This is Where We Share All Things Design & Marketing
Insights, trends, news, tips, and more on branding, marketing, and graphic design for the building materials, nonprofits, and consumer product industries.
How to Design Email Marketing That Connects and Drives ROI
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The best email marketing feels less like a sales pitch and more like a thoughtful letter from someone you trust. Explore five practical ways to create emails that connect with your audience, nurture relationships, and generate a stronger return on your marketing investment.
The Anatomy of a High-Impact Marketing Email
Discover the essential components of a successful marketing email, covering everything from compelling subject lines and effective CTAs to mobile optimization, compliance, thorough testing, and analyzing outcomes.
Less AI, More YOU! Social Media Marketing Tips
In April I attended Social Media Marketing World's conference in Anaheim, they had a whole day dedicated to AI, but the real takeaway for me was the...
What Can Walt Disney’s Tiki Room Teach Us About AI in Marketing?
What can Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room teach us about AI tools? Discover lessons on creativity, transparency, maintenance, and why people—not technology—still make the magic.
Is AI Making Your Brand Invisible?
AI is changing the way we do work fast, but the real danger isn’t the technology itself. It’s becoming average. When everyone uses the same prompts, templates, and shortcuts, brands start sounding the same. We explore how companies like ILM, Pixar, and Disney Imagineering blended technology with human storytelling — and what modern marketers and creatives can learn from it.
How to Create a Buyer Persona for Your Small Business
As I've was getting started with my own business in 2021, it became crystal clear one of the most critical steps to getting started with your...
Keeping Your Content Marketing REAL
In March’s 5 Things to Share we share real world ways to keep your content marketing real and relatable so you can connect with your audience.
Log Home Contractors: How to Build Trust with Authentic Content Marketing
A practical guide and ideas for log home contractors to create authentic content marketing that builds trust, highlights craftsmanship, and attracts the right clients.
Feeling Stuck in Rut with Your Marketing?
Season’s Greetings! Something a little different this time around. 5 Holiday Seasonings to Share. Music, movies, recipes, bingo, and books. Wishing you and yours a magical holiday season with family and friends.
5 Things to Share: December 2025
Season’s Greetings! Something a little different this time around. 5 Holiday Seasonings to Share. Music, movies, recipes, bingo, and books. Wishing you and yours a magical holiday season with family and friends.
Cozy Christmas Couch Reads
I know I’m feeling relaxed when I take the time to curl up on the couch with a good book. Here are a few of my favorite cozy Christmas books to add to your reading list.
Grandma Marie’s Lefse Recipe
Grandma Marie’s Lefse recipe was a staple for our family during the holidays. Serve with butter, sugar, and cinnamon.
Lemon-Honey Drop Cookie Recipe
Lemon-Honey Drop Cookies are one of my favorite cookies to make during the holidays because they’re refreshing and something different than chocolate and mint.
Candy Cane Ice Cream Recipe
Every year we make Candy Cane Ice Cream on Christmas Eve using Colorado’s Hammond’s giant candy canes.
5 Binge-Worthy Christmas Movies for 2025
These are 5 of my family’s favorite Christmas movies in 2025 that we keep coming back to year after year.
5 Things to Share: October 2025
Fall into creative inspiration with Moonshine Design’s Spooky Season newsletter. Discover DIY marketing tools, content planning tips, and resources to grow your brand without fearing the marketing monster.
Which Email Marketing Platform is Right for You? Mailchimp or Constant Contact
Mailchimp vs. Constant Contact. Which email marketing platform is right for your business? And does email marketing even matter in the age of AI?...
5 Things to Share: September 2025
Wrapping up September with 5 Things to Share. Discover why every brand needs a style guide and learn how to create a brand kit in Canva. Explore effective strategies for designing an email newsletter that engages your audience and six ways to enhance the security of your WordPress website. Plus, get inspired by the collaboration with Summit Pain.
Design an Email Newsletter That Delivers
Are you planning on launching an email newsletter or reviving an old one? Email is still one of the best ways to reach your people since they’re...
Six Ways to Improve Your WordPress Website Security
If your website isn’t managed and if there isn’t sufficient security in place, the odds of being hacked go up significantly, which could result in your data being stolen, site vandalism, and being put into an embarrassing situation. (I once had a former client who decided to abandon their site maintenance that then saw it taken over by a foreign adult website. Super embarrassing to say the least.)
Besides the scenario above, hackers can overwhelm a website by repeatedly accessing parts of the website.
I’m all about design and marketing which is why I partner with folks experts like Crown Point Solutions when it comes to IT security. My friends, Seth Daire and Mike Bren, with over 50 years of combined experience they’ve seen it all. Here are a six simple ways they suggest to improve WordPress security so you can protect your brand.
Why Every Brand Needs a Style Guide
Consistency. You’ve heard it time and time again. That’s because consistency in branding builds trust. It doesn’t matter if you’re a log home contractor. A big brand like Disney. Or a nonprofit. Brands that are consistent with their messaging and image are viewed as dependable, trustworthy, and an expert in their field.
A style guide or brand guidelines spell out the rules of your brand. It defines how you want to be seen in the world and how you want to be heard.
It’s the colors you use, the tone of your messaging, and how your logo should be displayed. It helps your brand appear consistently across various marketing platforms, including the web, print, social media, and more.
Without it, your marketing and messaging get lost, and your customers end up confused. That is why every business and nonprofit, itty bitty or big time, should have a style guide. And it’s easier to set up than you think.