During the last few months many people have had a major shift in work patterns. Some people have been furloughed, some have decided to pack up their Business for good - whilst others, like me, have been working from home. The difference for me is that this is what my job usually entails - sitting at home, on my laptop, designing websites, writing blogs, building online marketing campaigns and managing Social Media channels. So in a way, my life hasn't changed all too drastically.
My work with Signpost Media, a digital media company based in Whittlesey Cambridgeshire, has mostly revolved around small to medium sized Businesses. Some of these Business owners had never been online in any capacity and have not only needed a new website building from scratch, but we also consulted with them offering guidance and advice on how to grow their business. Recently, the main bulk of my work has seen Signpost Media using the full artillery to help local businesses with a whole ream of digital support. From Web Design and Graphic Design to blogging, your friendly, local agency Signpost Media has done it all! Here are just some of the things I have been upto in the past month:
Creating and actioning quarterly marketing plans
Creating and maintaining digital marketing campaigns
Building new websites
Building e-commerce websites (including uploading hundreds - no thousands - of products!)
Adding an online shop element to existing websites
Business consulting on accounting software and lead generation
Offering web hosting advice
Offering privacy policy and GDPR advice
Social Media management across several different platforms and Business sectors
Creating new brand identities including logo design, new fonts, leaflet design and Business signage
Writing blogs, newsletters and press articles and sharing across relevant media channels
Phew - the list is not finished but I think I need to stop there and take a break to think about the more personal side of working from home - and to get a coffee top up!
It's so rewarding to look back at the work we've completed at Signpost Media for our clients across Cambridgeshire, and we often don't take the time to sit back and 'take stock' of what we've accomplished. We just know that we have many happy customers in Huntingdon, St.Ives, March, Whittlesey, Cambridge, Peterborough, St. Neots and beyond with professional new websites, a deeper understanding of digital media, and who will continue to work with Signpost Media for their website maintenance, online marketing campaigns and their many other Business needs.
Ok, so now let's look at some of the perks of working from home shall we? I'll start with my own list, which has grown as more time has gone by, and as I've learned to be more grateful for the smallest of things...
Spending more time with family, which for some has been a nightmare during lock down I know, but for me has been a slow and silent realisation that my son is almost an adult (cue the tears), a reminder that my Husband is awesome when it comes to DIY, and that I can write a blog or build a website with complete chaos happening in the background (oh, did I mention that I have the patience of a saint?!) But I've also been reminded that generally I've got a cool little family who have a good laugh when we all get together.
Spending more time with my dogs - this was especially important as our beloved Charlie (the black and white Springer Spaniel) passed away last week at almost 14 years old. Needless to say that we immediately started Googling 'Springer Spaniel puppies for sale' through the downpour of our tears. However, although we screened our calls for a few days, we still continued to work with Signpost Media customers via email and social media channels to ensure their website maintenance and other digital media requirements were met.
I have more time to exercise (if I want to!) And I don't mean just the sweaty, back breaking, HIIT videos and lifting heavy weights kind, I also mean the stretchy Yoga kind, which is fantastic for your mental well being and really helps me with my creativity - a very important tool when it comes to writing endless blogs for Signpost Media and our many website customers!
Gardening - both the flower borders and the veg patches are looking a little livelier, plus I can take the time to appreciate the little critters that enjoy my handiwork too - like the bees, gold finches, butterflies - oh and the slugs who ate all of my kale.
I could go on but there are just so many things to talk about - including the importance of taking a break. I find that it's so easy to spend all day and night on laptop as you are sat at home, but you really do need to ensure that for your mental and physical well being, you take the time to stretch your limbs, go for a walk, give your brain a rest and not do your neck in by sitting hunched over (like I do!) for hours on end - oh and it's pretty important to remember to eat properly too!
What have you found that you have been most grateful for during lock down? What have you struggled with? Are you a sales person thinking about the best way to get commission when you're usual clientele aren't open for business? Maybe you're a self employed Business owner or budding entrepreneur wondering how you can improve your chances of success in this new, digital era? Do you need a local Graphic Designer for a new logo or a full rebrand? Maybe it's just time you took that leap of faith and called Signpost Media to build the professional yet user-friendly website your Business has needed for an eternity!
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