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.
Take Better Photos Using the Elements of Design
There are six elements of design in photography—line, shape, form, texture, pattern, color. They all work together, and without one, you can’t have...
The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing
Ever wonder if you’re getting the most out of your email marketing? Or if you could do it better? Or maybe you’re not sure where to even start when it comes to email marketing. We’ve put together some of the golden rules and best practices when it comes to engaging with and reaching your customers with email marketing.
5 Things to Share: February 2022
Happy Super Bowl Weekend! Who are you rooting for? I’m a Bronco’s and Vikings fan. Since, by default, you were one or the other if you grew up in South Dakota with no home team like I did. And since neither of those teams is in the Super Bowl, I’m there for the friends, halftime show, commercials, and food. Here’s to your team winning this week, and enjoy this installment of 5 Things to Share. Cheers!
What Makes a Good Product Website?
When it comes to website design, it’s easy to get carried away with how it looks. Does that button look good? Maybe I should round the corners?...
January 2022: 5 Things to Share
Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were filled with love, laughter, and joy and you're looking forward to 2022. This month I'm finding focus,...
GenZ’s Top 10 Holiday Classics
My GenZ daughter’s playlist and take on Christmas Classic Songs in the year 2021.
Introducing 5 Things to Share
Welcome to the inaugural edition of 5 Things to Share. It was inspired by the desire to shorten the monthly newsletter while still sharing news,...
Do’s & Don’ts: Mind Your Manners in Your Marketing
Just like when you sit down at supper — you don’t start eating until everyone has sat down, received their order, or chew with your mouth open (a personal pet peeve of mine). In marketing and design, if you have good manners, not only will you show your audience respect, but you connect and attract more business. So when it comes to your marketing manners, here are a few dos and don’ts.
Email Marketing: Writing Your Subject Lines to Increase Open Rates
At the end of October, I attended HubSpot’s virtual InBound Marketing Conference. One of my favorite sessions was by Jay Schwedelson from World Data, Email Myths Busted. Not only did I bust a gut laughing out loud in my home office, but I learned a thing or two about what’s going on in email marketing right now, what to avoid, and what’s working. According to Jay, it’s like the Wild West in email marketing right now — anything goes. But this doesn’t mean you should hitch your wagon to every trend. Read on to find out what I learned.
5 Things I’m Grateful for in 2021
I was in the car the other day driving kids to and fro when my phone randomly picked Kacey Musgraves, Let It Snow, from the 16,747 songs in my iTunes library to play over the car stereo. As random as it was, it was the perfect fit for the moment. Not because the weather was cold and cozy, it was sunny and 72°F here in Colorado, but because I think we’re all looking forward to 2022.
Do Spooky Unsubscribes & Low Email Engagement Haunt You?
In this October post we ask, do spooky unsubscribes and low email engagement haunt you? And give you some solid tactics to exorcise those email ghosts.
Why Your Business Needs a Website and Not Just a Facebook Page
In this blog post, we discuss the many reasons why your business needs a website and not just a Facebook page. From owned vs. non-owned media to being able to control your branding to establishing credibility learn why a website is essential to your small business’ success.
What I Learned About Marketing Nonprofits from the PTA
During the better part of a decade at the PTA I learned a lot about marketing nonprofits.
Follow & Get Inspiration From These Brands & Influencers On Instagram
Born on October 6, 2010, Instagram began as a photo-sharing app but has morphed and grown into a formable social media platform. Currently, it boasts up to one billion monthly active users and 25+ million business accounts. And according to HubSpot’s 2021 Instagram Report, it’s poised to earn a “projected USD 18 billion in ad revenue this year.”
Large and small companies are making it an integral part of their social media strategy to create brand engagement and grow their customer base.
But building a community of engaged followers and brand advocates is one of the hardest things you can do as a marketing team or brand manager. So it got me thinking — who am I following that’s killing it? And who inspires me?
Take Better Product Photography for Your Social Media Marketing
Has finding stock photos that resonate with your brand’s audience become a challenge? Or maybe the same old images you’ve been using for the last 10 years aren’t cutting it anymore. Either way, you’ve decided it’s time to freshen things up by either hiring a product photographer or setting up in your in-house studio. We’ve put together some of our best social media photography tips to help you level up your marketing and help you tell your brand’s story.
Design Your Product Packaging to Standout on the Shelf
How many times have you stood in the store aisle confused and wracking your brain to figure out what product to buy? You picked up one only to read...
Why Should You Hire a Product Photographer?
Are you wondering if you should take the DIY method or hire a photographer? With smartphones producing high-quality images, everyone is a...
Photography 101: The Basics of Exposure
Today we’ll dive into the basics of exposure. Since knowing how to control the light is critical to great photography. And capturing the details of an image will save you time and energy when retouching. Not to mention, if you don’t have good exposure to begin with no matter what you do, you still may not be able to salvage an image.
Design a Consumer Products Landing Page that Converts
Landing pages designed for consumer product goods and manufacturing contain lead forms that trade their visitors their contact information for something of value. For example, when you click on an ad and then “land” on a page asking you to fill out a form in exchange for something of value. Some great examples are a white paper on your product vs. the competition, a coupon code, or a free sample.
How to Design a Landing Page for Nonprofits
A landing page for nonprofits cuts out all the distractions by eliminating the navigation and competing links. It focuses the visitors’ attention to the call to action in front of them and increases the chances of converting them into a lead and thus more donations for your nonprofit.
What My Dad Taught Me About Marketing (Without Ever Saying the Word “Marketing”)
What lessons can we learn from my dad when it comes to inbound marketing and positioning your business or brand as an expert? Here are three lessons about marketing my Dad taught me and I’m passing onto you.