and an adventure that I would not trade for the world. I’m glad I did what I did, but I also didn’t have anyone to answer to. This was all about me. And in the end, I’m the only person who suffered for some of the decisions I made and the challenges I encountered.

In the real world, and in relation to websites, we often have to hold ourselves accountable to others. It always seems like a good idea to do something ourselves, and sometimes it is! But sometimes it’s okay to allow yourself to call the tour agency and get on the air conditioned bus.

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