When you’re starting a business or launching a project finding the right partners can be critical to your success. You’ll carefully select business partners, manufacturing partners, suppliers, and even sales partners. But all too frequently the graphic design partner isn’t a partner at all. Instead, some fledgling companies outsource their branding and marketing to the lowest bidders - or worse, end up using crowd sourced providers or cycle through dozens of designers. »

Are you a plain vanilla type business? Or are you chocolate? Or something more muddled like Neapolitan? It might seem strange to conceive of your business having a flavor… but it can help you visualize or mentally taste how you stack up against the competition. »

We’re asked all the time to “make this an infographic.” It’s amusing at times - because sometimes data is really best illustrated with a simple graph or chart. In fact, adding visual elements would only sabotage the legibility. So we have to strike a delicate balance even though we know… sometimes it’s not an infographic; it’s simply a chart. »

Social media influencers are individuals (usually bloggers or online “celebrities”) who have the power to shape the purchasing habits of their audience. We all know how well “word of mouth” marketing can work for (or, in unfortunate cases, against) a brand. And while we typically think positive word of mouth marketing can only come from someone we know personally, industry-specific authority figures have become an important part of building a successful brand. »

A healthier workplace almost always leads to a healthier bottom line. »

Really, there’s not much to add to that single statement. Sales and marketing comes down to that single thought. Solve your customer’s problem. Where things go askew is when your prospect fails to recognize they have a problem you can solve, or when your solution isn’t a perfect fit. »

​It’s not really a novel idea. It’s not even clever. It’s simply truthful. Clickbait might get you clicks but sharing helpful and useful information will gain you an audience. Admit it, you’ve clicked on an interesting headline only to be disappointed instantly. You’ll likely never go back to that site, so they’ve wasted their crucial first impression. »

Perhaps you’re new to social media – or maybe your social profiles and pages have been neglected. Don’t worry; you may be down, but you’re not out. Here are some simple steps to acquire your social legions. »

Like many Americans, I have made a conscious effort to be more responsible consumer. I’ve taken full advantage of our township’s single-stream recycling system, and find myself analyzing each piece of trash my household creates to search for something that can be recycled. I also try to research the companies I buy from, finding out how they produce their products, how they treat their employees, etc.  »

If you’re using social media for business, job hunting, or simply in a professional manner, then having a decent profile picture is important. Far too often I see strange or badly done photos. And while I’d like to say I’m immune to judging folks by their profile picture, sadly I can not. And I’m confident I’m not alone. »