In any given week, I answer lots of design-related questions from clients and Facebook group members and realized that these answers would be helpful for many of you too. They’re all super simple things you can do right now, with absolutely no art degree required. Promise.
Think of them as quick and easy design/branding tips and tricks so that you can look a little more professional and a little less DIY. Sound good?
Read MoreKids back in school. Check.
Routine back to "normal". Check?
Maybe, like me, you had big plans for this week that didn't. quite. materialize.
Maybe we're going about this "goals" thing all wrong.
Here are my thoughts on a new year, goals, resolutions, and all those things that may be stressing you out right now
A few of my favorite services are having special sales over the coming weekend and the following week. (Black Friday? Cyber Week? Why do they have such grim names?)
Read MoreTake a peek behind the scenes of a perfect example of what I call “bridging brands.” Whether you’re launching a course or your first book or any project that may be a tangent of your core brand, there's often a brand gap to bridge between the new entity you’ve created and the rest of your business. You want it to look like it fits but still have a bit of its own personality. With a bit of strategy and intention, it can be a great opportunity to increase your brand awareness while still flexing a bit of your creative muscles and taking things in a slightly different direction. Take a look at how this works for Gillian Goerzen of Super You.
Read MoreA year ago, I came across a free download from a woman I’d been following on Instagram for a while.
It showed a photo of the beautifully designed cover – complete with a dreamy photo and nice typography – and promised a wealth of info that sounded useful to me. Without giving it too much thought, I gave her one of my most valued possessions (my email address!) and, in a matter of moments, the pdf download was sitting in my inbox.
Opening that pdf was a complete disappointment.
Read MoreBy now I’m sure you’re aware that we’re into the final quarter of 2018. Kinda crazy, huh?
There’s been lots of chatter in the online world about planning your last 90 days of 2018 instead of thinking “It’s too late. The year’s almost over. I’ll just wait for January 1.” We still have 3 whole months to accomplish some of those big goals from January. Don’t quit yet!
Read MoreYou’ve probably seen them, perhaps even searched for them on Pinterest. Those magical pages of moody photos, gorgeous color swatches, and interesting patterns or fonts.
You may have also wondered, “What’s the point?” Do they really have a purpose other than to make you swoon and make your designer look like she knows what she’s doing?
You may be relieved to know that, yes, they absolutely DO have a purpose. A thoughtful branding process has 2 critical parts: strategy and design. Inspiration boards fall under the “strategy” category, and without it, it will be difficult to create a brand you really love. Here’s why.
Read MoreSo this messy renaming business. Where do you start?
First of all, be clear on WHY you’re renaming. Picking a new name will not solve every problem, but if you’re having some of the same struggles I mentioned in the last post, it’s probably time.
Once you’ve established the “why," decide what you want the new name to convey. You can’t say everything in one tiny name, so boil it down to the one “big idea.”
Read MoreNot gonna lie. Rebranding is a challenge and not a decision to make lightly. While it’s something I systematically and creatively execute for others, it’s always harder to execute the same plans for ourselves, right? I think we get more caught up in the emotion, and being “too close” to the process actually makes it more challenging.
Which is why I put it off for so long.
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