How Trust Builds Your Brand

When someone trusts you. They will hire you.

Last week I was in Palm Springs, Cal. for Altitude Summit, THE premiere conference for creative entrepreneurs and stylish social media influencers. It indeed was stylish and creative yet also informational and inspiring. This is my third conference experience and I have to say, I'm addicted. If I could go to more, I would. In fact, I wish all of my clients could have the same opportunity to learn more about social media, email marketing, affiliate marketing and video trends; meet cool sponsors; and pick up some swag.

But honestly, the best part of going to these conferences is making truly amazing connections with like-minded individuals.

The first summit I attended was in Charleston, South Carolina where I met Amanda Thompson who is from Charlotte, North Carolina. We met at the opening mixer at The Southern C Summit and immediately hit it off. I was impressed with her work creating heirloom jewelry. She knew at the time she was ready to take her brand and marketing up a notch. Soon after I returned to Nashville we started working together on her website. She was a pleasure to work with, open to my suggestions but also confident about how she wanted everything to look.

First Impressions

At my first Alt Summit I saw keynote speakers; listened intently when social media influencers gave out valuable tips and tricks about Instagram; and sat in on round tables that covered topics every entrepreneur would need to know about how to promote and market their business. One of my favorite round tables was with a copywriter who spoke on vision and mission statements. Robin Catalano, who is from upstate New York, had by far the best "mini-workshop." 

Once home from the summit Robin reached out to me about working together on a website for her client, the New York State Berry Growers Association. It was so nice to work with a professional copywriter. I don't get those opportunities very often and I cannot tell you the difference it makes to have such great content.

Connections can come out of nowhere

This year at Alt Summit I didn't feel like I had made any real significant connections. At the last session of round tables, I was trying like crazy to get in on the overflowing and popular tables (Robin's email marketing round table was one of those) but ended up sitting at a table I actually have no idea what the topic was about. 

An attendee who was sitting at the same table started talking to me. She told me she was the founder of the largest and "best" food blogger conference in the country and I told her a little about my branding and design coaching business. As I am interested in being a sponsor at upcoming workshops and summits I asked her about pricing for her sponsorship packages. When she told me how much it was, I replied that it was more than I could afford. She said, "I'd be happy to put your postcard in the swag bag at the conference if you'd like." 

Guys, I actually became a little emotional because I couldn't believe how kind she was. It wasn't a flashy, stylish, wide-eyed influencer moment — it was a genuine business owner to business owner and woman to woman moment. I was moved by her generosity.

All of these connections I made started with an introduction, conversation and a little honest curiosity that flourished into something that was mutually beneficial for each of us. If we had not initially felt trustworthiness toward each other, it would have been highly unlikely we would have ever moved beyond polite niceties.

This is branding.

When we think about branding perhaps we think about our visuals like a logo and website but it's so much more than that. It's about how people connect with you, how you make them feel, what your product or services do to help them and whether or not they trust you. If I had looked disheveled, acted inappropriately, not been able to talk about what I do in a professional manner or had an ugly business card and website, I doubt very seriously business owners would have wanted to work with me.

Good branding creates authentic connections which builds trust with your customers.

My business primarily has been referral-based. I create quality work to help my clients grow their businesses and in turn, they promote my services so that I can grow my business. It's a win-win situation.

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Whether you need done-for-you graphic and website designs or personalized design + brand coaching, I have everything you need from A-Z to help you create a distinctive, professional brand. Please reach out and let me know how I can help.

Schedule a FREE Consultation with Me HERE >

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A Zurich Inspired Home in Nashville

Gentle, kind, smart, dedicated, creative, funny, fun, strong, determined are just a few words that describe Michelle. A former teacher at a Nashville inner-city school, Carter-Lawrence Magnet School, she devoted herself to not only teaching her students the curriculum but giving them a safe, happy place to be at least for a few hours. While she was there she started a garden for the children so they could see what fresh fruits and vegetables look like — something most of them have never seen.

As I’ve gotten to know Michelle better over the last several years, I’ve been impressed with her optimistic approach to life and her amazing commitment to her family, students and friends. Her attention to detail with her gardening and decorating make her home a showcase. Every nook and cranny is filled with the loveliest vignettes. Thanks, Michelle, for letting me share your home with my friends. :)

Michelle's Home Tour

What are some of your favorite places in Nashville? 

Profession: Retired teacher (special education and 1st grade)

When I think of Nashville, I … When I think of Austin, I think of home. The beach or the mountains is where I wanted to live. When I think of Nashville, I think of the beautiful relationships that have grown here — primarily with John and my children and my sweet sister friends, my kind neighbors and the lovely children I've come in contact with here, the doctors who are so diligently and kindly helping me through my cancer journey. I suppose in the end, its always about relationships for me, rather than environment.

How many years have you lived in Nashville and where else have you lived? I was born in New Jersey. Moved to Houston, Texas when I was 4. Left Houston for Austin when I went to University of Texas. Moved to Nashville in 1992 for John’s postdoctoral work at Vanderbilt. Moved to Zurich, Switzerland in '95 after Emily was born. Moved back to Nashville in '99. Have been here for 15 years.

Museum: Cheekwood & Frist

Park: Radnor Lake

Restaurant(s): too many to pick just one Silo, Yellow Porch, Chuy’s are some of my regulars.

Shops: I shop often at Target, Gap, Anthropology but enjoy junk shops, vintage, second-hand and consignment stores

What’s your alma mater? University of Texas

Hobbies, pastimes and passions: Anything with my children, gardening, birds … I was very passionate about teaching.

Tell me about your family … I have 3 lovely children (Carter 14, Sophie 17, and Emily 19.) I can’t imagine my life without them. They are musical and smart and kind and creative. They bring so much joy into my life. I’ve been married to John for 23 years. He’s been a great life partner and father. I feel very fortunate.

If we came to your house for dinner, what would you prepare for us? If you came to my house for dinner we’d have Tex Mex, of course.

Website & Brand Review

Do you need a professional to review your brand to see if you're on track and who can also make design suggestions that will improve your visual communications?

Do you know something is wrong with your website, but you can’t pinpoint the exact problem?

Are you looking for a tried and true expert’s guidance on how to turn your brand around?

Well, look no further than a personal website and brand review by a professional graphic and web designer and visual expert. There's no need for overwhelm. Working on a few action items will get you moving in the right direction and will help you focus on a few areas of your brand.  

• 30-minute introduction video call to go over your website* and brand
• Three action items to improve your communication visuals for example like working specifically on your home page or coming up with better designs for your promotions 
• 30-minute follow-up call to go over the action items

*I can critique all websites but my expertise is in Squarespace.

Disclaimer: Please note that a brand and website critique is an evaluation, advice and consulting on your designs to help you improve your branding and communication. I cannot guarantee an increase in sales, followers, page views or conversions. I always suggest working with a copywriter and SEO expert to get the best results. Because this item is a service and takes time to perform, it is not eligible for a refund.

$147.00

For more information you may send me a FB message or email me HERE. 

Design & Branding Mastermind Group

The unlimited power of a mastermind group

Few things can accelerate you toward your goals faster than participating in a mastermind. 

What is it about the gathering of minds united in harmony that generates a level of mental stimulation which no single individual could experience alone?

If I asked you this question, you’d probably say that mastermind groups give people access to more information, provide support for projects, and hold members accountable. While that’s technically correct, it’s not the whole story.

It is true that the more people you have, the more information you’ll have access to; but results of mastermind alliances prove that they aren’t just a gathering of people to exchange ideas and offer knowledge. In fact, mastermind sessions often lead to results in a depth of knowledge no single person had access to before that interaction!

But the true power is this:

When a group of people come together in harmony to achieve a definite purpose, the increased mental prowess and capacity for intelligence created through this coordination becomes greater than the sum of the intelligence of the individual minds. This intelligence can be tapped into by any member of the group.

Just the act of being around such surroundings will totally change your game, and that of everyone around you. Your energy, your inspiration, your creativity – all of it rockets to a new level. By participating in the right mastermind group, you instantly become way smarter than you could ever be alone, even on your best day.

Success with masterminds

You will Increase the odds of success with regular meetings with others who encourage, motivate, and hold you accountable for doing the things that will help you reach your goals, whatever they are. My mastermind group is a consistent, structured, encouraging, business-like environment with peers to help you grow personally and professionally.

You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Why not choose those five people intentionally and surround yourself with others with common goals, aspirations, ambition, and work ethic as yourself?

Success isn’t accidental. It's intentional. To reach your goal, you have to plan to work, and work your plan. A group of like-minded people that will hold you accountable, encourage, and support you will help you reach your goals much faster than you would on your own.

Purpose of the mastermind group

“A friendly alliance of one or more people who will encourage you to follow through with both plans and purpose.” ~ Napoleon Hill

• Helps you succeed with a plan
• Holds you accountable
• Shares resources
• Gives advice
• Offers guidance
• Provides inspiration
• Many minds are better than one!

Focus of the branding and design mastermind group

You cannot have a business without marketing and promotions. You cannot have marketing and promotions without advertising. You cannot have advertising if you don't have an ad or a campaign. You cannot have an ad if you don't have a logo or a website to direct your customers. You cannot have a logo or a website if you don't hire a graphic or web designer or try to Design It Yourself (DIY). The bottom line is that to run a business requires graphic design. And to clarify graphic design is not just a pretty picture.

Slick tools and creative designs are only part of the puzzle; you still need to develop an eye for what works visually and what reflects your message. Our mastermind focus will be on design and branding because it IS the foundation of your business. 

When I worked in an advertising agency the creative director would have a brainstorming session with the design team including the copywriter and we would all just toss out ideas. In this group, the strongest ideas usually came from the copywriter (the other voice part of your brand) but then the design team would take it from there and come up with the visual concept. In this group situation, came the most clever ideas because it's SO MUCH EASIER to come up with ideas and get things done in a group. 

These meetings are essential especially to the solopreneur because without a group to bounce ideas off you waste a lot of time testing your concepts to your audience first instead of the other way around. Being on an island is hard. I know. I'm on that island a lot. A dream of mine is to have that same brainstorming session with a group of smart, like-minded individuals who understand branding, marketing, promotions and branding! 

Mastermind structure

Andrew Carnegie—after examining the success habits of Andrew Carnegie, Napoleon Hill of Think and Grow Rich fame became convinced that mastermind groups was the essential success factor for Carnegie’s success.

• Weekly meeting via Google Hangouts (video chat with all members)
• It is all virtual – online!
• Maximum of 5 members per group
• 1 hour in length
• Meets once a week
• Accountability partners
• Support between meetings using Slack
• Groups meeting at different times – we will find a time that works for you!

Simple meeting frequency. Our group meets via Google Hangouts every Thursday afternoon or a time that works for everyone. Having a dedicated time each week works much better than trying to “find” a time to meet each week.

Simple online collaboration. As a group, we rarely use email. It’s just not an ideal collaboration tool. We will use Slack to communicate. This allows us to share ideas, articles, and questions any time during the week.

Meeting Format

Our meeting has three essential components: sharing, advising, and accountability. I will act as facilitator (keeps track of time, keeps conversation on topic, directs the meeting, offers insight)

• 15 mins: Share progress and accomplishments from the previous week
• 30 mins: One member is in the "hot seat," which allows them to tap into the "master mind" of the group. 
• 15 mins: Wrap up the meeting by sharing one high-leverage activity we want to be held accountable for.

A mastermind group is for you if you want:

• Increased profit
• New business ideas
• Accountability
• Collaboration with other entrepreneurs
• Brainstorming partners
• Focus and clarity on what you should be doing now
• Better decision making for your brand, marketing and promotions
• Support from high-achievers (just like you) who are ready to invest in their brand

Details

$97 per month

No commitment. Join for a month and see the results.

For less than $25 a week, you can be part of a small group of motivated sellers who are ambitious, have integrity, and are results -driven.

Have questions? Send me a FB message or email me HERE and let’s get started!

13 Facts Everyone Should Know about Logo Design

I’ve designed a ton of logos in the last 20 years and to this day they are still absolutely the hardest thing I do. It never gets any easier. Logo design is kind of like art. What you like is not what someone else is going to like. It’s up to the designer to figure it all out and have an end product that the client is super happy with and more importantly resonates with their clients.

Logo design is complex and begins even before pen meets paper. It’s super important as a business owner especially those of you who have to DIY your branding and marketing that you understand a little technology and a little about graphic and web design.

Hint: You don’t just need one logo.

Let’s learn a little bit about logos:

1. Understanding color RGB vs. CMYK
   Web design uses color as RGB (red, green, blue) and print design uses color as CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black.) Basically, monitors emit light and papers absorb light. CMYK in printing is referred to as four-color. Most logos are designed in four-color so you’ll see logos named LisaDunnDesign 4/c logo for instance.

2. Understanding the difference between low resolution and high resolution
   Computer monitors show color as red, green and blue light RGB at a low-medium resolution usually 72-75 dots per inch (dpi). Print  production usually requires the four-color process CMYK in high resolution of at least 300 dpi.

3. Printing vs. Web
   So just to be clear you’ll need a high-resolution logo in CMYK at 300 dpi to print business cards, brochures, labels etc. and for the web you’ll need a low-resolution RGB logo at 72 dpi for anything you do online like your website, social media etc.

4. File types
   The word file types can be confusing but to clarify file types or file formats are the way in which your logo or any other graphic has been saved. You can determine the file format by looking at the file extension which is like YourLogo.jpg. In this instance the file format is a jpg. Pro tip: If any vendor ever asks you for a specific format, they’re looking for a type of file, and its format is usually indicated by a file extension.

5. Most common type of file extensions
   The most common extensions you’ll run into will look like these: .PDF, .EPS, .PNG, .JPG and .GIF. There are a few exceptions to the three letter extension rule and you may receive files with just two, .AI and .PS being the most common. All these extensions not only tell you what kind of file it is, but they also allow your computer to figure out (as best it can) what software is needed to open the file if you double-click on its icon. Quick Tip: Changing the extension in a file name by typing in another will NOT change the file format OF the file. You should never do this anyway

6. Vector and Pixel based images
   The logo artwork that is in your files can be one of two image types. One is known as vector based, the other bitmap, pixel based or raster.
   
   Vector based logo files are usually end in .eps or .ai and these are usually logos and illustrations. Vector images can be reduced in size and enlarged. They are primarily files for printing and to create other formats from. They also can be edited by your designer without too much trouble. You can make bitmap or pixel images from a vector file, but usually not vice versa.
   
   Vector based files usually require professional design software to open and are always the best quality. You can stretch these files as big as a billboard without losing resolution. So when I ask for my client’s logo I ask for vector which can end with either an .eps or .ai extension. This ensures that your printed pieces will always look professional.
   
   Raster images end in .jpg or .png and can only be used sized as is or reduced — you cannot enlarge them without losing quality. They are primarily files for viewing on electronic screens like monitors and TVs. Difficult to edit, if it’s even possible at all. Raster images are usually used for photography but logos for online use will need to be saved as .jpg or .png.
   
   So when my client sends me a .jpg for a brochure I’m designing I know that they do not understand that I need the highest quality version of their logo which is always an .eps or .ai.

7. When to use a .png and when to use a .jpg
   When I don’t have the vector version of a logo then the next best solution is to use the .png. Why? Because a .png is saved on a transparent background so when I’m designing the logo on top of a photograph or a colored background it doesn’t have a white box around it. From here on out you’ll know which businesses understand logo file formats when you look at a fundraiser’s poster and see a few logos with white boxes around them. Bingo. They don’t understand logos and they've probably given the designer a .jpg.

8. Primary logo in different formats
   Do you want to understand why logos are expensive? Here’s one reason. You need a primary logo that works in different ways for different uses. I usually design a horizontal version and a vertical version. Perhaps your logo is horizontal but you want to put it in a circle. Unless you want your logo to look like a line, you’ll need a vertical logo so it will fit within those dimensions.

9. Browser Icon logo for your website
   A favicon, or browser icon, is a small square image that displays next to a page's title in browser tabs and in other places across the web. Adding a custom favicon makes your site recognizable in a browser full of tabs or bookmarks. You’ll need your icon or some configuration of your logo saved at 100px x 100px or 300px or 300px. Here’s where learning how to design like in a program like Canva can be beneficial. You’ll just create a custom size and design it yourself using pixels instead of inches.

10. Secondary logos
    More and more brands are designing more than one logo. I think it’s actually fun to have several versions of your logo. See Hey Coach Jamie’s logos. They are so cute. 

11. Save each version of your logo in different formats
    Save each version of your logo as low-resolution RGB ( .png and .jpg) for the web
    Save each version of your logo as a high-resolution CMYK (.png and .jpg) for print and if you're working with a designer always give them either the .ai or .eps version.
    By now you’ll have a gazillion logos but you’ll have everything you need to brand and market your business.

12. Invest in your logo design
    For the best results, working with a professional designer will give you ultimately the highest quality designs. Having your logo designed in professional software is probably the most important investment you can make. When my clients don’t have a style guide (which every brand should have. More on this later) I can take that .ai or .eps version and open it up in Adobe Illustrator and be able to know exactly what your colors are and sometimes I can even tell what your fonts are. REMEMBER: My clients get tripped up on file extensions ending in .eps or .ai because they can’t open them because they will only open in software like Adobe Illustrator. I will save logos in .pdf so my clients can easily see them in Acrobat. Never design your logo in Photoshop either. Photoshop is not software to design vector (line art) artwork.

13. DIYing your logo
    DIYing your logo can be tricky and what I’ve discovered in this process is that there are logo creators that will save your artwork as a vector but you won’t have your logo in all the formats you need. You can also use paid services as well like Fiverr or 99designs but again, you kind of get what you pay for.

Do you need a logo, logo refresh or a style guide?

Learn More HERE >

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Prioritizing your Brand Basics to Get the Most out of your Business

Skipping over these basics will have you running in circles.

Over the last year I’ve been restructuring my business to include coaching, teaching and consulting. I’ve invested tons of money, time and research into my brand and know first-hand how frustrating it can be to know exactly what you need to do and in what order it would be best to start.

I knew what would have been helpful to me would be to have a list that prioritizes the basics of branding and not have to weed through the internet to find it all. So I decided to create the list myself for other coaches and creative entrepreneurs.

The first thing I did was to create a brand basics checklist for graphic design that would include all the visuals you need in the beginning phases of building and growing your brand. Then I met Robin Catalano at Altitude Summit in Palm Springs, CA this year at her roundtable on vision and mission statements and that changed everything. We connected and have since worked with each other on a few projects.

It’s hard to believe I was a journalism major. Writing is still something I enjoy but it takes too much time because I haven’t been writing enough. I know it’s a skill that becomes easier the more you do it. So when I saw Robin’s roundtable I decided to sit in which was probably worth the cost of the entire summit. I realized that I had been focusing so much on the visuals (of course that’s what I do) and not enough on my voice that I decided to ask Robin to fill in the voice branding elements to this checklist. 

Here are the brand basics you shouldn't skip to get the most out of your business.

Voice Branding Basics

Vision and Mission Statements / Developing a memorable vision & mission statement that inspires employees and customers, and aligns your purpose with your business decisions.

Written Style Guide / Your style is one of the most important ways you present yourself. Develop a guidebook for your business’s written communication across platforms that speak to the customer.

Tagline / Taglines aren’t just for big brands; they’re for any business that wants to make an instant impression while summarizing what you do—and why you’re memorable.

Brand & Elevator Messaging / How can you inspire customers and motivate them to choose your product or service? Effective messaging is your entry point.

What you offer (Services & Products) / Remember, the easier you make it for customers to buy your services, the faster you’ll close deals--and the more money you’ll see hit your bottom line.

Website Content / Your website is often your first impression—and we don’t get do-overs on those. Make sure yours is compelling, SEO-friendly, and tells your story.

SEO Basics / SEO is both an art and science. Take some of the guesswork out of how to use keywords, and learn the “hidden gem” spots for text-based SEO on your website.

Social Media Content / What works—and what doesn’t—on social media? You’ll learn how to craft content that builds community and positions you as an authority.

Visual Branding Basics

Brand Discovery / Discover what you really want from your marketing efforts. During the discovery phase you will uncover your needs, challenges, and desired results, which you’ll use to create an insightful, goal-oriented marketing plan.

Inspiration Board / Create an inspiration board to hone in on the images, mood and colors that attract you. This process gets you closer to designing a brand that reflects how you want to be perceived.

Learn Graphic Design Basics / Graphic design is the combination of fonts, photography and illustrations. Using them correctly adds a tremendous amount of value to your design. Better design. Better communication.

Your Logo / You can DIY your graphics and get away with it but investing in a well-designed logo is a must. Check out my Design a Brand course to learn how you can have your logo designed as part of this course.

Produce a Visual Style Guide / This step is crucial to a cohesive brand. It is a guide that keeps all your visuals consistent across all platforms.

Create Templates for your Graphics / Create templates for your digital media as well as your printed materials to make designing a whole lot easier. Keeping templates the same for a year helps make your brand more memorable and more easily identifiable.

Use the Style Editor on your Website / Use your style guide to create a website that is consistent with your brand including photography.

Design your own Website / Design a website that helps your users know who you are, what you do and how you can help. Build a website to convert users to customers. Know how to design and edit yourself for the best results.

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Download the checklist and get started building your brand the right way. HERE >>>>>

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Being a Rockstar in your Industry Is a Matter of Graphic Design

8 reasons why you need to know how to design to succeed

I graduated from Belmont University one of the first music business schools in the country. In fact I went to college with several famous musicians. Okay, they weren’t rockstars — they were country stars like Tricia Yearwood and famous music business professionals like Scott Borchetta (AKA American Idol).

Side note: one of my claim to fames is that Tricia’s first husband caught my panties in the Freshman panty raid. Just so you know. Belmont is also a Baptist University and I’m a preacher’s kid. It was rated G. 

But I digress. What the music industry or any other creative industry won’t tell you is that, unless you’re a big star or already a famous business professional, if you want to rock it in your industry as a solopreneur, you’re going to have to master some graphic design skills. Here's why you should learn how to design ... with a professional.

1. Graphic design is the visual part of your brand.

What’s a brand without a logo and a website? But what’s a brand without all those other visuals you churn out to the world like your blog post graphics, invitations, newsletters, social media graphics, labels, presentations and on and on. If you don’t know how to design it or how to design it correctly, are you willing to jeopardize your brand’s reputation?

2. You can’t hire a designer to design every part of your communications.

My personal advice is to hire a professional to design the most important parts of your brand and in the worst case scenario at least your logo. Budgets usually don’t allow for much more than that so if you know how to design, you can save money.

3. You want to look professional so people will take you seriously.

Even if you’re just starting out, a well-designed brand can make it appear as though you’ve been in business for years which results in an audience that respects you and takes you seriously.

4. You will change your business a gazillion times over the years.

If you can’t design then it makes it hard for you to change things around in your business. Maybe you own a boutique and want to change the colors of your campaigns to reflect the seasons. Do you know how to do that and still stay cohesive. Learn how to design to feel more confident about making changes.

5. To keep your brand visuals cohesive.

With soooooooo many apps and software out there, it may make designing easier but usually what happens is that your brand starts to becomes hard for others to recognize. Remember each element of your brand helps your audience identify your business.

6. You’ll gain a new perspective on the world.

An understanding of the principles of good design means that you will look at everything differently, from posters and magazine covers, through to pieces of furniture, buildings and the gadgets you use every day. Designers (and yes, you too fellow creative entrepreneurs) are naturally curious animals and you'll find yourself thinking differently about the world around you and admiring the smaller details that go into beautifully designed products.

7. Designing will boost your problem-solving skills.

““It’s in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough. It’s technology married with the liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields the results that make our hearts sing.””

— Steve Jobs

Creativity is crucial for any business. Steve Jobs of Apple once said: “It’s in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough. It’s technology married with the liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields the results that make our hearts sing.”

It’s for this reason that graphic design enhances your problem-solving skills—not just because you’re overcoming common issues; but because you’re encouraged to consider the bigger picture. What will your design solve? How will it add value? How will it achieve your brand’s goals? Design will boost more skills than you realize and even if you're not a "real" designer you will start to use this methodology with your own brand visuals.

8. Trends change — basic graphic design skills don’t

Regardless of whether it’s ink on paper or pixels on a screen, the general principles of design don’t change. What changes is how quickly you can make something, how quickly you can send it into the culture, and how careful you have to be about how you do that. With a good foundation, you can stick to design that you can then use in other apps without losing quality.

In this day and age, graphic design should be synonymous with branding, marketing and communications because you can’t brand your creative business successfully without great design skills. Therefore to be a rockstar in your creative industry, you’re going to have to take your graphic design skills seriously.

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Want to know what branding essentials you need for your communication needs:

Here’s a checklist that just tells it like it is and cuts out the ridiculous amount of time you can spend trying to figure out where to even begin and how to proceed on your own. GET IT HERE.

Why you should learn how to design your website

(Re)launching my website 1000 edits later. 

I've been a graphic designer for more than 15 years and almost a year and a half ago I decided to incorporate coaching and consulting into my business. I saw a need to help small business owners and creative entrepreneurs have access to professional graphic and web design services to help them achieve their marketing objectives. In this process I've designed and redesigned my website so many times I honestly can't even count.

What I discovered though was in designing my website I was actually working on my business structure. That's when it became even more clear how important it was that I know how to design, redesign, edit, make changes, develop a course, add packages, create freebies, graphics and incentives. The list is long. Here's why you need to learn how to design as well.

Learn how to design your website to have a cohesive brand.

Because I'm a professional graphic designer I understand the importance of good design and how it corresponds to great communication. Starting with basic knowledge in graphic design leads to much better web design and not visa versa. Once you have a guide for your brand, learn a few tips and tricks that pros use, and know how the technology works, you are better able to have a cohesive brand throughout your website. Cohesiveness means you'll have better brand recognition, be able to differentiate yourself from others, and most of all build trust. People will respect the attention you give to your brand and take you more seriously.

Learn how to design your website to grow your business.

I can tell you I have changed my website 1000 times and I'm still not finished. Actually every day I see something that I would like do try out or do differently. All small business owners and creative entrepreneurs need this kind of flexibility. If a designer designed your website for you, how are you able to change certain aspects of your business or add packages without reaching out to her to revise your website? My own business changes so much right now as I'm trying to figure out what works best, that I can't think of how you would be able to do that if you don't know how to design it yourself.

Learn how to design your website to save money.

Perhaps hiring a professional is not in your budget right now. I can relate. Trust me. And even if you have the money to hire someone to design your logo or your website, how the heck can you possibly make changes without spending more money. It's a vicious cycle that never ends. The best way is to learn basic graphic design skills and then learn how to design your own website. This combination ensures that your brand is not only cohesive, but saves you loads of money in the long-run. Of course, since I'm a professional, it's my duty to advise you that your ultimate goal should always be to get to a place where you can hire a professional either to teach you how to do it yourself or to do all or part of your designing for you.  

Your website is your calling card.

First impressions are crucial to your business. They can make or break a sale or destroy trust and encourage or discourage engagement. Therefore your website's design is super important to creating a cohesive brand that will ultimately grow your business. It's the backbone of all of your marketing endeavors. Knowing how to design it (the right way) will make you look professional and give you all the flexibility you need to build a successful brand.

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Take a peak at my website.

See it today and come back tomorrow because it will always be changing as my business grows and I see what works and what doesn't.