This Is Why You Watch Slime Videos When You’re Stressed Out
In our tech-crowded world, people appreciate these moments of mental relief and momentary euphoria.
This is Why Everyone is Suddenly Talking about Social Darwinism
#notdying4wallstreet brought the straw man of social darwinism back into modern discussion.
Something Old, Something New
In Spring 2016, brides were feeling overwhelmed about the Pinterest-perfect weddings — and their huge price tags.
A Wedding Listicle
Undertaking a wedding tops the most stressful experiences of my young life. The pressure of planning a party for my family, friends, coworkers, and (our parents’) acquaintances filled me with dread. Years later, I revisited that terror (with some much-needed levity) to put together a list of things brides forgot on their wedding day.
Amherst County Guidebook
Volunteers are giving back, even if they don’t have a lot of money to donate.
Folded, Tabbed Fundraising Direct Mail
They asked me to update a fundraising self-mailer that included a remittance envelope for donations.
AltaVista Shopping Guide
Even on a cloudy day, the atmosphere was delightfully warm. I snapped a few shots, interviewed shopkeepers and collected piles of notes that eventually became a guide to visiting this local gem.
If I see it, I can paint it.
For these articles, Mary Garner, the publisher uses both my articles and my photography to complete the magazine spread.
Pop-Up Banners
I put together this design by staying in alignment with the Brand Guide we had previously developed.
Discussing Creative Non-Fiction
Aidan explains, “I write things down when I feel overwhelmed by detail. “
Senior Living Guide
I’ve spent some time on the senior circut lately, writing about managing medications and Forest, VA history. This article folded neatly with that point of view. As a special section within Lynchburg Living Magazine, this article focused on the local options available to retirees. Make Yourself at Home in a Retirement Community Originally Published inContinue reading “Senior Living Guide”
Virginia Commonwealth Games
When Lynchburg Business Magazine asked me to enter the world of amateur sports, I didn’t know how deep the research would take me.
The First Lady of Ivy Hill
For these articles, Mary Garner, the publisher uses both my articles and my photography to complete the magazine spread.
Freedom School Brochure
For this brochure, I put the focus on the parent as the target audience. For example, that mother in the centerfold exudes both hope and determination.
Solar Energy Spotlight
As the demand for solar energy continues to grow, so does the need for a capable, trained workforce. CVCC sees their role in the process as a simple one: prepare local students for a bright future in the exciting, expanding energy industry.
Building a Brand Guide for The Listening, Inc.
Because I’ve put together many of these guidelines in the past, I encouraged the client to keep this document focused and succinct. Many of the people referencing the guidelines are volunteers who just need to understand the basics of the brand.
A Light and Bright Shop
Camera and tablet in hand, I searched Buchanan to find “The Best Place” for antiques. The clever name belonged to an equally charming store.
Pink and Red Sale
I photographed the items, arranging them in a flat lay that included her branding. She used these materials on her facebook, website, and email marketing to promote her in-store sale.
A Fair to Remember
Everyone wants to stand in a place like the Amherst County Fair during the late summer. From the elevated fairground, you can view miles of mountains and feel the rush of wind on your cheeks. The sun is a little too warm, but it’s welcome on your skin.
Maybe the Hills Grew
Although the Heilmans had recently moved into the townhomes on Ivy Lake, we walked through Lynchburg history. They had lived in the area for several years before they moved away — only to move back. For me, it was a stressful situation. The COVID-19 shutdown regulations were constantly changing so, I wore a facemask duringContinue reading “Maybe the Hills Grew”
We’re physically distancing… not social distancing!
It was a new experience for me — calling the day before an interview to see if my subjects wanted to meet. The Coronavirus situation had escalated quickly and I wasn’t certain of the safest way to proceed for the health of my subjects. The Harveys were glad to meet with me. We maintained physicalContinue reading “We’re physically distancing… not social distancing!”
How I Interview Women About Their Art
Whenever I have a chance to interview women about their artistic process, I build my questions around resetting expectations. Often, women in art get the fluffy questions. Who inspired you? As a woman… Who would you like to thank? Instead, I start at the beginning — letting my subject tell her story. This allows herContinue reading “How I Interview Women About Their Art”
5 Tips to Get More Out of Your Marketing Team
Reminder: They’re people.
5 Things your Marketing Team Can't Do & What to Do Instead
Every business dilemma can’t be resolved by your marketing team.
How to Talk about Creativity
I encounter creative people through artist interviews, lifestyle columns, and business profiles. As I put together each story, I challenge myself to uncover the genius behind their work and relay their value to my audience.
Fact VS. Fake: Your Guide to Cornavirus (COVID-19) Content
Let’s quarantine the worst misinformation websites.
This is Why You Watch Slime Videos When You’re Stressed Out.
What started as a few organic media moments became a churning content carousel.
How to Blend Business Profiles into Shareable Articles
Flip the perspective from the business to the consumer.
How I Write About the #girlboss in 2020
Don’t just ask about their kids.
How to Prepare for an Article Interview
Each time I schedule an interview for an article, I aim to gather quality material as quickly as possible.
How to Confirm Details in Your Articles
When my articles cover impactful events, I’m conscious about the details. Recently, I spoke with an established member of the Ivy Hill Community about her experience with Bob Hope’s visit to Lynchburg. Although her memory was extremely reliable, I cross-checked the facts for two key reasons. First, I didn’t want to bog down the interviewContinue reading “How to Confirm Details in Your Articles”
How to Find a Theme for Your Article Interview
Whenever I write an article, I have a concept for the angle before I even pitch the story. Most of the time, the angle the reason an editor accepts the piece.
My Simple Content Marketing Tip for Non-Profit Organizations
As part of my volunteer work at The Listening, Inc., I interview artists for their website.
5 Popular Text Treatments for Photoshop Beginners (Tutorials)
You don’t have to be a photoshop wizard to put together these popular text graphics.
Welcome to The Jungle
That contrast between author’s intention and audience reception continues to fascinate me.
We’re not sure if online news is accurate, but read & share it anyways.
Respondents said their low trust in social media has had little effect on how they “understand current events”.
15 Color Combinations Based on the Top 15 Instagram Profiles
Beyonce’s khaki & cocoa feed is the 2020 aesthetic.
Where to Find Free Backgrounds for your Designs
Don’t get stuck in a design rut.
Where to Find the Best Free Fonts
Freshen up your font choices!
New Year! New You! (Free Sales Event Graphics)
At the start of the New Year, several products and services always explode like fitness, home organization, and education.
The Science of Color in Branding
Choosing brand colors is a little bit science and a little bit art.
Blue & Black: The Most Common Logo Colors from the Fortune Global 500 List
See charts and graphs of the most common logo colors pulled from the Fortune Global 500 list.
How the Pantone Color of the Year Impacts Design
Aesthetic preferences are shaped by Pantone’s annual selection in every area of design from products to media.
How to Define Your Brand on One Page
For small businesses and startups, a one page sheet is an excellent starting place.
Getting into the Baby Boomer Mindset
Everyone is trying to get a chunk of that Baby Boomer business.
Shining a Light on the Solar Industry
As a news junkie, I had been following the conversation surrounding the solar energy industry.
How to Promote a Black Friday Sale in 2019 (Tips and Tricks)
Get ready for the big sale (+ free graphics)
Finding Joy in An Unexpected Setting
When someone invites you into their work, actually letting you feel their passion, you can put something together that goes deeper than boilerplate copy or a press release.
Do you make websites? My Roundabout Answer…
I don’t advertise website builds as one of my business services for several reasons.
How to get great, emotional quotes for your content marketing
These interview questions always get a good response.
14 Important Words that You See in Marketing Materials
Avoid promotional pitfalls by taking a deliberate approach to your marketing messaging.
How to Build a Retail Website that Makes Customers Buy
Turn the customer’s decision-making process into a dialogue.
How to Use Tutorials as Part of your Marketing Strategy
This kind of information performs well on both social and search.
Need Exposure? You might want to hire a ghostwriter.
Working with a ghostwriter can help you put together a story that captures the attention and imagination of your target audience.
How a Branding Campaign Helps Your Customer Get the Full Picture
Creating and implementing a marketing campaign can help your audience see the whole elephant of your brand, instead of fumbling around the little pieces.
How to Find the Angle for your Story, Infographic
If you want to write better, learn how to find an angle for your story.
The One Marketing Freelancer You MUST Hire
You can feel at peace with your promotions.
When should you issue a press release about your business?
Over the years, I’ve been on both ends of the press release process, as a representative for marketing clients and as a freelance writer. During that time, I have seen parallels between the press release process and our great blue earth.
How to Hire a Content Creator for Your Business Blog Posts
Basically, you have 5 options.
The Sky is Fine
To refocus content on truth-telling, there are several steps that media companies, content creators, and consumers should take to improve our information ecosystem.
Holiday Sale Graphics: It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas Sale Art (Free Download)
If you are a small, retail business, the holidays are full of both stress and opportunity. Foot traffic typically increases — and you can make the most of it. Get your fair share of pitter-pattering customer feet by running a social-media friendly sales event.
Free Sale Graphics! Black Friday Sales Event for Social Media
Whether you are a small brick-and-mortar retail shop or selling online, Black Friday (or the day after Thanksgiving) sales set the tone for your holiday promotions. It’s one of the most cluttered holidays – in terms of messaging. The big retailers have the most money to spend on high reach promotions.
How to Build an Evergreen Marketing Campaign Around Your Business Services
Everyone talks about ROI. This plan is set up to measure it.
The War of the Words
The problem isn’t that we are believing fake news — it’s that we stopped believing in news.
The Psychology Behind Fake News & Click Bait Ads
There are some headlines we just can’t resist.
Have you looked up your Facebook classifications?
Some classifications are just confusing like my multicultural: African American “racial affinity”.
When journalists talk about the threat our First Amendment rights, here’s what they mean.
The First Amendment still stands along with our right to exercise the power to speech, press and petition.
Have you shared a fake news story? Join the club.
23% say they have shared a made-up news story – either knowingly or not.
NPR talked to a Fake-News creator and confirmed it’s mostly about the ad money
Fake news will exist as long as there is money to be made from it.
The Pew Research Center tested how well people can separate fact from opinion statements. The results aren’t surprising.
People were asked to evaluate sample news statements and categorize them as “opinion” or “fact.”
Your Favorite Source of News May not be a Journalist.
If you really think about it, what makes that particular claim fake news?
A Brief History of Fake News
We have survived, and thrived as a nation, in spite of missteps.
This Study on Twitter’s Fake News Problem Points the Finger — at You.
People are emotional, irrational beings who seem to prefer sharing lies that match their worldview over reconciling their beliefs with facts.
I tracked my local news on Facebook for a month. Here’s what I found.
After 1,072 posts I was pleasantly surprised.
Is it Fake News? Spot Fake Stories on Social Media.
Melissa Zimdars, an assistant professor of media studies at Merrimack College in Massachusetts, created a solid list for identifying fake news.
Fake News! Learn the 7 Types from Experts
In the age of pay-per-click, attention is money.
How to Kill Clickbait Once and For All
Eyeballs are the currency of the internet.
Want to Improve your Email Marketing Open Rate? Try this.
Try thinking about The Cat in the Hat to improve your email marketing open rates and click throughs.
Color Palettes inspired by Central Virginia
Places come with their own colors. Can’t you just imagine the warm, vibrant golds of Arizona or the mossy greens of Vermont? As I’ve taken photos of Central Virginia, while on various assignments, I’ve collected color combinations inspired by these views.
10 Nature-Inspired Color Palettes for your Next Design Project
Often, when people think of nature-inspired color combinations, they pick neutral tones of green and brown. But, nature is full of a wide array of inspiring (and sometimes unexpected) tones. Below are a few of my favorite color combinations that you can find in the natural world.
11 Great Font Combinations Using Free Fonts
It’s all about contrast and balance.
23 Background Ideas that are Trending Right Now
The more designs you put together, the easier it is to run out of fresh ideas for backgrounds.
How to Use a Case Study to Set Yourself Apart from Competitors
From childhood, we are told that fingerprints make us distinct. Do you know how we first started using fingerprints to differentiate people? In 1903, a man named Will West arrived to Leavenworth Penitentiary to serve out his sentence. At intake, officials were confused because they already had a Will West in custody that matched thatContinue reading “How to Use a Case Study to Set Yourself Apart from Competitors”
7 Color Palettes for your latest design inspired by the 90s
Everyone knows that the 90s are back, bringing us into the wonder that was Steve Madden, dELiA*s, Lisa Frank, and Rachel Ashwell. Edgy, happy, and experimental, the colors were a lovely rainbow of boundary-breaking design. Below are a few of my favorite color combinations inspired by the 90s.
6 Color Combinations for Minimalist Designs
Although it’s safe to reuse winning tones, like the current sunset fixation, great designs start with unexpected bursts of inspiration.
6 New Color Palettes for your Next Design Project
If you’re on the hunt for some new color combinations to amp up your next design project, check out these color palettes.
4 Font Combinations to Inspire Your Next Graphic Idea, Using Free Fonts
If you’re searching for some fresh, easy font combinations, check out these ideas.
Free Download! New Inventory Announcement Graphic Design for Social Media
Your products are a big part of your brand’s story. When you run a small business, it can be easy to fall behind in promoting new inventory. Photos need to be taken. Listings must be created. As soon as you bring new things in, customers start picking them over.
Free Download! HeartBreaker Sale for Your Valentine’s Day Retail Event
You’re a heartbreaker Dream maker, a love taker Don’t you mess around with me You’re a heartbreaker Dream maker, a love taker Don’t you mess around, no no no -Pat Benatar If you want to shun the saccharine sentiments of the season, create an edgy, interactive sale to keep your customers on their toes. PeopleContinue reading “Free Download! HeartBreaker Sale for Your Valentine’s Day Retail Event”
Cute Font Combinations for Your Valentine’s Day Sale
If I close my eyes and think back to Valentine’s Day cards several details pop into my mind. I see hearts to dot I‘s and long tails on Y‘s and G‘s. Some mix between cursive and faux drop caps adorn the most important phrases.
FREE DOWNLOAD! Spooktacular Savings Art for Social Media
The campiest of holidays, Halloween slashes straight into the holiday season. These dark days are the first opportunity to lure customers into your store to preview Christmas shopping. You will get the most out of this seasonal sale if you really deliver on the spooky season.
The Notorious PSL: How a Simple Drink Became the OG of Limited Time Offers
Understand how the Pumpkin Spice Latte has been pushed past the “pint of no return”.
Free Download! Fall Into Savings Sale Art for Social Media
Preparing a Fall into Savings sale should focus on developing micro-moments.
Free Download! Back to School Sale Art for Social Media
Customize these files with your own photos.
Everything I Thought I Knew About Smokey The Bear Is a Lie.
This one is for the Smokey Bear Truthers.
How to Map Your IMC (Integrated Marketing Communication) Timeline
Defining the term “marketing” is difficult without using synonyms. It’s promotion. It’s advertising. It’s talking about your “hustle.” Textbooks explain it. Professionals do it. Consumers experience it every day. But, mapping out your marketing strategy to ensure that your message saturates the appropriate mediums for your target audience? That is called an IMC (Integrated MarketingContinue reading “How to Map Your IMC (Integrated Marketing Communication) Timeline”
Why Shark Week is your Favorite Made-Up Holiday
Why do we love/hate sharks so much? The answer can be found (in all places) at the Jersey Shore.
How the Plastic Straw Ban Went So Wrong So Fast
No one asked if the catchy pollution solution would hurt anyone.
Spoiler: It did.
How to Make eBooks Part of Your Content Marketing Strategy
The feedback loop is essential to making eBooks a part of your content strategy.
How to Integrate Proofing into Your Creative Process
“In the information society, nobody thinks. We expected to banish paper, but we actually banished thought.” ― Ian Malcom, Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton I was in elementary school when Universal Pictures released Jurrassic Park. Even the promotional trailers featuring the vibrating water glass filled me with wonder and fear. Built in the days before overdoneContinue reading “How to Integrate Proofing into Your Creative Process”
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Consider me your source for creative content, digital media advice, and marketing tips. My posts fall into three main categories. First, I give real-world examples by summarizing recent projects in my portfolio. Second, I provide free downloads, links to industry sources, and roundups of inspiration to help you break through creative ruts. Finally, I conduct deep dives into topics that interest small business owners and content creators. If you have questions about anything you see in my posts, feel free to reach out to me directly.