Human beings have base fears such as the need for protection,...
Scare Tactics In Branding and Marketing
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Solo(ish)
Reflections, tools, and truths for the self-employed life—because doing it solo doesn’t mean doing it alone.
Client Perspectives
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Client Management
Mindset & Motivation
NETWORKING & REFERRALS
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VISUAL IDENTITY & DESIGN
To-Do, To-Don’t, To-Done!
Sometimes it feels like there’s a lot on my plate. I run my own business, sit on two boards, serve as leadership for my referral networking group, and I teach. Most importantly, I’m a husband and father. I have a lot of stuff that needs to get done every day. But I’m never overwhelmed enough to say, “my plate is overfull.”
Plan and run better meetings
Meetings are a necessary evil in our business. Between staff...
Defining Your Audio Brand Strategy
From Netflix's "Ba-Dummm!" to the "ba-da-DA-Dum" of Intel, or...
I Went from In-House to Consultant—Here’s What Helped Me Succeed
By the end of 2015, after nearly eight years as an in-house creative director—and over two decades in the field—I found myself self-employed for the second time in my career. Now, as I enter my fourth year as a brand and creative strategy consultant, I recognize how the lessons I learned in-house have directly contributed to my success as a business owner. Looking back, I can also see that my consulting mindset and teaching instincts played a crucial role in leading in-house creative teams effectively.
10 Ideas To Build Your Small Business brand
Many small business owners I talk to already understand that branding is essential to their business, but a surprisingly high number of them don’t really know why.
Does My Small Business Really Need A Brand?
I think maybe people get hung up on wording. If you were to replace the word “branding” with “reputation” instead, I think I might get your attention. You care about your reputation, right?
The Changing Relationship Between In-House and Outside Agencies
In recent years, there has been a shift in power in the creative industry regarding who “owns” brand and creative work in corporate America. In-house creative teams have emerged as important players, producing some of the best creative work in design, advertising, photography, and video. This shift has led to corporations leveraging their in-house talent more than ever, with in-house teams taking on the responsibility of managing outside agency relationships.
Do You Need To Rebrand Your Business?
Business owners are more in tune with the principals of branding than ever before, some spending millions of dollars to brand or rebrand, depending on where they’re at in the business lifecycle. A brand represents everything about an organization, from its market position to company culture.
Four Simple Strategies to Keep Your Brand Consistent
Business owners are more in tune with the principals of branding than ever before, some spending millions of dollars to brand or rebrand, depending on where they’re at in the business lifecycle. A brand represents everything about an organization, from its market position to company culture.
Why You Need To Conduct A Design Audit
We all understand how important brands can be. There are...
Not the same: Brand Positioning and Brand Purpose
There was a period between about 2016-2017 where many brands...
How Much Does Branding Cost?
If you ask around for quotes on branding projects, you will get fees ranging anywhere from $1,000 to $50,000 and even higher, and this often is just for design work. You might find a freelance designer online who says they can do it for less than $500, and you can even get a logo for as low as $5 on fiver.com. The real price of branding though, is not doing anything consistently.
3 Ways To Grow Small Brands On A Limited Budget
We all understand how important brands can be. There are...
When Is It Time For A Name Change?
So when should a brand look at changing its name? If you want to signal a change in strategic focus, and if the name change will serve greater meaning, resonance, and value for consumers and customers, then do it.
3 Career Paths: Agency, Freelance or In-House?
As a design professional with almost 25 years of experience, I have worked in various roles, including as a freelancer, in-house creative services leader, creative director, and educator. There are three career paths available to creative – agency, freelance, and in-house – and choosing which one is right for you depends on four factors: stability, money, advancement, and passion.
5 Tips on Successful Small Business Branding
We all understand how important brands can be. There are brands...
50 Ways to Differentiate Your brand
Everybody wants a brand that’s different. The irony of that...
The Difference Between Branding And Marketing
While the branding and marketing are undoubtedly connected, there are minute differences between the two. As a business owner it is essential that you understand branding and marketing in detail, so that you can effectively utilize them together. Below is a closer look at the differences between branding and marketing.
The Difference Between Branding, Identity & Logo Design
I often talk about how your logo is not your brand, nor is it...
10 Branding Mistakes Your Small Business is Making.
When you think about great branding, Coca Cola’s distinctive...